anti-social-ness and garbage

One thing that is very present in Dutch society is that of being a "social" person. Not in the way that an American may think social...as in going out and interacting with a lot of people and having a busy calendar full of things to do and places to go with many people. No, in the NL, "social" is more of a way you should behave and be 'normal', a way take an active part in society to make things run more smoothly. More often you hear of someone being "anti-social". The phrase, 'don't be so anti-social' is probably a quite commonly used phrase...as often as 'dank u wel' or 'alstublieft' (maybe not *that* much).

I've heard this before, referring to (funny enough), garbage collection. While I know, growing up back in the 'hood of Sheboygan, with neighbors who don't really give a crap about what day the garbage is being collected and put bags and bags of garbage out in the alley behind our house a day or two before the trash collectors were to come....that isn't the nicest of behavior. But in my own experience with my Dutchie, and from talking to other expats living in Amsterdam...its quite amusing to me, this huge importance dutchies place on timing of taking out the garbage. your whole reputation amongst your neighbors pretty much depends on it! if you put your garbage out any earlier then probably 2 hours before the collection, you are labeled as 'anti-social'. if you put it out the night before: anti-social ---this was the case of another expat I talked to. (what if you don't have time in the morning, or may forget in your mad-dash of getting ready for work? its better to put out the trash than have it pile up inside and help aid in starting an infestation of bugs or rodents!)

And in our case, we have a trash bin outside that some employee from our apt complex puts out in the morning, usually by 730am. The trash collection usually comes at around 930am. This is a pretty short window to put trash out. If you put trash outside on the curb if the bin isn't yet out if, say, the employee doesn't put the bin out before you leave or before 9am, you are anti-social.

Last week, both on Monday and Thursday when they come to collect the trash, the bins weren't out before 9...M leaves before 9. I don't get out of my pjs til after 10...(so this meant no trash was being taken out). I suggested, just put it out on the curb..that's not our problem that he forgot to put the bin out in time. I dont want bags of trash sitting on our balcony all week. 'No! That is really anti-social' was the response! 'Its not the job of the collector to pick up the bags off the curb...they are supposed to only empty the bins.' Well, to me, bags and bins, same thing...their job is to collect the trash.

But as the bins were out late twice last week, I think M changed his mind and is becoming defiant to the risk of labeling by neighbors and the trash collectors...and simply will put his trash out no matter what (you could argue that being late on putting the bins out is also anti-social!). Dutch society, pretty much as a whole, follows the rules. If you don't do what's socially accepted, someone will let you know and put you in your place. Unless of course you're an apethetic immigrant who just wants to put her trash out. A few hours off on your timing, and a plea to attend integration classes will ensue! ;-)

PS- I wrote this last week...but posting today. This morning the bin wasn't out when M left at 745. When I looked out the window at 9am , the bin was there, and the trash bag that should have gone out with M an hour earlier...was still sitting in our kitchen. So I had to take it out. Why wait for the dang bin? Just take the trash out and put it on the curb! The trash collectors are coming no matter what, so put it out there or have your kitchen smell like garbage and watch the fruit fly population soar.