What happens when blunt meets gezelligheid?
Armed with good intentions and a broken bike, Dimitrios and Eleni - a Greek couple new to the Netherlands - and many of their expat friends stumble through kringverjaardags, Kingsday chaos, and the soul-crushing reality of bringing your own birthday cake to work.
From the "circle of death" at birthday parties to the trauma of scalding bitterballen, Lekker Direct is a hilarious and painfully accurate guide to Dutch culture - as told by the expats just trying to survive it.
With a cast of international characters (an Italian couple who dare to arrive late to a social event, an American terrified of Dutch Sinterklaas poems, and a Portuguese woman stalked by curtainless windows), this book explores:
What to do when your birthday gift lands... poorly
How to join a Dutch secret underground mustard society
Why even toddlers will outpace you at the supermarket Grand Prix
What it really means when a monkey crawls out of a sleeve
And much more...
Based on absurd (or is it mostly?) true stories, baffling traditions, and brutal honesty wrapped in gezelligheid, Lekker Direct is the guidebook you never knew you needed - and the therapy session you definitely do.
Whether you're an expat, a Dutch native with a sense of humor, or a confused tourist - you'll laugh, cringe, and maybe (finally) understand what the hell "lekker direct" means.