ACCESS Summer 2013

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When the Dutch trade fair Special features | Delft: princes and pottery | stress less | Volunteer vacations | Fair trade fashion | Canadian connections | stories around the world | Fair trade shopping | Food |

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summer 2013

ACCESS e-zine Summer 2013 Vol. 26 No. 2

Cover story

When the Dutch trade fair Travel

PhOTO: DelFT mArkeTINg

Delft: the city of princes and pottery

Publisher Stichting ACCESS - Zeestraat 100, 2nd floor, 2518 AD The Hague, Editorial content editor@access-nl.org, Advertising 070 345 1700, adv@access-nl.org, Editor-in-chief Connie Moser, Assistant Editor Mandie Rose Danielski, Design & Layout Marek Moggré, Contributors Carol Berenbaum, Lucy Bosscher, Godelijn Boonman, Claire Bown, David Butcher, Lorraine Janet Dean, Carina Hyllested, Candace Conner Kabela, Pyria de Langen, Lesley Murphy, Cathy Leung, Mary Jane Roy, Deborah Valentine, Erin Wille, Magda Zografou Copyright©ACCESS 2013 All rights reserved. No part of the ACCESS e-zine may be used in any form without explicit permission in writing from the Publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at the time of going to press. However, ACCESS and its writers cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information included.

Family

Volunteer vacations

PhOTO: WWW.glOBAlCITIzeNs.Org

• letter from the Director • ACCess News • Community News • What’s On • Cover story: When the Dutch trade fair • Delft: city of princes and pottery • Fashion: fair, bold and beautiful • Canadian connections • shopping • stories around the world • stress less?

• Food: banana ice-cream • Volunteer vacations • meet the trainers

PhOTO: mAxhAVelAAr.Nl

Contents

Letter from the Director

to the country they are living in, the Netherlands. Fair trade was a no brainer, so to speak, for the Editorial team.

Dear ACCESS readers I think it is safe to say, regardless of where we are from in the world, developed, developing or emerging markets (countries); the term ‘fair trade’ is steadily on the rise. It is becoming increasingly impossible to avoid in the products we come across during our grocery shopping; in the political messages of our government’s factions or in the social (media) groups we are a part of.

At ACCESS we always try to find a topic for our e-zine which enlightens, informs and connects our international, expat, readers 4 | access | summer

Did you know that the trend, and term, has a direct link to the Netherlands? No? Well, Cathy Leung provides us with a relatively comprehensive review of not only the roots to the ‘movement’ of fair trade, but how even today this Dutch heritage is bearing fruits in a modern world. Lucy Bosscher and Erin Wille review for us not only how Dutch fashion has made its mark on fair trade, but where we can make purchases to support the ultimate goal of a world, where decent compensation for labour and goods, human dignity and justice is respected.

This is the principal thread of the Summer issue of the ACCESS e-zine, but we have invited others to share their thoughts on how to live a less stressful life, elaborate upon a growing trend in ‘volunteer vacations’, reveal the beauties of Delft, and so much more.

We trust you will enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed preparing it!

Deborah Valentine Executive Director ACCESS

About ACCESS is a volunteer not-for-profit organisation that serves the needs and interests of the ­i nternational community in the Netherlands.

It is supported by Dutch, inter­n ational and ­e xpatriate businesses and organisations through donations and sponsorship.

Executive Board

• Chairman: Gary Hays, TNK-BP • Vice Chairman: Kiri Kikis, Kikis Investments • Treasurer: to be appointed

• Secret ary: Imanda Wapenaar, WFIA

What we do

Established in 1986 ACCESS is a unique volunteer-based organisation. Representing an impressive cultural and ­linguistic variety, its dedicated volunteers work to: • p rovide guidance, advice, information to help individuals with settling, and/or living and working in the Netherlands • p romote friendship, understanding and well-being of the members of the international community in the Netherlands • c ontribute to community development through skill training schemes and courses • s erve as a bridge between local and international communities How you can help

ACCESS can be supported in many ways: • A s a Volunteer: check the website for Information Morning dates or contact vrd@access-nl.org • As a Trainer: consult ‘Become a Trainer’ on www.access-nl.org • A s an Associate or Partner: details of which can also be found on our website • A s an Advertiser: on our website or in our e-zine.

Contact adv@access-nl.org • A s a Friend: Like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to show your support. Click on links below.

Members

• Willemijn van Oppen-Stuyt, Educaide • Jessie Rodell • Koosje Ploegmakers, ABN AMRO

ACCESS Zeestraat 100 2518 AD The Hague The Hague International Centre City Hall Atrium, Spui 70

0900 2 ACCESS (0900 2 222 377) local rate 20c per minute helpdesk@access-nl.org www.access-nl.org Join ACCESS on access | summer | 5

ACCESS Partners & Associates

Thank you for your support Platinum ****

Gold ***

Banking, taxation and personal finance ABN AMRO *** Financial Consultants De Boer * J.C.Suurmond & zn.

