Cold Netherlands
, , ,

Thursday real feel temperature: -17C degrees

Freezing winds from Siberia are blowing into the Netherlands this weekend bringing heavy frost with sunny sky. By next week Wednesday and Thursday, the temperature could dip to as low as -6C degrees to -9C degrees overnight. The temperature…
tissues
, ,

Do Dutch people use tissues?

The other day I read a very interesting post on a Facebook Expats site. A young woman was questioning and seeking clarification as to whether Dutch people made use of tissue paper. She personally noticed that she had not come across any Dutch…
Geluksroute Haarlem 2018
, , , , , , ,

Geluksroute Haarlem 2018

Geluksroute (Happiness Route) is a relaxed way of sharing happiness, which makes for inspiring meetings and wonderful discoveries. Discover it on Saturday the 3rd of February 2018 and Sunday the 4th of February 2018 in Haarlem. The invitation…
blockchain bitcoin
, , , , , ,

Speed course bitcoin and blockchain

Heard of the new buzz words and want to know more about it? Join the speed course bitcoin and blockchain. Free for our readers.   Program of the speed course bitcoin and blockchain The lecturer Henk van Cann will address: - Why…
National Tulip Day
, ,

National Tulip Day 2018

An estimated 1.7 billion Dutch tulips bring a welcome touch of spring to households and businesses all over the globe each year. National Tulip Day sees Dutch tulip growers create a massive temporary garden on Dam Square Amsterdam, blooming…
Christmas tree action
, , ,

Christmas tree action on 4 and 10 January 2018

Just like in previous years, the municipality of Haarlem and Spaarnelanden organize the Christmas trees campaign in early 2018. On Thursday 4 and Wednesday 10 January 2018 - between 12.30 and 16.00 hrs - children up to 15 years old can bring…
work-life
, , ,

Work-life balance and how to achieve it.

A modern lifestyle requires most of us to spend a lot of our time working. And with 24/7 access to technology, it becomes difficult to disconnect from work even when we’re at home. When working abroad, expats are expected to adapt quickly…
New Year's plunge
, , , , , ,

New Year's plunge

Those crazy Dutch! Once you survived Sinterklaas, Christmas and dodged the fireworks during new years eve you think you can finally relax. Well, guess again. How the tradition started I don't know but on the first of January masses of children,…
Amsterdam Light Festival
, , , , , ,

Amsterdam Light Festival 2017 - 2018 

Amsterdam's winter festival returns each year to illuminate the city's streets and waterways with fantastic light installations by international artists. Find out more about where, when and how to see this year's works!  Amsterdam Light Festival…
Innenschau
, , , , , ,

Language no problem Theater INNENSHAU with discount

INNENSHAU will be performed in Toneelschuur Haarlem on 4, 5, 6 January, 2018, 8:30 PM. ExpatsHaarlem readers get discount. Let's enjoy the performance together, join our Innenschau Meetup on Friday, January 5, 2018, 8:00 PM. INNENSCHAU,…
Winter Village Hoofddorp
, , , , , ,

Winter Village Hoofddorp

Experience a true winter wonderland at Winter Village Hoofddorp. An ice rink in a fairytale atmosphere, crackling fireplaces, hot glühwein and delicious winter dishes. The Town Hall Square has been transformed into Winterland Hoofddorp. A…
Housing Offer
, , , , ,

HOUSING & FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFERS DECEMBER 2017

Special FREE FIRST CONSULTATIONS and DEALS for registered readers of expatsHaarlem. Find our readers' offers about renting, buying, mortgage, notary, insurance, tax advice, home utilities, cleaning and more. Housing & Financial Offers…
, , , , ,

My First Sinterklaas

This past weekend on the evening of December 5th, I celebrated my first Sinterklaas. I first learned of the old Dutch custom earlier this year when moving to Haarlem with my Dutch boyfriend. As a Canadian new to the tradition, I would like…
Christmas Market
, , , , , , , , , , ,

