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They ride their trashy Dutch bikes like die-hard rickshaw cyclists in India, they know that going Dutch is synonymous for “baby, pay your own bill” and they stalk their naked neighbour in his curtain-less flat just like he is stalking them. They are expats gone wild in Amsterdam and I am one of them! Let me share my stories about a foreigner’s life in this glorious town. You’re in La La Land before you know it.
Part 8: Manic Mondays
Mondays, and especially Monday mornings, have the tendency to be really unpleasant. Not only because the weekends seem way too short when you were out working off your party-animalitis. Also, because people tend to be grumpy and unhappy when they jump on the jam-packed metro on Monday morning, knowing they have a full week of work ahead. All the more reason to consider ourselves very lucky this week! We’re not only saving labour on Monday, but we’re likewise celebrating the most charming annual binge fest alias Queen’s Day, known as THE BIGGEST PARTY OF THE YEAR.
Now, no matter if you’re a local or a foreigner, you won’t get by without inhaling all the crazy buzz around Queen’s Day. Expats tend to get even more excited, since it’s one of these days when they feel more local than ever. Most of them enjoy having their friends visiting from all over the world and showing them how different life can be in Amsterdam. And since this Monday’s biggest madness in orange requires some diligent preparations for foreigners and their guest alike, the following list shall give them some essential advice.
1 – Take Tuesday off.
2 – Choose three major outdoor parties according to how many hot people you saw there last year!
3 – Wear orange nail polish, no matter if you’re male or female.
4 – Wake up early enough to score the hippest stuff at the vrijmarkt.
5 – Don’t pay for renting a boat. Hitch-hike it! That way you’ll save money and make new friends.
6 – Know at least one famous Dutch song by heart, you will have plenty of opportunities to shout it out loud!
7 – Tell some clueless tourists that this whole party is about eating as many oranges as they can.
8 - Forget that you are a human being and you need to pee. This is millions of people partying in a city that doesn’t even fit one!
9 – Don’t over-think your orange outfit, wear something silly and have fun! As long as you hand out free hugs and beer, everybody will love you anyway.
10 - Last, but not least: go hard or go home! Make this day a fun and unforgettable one.
Queen’s Day Explained
Besides having experienced Queen’s Day a couple of times now and knowing what awaits me, I am glad that there is lots of information out there that explains Dutch culture for ‘Dummies’. As for describing the uniqueness of this festivity to foreigners, there’s not much left to say about Queen’s Day than what this lady will tell you (including some serious pronunciation tutorial!):
Featured image by Fabi Fliervoet.
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