Jonge Harten: Paradise Now (1968-2018)

"My husband and I came to Groningen two years ago for his studies. At first, I had absolutely no acquaintance here. I felt lost, not knowing where to go, who to meet, nor what to do. I first found out about the Connect through the Coffee Morning. Everyone seemed very nice and welcoming. They all understood what I was going through. Since being expats themselves, most of them also went through this process when they arrived here. Then I started to join other workshops, such as culinary workshop, beauty workshop, etc. I learned many different cultures and I also dare to say that I met most wonderful bunch of friends here at Connect. The IWCN and Connect have helped me through my difficult times being a lost expat, and helped me settle down and have a feeling of ‘home’ here in Groningen."

Elly Song (South Korea)

“Since I came to the Netherlands over a year ago, Connect International has helped me a lot. It is very hard being a newcomer in a foreign country. I remember myself lonely and borderline depressed before I started to attend Connect events and socialize there. I got to know my first friends in the Netherlands and it was such a relief. I realized that I was not alone, there were many people who had been in the same situation and it was normal to experience all this. Besides the fun, I learned some basic information about life in this country. How to travel by train and pay less, how to deal with Dutch health care system, how to understand taxes, etc. My first steps in Dutch language were made in ‘Dutch Conversation Fun’ club. Thanks to Janny, I could learn and improve my Dutch. It was also a nice way to spend an afternoon in a friendly atmosphere. There were plenty of exciting events organized by Connect, such as the Mystery Tour: Discover the secrets of Groningen, Culinary Workshops, and many more international gatherings. All these made my time much more enjoyable. I am very grateful to Connect International for making me feel welcome in a new country. I am sure that the friends I made here will be my friends for life no matter where we end up.”

Nina Tseven (Belarus)

"There I was, sat in my Dutch house, after having fetched my children from their Dutch school, waiting for my Dutch husband to come home, feeling very integrated. And yet... Wouldn’t it be lovely to meet some other expats, speak English again, not feel so foreign, even just now and then? A quick internet search led me straight to Connect International. After a few false starts, I made it to a Connect Coffee Morning in Groningen. I received a warm welcome and was delighted to hear there was a Book Club, right here on my doorstep! We discuss the books in English, the discussions can become lively and are always interesting, and it is a good place to share our expat experiences too."

Alexandra van den Doel (UK)

“Moving from Amsterdam to Groningen and leaving work was a big change for me. I was very lucky to meet Nina at our Dutch course. Thanks to her, I got introduced to Connect International. I remember my first Coffee Morning with Connect. I was very surprised to find out that there were so many expats in such a small city and many felt exactly like me in many ways. I started to attend Coffee Mornings, Culinary Club, and Dutch Conversation Club. Not only have I made many great friends through Connect, but I have also improved my Dutch (thanks to Janny), and learned several international recipes (thanks to Adeline). Being a member of Connect International was a great opportunity for me, and I will miss it greatly here in Nijmegen.”

Burcu Inanc van der Meulen (Turkey)