Haarlem’s Christmas Market Photo Walk

The Christmas Market in Haarlem is one of the biggest and nicest Christmas markets in the whole Netherlands and Benelux.  Every year the city turns in a real spectacle. This year the Christmas Market will take place on Saturday 9 and Sunday…
Sinterklaas
, , , , ,

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…
Black Friday
, , , , , , , , , ,

Black Friday in Haarlem

It's black Friday! Find an overview of the (web)shops that participate to Black Friday 2017.  Visit their shop or find the webshop with Google for great sales deals! Black Friday Black Friday is an informal name for the day following Thanksgiving…
, , , , , , , ,

How to behave online in 2017

We learn how to succeed, follow a dream, but no one says how to behave online. Go search "how to behave online" on Google and you'll get "how to behave in the church" or “how to behave in the Gladiators Games." That's all you should know about…
class
, ,

More kids per class in Dutch primary school

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences (ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap -OCW) school classes still average around 23 pupils. But a reaserch conducted by AD newspaper with government figures obtained using…
Sinterklaas
, , ,

Sinterklaas in Haarlem

Sinterklaas is coming to Haarlem on November 19 at 13:00! He will be arriving on his steamboat on the River Spaarne! You do not want to miss this event! There will be a major parade with the following route: Spaarne, Damstraat, Oude Groenmarkt,…
Dutch
, ,

The Dutch and their Dutch

Dutch is a strange language. Many expats live in the Netherlands for years and never truly get to grips with it. There are so many unwritten rules that you simply cannot learn everything from a textbook. You can ask Dutch people to explain why…
Haarlem Comedy Factory #1
, , , , , ,

Haarlem Comedy Factory #1

Join us for a great English-Spoken Comedy Night on Friday 24 November 2017, 8-9 PM at Tierney's Irish Pub. Three talented comedians will take to the stage to offer you a night of full of laughs. After the comedy: the Monthly Drink! Make sure…
Jip & Janneke (image: Annie M.G. Schmidt)
, , , ,

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 -…
Sint Maarten
, , , , , , ,

Sint Maarten's Day

St. Martin's Day or Sint Maarten in Dutch is a popular children's feast day in many parts of the Netherlands and it is celebrated on 11 November.  Typically, in the early winter evening of 11 November, small groups of children can…
couples
, ,

Most Dutch couples are two higly educated people

Last year the biggest proportion of Dutch couples consisted of two highly educated people, instead of one highly educated person and one less educated person as was the case in 2006, CBS (Statistics Netherlands) reported this Monday. In…
Schiphol
, , , ,

Schiphol expects crowded Autumn holiday

Schiphol is preparing for a busy time during the upcoming autumn holiday. Schiphol expects around 3 million people will travel through Schiphol in the coming days. This is 6 percent more than the autumn holiday of last year. The airport…
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Experience Haarlem Fair

Speeches, presentations, workshops, exhibitors, kids entertainment, Tierney's Pub Quiz, popular music band The Buccaneers, drinks, meeting people & having fun. Join the largest bilingual fair in the Haarlem area! The program will cover…
Netherlands
, , ,

One Day Getaways – Exploring the Netherlands

The first time I have ever been to the Netherlands was last year. My partner got an internship in Amsterdam for 6 months so I was regularly visiting, spending a lot of time here. Finding an apartment in Amsterdam seemed to be a mission impossible,…
post.nl
, ,

My love hate relationship with post.nl

There are times when I love the postal (in particular post.nl) service here in The Netherlands. The track and trace system is awesome,  the app works mostly well and the service is on a whole pretty quick. However, there are times that…
trakteren
, ,

What does 'trakteren' really mean?

Just that one little Dutch word can send everyone running. Children because it's exciting and usually something delicious, adults because it's just one more of those things expected from you when living in the Netherlands. Anyone living…
ExpatsHaarlem Housing Event 2017
, , , , , , ,

Photos & Video Housing Event 2017

At this event reliable selected professionals told all there is to know about the legal, financial, tax and practical matters of renting, letting, buying or selling a home in the Netherlands. Look at the photos and the video of this great Housing…