Lifestyle: Living, Leisure, Work and Wellness

multilingualhttps://pixabay.com/en/users/readyelements-8569947/
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Planning a Multilingual Family

Living away from the home country, I didn’t need to take a decision on whether my children are going to be raised multilingual, it is just meant to be so. At home, we speak Russian, Ukrainian with some friends, English with non-Russian/…
new expats
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Things all new expats need to know in The Netherlands.

I can gladly say I have been living in Haarlem for 5 years, I decided to reflect on my time here. I decided to compile a list of things I wished I knew before I moved here.  Of course, everyone’s experiences may be different, but I hope…
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Passing your Inburgering

Inburgering (integration) diploma is needed for some nationals to have the right to live and work in the Netherlands, to obtain a permanent residence permit, to apply for a Dutch passport. There are exceptions and exemptions, in order…
February
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expatsHaarlem Events February 2019

expatsHaarlem organizes various nice events this February, from a Dutch Language Café, to a comedy, a photo walk and a drink. And we have a surprise for you: discounts for members only! Here's the overview of our events this February: Wednesday,…
friendshipshttps://pixabay.com/en/users/rawpixel-4283981/
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Maintaining friendships as an expat.

To give full meaning to our life, we all need to connect with other people. Certain relationships accompany us through life; others enter and exit as each chapter opens and closes. No matter the type of friendship and who it involves…
CanadaJulie Smile
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Our 6 weeks in Canada with a baby.

Canada, a country of big cars, big buildings, big distances. We came here for a big vacation of 6 weeks with our little one-year-old daughter. For us, it’s a country of our first intercontinental travel, first travel experience outside Europe.…
canal© Siebe Baarda
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Things to do in Haarlem this February.

February in Haarlem has various events and things to do for the whole family. On Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 February, Haarlem becomes the happiest city for the weekend with Geluksroute. Explore the city streets to find hidden gems, street performances…
Jet Laghttps://pixabay.com/en/users/geralt-9301/
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5 Ways to Recover from Jet Lag easily.

After a 24 hour journey including 3 flights, long layovers, a ferry, a train, a bus and a car ride, I arrived on the Sunshine Coast, Canada. With a 9 hour time difference, I experienced the well known and expected Jet Lag. If you’re a…
hunger winter
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Dutch History; the Hunger Winter.

Towards the end of WW2, a famine took place in the occupied Netherlands, instigated by the German forces during the winter of 1944-45. It is estimated some 22,000 Dutch citizens died of starvation. Operation Market Garden. Operation…
Haarlem Talks
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Haarlem Talks with Mihaela.

This is the very first month of the year 2019! Welcome everyone to this new, exciting year, and I am happily introducing Mihaela, an amazing cook (I was lucky enough to try her food), who followed not only her heart but her ambition to push…
short plane trip
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Quick reads for a short plane trip.

If you have read any of my previous articles, I am sure you will not be surprised to know that I am not a native English speaker. If you had the misfortune of listening to me speaking in Dutch, you could easily tell that I am neither Dutch-born.…
Your Dog
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What to Know About Moving Your Dog to the Netherlands

If you've spent any time in the Netherlands then you might not be surprised to learn that Amsterdam, including the surrounding northwestern cities such as Haarlem, has been ranked in the top five most dog-friendly European cities. This…
stop doinghttps://pixabay.com/en/users/picjumbo_com-2130229/
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WHAT WILL YOU STOP DOING IN 2019? TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH

It’s that time when many of us are thinking or talking about our New Year’s resolutions… how we will make up for our ‘mistakes’ or ‘flaws’ in the previous year. But there’s a risk, especially when we put too much pressure…
EUGreenCardRoger Casale
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An #EUGreenCard can help Britons in Europe and EU27citizens in the UK post Brexit – deal or no deal!