Tax Consultants * Ralph’s Tax Service A

Silver **

Bronze *

healthcare Bronovo * Bureau Kraamzorg Extra A International Health Centre The Hague A Petra Foesenek Skin Therapy A housing

The Community Xpat Media (Xpat Journal) *** ICP – International Community Platform ** The Hague Online * Alliance francaise A International Club The Hague A Expat Events A AngloINFO SouthHolland M DutchBuzz M Dutch News M The Hungry Mind M IamExpat M Joining.com M Thex patTV M The Underground The Hague M

bizstay The Hague A learning Dutch BSN Language Centre * Direct Dutch * Kickstart School *

Media Partners M

American School of The Hague ** International School of The Hague ** American International School of Rotterdam * Big Ben Kids * British School of Amsterdam * German International School of The Hague * HSV The Hague School Association * Rotterdam International Secondary School * Zo! Kinderopvang & Bso * 10 for Kids A Passionate Parenting A

legal matters GMW Advocaten ** Kortman Immigration Lawyers A lifestyle Parkhotel The Hague * ASPA A STET The English Theatre A

government support

Partner support

City of The Hague **** WFIA (West-Holland Foreign Investment Agency) *** City of Delft

Royal Tropical Institute * Unique Multilingual * your child British School of the Netherlands ***

6 | access | summer

Associates A

There are many ways in which you can support the work ACCESS does: as a Partner, Associate and Advertiser. Click here to see our Helping ACCESS 2013 Media Pack for opportunities.

ACCESS News

ACCess FB Helpdesk Team

Press Display

Starting this summer, the ACCESS Helpdesk team will begin to share their knowledge and experience to answer questions via Facebook – extending the service we provide from phone and email to a new platform. Do you know of a group or organisation we should keep an eye on?

Let us know at communications@access-nl.org «

ACCESS proudly announces it association with NewspaperDirect Inc., the largest news aggregator globally. From now on the ACCESS e-zine will be available, free of charge, from their PressDisplay.com service – online or via their App, PressReader. Registered users receive unlimited access to the front pages of over 2,000+ newspapers and magazines among other benefits, including the ACCESS e-zine. «

ready, steady, Go Dutch As we all know, personal recommendations are invaluable.

For this reason, DutchNews and ACCESS, two long established organisations supporting internationals in the Netherlands, have joined forces to produce a book full of personal experiences and tips about moving to and settling in the Netherlands. After all, when you arrive you ‘don’t

know what you don’t know.’

To pre-order your copy of this book visit www.readysteadygodutch.com. Pre-ordered books will be sent postage free! To be published in September 2013. Proceeds go to support the work of ACCESS. Price €12,50. Bulk prices available for employers, relocation companies, bookstores, etc. «

access | summer | 7

Community News

Banks switch to no-swipe payment cards

INg and ABN Amro are switching to new bankcards during 2013, which will allow their customers to pay for small items without having to swipe the cards.

Instead, users will hold the card next to the reader that will then write off the required amount without the use of a pin code.

No more post on Mondays

A draft legislation has been submitted to parliament which will bring an end to Monday post deliveries. PostNL currently delivers post six days a week but the company has been campaigning for a cut in the number of delivery days to reduce costs. A majority in both the parliament and general public is expected to back the proposal. «

8 | access | summer

Users will be able to make two or three contact-free payments of up to €25 per day. After that, however, the card will need to be used in the traditional way.

The cards will have all the same functions as a current bankcard, with the addition of the swipe-free technology. The new cards will be phased in from mid-2013. «

Community News

Modern Migration Policy Act comes into effect on 1 June 2013 A major advantage of this act is that the application procedure in order to be allowed entry into the Netherlands (the regular provisional residence permit) and the application procedure for being allowed to stay in the Netherlands for a longer period of time (the residence permit) are combined into a single procedure. For many aliens and for the IND this means no longer having to deal with a double application procedure and review. The enactment also means it will become easier, for instance, to switch to a different educational institute without this requiring a new permit. This will lead to faster procedures and a lower administrative burden on citizens and companies.

Many new migrants will need to have a sponsor in the Netherlands, and sponsors and migrants will have statutory obligations under the Modern Migration Policy Act. It concerns the obligation to provide the government with correct information and to keep records. The act also means that sponsors can submit an application for a residence permit on behalf of the potential migrant. « www.ind.nl

Tourist OV-card As of 1 June 2013 tourists will have unlimited travel throughout the Amsterdam region with just one OV-card.

For €13,50 you can travel – for example – to Volendam, the Zaanse Schaans or the Cobra museum in Amstelveen, during a 24-hour period.

Participating transportation companies are GVD, Connexxion and EBS. Public transportation is essential for international visitors, and 62% are dependent on it when sightseeing in the region. « www.metronieuws.nl

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Community News

eye Connect is a new initiative to bring together an international group of people interested in film and visual arts and in turn support exhibitions.

EYE

Connect Membership features 4 exclusive EYE Connect events per year, including an EYE Opener (featuring a guest speaker), a private after opening hours exclusive tour through the new exhibition, an opportunity to network over drinks and more! Annual membership is €200,- for single membership, or €300,- for partners.

The next EYE Connect event will take place Wednesday, July 3rd at 17.00 hours and will include an exclusive tour of the new EYE exhibition: Fellini – The Exhibition (June 30th until September 22nd 2013) and cocktails. Contact us at: connect@eyefilm.nl or by calling 020 - 589 14 42. « www.eyefilm.nl

10 | access | summer

Holland Expat Center south The International Service Desk Maastricht Region has joined forces with the Expat Center Brabant under its new name Holland Expat Center South.

It is a one-stop shop that provides services for international companies, knowledge workers, researchers, EU citizens and their relatives, in the southern part of the Netherlands.

The aim of Holland Expat Center South is to realise a smooth and speedier inflow of highly-skilled migrants and their families into the Southeast Netherlands by offering an easy way of arranging formalities, housing, taxation, finance & insurance, education & careers, personal & social needs, and culture & leisure activities.

There are service locations in Tilburg, Eindhoven and Maastricht. « www.hollandexpatcenter.com

Community News

New Taxi-app TomTom and taxi companies in the Netherlands have launched an independent booking platform for taxis.

