Lifestyle: Living, Leisure, Work and Wellness

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)…
my homehttps://pixabay.com/en/users/Pexels-2286921/
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How I Became My Home

This year marks a decade of me being an expat and I see now that I’ve felt between homes for all this time. Only recently did I realise that this feeling of belonging everywhere and nowhere has created a subtle but constant pressure in my…
Things to do in Haarlem
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Things to do in Haarlem this November

The weather is getting colder but that doesn't mean Haarlem is quiet. From the Comedy Factory night to the arrival of Sinterklaas himself; November is full of activities for the whole family. From Friday 2 November to 4 November Haarlem…
Christoph Paulik
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Visit Leonardo da Vinci at the Teylers Museum

The Teylers Museum for art and science opened in 1784 – five years before the French Revolutionaries stormed the Bastille and George Washington was elected the first president of the USA. As a museum of art and science, it houses fossils,…
Halloween
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Tips for the best Halloween you ever had!

This is my favourite time of the year. I love autumn for its colours, scents and how the weather gets colder every day, and most of all, I love Halloween. The origins of Halloween date back 2000 years, and it was the night before the…
Haarlem Home
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Guide to Purchasing Furniture to Stock a Haarlem Home

For those of you who've already signed a lease or purchased a home in the Netherlands, you might not be surprised to learn that 60.9% of people living in the country live in a home with less than 75m2 of usable space. Seeing as Dutch homes,…
pregnancy and dismissal
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Pregnancy and dismissal: what you need to know

Unfortunately, getting fired during pregnancy is a nasty situation that some women have to face in the Netherlands. If your boss has handed you a dismissal letter when you are expecting, here you can learn everything about what to do and not…
Marc de Haan
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Dutch History; Sint-Maarten Dag, the Dutch Halloween.

Sint-Maarten (St. Martin's Day) is a popular children's feast day in many parts of the Netherlands. On the evening of November 11th, small groups of children can be heard going up and down the street singing songs and reciting poems, equipped…
horror books
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3 classic horror books for a spooky Halloween

When I was a little king my mother used to read to me and my sister horror books during stormy nights in our little village up the mountains in Granada. One may think that legends about headless horsemen and haunted hills are not the best way…
pet
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Leaving your pet behind.

Expats often have to leave pets behind and are then taken by surprise by the depth of their grief or guilt. Though some expats do relocate with their animals, for many it’s just not possible. Excessive transportation costs, lengthy quarantine…
library© https://pixabay.com/nl/boeken-bibliotheek-weinig-buiten-3526238/
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Little free libraries in Haarlem

‘Little free libraries’ are an American initiative that arrived in The Netherlands in 2013. ‘Little free libraries’ are places where people can exchange their books.  The idea behind them is that each of us can make our society better…
Octoberhttps://pixabay.com/en/users/FrankMagdelyns1-2783371/
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Things to do in Haarlem this October

Wow! It's October already?! One of my personal favourite times of the year, with all the glorious golds, browns and red colours, here are things to do in Haarlem that make this windy and wet month a little cosier. Starting From Friday…
money abroadRachel Smets
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Money money money abroad.

Moving Abroad is exciting and a glamorous dream of many people. However, not everyone is aware of the costs involved. What a wonderful feeling it is when you first arrive in a different country. It’s a new beginning of an exciting journey.…
tribehttps://pixabay.com/en/users/rawpixel-4283981/
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How finding your tribe can help you succeed.

If you're ambitious and a multi-passionate,  you probably have multiple goals and dreams. Whether short-or-long term, they can vary from improving your health and fitness, change your career path or job, to maybe move abroad and start a new…
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Haarlem Talks with Brittany from South Africa.

Summer is gone but autumn is here! Every season has good sides to them and enjoyable moments. This month we would like to introduce Brittany to you who moved here from South Africa, works at Facebook and adores Haarlem.  She enjoys going to…
toneel and filmschuur
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Toneel and Filmschuur 'language no problem' program from September to December.

