Orderly Holland

One of the first things that always strikes me arriving in Holland from the U.S. is how orderly things are here. That's both a good thing and a somewhat confining thing. You feel it in your interactions with most people (even though everyone has been extremely nice, welcoming, and helpful) and you notice it everywhere in your physical surroundings. It's not a criticism of either the U.S. or Holland, just one way in which you see this major difference between these cultures manifested (simplified: individualism in the U.S. and the constant attention to the common good over here). On the bike: lots of little roundabouts, intersections, bikepaths, and other potential hazards. It's fine.