Long-distance relationship
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Long-distance relationship: Is it for you?

Long-distance relationships are not a walk in the park, but when it comes to love, it’s not always black or white. When talking about love relationships it's easier to take one of two postures, a romanticized vision of how the books and movies…
An interview with Sinterklaas (Photo: Rodi)
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An interview with Sinterklaas

The Shallow Man recently had the dubious honor of interviewing the world’s angriest not black man, Zwarte Piet. Like many of his supporters, I found him to be very emotional, irrational and downright aggressive. There were a number of questions…
Sinterklaas versus Santa Claus
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Sinterklaas versus Santa Claus

They both work in the same sector, wear red, and have a big white beard. For Piet's sake: what's the difference?  The Big Day Sinterklaas: Sinterklaas' "heerlijk avondje" / delicious is 5 December, although Sint arrives with a steamer…
EXPAT CINEMA: The Hand of God
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EXPAT CINEMA: The Hand of God

On 5 December at 14:15 hours The Schuur in collaboration with expatsHaarlem presents the most personal and intimate new Italian film by Paolo Sorrentino (the director of La Grande Bellezza) The hand of God, with English subtitles.   Expat…
Evening closures and stricter anticorona measures during the dayPhoto by marco fileccia on Unsplash
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Evening closures and stricter anticorona measures during the day

The Netherlands will shut down from 5pm to 5am, apart from essential services for at least three weeks from this Sunday, as the cabinet struggles to reduce the spread of coronavirus, now at an average of 22,000 new cases a day. The number…
Earlier Coronavirus press conference on Friday, as hospital problems mount
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Coronavirus press conference this Friday, as hospital problems grow

Demissionary prime minister Mark Rutte and health minister Hugo de Jonge will host a new press conference this Friday, a week before the one planned on December 3. De Jonge said the decision has been made following a meeting with ministers…
Sound journey

A journey you won’t forget

Did you know our body works as an orchestra? At the opera or at a concert, voices and instruments come together so we can experience the fluidity and beauty of harmony. The same goes for our body: each of our organs vibrates at its very own…
In which countries do people exercise most around the world and what stops them doing more?Emma Simpson on Unsplash
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In which countries do people exercise most around the world and what stops them doing more?

A new global Ipsos study conducted with the World Economic Forum explores attitudes to sports and finds that globally most (58%) would like to practice more but say they lack of time to do so (37%). People in the Netherlands are the most physically…
Healthy vs Unhealthy gaming

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Gaming: Tips for Parents

Many parents have concerns about video gaming and their children spending too much time in front of a screen. We discuss the difference between healthy and unhealthy gaming and how to support your child to get the best out of their gaming experience. Yes,…
Press conference: Light lockdown and 2G policy to comeMatt Seymour
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Press conference: Light lockdown and 2G policy to come

The Netherlands will be going into a three-week light lockdown. Coronavirus measures will apply from Saturday 13 November at 18.00 to at least Saturday 4 December.  At the press conference yesterday, Prime minister Rutte began his address…
Expat Cinema: Do Not Hesitate
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Expat Cinema: Do Not Hesitate

On Sunday November 21st Toneelschuur and expatsHaarlem will present a special screening of the Dutch Oscar entry Do Not Hesitate, with English subtitles. Readers of expatsHaarlem get €3 discount and pay €8,50 instead of €11,50. Don't you…
November 2021 Events in HaarlemMarc Kleen
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November 2021 Events in Haarlem

''11 November is the nacht....''. Sint Maarten 2021 is happening. There is, however, some government's advice for residents and parents or supervisors. Haarlem’s events agenda for November presents a powerful international movie at the Filmschuur…
Sint Maarten will go on in Haarlem, but with coronavirus measures
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Sint Maarten will go on in Haarlem, but with coronavirus measures

Singing with the kids door to door on Sint Maarten on Wednesday 11 November. Is that possible in Corona time? The Kennemerland Safety Region and GGD Kennemerland are following the decision of the government: Sint Maarten 2021 is happening! There…
Jip & Janneke (image: Annie M.G. Schmidt)
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Crafting a lantern for Sint Maarten

