Posts

London with kidshttps://pixabay.com/en/users/annie_bridie-11346/
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
circus sijm
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An intimate, wonderful world of Circus Sijm

There’s magic in a traditional circus that can’t be topped by any other forms of entertainment. Last weekend, I was able to see one of the few remaining travelling circuses in the Netherlands. The Circus Sijm doesn’t disappoint.…
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…
Haarlem
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Things to do in Haarlem this May

Its now May in Haarlem and there are lots of things to do! On Friday, May 4 is the first instalment of the freedom festival, the memorial concert. On Saturday, May 5 is the freedom concert! The whole of Haarlem turns into a massive music…
Vegan
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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
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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,…
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,…
elderly
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How The Elderly Can Build Their Wealth

The Dutch government encourages seniors to live independently for as long as possible, which means the elderly have to rely on and manage their own finances and survive with the support of friends and family. For the elderly, managing their…
Myth Sex
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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…
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From a Language of Criticism to one of Compassion and Connection

I grew up with loving parents. Of course, they weren’t perfect, but I just can’t blame my problems on them. They did well and now as a parent, I actually strive to be like them in most aspects. But I grew up in a broader culture of: “Want…
Alternative Facts
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Alternative facts about the Netherlands

In the world of alternative facts I thought it would be helpful to show you the sides of The Netherlands you probably, maybe, very unlikely didn't know about this high land country.   Take a look at Leiden;     A…
EuroPride
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Final Weekend of EuroPride in Amsterdam

This weekend is your last chance to celebrate universal love in Amsterdam with EuroPride 2016.  EuroPride, first held in 1991, takes place in a different European city every year and is being hosted by the Dutch capital in 2016 to mark 20…
Dutch
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How to be a Dutch person.

You're new to The Netherlands and you want to blend in. This is how you do it! 20 Steps On How To Be Dutch. Get yourself a bicycle and break every single rule of the road. Everyone will know you're a foreigner if you wait at traffic lights. …
Haarlem housing market
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Why You Should Never Live In Haarlem

You do not want to live in Haarlem. Haarlem is full of ugly old streets. The scenery is pretty average. This windmill does nothing. Haarlem has a big obnoxious Church getting in the way in the main square. Nothing happens…