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One of my biggest difficulties in adapting to the Netherlands was, of course, the weather. I arrived here at the end of December, having come from a tropical country that was in the middle of its summer, and where we have only a small variation in the length of daylight between the seasons of the year.
Continue reading “Winter Struggles, by Aline Eclair Duarte”
What phenomenon happens -on average- only once every 7 years, has not happened in the last 17 years (it might happen this coming winter after all!) and drives Dutch people hysterical when there’s only a glimpse of hope that it could possibly occur?
Continue reading “Elfstedentocht”
Written by: Charmaine Andre and Shannon Zurhaar
Leeuwarden: Cultural Capital of Europe 2018! It’s been the talk of the town the past couple of years and the city of Leeuwarden has been hard at work with its improvements to the city to show the world how beautiful it is. You have probably noticed the white boy & girl statues, the pedestrian area and changes by the train station, the flags, flowers, trees, among many other things. But what is ‘Cultural Capital’? And what does it mean for Leeuwarden and Friesland?
Continue reading “Leeuwarden/Friesland Cultural Capitol 2018”
Excerpted from https://fvbdeboer.nl/ with permission
If you are planning to be in the country for some time, you may wish to buy a house in the Netherlands, as it can work out more beneficially financially than renting long-term. However, it is a good idea to make sure you are aware of all the pitfalls too before investing in a foreign country. FVB de Boer has written a 10-point guide to make sure that you have thought of everything before taking the plunge.
Continue reading “Mortgages and buying a home in the Netherlands”
International employees at the University of Groningen have been targeted by phone scammers.
This has been an ongoing issue, and was highlighted earlier this month in an article by Traci White on The Northern Times.
It is scary to be threatened with arrest and deportation, but remember, NO official Dutch government body will demand payment direct over the phone. If you receive such contact, do not pay any deposit or fine. You can seek further information and advise via the Connect, IWCN or via the University of Groningen
Please be vigilant!
Surely you’ve heard of Venice in Italy: a city built on small islands that has canals instead of roads and gondolas instead of cars. The gondolas are especially stereotypical in romantic movies, driven by a gondolier singing a – presumably – love song. But have you ever wondered what Venice would be like if it were a small village in the countryside, rather than a city with over a quarter million inhabitants? You probably haven’t. However it does exist – believe me or not – right here in the Netherlands, and it’s called Giethoorn.
The IWCN has a wide range of reliable service partners for internationals living in the Northern Netherlands. The partners offer expert services in various areas, including Housing & Relocation; Legal Services, Insurance & Finance; Tax Consulting; Health & Child Care; Payroll & HR; Travel & Leisure; Education: Recruitment; and Career Support. All of the partners of the IWCN offer services in English.
So, here you are in Groningen, facing many new challenges. You are busy settling into a new city and setting up a household, perhaps learning Dutch and building new social and professional networks. Perhaps you have already thought about the next step in your professional life, or about starting voluntary work. Or maybe you’ve applied for a job but have not yet received the good news you’re hoping for. You might have found that job hunting is not easy and that Dutch language proficiency requirements make it even more difficult.
Continue reading “Dual-Career Workshop Series Offered by RUG”
Autumn is a good time to focus on yourself and to reflect on life. To support you in this complex but necessary process, Connect International is organizing an inspirational workshop called, “Unleash your audacious YOU : Experience profound and sustainable happiness” that will be presented by Blanca Vergara, an author, motivational speaker and heart-centered leadership strategist.
There are more than 40.000 internationals in the Northern Netherlands, living in all corners of the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. The region becomes more and more internationally-oriented as increasing numbers of municipalities put extra effort in becoming international- friendly; more information both online and offline becomes available in English, and more companies become interested in employing expats.
