This course is meant for children in the age between 8 and 12 to expand their knowledge of Dutch. Both online and face-to-face in Haarlem, starting May 10th.
, , , , , , , , ,

Dutch for Children

This Monday afternoon course is meant for children in the age between 8 and 12 who want to expand their knowledge of Dutch. The interactive course consists of 8 fun and meaningful lessons for children who wish to learn Dutch and communicate…
Pandemic Getaways
,

Wonderful and safe getaways during the pandemic

Since March 2020, the Netherlands has had several different levels of lockdown to control the virus, some of which offer an opportunity to get away for a weekend. Here are my tips on how to responsibly enjoy a holiday in the Netherlands during…
Aneta photo win
, , ,

Aneta, who won the 'Unlike Portrait Awards', lives in Haarlem!

I recently saw this portrait that left me speechless. The light, the colours, the model's alabaster skin and piercing look. A portrait that looks like a painting, but it's not. It is a photograph and it is real. And it was taken by the super-talented…
swap studio
, , ,

Free new clothes while saving the environment: Start swapping!

The fashion industry has a disastrous impact on the environment. In fact, it is the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry. Especially fast fashion (zara, h&m etc), which makes shopping for clothes more affordable,…
A good year Czech wines
, , ,

Dreams do come true and Dušan lives his in Haarlem!

When I met Dušan the first thing I saw was his passion for Czech natural wines. And now you can all see that, because he just founded a company that brings this naturally, delicious fermented juice to us, here in the Netherlands, straight to…
Haarlem women's day
, ,

International Women’s Day: 12 remarkable Haarlemmer women!

March 8 is the International Women's Day and here in Expats Haarlem we want to celebrate it by honoring some of the Haarlemmer women who made and are still making an impact in the Netherlands and in the world! Haarlem's history has many special…
Dutch turn to live-stream webcams during curfewGemeente Haarlem
, , , , , , , , ,

Dutch turn to live-stream webcams during curfew

The national coronavirus curfew came into effect on January 23, and search engine Google immediately reported a significant increase in the number of ''webcam" searches. Curfew in the Netherlands In the ongoing fight against the coronavirus…
Why do we love the snow?
, , ,

Why do we love the snow so much?

There's no doubt that we are going through some weird times with a pandemic and the measures to prevent it. And as if that wasn't enough, the winter of 2021 has arrived, bringing sub-zero temperatures and icy winds along with it. The dark, cold…
Local Charities Worldwide, global platform for local givingroyalty free (can be reused without attribution)
, ,

Local Charities Worldwide: four Haarlemmers start a revolution of giving

I don’t know about you but I am quite done getting my heart broken every morning, for the best part of the last year. Getting up, sipping coffee on the couch while browsing through the news is supposed to be a relaxing start to my day, like…
Camille learning Dutch with Taalthuisroyalty free
, , ,

Back to school: Camille and her Dutch learning journey

As an expat moving to a new country, learning the local language or at least some notions of it usually is one of the first concerns – right after having sorted out the important stuff actually essential to life, such as finding accommodation…
sunset signpostroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

The tricky expat question: where is home?

Expats the world over establish themselves in new places, but do they call the new place home or is it where they originally came from? This Expats Nest article asks this question by sharing the story of Greek-born expat now ensconced in London. Here,…
Moroccan landscaperoyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Travel tales: moving to Morocco with a passion for photography

During this period of time when we cannot travel, let’s look back and share stories of past trips – ones that have come about so we can make life changes or holidays where we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This article tells the story…
Iceland's Northern Lightsroyalty free (reuse possible with accreditation)
,

Travel tales: Iceland’s dancing Northern Lights

During this period of time when we cannot travel, let’s look back and share stories of past trips – ones that have come about so we can make life changes or holidays where we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. First up is my own recollection…
Studio Drift NYE drone showroyalty free (promo for event)
,

Online happenings for January

During the current period of lockdown, people are looking for digital entertainment and so here’s a short round-up of activities for online inspiration and pursuits to pass the time during January. Why not travel around the country – virtually…
Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year's tradition
, , , , ,

Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year's tradition

It is a Dutch tradition to eat 'oliebollen' on New Year's Day. What's that, what's their origin, where to buy the best ones and how to bake them? Here we go... Oliebollen? Oliebollen are a traditional Dutch delicacy eaten during winter.…
candles in the windowroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Christmas from home in Haarlem: shining light on an Irish tradition

Making sure there is a candle flickering in the window is one tradition from home that will be lighting up my festive time in Haarlem this year. It is an Irish tradition, now brought to the Netherlands. Not travelling home for Christmas is…
festive hot cocoa and whipped creamroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , , , ,

A festive Dutch lesson for Christmas lovers

Ho, ho, ho! Christmas is here! The – normally – most wonderful time of the year is definitely going to be somewhat different this year, and maybe even difficult for some of us, so we thought it would be a good idea to try to raise everyone’s…
Ukraine trees with snowroyalty free (reuse possible without attribition, but attribute at the end of the article anyway)
, , ,

Festive Traditions: Ukraine vs the Netherlands

Many expats celebrating the festive season in the Netherlands will also incorporate traditions from home. Sometimes it can be an overwhelming time, especially for kids, and parents need to decide what to celebrate and when, how to accommodate…
upside-down reflection
, , ,

Can we really compare our cultures?

Across the globe, ways of life differ immeasurably – yet people are people. They will always compare – and, generally, they will always like to complain (at least a little bit). So, it might be only natural that when you experience a new…
Christmas treeroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Feeling blue this festive season?

Some of us, this year more than ever, might be dreading the upcoming festivities. Not being able to travel home to be with loved ones is going to be tough for so many people. While some might be putting a brave face on, determined to decorate…
steak and rosemaryroyalty free (can be reused without attribution)
, ,

Putting wild game on the menu

Most of our favourite comfort food is born in the recipes that mom made for us when we were kids – but as our palettes mature and we learn to cook on our own, we venture away from mom’s recipes and build our own comfort food repertoire.…
xmas cardroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Writing Christmas cards to Haarlem's elderly residents

It’s the festive season and a perfect time to do a good deed for fellow residents in the city, right? How about penning a little message on a Christmas card as a surprise for someone who might not otherwise receive any Christmas mail? It could…
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…
Simpel Award Website of the year 2020!Simple
, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Simpel voted Website of the Year 2020

On 26 November, 2020, Simpel was voted the 'Website of the Year 2020' by the Dutch public, making it the overall winner of the 20th edition of this exciting election. The Website of the Year election* is the largest online public award…
From December 1, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the NetherlandsUnsplash
, , , , , ,

From 1 December, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the Netherlands

To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, it is compulsory to wear a face mask in all public indoor spaces for everyone aged 13 and older from Tuesday 1 December. Anyone not wearing a mask can be fined €95. The new law provides a legal…
Christmas wreathroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Haarlem happenings in December

December is here and the festive season is just around the corner! Things won’t be quite the same as usual – there is no annual Kerstmarkt* this year – though, there are still some festive (and non-festive) events happening, all the while…
booksroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

Family sagas my grandmother would have loved to read

The recent passing of my grandmother has made me think of how some of my favourite books depict grandparents and family relations. My grandmother passed away on 6 October 2020. Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, I was not able to go…
coronavirus masksroyalty free (reuse possible with accreditation)
, , , , , ,

Dutch coronavirus response: survey for internationals

A new survey aimed at internationals living in the Netherlands about how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting their daily lives has been issued by ICAP, the International Community Advisory Panel – which is an initiative put together by four…
Sint Maarten 2020 in HaarlemSven Brandsma
, , , , , , ,

Sint Maarten 2020 in Haarlem

Every year, children sing songs at the door during Sint Maarten on 11 November. This could increase the chance of coronavirus spreading, though the chances are reduced when everyone is careful and follows the guidelines. The celebration can…
Haarlem churchroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
, , ,

November happenings for Haarlem's 775 years

This month our November events are fully focused on the fantastic occasion of Haarlem celebrating being a city for 775 years! Haarlem’s calendar for November has at its heart the fact that the city has a big birthday happening this month!…