How possible is it to live in a country where you have to schedule weeks ahead to have a dinner date with a friend? A country where you may not be able to build your dream house without getting approval from the ministry of housing? Also, in a country where employees are paid up to 50 percent income tax and where shopping malls close at 5 pm and don’t even open on public holidays?
It may not be an interesting place to live in, not with the kind of lifestyle I am used to in Nigeria . But, that is the kind of lifestyle that The Netherlands has to offer!
It is this precision for every thing, time in particular, that struck me the first few days I arrived The Netherlands.
One particular evening, I was in a store and it was few minutes to five, their usual closing time, when one of the attendants signaled the one attending to that it was closing time. I was shocked because I was not yet done with my shopping. And I was amazed at how precious time was for the Dutch, and not the money.
Back home, the money counts for a shopkeeper who would not mind staying extra hours if there are still customers in his shop. This is one aspect of The Netherlands that I find fascinating. Their precision for time; they are always on time.
“Is satisfaction measured by such a boring routine or well-structured system?” asked Claire, a journalist from Kenya . “Don’t we always need friends around, reachable anytime? What about the freedom to your own house, have access to the malls, cinemas, and coffee shops 24 hours a day, or at least till bedtime?”
“But that rule does not apply here, it is only applicable in Africa ,” I answered. “Privacy is key here. They don’t interfere in other people’s affair. They close on time because they don’t believe they have to be overworked, beside some of them are paid hourly, so staying extra hours may not be compensated if there is no arrangement for that.”
“In Lagos , it is possible for me to pick a bus at any point and at any time on arrival at the bus stops, but Holland does not afford me that luxury of moving at my own pace. It has to be at the tempo determined by the bus schedules,” added Mary.
Nigeria , as we all know it, is a country where bus drivers and their conductors beckon at prospective passengers, announcing their routes. Walking by the road side is enough to attract their attention, as the bus drivers and conductors compete to be the first to get a passenger on board.
This is not the norm in The Netherlands, as you dare not try to stop the bus after it has left the bus stop!
In The Netherlands, schedules are strictly observed because people want to have their privacy to do the things they want to do. This is not the practice in Nigeria . A friend or relative can visit you without prior notice, and most times we take it in our strides without expressing any kind of displeasure. We inconvenient ourselves because we want to be polite, and that’s not the case here, as displeasures are voiced not hidden.
Timeliness is a practice that cuts through all aspect of the Dutch society. The trains and buses are always on time. Most times in the mornings, I see people running to catch up the train or bus as soon as they spot it from a distance, as no bus or train will wait for you.
Everything is about punctuality because it has to be at the next stop where other passengers are waiting. And if it would arrive late, it is announced. This is not a country where you have bus conductors shouting at the top of their voices for passengers. Each bus has its route and the time it must be at the bus stop. If you are one minute late, it will not stop anymore as soon as the passengers are on board.
The situation is not different with the offices. Every worker gets to the office on time, closes at 5pm on the dot. I could recall an incidence that happened last week when Joeri, one of our course instructors, deciding to stay a little late teaching us. “Joeri, you are still teaching. It’s weekend,” observed Abi, the course leader, as she walked into the room. “I know,” replied Jeori. Jeori is just one of the few who stay back for an extra minute or two.
The Dutch have a balanced look at life. The 40-hour work week is strictly dedicated to performing their jobs. The rest of the time is devoted to rest. Weekends are devoted to gardening or attending family or friend’s affairs, as travelling is also part of their yearly itinerary.
In The Netherlands, no African time, every thing is programmed!
