Hahaha man, you also got the whole thing about "children in Africa" from your parents. I certainly heard that one too many times to count. I have never told my children that. My wife from Canada had a very specific warning to her. They talked about the children of Ethopia.
It is funny what you say about the Dutch, because I lived there and the stingyness of the Dutch was driving me crazy more than once. I don't want to bash the Dutch too much because they are so similar to us Norwegian that it is a bit like bashing ourselves. Yet two things stand out compared to Norwegians:
1. Stingyness. They nickle and dime you for everything. They will charge money for the tiniest thing. Even if it is just a tiny amount. They will give you a bit too small portion for just about anything. At a traditional Dutch get together there are only two biscuites for each.
2. Planning everything to death. The Dutch put everything in their agenda. You cannot have a spontanous meeting or hangout with a Dutch person. Nope make and appointment 1 week in advance.
In Norway once we invite you for something we don't have an idea of there being a maximum amount of stuff you can eat. My grandmother whenever she invited anyone was always worried about there not being enough. Not a problem in the Netherlands because there is already a social convention which says how much each should have. My mother also described the same from her time living in France. I find that odd given that the French are a catholic country.
And whole I guess Nordic people are a bit into planning and punctuality like all Germanic people, the Dutch, Swiss and the Germans are kind of crazy by our standards. Us Norwegians are more fond of spotenous get togethers. Well... I guess we get more Dutch with age, but at least when in your early 20s you get together without tons of planning.
It was always funny when I lived in the Netherlands and hung out with people from all over Europe. For any meeting the Swiss would arrive first, then the Germans and then the Dutch. Next the Swedes... they are like the Germans of Scandinavia. Then I guess Brits, Norwegians.
How was Nazi occupation in Greece? It wasn't terrible in Norway compared to other places. But my grandfather would always tell the story about when he biked for hours into the countryside to get a single egg. Norwegians still really hated Germans for a long time. My mother did not know until she grew up that Germans were people. The way grownups talked about Germans, she said that as a child she thought a German meant some sort of vicious dangerous animal akin to a wolf or a bear.
I have kind of made a point to not be that judgemental towards Germans. I think the present genereation Germans are a great people, even thouogh I am still not convinced there is such a thing as German humor ;-)
