friendshipshttps://pixabay.com/en/users/rawpixel-4283981/
, , , , ,

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…
Jet Laghttps://pixabay.com/en/users/geralt-9301/
, , , , ,

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…
stop doinghttps://pixabay.com/en/users/picjumbo_com-2130229/
, , ,

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…
, , , ,

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…
living abroad
, , , ,

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…
travelling alone
, , , , ,

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…
money for my work
, ,

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…
my homehttps://pixabay.com/en/users/Pexels-2286921/
, , , ,

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…
pet
, , , ,

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…
tribehttps://pixabay.com/en/users/rawpixel-4283981/
, ,

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…
love expat© https://pixabay.com/en/users/3194556-3194556/
, , , ,

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’…
birth
, , ,

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)…
internet safety guide
, , ,

The Empowering Internet Safety Guide for Women

Have you ever been harassed in the street? Received a crass message on a dating app? Have a coworker make a comment about your appearance that just didn’t sit right? You’re not alone. With the #MeToo movement, it’s easy to log…
friends
, , ,

6 tips on how to make friends

Leaving your friends and support network behind can be one of the greatest challenges of an international relocation. But, as every expat knows, it also creates space for new friendships and the opportunity to engage with people you might not…
motivation
, ,

Tips to stay motivated anywhere in the world.

Are you truly enjoying your experience abroad and completely happy? You may have days when your motivation is completely lost, your courage is below zero and your self-doubt is sky high. I sure recognize that. Over the past years, in every…
home
, , , ,

In search of home.

Home, Charles Dickens writes, is a word stronger than a magician ever spoke. A word that houses under its roof an entire universe of virtues. To feel at home implies an essential alignment – an ease with the world and with oneself. We all…
homesickness
, , ,

9 Tips to Beat Homesickness

It can be difficult adjusting to a new environment and homesickness creeps in. You feel lonely and miss your familiar routine, your family, friends, and neighbourhood. You long for your kitchen with your food and drinks and being able to find…
sleepless nights
, ,

When expat worries become sleepless nights.

“I can’t sleep.” “I don’t sleep through the night.” “I lie awake for hours each night before I fall asleep.” Do any of these sleepless nights sound familiar to you? People suffer from disturbed sleep for different reasons,…
doubting
, , ,

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
, , , ,

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…
lonely
, , ,

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
, ,

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…
settle in
, , ,

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.…
safety seniors
, , ,

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
, ,

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
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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…
adjustment
, , ,

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,…
Myth Sex
, ,

Myths and Truths about Sex in long term relationships

Though sex is not the only ingredient to a happy relationship, it is an important one and can reveal a lot about a relationship. If there is love between you and your partner, your relationship deserves the chance to be rekindled. Distinguishing…
Geluksroute Haarlem 2018
, , , , , , ,

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
, ,

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…