Did you ever start questioning your own personality after being abroad for a while? I have always been an introvert person. Terrified of public speaking. Afraid of speaking up or being heard. Except for when I am being around people that I feel comfortable with (and I turn into this crazy outgoing person everybody calls omertality), I am just a quiet observer. Call me weird or shy or whatever, but I am sure there are some introverts around here who can relate. I am from the Netherlands. I don't eat cheese now but I totally grew up with all the cheese, bicycles and stroopwafels... the typical Dutch stuff. Culturally speaking, the average Dutch person is direct, straightforward and outspoken. The Dutch literally speak their minds; no taboos, no shame, no guilt. They always have an opinion ready. I never identified myself with Dutch stereotypes; I thought I was too introvert for being "direct" or "outspoken" as people always told me to speak up for myself. However, the longer I am abroad the more I start questioning my own personality. My level of "directness" which would score a 2 on a scale from 1-10 in the Netherlands, is here considered a 10. We think being honest is a good thing, but in some cultures you better bite off your tongue. The fact that you have an opinion -regardless of what that opinion may be, can be considered rude too, let alone if you speak with an "older person". Maybe I am more Dutch than I ever realized. !
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