The TomTom Taxi booking app shows passengers the profile of the driver, including the details of the car and the ‘trusts’ that the driver has received from other passengers. The app also calculates the most efficient route to destination, which can be followed throughout the ride. With just one click visitors can request a taxi and immediately receive the profile of the driver, details of the car and its precise time of arrival.

After the ride, people can add drivers to their ‘trusted drivers’ list, which will reward them with priority for future rides. Currently available in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the coverage will be extended for service to other Dutch cities. « www.tomtomtaxi.com.

access | summer | 11

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German International School The Hague

Open your child’s world, expand their horizons.

High Quality Multilingual Education from the ages 3 to 18

www.disdh.nl

What’s on summer 2013

special events in June WANT TO POsT A COmmuNITy eVeNT IN ThIs mAgAzINe? CONTACT ACCess mAgAzINe AT eDITOr@ACCess-Nl.Org, suBJeCT: ‘WhAT’s ON’.

From 30 May

11 - 16 June

Holland Festival Amsterdam

Amsterdam EXPO

Summer carnival rotterdam

PhOTO: mAArTeN VANDeN ABeele

1 - 26 June

Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Up… In any language, Pixar classics are loved by all. Enjoy the “Pixar: 25 Years of Animation” exhibition featuring over 500 original works selected from the archives of Pixar Animation Studios in California. www.amsterdamexpo.nl

www.hollandfestival.nl

www.rotterdamunlimited.com

21 - 30 June Garden & Art Days groningen The Tuin & Kunsttiendaagse (10 days of garden & art) is a feast of art and culture against a backdrop of extraordinary gardens, presenting exhibitions, sculpture gardens, music performances, theatre shows, herbal workshops and much more.

PhOTO: mArkeTINg grONINgeN

This year the annual performing arts festival will focus mainly on musical theatre. Highlights include an opera paired with 3D film Sunken Garden and Desdemona written by Toni Morrison and directed by Peter Sellers. The Stedelijk Museum will host a battle between Art Pipers and Beer Fiddlers and a restored version of West Side Story is screened with live music by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. With 45 productions and 109 performances, the festival offers a broad and varied programme covering all disciplines.

Experience summer in a Caribbean sphere in Rotterdam with a Battle of drums on Friday and a Street parade on Saturday that oozes through the inner city streets with its beautiful colours and delectable Latin sounds.

www.tuinen.groningen.nl access | summer | 13

What’s on Summer 2013

Special events in July WANT TO post a community event in this magazine? contact access MAGAZINE at EDITOR@access-nl.org, SUBJECT: ‘what’s on’.

12 - 14 July North Sea Jazz Festival

5 - 8 July

Port of Rotterdam

Amsterdam Roots Festival

Santana, Diana Krall, John Legend, Jamie Cullum, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Dionne Warwick and many, many more will be jazzing up the Ahoy c­omplex. Will you be there too?

movie: northseajazz

This non-western music festival attracts artists from all over the world. Enjoy performances of fado, zouk dance, hip-hop, Latin-jazz, rumba, flamenco and more. The global music comes from Cape Verde to the Caribbean and from Mongolia to South Africa. www.amsterdamroots.nl

14 - 19 July European Youth Olympic Festival Utrecht

www.northseajazz.com

Skûtsjes are typical Frisian boats originally used as cargo ships by Frisian farmers. Annual sailing championships are organised by skippers of these historic ships who fight for the honour of becoming the skûtsjesilen champion. Participants represent their village in Friesland. www.skutsjesilen.nl 14 | access | summer

photo: NBTC Holland Marketing

20 July - 2 August Skûtsjesilen Friesland

3,000 young talents from 49 European countries will compete in athletics, basketball, handball, judo, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, cycling and swimming. All athletes are welcome to join the Achmea High Five Challenge by subscribing via the website and picking an event. www.utrecht2013.com

Special events in August WANT TO post a community event in this magazine? contact access MAGAZINE at EDITOR@access-nl.org, SUBJECT: ‘what’s on’.

1 - 4 August

18 August

Haarlem Culinair

Rotterdam City Racing

www.haarlemculinair.nl

If gasoline is in your blood you don’t want to miss the Formula 1 demonstrations in the city centre of Rotterdam. Over half a million spectators are treated to an unforgettable racing experience with some of the greatest machines and drivers –and grid girls.

photo: Rotterdam Image Bank

Haarlem Culinair or Culinary Haarlem is the annual festival for everyone who enjoys food.

Diverse restaurants from Haarlem and the surrounding area present their culinary highlights. Visitors can delight in extraordinary dishes at affordable prices.

www.cityracing.nl

28 August The Peace Palace celebrates 100 years! 22 - 25 August The Hague A chain of special events is scheduled between 28 August and 21 September, the UN Day of Peace. Too many to list!

‘t Preuvenemint Maastricht More than 30 stands grace the Vrijthof square in Maastricht.

Taste delicious food and wine while enjoying a large variety of live music at this extraordinary open-air restaurant. www.preuvenemint.nl

TIP!

100jaar.vredespaleis.nl

Don’t miss the Day of Peace show stoppers 100jaar.vredespaleis.nl

access | summer | 15

Cover story

Most of us know how the Netherlands made its riches in the Dutch golden age – thanks to its strength as a trading nation – but hundreds of years later a new trading narrative seems to have grown out of the embers of that legacy: fair trade. By Cathy Leung

When the Dutch trade fair Simply put, fair trade is a system of producing and selling goods that ensures the people selling them receive a fair price. During the 1940s to 1960s, mostly craft items from supply chains in developing countries began to be sold in churches and charity shops like Oxfam in the UK, and what is now Ten Thousand Villages in the US. These could arguably be seen as more of a charitable donation than a commercial » 16 | access | summer

photo: veerman@maxhavelaar.nl

Fair trade - where did it all start?

access | summer | 17

Cover story | When the Dutch trade fair

1967, and went on to use “Not aid but trade” as its motto.