On November 11, it's Sint Maarten (Saint Martin)' s Day. Sint Maarten is a great children’s event! Ringing doorbells, singing songs at the doors in exchange for a treat (sweets, mandarins or even some small coins) and - as darkness falls -…
Expat Cinema November: Riders of Justice ROLF KONOW
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Expat Cinema November: Riders of Justice

On Sunday, November 7th at 19 hours the Schuur and expatsHaarlem present a special screening of the Danish movie Riders of Justice, with English subtitles. Readers of expatsHaarlem get €3 discount and pay €8,50 instead of €11,50 with the…
New coronavirus measures: face masks are back, more working at home again and coronapass entry in more locations
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New coronavirus measures: face masks are back, more working at home again and coronapass entry in more locations

The government  has announced this second of November, 2021, that it is bringing back some of its previous coronavirus prevention measures and introducing new ones, in an effort to reduce the surge in new coronavirus cases. Face masks return…
Dutch office life

How is the office life in the Netherlands (and in Haarlem)?

The Netherlands is ranked third in the world for work-life balance by the Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). When you work in an office, your hours are clearly defined and always respected. It is unusual to find employees…
Breathwork
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Breathe yourself free!

Release. Let go. Easier said than done. We all have things we would like to get rid of, feelings, emotions, beliefs keeping us stuck. But how? How do we get them out of our system so we can simply feel good? Sophie van Aanholt, a certified…
Kus van de cactus
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Travel through your senses, and let them take you to Mexico

When you think of home, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you come from a country with a rich culinary history, normally food is the first thing that will pop into your head. It's common to taste nostalgia when being far from home…
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Haarlem's autumn festival 2021!

You can see the complete schedule for Haarlem's Autumn Festival below. Stay warm with a tasty pumpkin soup, drink a delicious beer and stroll through the cozy streets of Haarlem. Pop-up performances and art shows are organized in pop-up…
Nationalities in the regions
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We are great, but how many are we?

Yes, us expats are interesting and fun and adventurous and brave, in one word great! But let's see how many of each nationality live in each nearby region. Find yours in the easy-to-read table that I spent an hour making for you :) Haarlem Haarlemmermeer Bloemendaal Zandvoort Amsterdam Dutch 147…
What to do this autumn in and out of Haarlem
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What to do this autumn in & out of Haarlem

The average autumn temperature in the Netherlands is a balmy 14.6℃, and you can expect 314 hours of sunshine this season. This is perfect weather for enjoying some day trips out with family and friends. In the Haarlem area you can make the…
Are you feeling safe in your relationships?
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Are you feeling safe in your relationships?

To connect with others, it’s often important that we feel safe with them. Safe to be ourselves, to be vulnerable, in order to feel comfortable. Yet we’re all different, with different past experiences, and that can mean we feel safety in…
Autumn in Haarlem's nature
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Enjoy autumn in Haarlem's nature

Autumn with its beautiful colours and invigorating breeze makes Haarlem and the surrounding areas even more beautiful. Haarlem is a lively town with a population of over 350,000, and once a thriving North Sea trading port. Even though Haarlem…
As of 25 September, we no longer have to stay 1.5 metres from others. The coronavirus entry pass system is being introduced
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Netherlands to reopen further with coronavirus entry pass

As of 25 September, we no longer have to stay 1.5 metres from others. The coronavirus entry pass system is being introduced for locations that will get busier when the 1.5 metre distancing rule is lifted. You can get a coronavirus entry…
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Joel lives in Haarlem. Joel is sad. Joel is funny. Joel wrote a book.

So who is Joel Azulay? Joel is your neighbour who takes the dog out at the same exact time every day, your friend from home who married his highschool sweetheart, the waitress at your favourite cafeteria, your annoying cousin who still collects…
Emotional eating
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EMOTIONAL EATING: WHY IT HAPPENS AND HOW TO MAKE THE SHIFT

Do you eat when you feel stressed, sad, happy, lonely, bored or angry? We all have different ways to cope with negative emotions and feelings, and emotional eating is one such way. Janine Schaeffer, a nutritional consultant with a background…
Back to workout
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How To Start Working Out In Haarlem After A Long Break

The Netherlands has been recently ranked as the 15th healthiest country in the whole world, with a health grade of 85,86. Factors such as quality health care, healthy diets, and outdoor activities and exercise have contributed to the nation's…