100 questions to answer if you wish to enter the Netherlands
Today nrc.next published 100 questions about The Netherlands one has to answer if you wish to come here by marrying someone who already lives here.
I don’t know how many questions you should answer correctly, but the sixth question, Wat betekent Nederland?
, or in English, What does The Netherlands mean?
already gave me trouble. I was thinking about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of sexual orientation, Harry Potter for minister-president and things like that. As it turns out, the answer was as simple as low lands
.
I doubt how answering those questions correctly will make anybody a better (Dutch) citizen. Especially the knowledge that many cyclists in traffic is something typically Dutch (question 22) seems quite useless to me… I know it is so, but I couldn’t think of an answer to the question nevertheless when I read it.
However, they do get some kind of teachings-package thing they can study before they have to answer the questions, so that would make it a lot easier. I suppose that if the questions are in Dutch, at least it’s a test to wether they can speak enough Dutch to understand and make themselves understandable or not.
Isn’t there a similar system in the US?
As for the language, isn’t the best way to learn/practise a language to immerse yourself in it?
March 16, 2006 @ 18:54Permalink
Joey Roe
Well, there are already lots of things regular immigrants have to do. However the point is about brides or grooms from other countries. If I’d marry a German, American, Englishman or something like that they’d basically be able to become Dutch citizens right away. The problem is that many Maroccans and Turks marry girls from the countryside of their home country who don’t speak a word Dutch. Or in other words, if they’d come here they’d be even far more discriminated and isolated than they’d be in their own country.
Also gettos of for example Maroccans who speak nothing but their own language and hardly resemble the country in which they immigrated at all is not a thing one would strive for.
It’s not about what is the best method to learn a language or anything. It’s that we want people who come here to be at least willing to learn the language.
March 16, 2006 @ 19:49Permalink
Frans
In the US we have a citizenship test, but it is only required to be taken if you want to become a citizen. You can be a resident by marriage or a green card.
I guess you’d say it is how we naturalize citizens.
March 16, 2006 @ 22:24Permalink
Ethan Poole
Exactly, you could say they get naturalised that way.
March 16, 2006 @ 22:40Permalink
Frans
I actually saw this on the news and all the commentors were angry at it? I found that rather odd.
March 19, 2006 @ 19:51Permalink
Ethan Poole