The first coffee imports began in 1973, making 2013 a 40 year anniversary for fair trade. It is now known as the fair trade brand, Fair Trade Original.

photo: veerman@maxhavelaar.nl

The concept of fair trade has grown to a €5 billion industry world wide transaction but certainly raised awareness of disadvantaged producers in the developing world. The Dutch organisation Komitee Steun Onderontwikkelde Streken (‘Support for Underdeveloped Regions Committee’, S.O.S.) imported the first fair trade product, wood statues from Haiti in the Netherlands in 18 | access | summer

In 1969, the first European ‘worldshop’ selling exclusively fair trade goods opened in Breukelen, the Netherlands, staffed by volunteers. Worldshops are still going strong in the Netherlands with around 400 outlets across the country. www.wereldwinkels.nl The Dutch were to take the lead once more in the late 1980s with the introduction of a fair trade certification system, Max Havelaar, which opened the door to selling fair trade goods in supermarkets – in the belief that to have a meaningful impact on the livelihoods of producers in the developing

world, their goods needed to be traded in the mass market. Since the concept of fair trade was developed, it has grown into a worldwide €5 billion (2011 turnover) industry with a variety of labelling organisations extending the fair trade principle to an increasing range of markets outside of agriculture (and its fair share of critics).

Why Max Havelaar?

Despite the fact that he was not a real person, Max Havelaar has been remarkably influential in Dutch foreign policy. The main character in the 1860 satirical novel of the same name, Max Havelaar fights against the corrupt government system and coffee trade in the Dutch East Indies, with the wider story being how the wealth that was enjoyed in Europe at the time was the result of suffering in other parts of the world. Widely read in its day, and leading to educational reforms and a new ethical policy in the Dutch East Indies, this damning exposé was also recognised by one writer as “the book that killed colonialism”. The name of Max Havelaar has endured to become a symbol of ethical trading with poorer nations; the brand name given to the world’s first fair trade labelling system

www.maxhavelaar.nl, established by the Dutch in 1989 and now part of the worldwide labelling organisation, Fairtrade International (FLO).

On the Dutch high street

In October 2012, it was announced that over 1,700 fair trade products are for sale in the Netherlands and recent research shows that over half of Dutch households buy fair trade products.

Furthermore, despite the UK leading in the sales of fair trade at the moment, the Netherlands may catch up soon, with a greater growth in the market (up 24% in 2011).

Uniquely, 100% of the chocolate letters sold at Sinterklaas now use fair trade cocoa – Did y o u a huge achievement in kn 26 Oct - ow... consumer pressure.

3 is Fairtr Nov 2013 ade the Net Week in herland So how might you notice s this down at your local Dutch supermarket?

Fairtrade coffee is well represented and together with chocolate and bananas, they probably make up the bulk of a fairtrade shopping basket. To a lesser extent, all sorts of other fair trade products are available in the supermarket, including tea, sugar, wine, and more. » access | summer | 19

Cover story | When the Dutch trade fair

Fair money

The long-established Dutch banking industry has also seen a fair trade influence success with the success of Triodos Bank. Trading since 1980, their ethical approach is that only organisations that generate a proven added value to people and the environment are eligible for loans.

Furthermore, its ownership structure has been designed purposefully to

About 30% of materials used for bank notes are sourced from fair trade suppliers

guard its independence, with share certificates unable to be sold on the stock market but only sold via buy back to the bank. Triodos has also expanded to provide banking services in Germany, Spain and the UK triodos.nl.

In fact, slap-bang inside our wallets, we are surrounded by another Dutch fair trade item in the very instrument of trade – money. Since 2007, the De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has used a percentage of fair trade cotton to make our euro notes. By 2011, the amount of fair trade cotton used for Dutch money had tripled to about 96 tonnes, and now about 30% of materials used for bank notes are sourced from fair trade suppliers with this trade supporting cotton farmers in Africa and India.

Photo: Solidaridad.nl

Textiles

20 | access | summer

With the knowledge that 25% of clothing sold in the Netherlands comes from China, since 2007 the Dutch NGO Solidaridad has

Solidaridad has increased its influence on the global textiles industry, bringing together international fashion brands such as H&M and G-Star to help fund sustainable improvements to the clothing industry in Bangladesh via a four-year, €8 million project, the Bangladesh Water Pact. Half of the funds for the project are coming from the Dutch government, and half from industry partners. The textiles industry is one of the most polluting industries and a major consumer of water resources, so trade developments are focused on improvements to the local environmental impact.

All that glitters...

... is not gold. Gold mining is responsible for much environmental pollution due to the cyanide and acid used in mines, and health risks to workers from the use of mercury.

Add to that the fact that many gold »

Photo: Solidaridad.nl

invested in developing ethical and sustainable supplies of cotton from the ‘cotton province’ of Xinjiang. This has included training for farmers in agricultural techniques to increase their income from cotton, as well as training for employees in sewing factories about their rights.

