Posts

expat languagehttps://pixabay.com/photos/man-squad-group-woman-success-3365371/
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“Expat Language”: What do YOU call yourself?

Expat, third culture kid, trailing spouse, international, what language do you use to describe yourself or your situation? Do you identify with any of these terms? Do you choose not to? Or perhaps you’ve struggled to find a term that describes…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
friends
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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…
Name
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What is in a name?

Adolf is aloof, boring and probably has a hidden agenda. Geraldine is a nobody.  Troy is pretentious. Tony is a thug. Donald is a puppet who thinks he is funny.  Vicky is  fun, excitable and good company. Bertha is a fat and uninteresting…
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…
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,…
Dutch
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The Dutch and their Dutch

Dutch is a strange language. Many expats live in the Netherlands for years and never truly get to grips with it. There are so many unwritten rules that you simply cannot learn everything from a textbook. You can ask Dutch people to explain why…
Artline
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Artline Haarlem presents Kunstlijn 2017

Haarlem transforms into a major cultural temple in which visual arts are central on November 3rd to the 5th. There is painting, sculpture, and design, but also film, dance and theater. In addition to the various exhibitions and open gallery…
Jakarta
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Interview of the month 2017 Summer Edition with Merel Nahuysen

In my goal to inspire and supporting people, I publish these interviews, revealing personal stories, tips and advice. Moving abroad is a big change and often challenging, but also filled with opportunities. Or not?  This month I introduce…
dutch snacks
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Five Dutch snacks that will clog your arteries

As I eat my way through the delicious high in fat, high in sugar Dutch snacks, I often wonder why I don’t see more obese people in the Netherlands - then I almost get run over by a bike and realise that they have institutionalised exercise…
Sand Sculpture Festival
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Sand Sculpture Festival

Are you good with a bucket and spade? This years Sand Sculpture Festival has started and is free for anyone to see the artists work in progress and the final results until the end of October.  This year the theme is, 'Amsterdam Icons.' This…
Haarlem Picnic
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What are you doing tomorrow?

Tomorrow and every Wednesday till the 3rd August, the Haarlemmerhout Park is to be transformed by local artists and musicians into a summery creative picnic! That's right! A picnic full of artists, music and theater productions. Come…
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Challenges of Expats – Interview of the Month with Deborah Valentine

When moving to a new country, the most common challenges are usually related to  integration and languages.  Those questions are always part of my monthly interviews with expats, so their personal stories and advice can help you. This month…