It’s 2019. The internet is beyond prevalent and internationals in the Netherlands are very online. Yet groups that meet face to face to socialise and network are still a key part of the international community. Ionna Dimitriou would describe herself as a person who is very online. The 27-year-old Greek native plays Fortnite, a cooperative video game where she and her teammates battle against zombies. She’s active on a forum to discuss the game, which is how she met her... More >

We asked our social media followers for the single most important tip they would give a newcomer to the Netherlands. These are your answers. Customs Learn that please (alstublieft) is when you give someone something not when you ask for it Choose wisely – you can only have one (1) cookie with your cup of coffee. Buy an agenda and get used to know what are you are going to do two weeks in advance. Start eating slice of bread... More >

Have you sometimes thought that a strange public sculpture looks rather like a skate park? That there are some house numbers missing, or that a bit of brickwork looks a bit like a pizza oven? If you are street artist Frank de Ruwe, that means that it is crying out for an intervention. This 41-year-old from Eindhoven, a creative director of ad agency Natwerk, has a mission to raise a smile on the faces of Amsterdam’s city dwellers. On dozens... More >

Gaming. The word triggers worry and fear in many parents and caregivers. Gaming addiction is a growing problem but at the same time, kids who game are acquiring valuable knowledge and skills. Gaming makes digital environments and experiences familiar and helps them understand gamification (using game design and game principles outside of gaming) which is a tool being used by companies and organizations such as ING, Nike, Starbucks and Microsoft to engage people, sell products and services, and influence behaviour.... More >

The newest recruits to the classroom are furry and four-legged. We visit Amity International School Amsterdam to learn how their school dog helps create an innovative and nurturing learning environment. It might sound barking mad, but the staff list at Amity International School Amsterdam includes Miss Pixie, a three-year-old dog. Fitting in snugly with the school’s caring philosophy, where social and emotional development is as important as academic excellence, the adorable cockapoo – a cross between a miniature poodle and... More >

Rebekah was born in Ireland, grew up in England and met her Cornish husband in Catalonia. They now live in the Netherlands, in Dutch suburbia, with their two differently wired, small kids. She spends her days parenting, writing and being amazed at all the Dutchness around her. She writes at Write Now Rebekah. Five mini tales of taal One I’m in Dutch evening class, trying to write a short story with another student. We’re so drained from our day, that between... More >

On one side of the room are images of happy hookers – red light district souvenirs like a miniature house of sex workers, or a condiments dish where a woman’s giant breasts figure as salt and pepper. On the other are 17 videos of re-enacted interviews with sex workers, telling darker stories of the legalised trade in Amsterdam, and other tales from across the world. Above them hang 60 masks, self-portraits by sex workers, some of whom are illiterate or... More >

Maria Swanenburg is arguably the most prolific female serial killer of all time, so why isn’t she world famous? Here’s a look at a fearsome former Leidener, and a group of modern day residents who are keeping her macabre legend alive. How many people did Maria ‘Goeie Mie’ Swanenburg kill in Leiden during her murder spree in the 19th century? Teacher and author Stefan Glasbergen believes he found the answer while he was working on a new biography about her.... More >

There is plenty of English language theatre on offer this autumn, as well as great art and great debate. Get close to Audrey In 2016 the Nieuwe Kerk celebrated Marilyn Monroe’s 90th birthday by having a half-filled pot of face cream and some hair in a curler on show. This year Audrey Hepburn would have been 90, and the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam presents Intimate Audrey, an altogether more respectful affair. Put together by her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer,... More >

The Leiden International Film Festival takes place every autumn. Since its launch in 2006, it’s turned into one of the most diverse and popular movie events in the country. Here’s a rundown on its history and what you can expect at this year’s edition. It seemed like a great way to promote the festival. Women could leave their boyfriends and husbands in a tent where their male counterparts could eat cheeseburgers and watch action movies while they were running errands... More >

For the fourth year in a row, the IamExpat Fair will take place this autumn at the iconic Grote Kerk in the centre of The Hague. With more exhibitors than ever before, this year’s fair on November 9 will be the most comprehensive yet hosted in The Hague. Bringing together local businesses, service providers and thousands of expats from all over the world, this event is an exciting opportunity for internationals in the Netherlands to find everything they need, in... More >

Rotterdam will be in the global spotlights when some 180 million viewers turn on next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. But according to housing experts, Rotterdam isn’t only attracting lovers of this spectacle of vocal rivalry between far-flung countries. Europe’s largest port city is a magnet to 635,000 inhabitants from 174 countries, including savvy modern house buyers. ‘It is a huge city with huge potential,’ says Richardo Cruz Fortes, a mortgage adviser from Expat Mortgages. ‘I strongly believe that if you purchase and... More >

So you’ve been told your salary will be €4,500 a month but when you look at your bank account, you see an amount that is way, way lower than that. Here’s how to decipher your salarisstrook or pay slip. Every employee in the Netherlands receives a pay slip each month – nowadays usually by email. Most of us only check the net amount, but the document contains a lot of other figures, percentages and weird acronyms as well. Here’s a... More >

Have you found yourself talking in ‘expat speak’? Linguistic theory suggests that there is an important place for it. A few years ago, via a mutual friend, I was reunited with a fellow English expat also living in the Netherlands. After a series of underwhelming exchanges, I became impatient with his slow, over-enunciated speech, now tinged with a North-American twang that was at odds with his British upbringing. A rising inflection with every sentence, apparently seeking confirmation, made me wonder... More >

If you are burned-out or battling with addictions, you can find help at one of the most beautiful places on the planet. White River Manor is an exclusive addiction treatment centre in South Africa, located in the picturesque town of White River in Mpumalanga Province offering modern luxury addiction and wellness treatment at a fraction of the international cost. Founded in 2015, White River Manor has established itself as a leading facility for those seeking discreet intervention for addiction and... More >

The Keukenhof bulb park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands and work is now beginning on getting ready for next year’s flowering season. If you have any tulip bulbs that need planting, now is the time to do it. With summer officially over, the planting season has begun. This means the gardeners of the Keukenhof Botanical Garden have been hard at work setting up the flower display for next spring. The centre piece of the... More >