More info Shopping • WAAR shops for home accessories, jewellery, food, books; all major Dutch cities, www.ditiswaar.nl • Kuyichi, denim fashion using fair trade cotton; sold in 120 Dutch stores and internationally, www.kuyichi.com • Charlie + Mary, fair trade and eco-friendly fashion blog, webshop and boutique (with cake and wifi); Gerard Doustraat 84, 1072 VW, Amsterdam, www.charliemary.com Also see our Shopping pages for more fair trade goodies. access | summer | 21

Cover story When the Dutch trade fair

mine workers do not earn a living wage, you’ll know the reasons why Solidaridad is also working hard in the gold industry. In 2010, together with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and FLO, they helped launch the joint Fairtrade and Fairmined (FT-FM) global standard for artisanal and small-scale miners. In recognition of their extra efforts, FT-FM mines receive a price that is 10% higher than the market rate. Apart from gold, small artisanal miners and mining cooperatives of precious stones are gaining further Dutch support behind the scenes via the Maastricht-based Jeweltree Foundation which aims to open up the market to small-scale suppliers of fairly-mined gemstones. www.jeweltreefoundation.org Fairtrade Towns

Like me, gold and diamonds may not be on your weekly shopping list, and luckily there are other fair trade initiatives that could bring about greater 22 | access | summer

photo: FairPhone

Over half of Dutch households buy fair trade products

access to fair trade products for the Average Joe. Dutch communities can campaign for their local municipality to become a Fairtrade Gemeente (Fairtrade Town) – it’s a global initiative (not started by the Netherlands this time), also doing well in Brazil,

South Africa and the UK. In the Netherlands there are now 25 Fairtrade Towns, including Delft and Utrecht (but not The Hague or Amsterdam), with Rotterdam the largest, boasting some 41 public organisations and 28 private companies that use fair trade products, as well as the inclusion of fair trade in the procurement policy of the municipality.

made some progress. At the event design teams worked towards proposals and prototypes for the FairPhone of the future, with five clear action points: sourcing conflict-free minerals; responsible labour practices; environmentally-responsible design, “design that lasts”; transparent, “true value” pricing; maximising the “use, reuse, and recycle” value of each FairPhone.

• • • • •

FairPhone campaign

Once more, the Netherlands is at the forefront of the newest frontier in fair trade – the mobile phone industry. It’s notoriously hard to pinpoint ethical sources for all the materials used in electronic products; dependent on specialist minerals for their technology and with at least thirty different raw metals, smart-phones in particular pose a totally different kind of fair trade challenge. However, Fairphone, an Amsterdam-based global initiative, is tackling the problem from the designend (“current business models… create ‘designed for the dump’ models”), as well as the sourcing of components.

FairPhone have already got over 11,000 subscribers registered for the first FairPhone. Their recent three-day boot camp in Amsterdam (May/June 2013)

Once 5,000 phones are ordered production will begin, and should be available by October, and cost €325,-.

The FairPhone will have a 4.3-inch screen and will run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. www.fairphone.com With all of these initiatives, and many more that there isn’t space to mention, would you say it all points to the Netherlands as the natural home of the fair trade movement; from both its historical roots to its bright new future?

Fair enough, I say. «

About the author Cathy is a freelance writer and radio presenter on www.englishbreakfast.nl. Follow her on Twitter @cathycentral. access | summer | 23

Travel

Delft

Photo: Delft Marketing

the city of princes and pottery

24 | access | summer

Delft is a city that has borne many of the Netherlands’ great painters, scientists and noteworthy historical figures. Names such as Johannes Vermeer and Hugo Grotius are part of its rich cultural tapestry. It is also known as the city of princes – the Dutch royalty are interred in its churches, the most famous of them, William of Orange.

By Priya de Langen

Truly, with Delft’s rich cultural history it still maintains an idyllic quality unlike the chaotic cadence found in the larger Dutch cities. Perhaps, that is one of its major charms.

Historic roots

Delft started off as a rural village, and received its city charter in 1246.

By the 17th century, Delft had become one of the most important cities in the country – a centre of arts as well as a trading port with the Dutch East India Company. Delft’s historic roots are still visible today – observe the buildings in the city centre were erected centuries ago.

Summer is a treat for tourists and locals in Delft. There are various ways to see the city and my favourite is to get around by cycling. If you are not confident on a bicycle, then take a guided tour or simply walk around the city, or even better, take a boat ride on the canals. The city centre square, Markt, is the best place to start – here locals congregate for drinks in pleasant weather, watch performances or go to the weekly flower markets on Thursdays and Saturdays. Here you’ll find the stunning city hall and the New Church of Delft.

Oude Delft is one of the richest historic areas in the city, with lovely architecture such as the renaissance style building, the Arm of Savoy, which accommodates the Municipal Record Office of Delft. Next to it is a lategothic styled building, the Gemeenlandshuis. Take notice of several plaques on buildings throughout the city that serve as a memorial to Delft’s noteworthy citizens, including one for the personal physician of Prince William of Orange.

Also, keep an eye out for Did cubes around the city feayou k You can now... turing some of Church climb the New ’s to Vermeer’s paintings. steps it wer – with 37 6 reaches a h e i g ht of 85 m etres.

Iconic treats Delft boasts some of the loveliest churches in the Netherlands and they are a must to visit. One of them is the New Church, or Nieuwe Kerk, in the city centre. Built in 1381, it boasts the country’s secondtallest church tower. The breathtaking interior features stained glass memorial windows such as the Prince William window. Most of the Dutch royal family ancestors are interred here in this church’s crypts. Inside you will see the renowned mausoleum of Prince William of Orange, the prede- » access | summer | 25

Photo: Fred Prak Photos: Delft Marketing

Summer is a treat for tourists and locals to enjoy the ambience of Delft cessor of the current Orange-Nassau monarchy. One of the Netherland’s top 100 UNESCO protected sites, the stunning piece of sculpture is comprised of various precious metals and stones; including gold, bronze, black marble and Italian white marble.

