Dutch guy here.. I don't want to speculate as to why, but generally I agree that social relationships are strained. I live in Delft where there is a substantia

Dutch guy here.. I don't want to speculate as to why, but generally I agree that social relationships are strained. I live in Delft where there is a substantial body of foreign students and phds and I love their social openness. Dutch people tend to settle in small, rigid cliques. It's hard for anyone to mingle and make new friends. When you're having a beer with some people and one person announces he/she is leaving for a party don't expect to be invited to come along. It may be a result of the 'Pillarisation' which is officially a thing of the past.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillarisation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillarisation)