u/Sudden-Ad9105

Needed a little rant, if I may. 😄

For context: I'm Asian, married to a Dutch man, and have been living in the Netherlands (on and off) for the past 15 years.

We recently spent five days in a six-person bungalow at Ridderstee in Ouddorp. We paid a rather hefty €1,800, although to be fair, it was a very last-minute booking. The bungalow itself was lovely, and so was the surrounding area. The beach was only about a 1 km walk away, the sunsets were stunning, and overall we genuinely had a wonderful stay.

But... there's just something about the Dutch approach to hospitality that still blows my mind, even after all these years.

Check-in wasn't until 3:30 p.m.—not even 3:00—and apparently there was absolutely no option for an earlier check-in. I already find 3:00 p.m. quite late, but 3:30? Why squeeze in another 30 minutes?

Then there's the whole "make your own bed" experience. 😂 In Asia, if you're paying that kind of money, your bed is made for you every day, towels are replaced daily, and basic toiletries are standard. Here? We each got one towel for the entire five-night stay. No shampoo. No shower gel.

The bungalow came with four rolls of toilet paper for five people staying five nights. Obviously, that wasn't going to be enough, but if you asked for more... you had to pay. We were also given just two dishwasher tablets for the whole stay, so off to the supermarket we went to buy more toilet paper, dishwasher tablets, and other essentials.

Check-out was at 10:00 a.m. I genuinely have no words.

And to top it all off, we had to throw out our own trash before checking out and remove all bed covers from the bed. 😄 At that point, I was half expecting them to ask us to vacuum the bungalow too.

Don't get me wrong—I loved the bungalow and I loved Ouddorp. This isn't about the accommodation itself. It's more about what seems to be the Dutch philosophy of hospitality: "Here's what you get. If you don't like it... well, that's your problem."

Maybe "obnoxious" is too strong a word, but I've often found the attitude to be almost a "take it or leave it" approach. Coming from an Asian background, where hospitality is often about anticipating guests' needs and going the extra mile, the contrast is enormous.

So now I'm curious... is this mainly a Dutch thing, or is this pretty common across Europe?

Updated : Not trying to rage bait Dutchies - It's just a discussion about cultural differences, not an attack on the Netherlands.

Did endoscopy early this morning! All went well and the doctor seems to refer my reflux as NERD instead of GERD. The only diagnosis I get was Insufficient cardia (incompetent lower esophageal sphincter). Does anyone has the same diagnosis? I asked what should I do and he said nothing. But I mean seriously there can’t be nothing I can do 😭 so I’m looking for suggestions and friends who have gotten the same diagnosis with success stories ? Grateful for this community as always :)

"If you want to know anything about us, don't go to the internet." - Pastor Noel Hollins from GRC closely related to Revival Faith Assembly in Singapore
(Resource : https://www.nine.com.au/australia-news/a-current-affair/inside-cultlike-church-geelong-revival-centre-20221027-p5rcwr.html )

Does this sounds familiar? or perhaps this :

"If you leave, your life will fall apart."

or mayeb even this :

"The world is against us because we're chosen."

and this :

"We're the only ones who have the truth."

and more....

For me, it is everything i hear when i was in the "church" I attended for the good 6 years of my youth. Until the day i left, I still didnt really question why and what they were trying to achieve. Because ignorantly, i believe they are probably the one true church but I left because I felt that life had to be more than what I was experiencing. Something didn't sit right with me, even if I couldn't yet put it into words.

What strikes me now is that healthy organizations don't need to fear questions. They don't need to discourage independent research. They don't need to convince people that disaster awaits if they leave.

A healthy community should be able to withstand scrutiny.

When I first encountered the BITE Model developed by Steven Hassan, many of these statements suddenly made more sense. They weren't isolated comments. They reflected patterns of information control, thought control, and emotional control that are common in high-control groups. So really, just do your research because you dont want to waste your time living in lies especially when life is short.

If you are interested, listen to this podcast ! Or if you know about the BITE model, share your experience and thoughts.

I know many of us who leave a cult just want to move on. For a long time, I told myself to stay silent, rebuild my life, and let go of the pain.

Even after being shunned and cut off by people I once considered family, I convinced myself that silence was the healthier choice.

Until my sister left too.

She was the same sister who had shunned me for years because the church taught her I was spiritually dangerous or deceived. We lost years of our relationship because of those teachings.

Then one day, she left — and I watched the same isolation, fear, and heartbreak happen to her.

That was when I realised how common this experience is for former cult members. People lose families, friends, partners, and entire support systems simply for questioning leadership or doctrine.

My sadness for her turned into anger. Anger at how fear, guilt, manipulation, and shunning are normalised in the name of “faith” or “obedience. And then I realised silence only protects the system.

That’s why I created this community — not to spread hate, but to bring awareness to spiritual abuse and create a safe space where people can speak honestly about their experiences without fear or shame.

If you’ve experienced spiritual abuse, manipulation, shunning, or control from a cult-like group or church in Singapore, your story matters.

Hi All
we finally decide on our summer holiday to Norway and are thinking about a camper van for this trip. For those who have been, what are the experience on both? Are there any recommendation on trusth worthy rental company or is it normally quite safe with any. Any tips regarding this would be much appreciated! Thank you in advance.

I was on omeprazole for a week ish every time there is a flare up although GP think I should be on it for 2-3 months to see effects. However, I read a lot of negative comments on taking PPIs so naturally I’m trying to avoid it as much as I can. Omeprazole helps a lot I must say, most symptoms are gone except my bowel movement slowed down drastically. Does anyone have this side effects and how do you managed that?

I’m going to schedule for an endoscopy soon but for now I’m thinking perhaps I should go back on omeprazole till the scope just to manage the symptoms but I’m also abit worry about the constipation to come. What’s your thoughts? Any advise would be much appreciated.

We are looking for someone who can do Construction of small shed and fences as well as Landscaping in our front and back garden. Does anyone have any recommendation?