​​There are some languages in the world that are pretty damn beautiful to listen to (French, Italian or Spanish, for starters). Nederlands (which you may have heard referred to as "Dutch" in more casual settings) does not fall into this category. Very throaty, pretty blunt, and kinda abrasive, its main redeeming feature is how linguistically close it is to English. That being said, Amsterdam is one of those cities you simply HAVE to visit, and there's nothing like really immersing yourself in the culture by using the local lingo. So, if you're too lazy to download an app and learn it properly, just brush up on these phrases that are essential for any trip to the Netherlands.
​
BTW, take the phonetic pronunciation with a grain of salt...
​

According to research, consciously counting your blessings is a workout for your brain's capacity for gratitude, making it easier to be more positive--and happier--going forward. (Complaining works in the opposite way, causing your brain to default to gloom.) How do you cultivate appreciation for the good things in your life? Here are a few practical, science-backed ideas.

​Hey there soldier, not so fast. You're a big boy/girl now and you've made it to Tinder, congratulations on that. But there are a few things imperative to making it in the tinder scene here. First things first, if you're under 6ft. your chances are fucked. A successful Tinder profile requires your height to be neatly displayed at the top of your description. Especially in the Netherlands, they're the tallest kids on the global block and fight pretty hard to keep them monster viking genes.

Don't get me wrong, I love meeting new people. Especially in an environment as diverse as Europe which welcomes every second a multitude of different nationalities. There is however a  certain inkling of uncertainty that tugs at the roots of my awkward New Zealand upbringing when meeting somebody of an unfamiliar nationality. How do we greet in a culturally neutral way without looking and feeling like fucking idiots?  

Coming soon to a tree near you, TreeWiFi. Yes that's right, a WiFi router lodged into a bird house that hangs from a tree. And yes, it's free! Founded by the bright spark Joris Lam, this initiative just took away first place and a €1000 prize at Awesome Amsterdam (a foundation to make the city more awesome). Not only do these birdhouses lay down strong WiFi beams fit to turn your regular router green with envy; but also test the air quality of the area and offer this information online as a comparative tool to incentivise air cleanliness between Tree WiFi locations.