Past & present pride

To pay your respects to Master painter Johannes Vermeer and to renowned scientist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, who invented the microscope, visit the Old Church, or Oude Kerk, a 10-minute walk away from the city centre. Besides

To trace the history of Delft, visiting its museums is a necessity. The Prinsenhof, (municipal museum) is the place where Prince William of Orange was murdered in 1584. Exhibits include the history of his life and how he rose to lead the country, plus a documentary about

26 | access | summer

its 27 stained glass windows, this grand gothic church is recognisable by its ‘leaning tower’. The sepulchre of Dutch naval hero Maarten Harpetszoon Tromp is located here.

Travel | Delft: the city of princes and pottery

Photo: Fred Prak

Delft and found his muse there. The paintings are life-size reproductions of his originals, a true visual spectacle.

his assassination. Besides the infamous staircase where he was shot, a display showcases the gun that was used to shoot him while the wall also spots two bullet holes from the murder weapon.

‘The Delft Masters in the Golden Age’ exhibition presents art by famous Dutch painters. Visitors will certainly find interesting the ‘From William to William’ exhibit, containing paintings of all the rulers of the House of Orange over the past 400 years in chronological order, up to the newest portrait of King Willem-Alexander, only recently revealed on May 1st, 2013 after his investiture.

A museum dedicated to one of Delft’s most famous sons is the Vermeer Centre Delft. Johannes Vermeer was born in

The tour starts with a video in English and Dutch on the history of Vermeer.

His works are shown from his earliest paintings with biblical themes to wellknown pieces such as The milkmaid and The girl with a pearl earring. The exhibition also postulates interesting theories about who could have influenced, as well as taught Vermeer, or if he perhaps was a self-taught artist. The engaging ‘Studio of Vermeer’ room displays the colour palate of the master’s paintings and highlights various spaces with different types of light to present how Vermeer could have used a certain angle of light to paint his masterpieces.

Beautiful Delft Blue

Delft Blue, or Delftware pottery, is a quintessentially Delft creation, ranging from tableware to mugs and even jewellery. You can trace the roots of Delft Blue to the 17th century when in 1602 and 1604, Dutch privateers captured two Portuguese ships carrying large amounts of Chinese porcelain.

This cargo was auctioned off for high prices and encouraged by this success; » access | summer | 27

Travel | Delft: the city of princes and pottery

Royal Delft

The Royal Delft Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles is the only factory that still remains from the 17th century. See firsthand how the process of making the earthenware came to be perfected in the video glimpse into the history and the development of Royal Delft.

Master painters can be seen at work.

The Royal Treasury (Koninklijke Schaatkamer) displays Delft Blue porcelain belonging to the Royal family – the highlight of the factory is without a doubt the breathtaking piece, Rembrandt’s Nightwatch painting on Delft Blue tiles, a life-size 480 piece mosaic was made by two Royal Delft master painters, taking more than a year to complete.

Delft Blue: treasure or trash?

To learn more about Delft Blue, I recommend the Prinsenhof museum’s exhibition ‘Delft Blue: Treasure or Trash’ (until 1 September 2013), divided into six different themes – The Maker, The User, The Designer, The Artist, The Collector and The Tourist.

Visitors can also appreciate modern designer gowns, suits and artwork influenced by the signature blue and white. « Photos: Royal Delft Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles

the Dutch East Company (VOC) started importing porcelain from China.

However, potters in Delft decided to experiment, which eventually led to the creation of its ‘home-grown’ Delft Blue earthenware.

About the author Priya de Langen was a former Singapore-based writer now residing in Delft with her husband. She specialises in HR, architecture, luxury lifestyle and travel writing. access | summer | 29

Lifestyle

Fashion:

going fair, bold and beautiful At the Academy Awards ceremony last February American actress and director Helen Hunt did not make the best-dressed list of the Oscars fashion police. Instead she made fashion history.

By Lucy Bosscher

photo: AP

The actress eschewed an haute couture creation in favour of an H&M dress.

The strapless navy blue gown with a train – though perfectly on trend – was not a ground-breaking fashion statement. But its “fair” credentials were statement worthy.

30 | access | summer

According to the official press release the dress comes from the H&M’s new “Conscious Exclusive – a party-wear

collection made from more sustainable materials. The collection… is part of H&M’s Conscious work to offer more sustainable fashion. Materials used in the collection include organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled polyamide and TENCEL.”

It’s about time. Submerged by the flood of cheap fashion (according to Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development (TRAID), consumers in the UK purchase 2.15 million tonnes of new clothing a year!) the planet screams for respite.

H&M, the world’s second largest clothing retailer, going conscious while venturing to conquer Hollywood? Does it mean that sustainable fashion is no longer the realm of the marginal hippy types and Oxfam shops? That it has finally gone mainstream? Or is it simply a high-octane exercise in perception building?

As for us consumers, dizzy after wild years of indiscriminate shopping when the magazines prescribed how to “get the look” when we then rushed to Topshop, ZARA or H&M to get affordable pieces, we have indeed sobered up, got more savvy and more discerning.

Long-term sustainability

Getting a fast fashion, albeit conscious dress on the Oscar red carpet is an enviable PR stunt and genius marketing, but H&M has been unequivocal about its commitment to long-term sustainability. Simply put, it aspires “to run business operations in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.” Helena Helmersson, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility is frank: “Of course we want to be profitable and gain market share, but we want to have a positive impact on the planet, too.”

