Dark winters of Netherlands from the eyes of an expat

Winters can be very awful, and you can see more cases of mental illness surfacing. We are deprived of the bright sunshine, and this can take a toll on people’s mental health. Be cautious and make sure you make extra efforts to step out and mingle with people. Don’t let the mood take control of your mind. If there is the slightest sunshine, go for a walk and let your skin have that bright light.

I am an Indian and I come from India, a country which is near the equator. We have brighter days, and the sun stays with us even during the winters. The sunrise and sunsets usually move by an hour or so with the changing seasons. Our ancestors took care that most of the celebrations or festivals would fall during the winter months. It’s that time of the year where everyone is busy celebrating and dressing up with radiant colours. It’s about spreading the light and warmth. Food is one of the most important parts of our festival, which is designed to suit the weather.

I moved from India to the Netherlands with my family during the winter.The weather is chilling, the days are shorter and it’s mostly dark, raining and there is a numbness in the air. Believe me, people that you come across also seem to smile less during the winter. There is more of a stubborn look on people’s faces.

The people here have managed their ways with fewer human resources and more machines or automated work. The dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and cleaning robot are just the basic ones on the list. It took time for me to get used to this way of living. We continued with the Indian way of cooking, and believe me, it’s not fun. It’s great to eat, but preparing all of it with no help was a pain. The Dutch have a warm meal only once a day, and we Indians eat warm meals most of the time during the day.

Planning and sticking to the schedule are things that you should learn from the Dutch. Having everything in your personal calendar is so helpful. I had to learn this skill to survive and deal with all the appointments. You must live your life aligned with your calendar and clock. less spontaneous, but I do miss that at times. Me and some of my Indian friends do crack a joke. These guys know when their parents plan to visit them. For us back home in India, we get the news that someone is out when there is a knock on the door.

Getting back to our main topic, winter. You get to see all shades of grey during the winter and it is very energy-sucking. Quick tips for not letting the mood take control of the mind.

1. Do not forget to take your daily dose of Vitamin-D.
2. Go for a walk. Even a 20-minute walk is worth the effort.
3. Meet people and mingle with like-minded people.
4. Meditate. This is like a charm that can work to solve most of your problems. (राम बाण उपाय (Rāma baan upāyē))
5. For me, it’s writing.
6. Listen to some happy beats/music.
7. Winter can be a great time to sleep and let your body rest. Try to make the most of the early sunsets and the late sunrises.
8. Try to light some scented candles and some incense sticks.
9. Put some bright flowers on a spot where you spend most of your time.
10. Have some hot soup. Do not forget to use the soup maker to make life easier and your health better.
11. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, make the most of it.
12. I always plug in my EarPods even when I am not listening to anything. This is the smallest and simplest thing I use to block the cold wind from entering my ears.
13. Last but not least, spoil yourself with some warm winter shopping. Add some bright colour to your wardrobe. Make sure you have the right clothing for the season.

I always believe that when there is more darkness, you should let your light shine and spread some happiness around you, and you should smile more often.

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