Some parts of daily life in the Netherlands may surprise you at first.

Traffic

The roads are busy (druk): many people and many cars live in a small country.
The bicycle (de fiets) is a Dutch symbol. There are more bicycles than people. Children, students, workers and older people cycle to school, to work and to the shops. There are cycle paths (het fietspad) everywhere.
Driving licence (het rijbewijs): someone who comes to live in the Netherlands can drive with a foreign licence only for a limited time. After that you need a Dutch licence. Some countries' licences can be exchanged without an exam; for others you have to take the exam again. It depends on the country that issued your licence. The answer the exam expects: yes, you need to get a Dutch licence.

Home and family life

Because the weather is often cool and rainy, the Dutch spend much of their time indoors (binnen) and like to make their homes cosy. On sunny summer days, though, parks and terraces are full.
Visits: people usually make an appointment (de afspraak) before visiting someone. Turning up unannounced is not very common.
Birthdays (de verjaardag) are celebrated. Guests come, there is cake, and not only the birthday person but also the family is congratulated: Gefeliciteerd!
Grandparents (opa en oma) usually live on their own (apart), not with their children.

Cost of living

Life in the Netherlands is expensive (duur): rent, health insurance, energy and groceries cost a lot. So it is important to plan your budget well before you come.