Toneel-en Filmschuur Haarlem offers a ‘language no problem’ program that consists of a broad variety of films, theatre, dance and musical theatre performances for adults, youngsters and children. Below you find the Language no problem theatre…
apps
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Top Apps For Expats Living In The Netherlands

The Netherlands is considered one of the most wired countries in the world, with 60% of Forbes 2000 companies boasting IT operations in Holland. Netherlands is also known as a 'start-up capital', owing in no small part to the keen love for…
paysliphttps://pixabay.com/en/users/martaposemuckel-17386/
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Decoding your Dutch Payslip.

It's finally payday! You have been working hard all month and your long-awaited payslip has been delivered! But what is this? What does this mean? We decode all those numbers and long Dutch words for you. According to Dutch Review, the…
smart technologyhttps://pixabay.com/en/users/Pixaline-1569622/
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Expat Innovations: Using Smart Technology to Make Your Home More Accessible

So, you have scored housing abroad. Congrats on passing one of the most difficult steps that most expats encounter. Now, you will likely want to ensure that all of your friends and family can visit your new home. You might be stunned to learn…
canal© Siebe Baarda
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Dutch History; The oldest Tow Canal and the Amsterdamse Poort.

The Haarlemmertrekvaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland. Travel on tow canals was historically done by barges which were towed by animals and sometimes men, on…
Octoberhttps://pixabay.com/en/users/FrankMagdelyns1-2783371/
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Monumentendag is full of surprises this year.

During Open Monumentendag – every second weekend of September – thousands of historical buildings and sites (about 4.000) are open to the public free of charge. Besides opening their doors, many locations also organize on-site activities…
love expat© https://pixabay.com/en/users/3194556-3194556/
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Love-expat: How far would you go for love?

A significant majority of the expat population is the ‘love-expats’ – those who became expats because they chose to follow their partners. It is common to use terms like ‘expat partner’, ‘trailing spouse’, or ‘accompanying partner’…
Haarlem
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Things to do in Haarlem this September.

It is September already and as usual, there is something for someone in Haarlem this month. On Saturday 1, is the end of the Haarlemse Muggenronde. On Sunday 2, is another festival; Schalkwijk aan Zee!  Which will be packed with…
novels
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3 novels from around the world.

When I moved to Haarlem in 2013, one of my biggest goals was to make local friends. I wanted my life to be Dutch and for a period I avoided things I considered not to be Dutch enough like meeting with expats or watching tv in English or Spanish.…
taalthuis
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Taalthuis - Learn Dutch in Haarlem

At Taalthuis you can follow Dutch Language courses at different levels. Their aim is to make learning a fun experience! Founded in 2006 Taalthuis now is a well-known language institute in the Netherlands for higher educated students. With lesson…
padel club
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Haarlem Talks with Marc from Barcelona.

Meet Marc from Barcelona, Spain. He is half Dutch so he already feels at home in the Netherlands. He enjoys cycling and playing padel, he owns his own Padel Club. He loves to cycle to Aerdenhout from Haarlem, his advice for new expats is to…
Museum Haarlem
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A Visit to the Museum Haarlem

Located in the southern area of the city centre, the Museum Haarlem welcomes its visitors. It may not be as famous as the neighbouring Frans Hals Museum but it surely has its charms and a good mixture of permanent and temporary expositions. The…
birth
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My story of my second birth in a Dutch Hospital.

It is approximately 22:30 hours and I am shifting and turning and nursing painful cramps. I am 9 months pregnant. It is the 7th of July 2014. Is it labour pains already!? His due date (uitgerekend) is 16th July but the planned c-section (keizersnede)…
Hofje
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Dutch History; Haarlem the home of the Hofjes

A hofje is a Dutch word for a courtyard with almshouses around it. They have existed since the Middle Ages. A hofje provided housing for elderly people (mostly women). They were privately funded and served as a form of social security. Hofjes…
Maasvlakte beach
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Maasvlakte Beach, a paradise of its own

Every summer, our little family would venture outside Rotterdam to go the beach since we are usually holed up in a nearby campsite in Oostvorne. Just a few minutes drive along the Maasvlakte 2, a massive extension of the Europoort Port…