Liberation Day
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5th May: Liberation Day and festival

Following directly on from Remembrance Day, 5 May is a national day of celebration known as Liberation Day throughout Haarlem and the Netherlands. You will find a wide variety of entertainment and events taking place to commemorate the liberation…
William the Silent
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Dutch History; William the Silent. How the Prince of Orange became an outlaw.

William the Silent or more commonly known as William of Orange was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that started the Eighty Years' War. He was born in the House of Nassau as Count of Nassau-Dillenburg. He became…
Haarlem
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Things to do in Haarlem this May

Its now May in Haarlem and there are lots of things to do! On Friday, May 4 is the first instalment of the freedom festival, the memorial concert. On Saturday, May 5 is the freedom concert! The whole of Haarlem turns into a massive music…
Tulip fields
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Tulip fields in Holland: where and when to go?

Every year, 2 million tourists come to Holland to see the Tulip fields. Most people will go to Keukenhof, and if you want to make a photo of the background with the fields, you will need to stand in a line. When to see the Tulip fields? The…
flower parade
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VIDEO: Bloemencorso Haarlem 2018

Wasn't the flower parade this year in Haarlem lovely? We managed to capture it on video for you. Enjoy!  
doubting
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What To Do When You Start Doubting Everything.

There you are, in a new country. You decided to live abroad and you made it! Awesome! Then, some weeks go by and suddenly a fear creeps in. Do you start thinking to yourself, “What the heck am I doing here? Is all this hustle even worth…
Vegan
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Why Go Vegetarian Or Vegan In Haarlem?

Does the sound of sauteed spinach or roast fennel send your senses into overdrive? Are you concerned about the effect of the meat industry on the environment, or motivated to adopt a vegan lifestyle because of your love for animals? If so, welcome…
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Genieten—go enjoy yourself!

On a recent trip to Suriname, the only Dutch-speaking country in Latin America, I come to appreciate the word ‘genieten’ (verb). As a foreigner, you often hear this word from the Dutch but I seem to take it for granted because the word itself…
lonely
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Is social media making us more lonely?

Have you ever felt you can’t wait to get back on your device to check Facebook? Or do you tend to sit on your phone while hanging out with friends? Have you ever sat at a dinner table and been more interested in what’s happening on Twitter…
Pilates
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Ever wondered what is Pilates and how it started?

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the 20th century. He was a sickly child, born in 1883 in Germany. He suffered from asthma and acute rheumatism. Later in life, determined to overcome his illness, he developed a movement system called…
summer
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How to spend summer in Holland and survive?

When I just moved to Holland, my expats' friends told me I would need a summer coat! I was laughing. It's hard to believe but today I have five summer coats and five pairs of leather waterproof sneakers as I can only wear sandals during super…
settle in
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How to settle in smoothly abroad.

You found your way to the supermarket without taking unplanned detours. Finally, you begin to recognize your neighborhood and you can find your new house without navigation. Your mailbox has your name on it and it’s all starting to feel familiar.…
bilingual
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How to raise a bilingual child?

The problem of bilingual children is acutely felt in another country, where the one language is used at home and another is used in the big wide world. The son of my friends from the UK, a five-year-old Dany, speaks the purest English…
safety seniors
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How To Ensure Seniors are Safe Outdoors

Adults over the age of 65 make up approximately 16% of the total Dutch population, due to the increased life expectancy together with an influx of immigrants. In our modern times, it has become increasingly important for seniors to hold…
culture shock
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Returning home for another culture shock!

While many expats expect to experience culture shock when moving to a new country, few of us anticipate the shock of returning home. We assume we will transition smoothly because we have grown up and are already familiar with the culture.  However,…
Experience Haarlemmermeer
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Experience Haarlemmermeer Fair 2018

Get information, meet services and businesses, attend free workshops and presentations, enjoy a stand up comedy, live music, networking, meeting people and having fun! Free professional childcare and kids entertainment is available during…
Haarlem
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Things to do in Haarlem this March

From peeking into your neighbour's houses and the expats Haarlem end of month drink, we got you covered this March. On Friday, March 2 is  Italiano per Bambini. on Friday, March 9 is the Haarlem Mamma Club. On Sunday, March…
adjustment
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Cruising the Stages of Adjustment abroad

Expats almost always go through a period of adjustment when settling in a new country. This article will help you to determine the stage you are and will be, experiencing. The cycle of adjustment can be divided into four stages: honeymoon,…
tissues
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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…
sharenting
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Sharenting - the overshare of children on social media.

For many, having a baby is an occasion to be celebrated. But does it need to be celebrated together with every casual acquaintance and former co-worker that you’ve friended on Facebook over the last decade? The parenting overshares,…
Geluksroute Haarlem 2018
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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…
dreams
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Write it down! Dreams vs Plans.

I have never believed in wish lists, although I write them since I was fifteen. There were always quite vague points, such as "pumping up a press" or "get rid of acne," but more recently, I have become more specific in my desires. Sometimes…
goals
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Create goals that you WILL achieve! Learn HOW.

· What will you be doing in 10 years? · Where would you like to be? · What is keeping you from achieving your dream or goal? Many people have resolutions and goals every year, but only a few people achieve them. It seems like somewhere,…
Haarlem Talks
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Haarlem Talks; with Philipp from Germany

Welcome to the Haarlem Talks in 2018! This is the first interview of the year so enjoy to get to know Philipp who comes from Dresden, Germany, works as a project coordinator at an environmental organization, plays baseball and thinks Haarlem…
National Tulip Day
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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…
New Year's Drink 2018
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New Year's Comedy Night & Drink 2018

Join the Haarlem New Year's Comedy Night 2018 and/or the expatsHaarlem New Year's Drink 2018 on Friday evening, 26 January, in the gorgeous ancient building of the Societeit Vereeniging Haarlem. New Year's Comedy Night Attend the funniest…
New Year's plunge
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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,…
Oliebollen
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Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year's tradition

It is a Dutch tradition to eat 'oliebollen' on New Year's Eve. 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.…
Amsterdam Light Festival
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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
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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,…