Slow fashion

To counter the insanity of frenetic fashion marathon, sustainable design consultant Kate Fletcher coined the term “slow fashion”. Much like the slow food movement, slow fashion encourages consumers to be more mindful about the products they consume and ultimately, to consume less.

It is about finding pleasure in buying timeless well-made garments that will outlive trends and seasons.

We have embraced slow fashion, vintage, economy of soul and small niche brands that perpetuate craftsmanship and tradition. We read the labels care- » access | summer | 31

Lifestyle | Fashion: going fair, bold and beautiful

photos: Guido Swartz

the sustainability trend and the public awareness here is very high. For example, 89% of female consumers in this country prefer sustainable clothing to conventional fashion.

“ Today fair is beautiful, stylish and chic…it can have a deep social impact”

In the book Mode voor Morgen (Fashion for Tomorrow) published last year, Dubbeld reviews a growing number of initiatives in this country aimed at reducing climate change caused by fashion consumption such as innovative textiles, recycling programmes, fair trade schemes and consumer-led projects. The book also provides a clear guide to the world of contemporary eco-fashion with precise tips on how to give your personal wardrobe a green makeover and not to fall for “greenwashing”.

Good & green

fully. We care about provenance. We value quality and style above ephemeral trends.

Gone are the days when fair trade, ­sustainable, green fashion meant ­non-descript t-shirts, hand-knitted beanies and woolly socks. Today fair is beautiful, stylish and chic. More so, it can have a deep social impact.

Lynsey Dubbeld, a Dutch trend analyst specialising in sustainable fashion, has been observing these changes.

She says the Dutch are championing

Studio Jux, 2012 winner of the Green Fashion Competition launched by the Amsterdam Fashion week, produce their collections, “cool as Nepal ice”

32 | access | summer

in Kathmandu, Nepal, empowering the local community. Collection pieces are made of organic cotton, hemp and recycled coke bottles.

Exceptional skills

Maiyet, a company established by Paul van Zyl, a human rights lawyer from South Africa aims “to create a fashion brand and pioneer new luxury by celebrating rare skills from unexpected places”. The company’s philosophy is to promote self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship in developing economies.

Maiyet identifies exceptional skills of the artisans around the globe, commissions products and then markets those internationally. The main idea is that by stimulating the local economy, it should be possible to introduce ­stability and lessen ethnic conflict and human rights abuses. “We’re helping them, not patronising them,” Mr. van Zyl says of the workers, noting, “people buy because the product is gorgeous, compelling and beautiful.

It represents a new and interesting ­aesthetic and we are pioneering a new way of doing luxury.”

Luci’deMila, The Hague based leather goods brand, creates exquisite bags marrying the ‘look good’ and ‘feel

good’ factors. A limited edition collection and small production numbers mean that Luci’deMila does not come from the economy of scale but is always about economy of soul, lucid luxury, made in Africa.

Often it is small young companies with passionate visionaries at the helm that espouse fair production practices and sustainability while conceiving innovative collections. But their challenge is how to stick to fair ideals and build sustainable businesses. At the end of the day in business, fair or otherwise, it is the bottom line that counts.

We are what we wear, just as we are what we eat. Heed Dame Vivienne Westwood’s advice; “Don’t just eat McDonald’s, get something a bit better. Eat a salad. That’s what fashion is.

It’s something that is a bit better.” «

About the author: Lucy Bosscher is The Hague based fashion thinker, linguist, communicator operating at the intersection of executive education and fashion. Her particular interest is in ethical luxury, slow fashion and emerging talent. She regularly contributes on fashion, trends and lifestyle to the Dutchbuzz radio programme and various English language publications. access | summer | 33

Education | Partner feature

Getting the

big picture Understanding the bigger picture of planning, organisation skills and constructions begins earlier than you may think. We follow the progress of the youngest learners at American School of The Hague, the Preschool students (aged 3), as they take on some big challenges.

The classroom environment for these young learners is specifically tailored to stimulate their creative and investigative minds, with academics being taught through the clever use of organised activities and structured play. While one preschool class creates a museum, the other has been on site at the construction of their new Early Childhood Center.

Museum Day – from scratch

With visitors at the door, what might be in store on a museum day 34 | access | summer

in a classroom for three-year-old students when they are the hosts?

Following their trip to a nature museum, one preschool class created their own museum mirroring what they had experienced. These young students created everything you might find in a museum, under the careful guidance of their teacher. They built artefacts to ­display, made games, created the ticket desk, cinema, ­cafeteria and exhibition space. Everyone had his or her own “job” – at the ticket desk, as a museum guide or working in the cafeteria. The students explained their artefacts in a prerecorded “artist interview” and their visitors noted that this truly was a highly creative learning environment where creativity and academics go hand in hand. So, what’s next for these creative learners as they move forward into a new school year?

A highly creative learning environment where creativity and academics go hand in hand Building a town

It might be that that the second class of preschool students has some answers – they have recently undertaken a mammoth project, creating their own preschool town.

With the wonderful support of parents, these young students visited the construction site of their future school, the purposefully-designed Early Childhood Center due to be opened in the summer of 2014 – just a short walk from their current classroom.

While learning about their new home at the Early Childhood Center (ECC), and exploring the design process, the students became very excited and took to creating their own personal town and having shared their plans, they joined forces to make “preschool town”.

Mapping out town designs on paper, selecting important build-

ings and areas to include such as a train station, a park, a grocery store and houses were all part of the process. Working with their truly inspiring teacher, they constructed their town with sturdy cardboard.

