Netherlands: You haven't integrated yet

This article confuses the difference between being officially considered "immigrant", which is the case for most of the kids in the Dutch royal family, and being considered an "outsider" by society.

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"The Dutch hold on to their cheese sandwiches [traditional food]. We meanwhile eat the cheese. We are integrated, you aren't yet."

A young Dutch woman of Moroccan origin speaking during an integration debate in the Halderberge municipality house. Municipal alderman sat together with immigrants and people who are involved with immigrants. Many of the immigrants blamed Dutch Halderberge residents for showing too little interest in their culture. "I still have a feeling that we don't belong. Why is my child seen as an immigrant during school sign-up? I am Dutch and she is Dutch. Is it for the double subsidy that the school receives? Give her the feeling that she is Dutch," says Houria Mekkaoui.

There was much criticism for the proposition that Moroccan youth for the greatest risk group for integration also in Halderberge.

"If it's about integration, the Lonsdale youth groups are a greater risk than the Moroccan youth," says youth workers Mels Hoogeboom, who agrees that part of the Halderberge youth get their lack of tolerance for other cultures from their parents.

Nobody found it strange that immigrant new-comers look for each other. "Dutch do that abroad too," says Selim Sahin.

Is integration not on the whole a problem of immigrants? The education representatives said that by staying away from nursery school the kids develop a language deficiency and due to the same language problems it is hard to approach the parents.

Source: BN De Stem (Dutch)

See also: Why are there still all those questions?

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