Lifestyle: Living, Leisure, Work and Wellness

Haarlem churchroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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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!…
Haarlem 775royalty free (event logo)
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Haarlem: 775 years!

On 23 November, in the year 1245, Haarlem received city rights from Count Willem II. That means that this month marks exactly 775 years since Haarlem could call itself a city. The festivities that were planned had to be curtailed due to the…
Haarlem corona numbers 21-27 oct
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Coronavirus in Haarlem: latest numbers from the RIVM

The total number of Haarlem residents that tested positive for coronavirus over the last week was 553. The figures were announced in the new weekly update from the RIVM. A total of 67,542 Dutch people received confirmation that they are infected…
break free with a bananaroyalty free (author's own pic)
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How to let go of limiting beliefs

Your challenge is to shut down the monkey mind in order to break free from your limiting beliefs. Your dream is to wake up to a life + career + relationships you love. You want a lifestyle that has other people saying: wow, you're so lucky! What…
helping handsroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Kids who give a helping hand to be honoured: call for nominations!

Haarlem’s very own children’s mayor, Quinten de Lange, is calling for nominations from the city’s residents to nominate Haarlemmers aged between 4 and 12 years for the chance to be rewarded for acts of kindness or dedication they have…
Major job losses are imminent at and around Schiphol due to coronaBen Koorengevel on Unsplash
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Major job losses imminent at Schiphol due to coronavirus crisis

Due to the coronavirus crisis, about half of the jobs at and around Schiphol are at risk of disappearing in the short term, the NOS national news website reports. There are about 35,000 job at Schiphol, says the FNV trade union. In addition,…
Tonight winter time 2020 started and clocks moved or have to be set one hour back again. Which means that until your system adjusts, it will feel like you can get up an hour later.
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Time change in the Netherlands: winter time 2020

It is official: winter time 2020 has started! Overnight our clocks went back an hour as daylight saving time came to an end. This means that today it feels like we have an 'extra hour' and no doubt your system will need to adjust. It also means…
kids on bikeroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Cycling with kids in the Netherlands

Dutch kids grow up on bikes – and it is never too early to get them out on two wheels. Until they are old enough to cycle on their own, they will need a little help. This post outlines my experiences of cycling with kids in tow. Living…
empty during covid-19 pandemicroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Uncertainties of global mobility for expats during a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has basically impacted all aspects of life including the way we work and travel. We are living in times of great uncertainty. In this blog post, I shed light on the global mobility trends 2020/2021 and how the pandemic…
kids jumpingroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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The Netherlands ranked best place to grow up by UNICEF report

According to a recent UNICEF report, Dutch kids come out top in a league table of well-being outcomes across 41 of the world’s richest countries. Though, there is always room for improvement. UNICEF’s Innocenti Report Card 16 – ‘Worlds…
coffee signroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Dutch coffee quirks

Yes, it is official: the Dutch drink an awful lot of coffee. However, the coffee landscape in the Netherlands brings with it unique experiences and traditions. Read on to discover more! Coffee – one of life’s simple pleasures enjoyed…
parent and child huggingroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Tips for communicating with your kids

Trying to get your message across in a busy household takes work. Getting your children to listen to you is another mountain to climb. Remember that it is a two-way process and learning to honestly talk to each other can really help. Clear conversations…
autumn canalroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Haarlem happenings in October

The autumn agenda has some seasonal events taking place in October in Haarlem. The calendar is dotted with art, food, performance and perhaps some spooky happenings. Don’t forget to follow the guidance in compliance with RIVM guidance and…
woman kid decisionroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Post-career break: how about a returnship?

Calling anyone considering going back to work after a career break, whether that be after having had children or following a move abroad. If you are ready to make decisions and take action, be sure to consider all options. Did you ever think…
Rachel Smets jumpingroyalty free (author's own pic)
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Manifest anything you want

Every day, every moment, every second, we are determining our reality. We have the power. We have control. Would you like to wake up in a good mood every day? Monday or Sunday would be equally fun because you're doing what you love every…
SMaSH Beer
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SMaSH Beer Packet Taste Test

We are proud to present the first ever expatsHaarlem beer review! In this article, we will be reviewing a SMaSH beer packet from Beerwulf. Let's meet our testers From left to right: Nick, Cyriel, Andrew, Martin Andrew is an Australian…
Agatha Christie booksroyalty free with attribution ( CC BY-SA 3.0 license))
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Agatha Christie books you should read (and read again)