If Britain crashes out of the EU on 29 March then two years work on the withdrawal agreement will have come to nothing. EU27citizens in the UK and the5Million Britons in Europe could face an even more uncertain future than today. Roger…
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New Year's Comedy & Drink 2019

Join the Haarlem New Year's Comedy 2019  and/or the expatsHaarlem New Year's Drink 2019 on Friday evening, 18 January, in art deco bar Raecks. New Year's Comedy Start 2019 laughing!…
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Travel Ideas 2019: London with kids

If you have children and love travelling, London is the perfect destination for 2019. In just 3.30h by train or around 40 minutes by plane, you can land in one of the best european cities to visit with kids. Here you have a recap of my family…
artistic inspiration
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Find Artistic Inspiration Following Your Relocation To Haarlem

Picture this: A stately windmill stands guard over a placid river, a charming town square fills with a lively festivity, and sand dunes wind for kilometres ending with an ocean view. What more could be necessary for artistic inspiration? Located…
canal© Siebe Baarda
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Things to do in Haarlem this January.

January is a sleepy month, as Haarlem recovers from the merrymaking, present giving and fireworks extravaganza. But there are one or two events happening this month that may inspire you to venture out in this dark, gloomy month. Finishing…
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Plastic pollution – ignoring doesn’t mean solving.

When I was a kid, I found a pigeon on the street. It couldn’t walk properly as one of his legs was atrophied, and another one – clamped off with a fishing line. I caught the bird and brought it home, we released it from the trap, cleaned…
Kids in Haarlem
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Why You Should Raise Your Kids In Haarlem

The Netherlands is one of Europe's most kid-friendly countries, according to Lonely Planet. Haarlem, which is a rich destination for history, culture, and shopping - it's also exciting and comfortable to explore or live in. With almost all…
Dutch Mystery Books
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Dutch Mystery Books for a gezellige winteravond.

Reading a good mystery novel can be a very satisfying experience. I believe it has to do with the fact that, while crime is always terrifying, as readers we know that the crime will most likely be solved at the end of the book and the murderer,…
living abroad
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14 Ways to Survive the Holidays when you’re Living Abroad

December begins and that means the holiday season arrives. If you’re living abroad, spending Christmas away from your family and friends can be a difficult time. For some people, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and for…
Taalthuis
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Taalthuis open day

Feel more at home in Haarlem with Taalthuis! Are you interested in following a Dutch course? Do you want to learn Dutch in a structured but fun way? On January 10, 2019 Taalthuis organizes an open day soyou can come and see why learning…
December
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Things to do in Haarlem this December

Sings - 'It's the most wonderful time of the year!' I can't believe it is December already! Haarlem is full of fun and festive treats for you and the whole family to enjoy. On Friday 7 December is the Haarlem Comedy Factory! Enjoy a great…
travelling alone
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17+ Important Things you need to know when travelling alone.

Wherever you are in the world, some questions always come back: How to meet people? What can I do when I’m alone? What kind of food is common? How can you adjust easily? How can I relax when I’m stressed? The answers are in this post, just…
Christmas
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Eco-friendly Christmas ideas that are also good for the Earth

We are living in times when caring about our environment is also an individual responsibility. All the choices we make every day about how we live our lives has an effect on our planet. However, Christmas should be about joy, love and having…
women
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Haarlem's Among Best Travel Destinations for Women

A picturesque city known for being a market town, Haarlem, Netherlands bustles like a Brueghel masterpiece complete with fresh produce, lots of flowers, cheese, and busy shoppers but the beauty of Grote Markt, the city's centrepiece, is not…
money for my work
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What should I do? I feel ashamed to ask money for my work.

At the beginning of my freelance life, I completed a task but the client “forgot” to pay for it. I found various excuses for him: the client didn’t have the money, he did not like the result of our collaboration, the customer lost the…
Sinterklaas
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Sinterklaas arrives to Haarlem!

Sinterklaas and his Pieten arrive by steamboat and moors on the Spaarne on 18 November in Haarlem. A fun and festive activity for the whole family, starting from 13.00, Sinterklaas and his Pieten arrive on his famous Steamboat along the…
Zwarte Piet
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Dutch History; Zwarte Piet.

Zwarte Piet is a controversial character – whether you believe him to be racist or not, in this article we will be taking a look instead at Zwarte Piets’ history, where did he come from, and who exactly is he. Zwarte Piet (Black Pete)…