Internationals living in the Netherlands often mention the challenges they face with respects to integrating into Dutch society, learning the language and more importantly making Dutch friends. The Dutch, most likely having their own set of friends over the years, (and have usually been friends with them for years) locals may not necessarily feel the…
You’ve moved to the Netherlands and you’re all settled in. You have your apartment, job, and local Albert Heijn within 500 metres sorted. You have started to make friends and you have definitely started to notice how beautiful the Dutch are – tall, blonde, graceful Europeans gliding around on bikes all day. However, there are…
When it comes to being an expat in the Netherlands, there are two reasons why most will find that the Dutch language is a great challenge. Reason one, the Dutch speak English. Reason two, the Dutch speak Dutch. If you are an expat living here, you will know exactly what I mean by this. I…
The Dutch aren’t known for taking unnecessary risks. “Wild” or “reckless” aren’t words that come to mind when you think of the Dutch national character. Why then do they so often forego what many see as an essential piece of safety equipment: the bike helmet? That the Dutch love cycling is obvious. One third of…
Unfortunately, the experience is all too common in the Netherlands. No matter what city you’re in here, bike theft is a fact of life for both internationals and Dutchies. In fact, it’s the most common criminal activity in the country, and over 600,000 bikes are stolen every year according to the RAI. The culprits are…
Have you noticed how different the Netherlands is when the Sun finally comes out? The canals don’t look like a brown sludge scratched into cobbled streets, the trees turn a shade of emerald green that will make the Wizard of Oz blush and there is suddenly orange naked flesh on show whilst people cycle by…
Amsterdam has an immigrant problem. Whole extended families pack into apartments, pay no rent, spread disease, and squeeze through the tiniest holes to steal food from hard-working Amsterdammers. The immigrants in question: mice.
“In this world nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Echoed Benjamin Franklin in 1817. Taxes, were just as relevant in ancient times as they are now in modern life and are,
Have you ever been to the TropenMuseum? If not you should. It’s the huge beige building in Linnaeusstraat, inaugurated in 1926 and today one of the biggest ethnographic museum of The Netherlands. But hurry up. Not because they are closing, but because the long lasted exhibition The Sixties – A Worldwide Happening is coming to…
It is mostly known as Den Bosch, but the whole name is ‘s-Hertogenbosch and this year it will celebrate “Bosch 500 year”: a festival throughout the whole province celebrating the half-a-millennium death anniversary of Dutch early painter Jheronimus van Aken. Who!? Yes, him: Jheronimus van Aken, aka Jheronimus Bosch. Better known for his fantastic imagery,…