During these recent strange times and periods of uncertainty, I have found myself going back to the comfort of Agatha Christie’s classics and, again, the 'Queen of Crime' did not disappoint. In March, when lockdown hit and it was clear…
nostalgia old photosroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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A healthy dose of nostalgia

Is there actually such a thing as a healthy dose of nostalgia? Most expats will be familiar with those pangs of nostalgia that can hit at any moment. Being overcome by a nostalgic fog can have both its positives and negatives – it can be triggered…
Green-roofed bus shelters in HaarlemArianna Ardia-Wenink
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Green-roofed bus shelters in Haarlem

Two bus shelters at the Verwulft in Haarlem have gone 'green'. Since 7 September, the bus shelters have been installed with eco-roofs and are topped with plants. Residents of the surrounding houses can now look out onto a mini garden. The plants…
8 tips to calm down your children when fighting at home.Unsplash, by Allen Taylor (@allentaylorjr)
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How to calm down children?

When children are at home a lot, surrounded by their brothers and sisters, tensions can sometimes build. Children can suffer from tension and over stimulation. Here, I advise the following if you have children who argue a lot.   Read…
the discomfort of eveningroyalty free (promo shot of the winning book)
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Dutch win for the 2020 International Booker Prize

The Discomfort of Evening, by author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld and translator Michele Hutchison, was announced as the winner of the 2020 International Booker Prize at the end of August. A number of 'firsts' came with this announcement, as this…
Waste Free: local initiatives and what to do to fight food wastehttps://haarlemlink.nl/initiatief/haarlem-food-future
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Local initiatives to combat food waste

Every year, we throw away 34 kilos of food per person. This shocking statistic raises the question: what can we do about this? Haarlem Food Future is committed to combating food waste, for example with the 'Doggy Bag' scheme and providing inspiration…
Dutch house red doorroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Haarlem’s black and red house numbers

Encountering a new city for the first time can be confusing at times and finding your way around can throw up challenges when you least expect it. How about when you are looking for somewhere to live and you go to a house viewing, only to be…
The online version of live music festival Mysterland attracted four million viewers from about 130 different countriesMysteryland

Online Mysteryland Festival 4 million viewers

The online version of live music festival Mysterland attracted 4 million viewers from about 130 different countries, the organisers told Shownieuws. Mysteryland is the longest-running and largest dance festival in the Netherlands and is usually…
STAD AMSTERDAM AT THE MARITIME MUSEUMTHE MARITIME MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
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Stad Amsterdam at the Maritime Museum

The clipper Stad Amsterdam will be moored at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam until the end of March 2021. The clipper Stad Amsterdam will arrive at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam at the beginning of September. After…
view from the cathedralroyalty free (photo is author's own)
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September events in Haarlem

Haarlem’s events agenda is slowly getting busier in certain areas. The calendar for September has food markets and open monuments, along with some morsels of history, healthy options and pop quiz questions. Is there something here that interests…
Hema leaves Kruisstraat and moves to the old Hudson's BayHema
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HEMA leaves Kruisstraat for good and moves to former Hudson's Bay in Verwulft

On 5 September, the HEMA store on the Kruisstraat will close its doors for good. The entire contents and all the staff will move from Kruisstraat to the former V&D and later Hudson's Bay building on Verwulft. The new store opens on 14 September. It…
boss mumroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Juggling family and career: decide on your model

Anyone who wants to get back to work after having a baby will often seek tips from those who have done exactly this before them. What happens to family life when the time comes to rejoin the workforce? How do you approach this juggling act?…
Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurantDe Brabantse Kluis a
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Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurant

Imagine this happens to you ... you are having a nice dinner in a restaurant and suddenly a heavily pregnant cow walks in. This happened on Thursday evening in Brabant's restaurant Herberg De Brabantse Kluis. De Brabantse Kluis at Kloosterdreef …
The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and in multiple languagesGovernment of the Netherlands.Government of the Netherlands
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Dutch CoronaMelder coronavirus app to feature multiple languages

The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development. CoronaMelder is currently being trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and will offer multiple language options, including English, German, Polish and Turkish,…