Posted by Crazy_Charlie on January 11, 2005, at 5:10:34
In reply to Re: How I stoped smoking WEED, posted by wilson711 on January 10, 2005, at 17:35:40
Hoi
I haven't been admitted to any hospital here, but an american friend of mine was, and he seemed to enjoy it, hehe. I can't really compare it to the US, because I have never been there. But all the times I have been at the hospital with my child, I have been met in an amazingly good way, of very good doctors. I don't know whether you have to speak Dutch, because most Dutch are splendid in English. I know that I as a psychologist don't have to learn Dutch (but I'm doing it anyway, since I have made up my mind about living here). I don't think it will differ much from any other country as such, at least not from what you can see from th eoutside...The insurance here is a bit similar to US, but in my point of view maybe better? I can't say muc<h there either, because I only know what people have told me about the US health insurance, I don't know by my own experience.
I am still insured by my own country, so I'm not all that good in the Dutch insurance yet. If you have a job, the insurance will be managed through your company (as far as I have understood it).If you don't have a job or any income, you will get a different kind of insurance through the governement (as a Dutch citicen), I think. There is some kind of limit on how low your income is befor ethe governement steps in and help you. But I know it's not supposed to be any problems if you are too poor to buy an insurance, you will get help anyway.
If you really start thinking about this, you can e-mail me on this adress: psych0b1tch@yahoo.com (mark subject with: to Charlie), and I can give you my adress to an american friend of mine that lived in Amsterdam for 1 year. She probably knows a lot more, because it's completely different being here as an european than an american.
I found the Netherlands to be heaven too, not because of the weed (which IS the best in the world), but because of the relaxed atmosphere. Norway is more similar to US in that way, you simply feel monitored. You are not allowed to do this and that, and they check you out on a regular basis. Laws are not based on logic, but what is easiest for the governement to decide. here you get more the sense of being allowed to take responsibility for your own life. For some people that is not good, but for me that is the only right thing.
What I do find stunning though, is the facts. If you compare Norway an dthe Netherlands, you will see a lot things that is hilariously funny (ironic):
Norway is ten times as big as the Netherlands when it comes to size, but we have only one fourth of the inhabitants (4,5 millions compared 16,4). Norway is very strict on drug rules, marijuana is just as illegal as heroin, and if you are caught with more than 5grams you risk prison. Norway has the highest rate of violent crimes in western Europe, and it's just getting worse. Norway has a big problem with heavy drug abise, and as far as I remembee more than 50 people die of an drug overdose every year (and thats without all the grey and black numbers). In the Netherlands about 3 people die every year because of drug overdose, and problems with heavy drugs use is by percentage half of Norways! Of course you have violence here to, but not at all in the same way as in Norway. In Oslo (capital of Norway), there are areas where even the cops don't go out of their cars in the evening because their scared. I lived in Amsterdam for 8 months in 2001, and most Dutch people stared at me when I told that. Even the Red Light District is perfectly safe for most people in the evening. Violence here is connected to the big guys, those who rule the drug game. This is starting to change a bit, and I see areas here too that looks scary, but I have yet to find something as scary as Oslo in the evening.
How is it that in a country where people are almost stacked on top of each other in lack of space, they are actually LESS violent and MORE tolerant than the Norwegians that need a car to be able to go back and forth to the neighbour in one day? How is it that Norway, that has such a strict drug policy, we seem to have more problems with drugs than the Netherlands? Now, get this right: the Dutch are VERY strict when it comes to hard drugs, even more strict than Norway, so it's not because the Dutch are overlooking hard drugs. They have simply used their brains: instead of messing away a lot of money on a drug that does not seem to be a problem neither for the country as a whole NOR the user himself, they spend the money on fighting hard drugs.
Blablabla
But I guess you get my point, this really IS heaven... it's not only what it SEEMS to be, it really IS! With all the flaws and annoying features that somehow is inside the Netherlands too, they have passed the Norwegians in mostly everything positive possible.
CC
poster:Crazy_Charlie
thread:368221
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20041128/msgs/440541.html