Each student was able to make their own windows in the building, painted the walls and added their own décor and some landscaping – all based on the blue prints of the Early Childhood facility and their visits to the construction site. This exciting project should certainly help these young learners feel right at home next year in their new Early Childhood Center. «

Contact: American School of The Hague Rijksstraatweg 200 2241 BX Wassenaar The Netherlands +31 (0)70 512 10 60 www.ash.nl admissions@ash.nl

access | summer | 35

Community

Canadian connections:

past and present For some time I have had this theory that the reason there are so many Canadians ‘hidden’ in the Netherlands has everything to do with history’s way of balancing the books, as it were.

photo: Ottawa Tourism

By Deborah Valentine

36 | access | summer

My theory though is not founded; researched or proven … it is simply one which strikes me every time I meet yet another Canadian woman who has found her way to the Netherlands.

It first started to materialise when I met two mothers in my children’s class – in a regular Dutch primary school.

Both were Canadian, and eerily enough connected to me personally in one way or another. Through them I met three more such women, and again at least six others. That was eleven, within the space of one year in the Netherlands.

Many more were and continue to follow. All women, with a Dutch, Canadian or other nationality partner.

Now, when you think of all those brave Dutch women who followed their new husbands to Canada, on what were the War Bride ships which sailed following

the liberation of Europe at the end of the Second World War, it does seem serendipitous. Many daughters went one way, and a generation later many daughters have returned.

Past connections

It is still considered the ‘sweetest of springs’ in Dutch history, the campaign to liberate the Netherlands in March 1945, which resulted in the Canadian Army liberating a country starved and awakening from the ‘­hongerwinter’ (hunger winter). To experience the extent to which this role is still appreciated one need only visit the graveyards in Goesbeek, Arnhem and Holten, where the tombstones of Canadian soldiers are tenderly cared for and honoured every year.

It was also during the Second World War that another event sealed a close connection between the Dutch and Canadians. Having been sent to Canada for their safety, the Royal Family was given residence in Ottawa, where, Princess Margriet, aunt to the current King of the Netherlands, was born.

It was then the only time in history that a flag other than the Canadian flew above the Parliament’s Peace Tower, and when a room in a local hospital

“ T he Netherlands continues to send 20,000 bulbs to Canada each year (10,000 from the Royal Family and 10,000 from the Dutch Bulb Growers Association)” was declared ‘Dutch territory’. To this day, in appreciation of this gesture (as well as the role of the First Canadian Army during the Liberation), the Netherlands sends thousands of tulips to Ottawa, allowing for the annual Canadian Tulip Festival along the canals of the Rideau River in Ottawa.

(Again, the female connection!)

Some facts and figures

• Between 1942-1947, some 63,021 women and children were

transported from Europe to Canada; 1,800 were Dutch. These later sponsored more family members.

• Of the 2,610 soldiers buried in Goesbeek Cemetery, 2,339 are Canadian.

• Canadians, like their neighbours to the South (the US), also celebrate Thanksgiving… one month earlier though, on the second Monday in October.

• Canada Day is July 1st, commemorating the unification of the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada (Ontario & Quebec).

• About one million persons of Dutch origin reside in Canada, a figure that translates to 3% of the Canadian population.

• The most recent figures show that the Netherlands ranks as the second largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Canada. access | summer | 37

photo: European Travel Guide

photo: Wikipedia Lars Bähren

In modern times, the Dutch and Canadians continue to share many bonds: as peacemakers and peacekeepers and subdued nationalism – except of course at sporting events! But all of this is on a global scale. What about the day-to-day connections Canadians make with each other, and the Dutch, here in the Netherlands?

Present connections

The Embassy of Canada in The Hague estimates that there are between 4,500 and 5,000 Canadians living here.

I ­suspect though that this number is greater, for one thing that Canadians do well is asimilate. As was pointed out by a local Canadian/Dutchie blogger – also female – “…We blend in, we buy houses in multi-cultural neighbourhoods.

38 | access | summer

We don’t just keep hanging out with our own kind.” Having a history built on new cultures, we engage in new ones well, especially when we travel.

Therefore, when we feel the need for home, and for sharing the humour, tastes and national moments, it is harder to find one another. And, even when we do so, we cautiously wave our flag or raise our voices in anthem. Yet when we gather we appreciate that there are moments when we need to be with one another, and celebrate our own heritage, and share with any children a little bit of their other ‘home’.

Creating some ‘Canadiana’

Luckily, there are a few groups and organisations around which cater to this need – we just need to seek one

Community | Canadian connections: past and present

another out. So, here a few tips gathered from a group of Canadian (yes, women) who have ventured into creating some ‘Canadiana’ away from home.

Not the least among these, and looking back to our war history, is the Poppy Campaign run by the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch005), the ‘Guardians of Remembrance’. For those who, like Canadians, commemorate the lives of fallen soldiers, November 11th is an important date: when on the 11th day of the 11th month, at the 11th hour we bear silent witness to those who have given their lives. You can also support this campaign by helping to promote and sell poppies.

The Embassy of Canada in The Hague and the Netherlands Canadian Chamber of Commerce are on the more formal end of the scale, but offer a variety of information about events related to Canadian artists, sporting events, business opportunities and celebrations. On a more informal scale, the Canadian Club of the Netherlands and Canada2Leaf regularly organise events in different parts of the country. And, for that unique taste of a Canadian pancake breakfast (not to be confused with pannekoeken), the webshops

Maple and More and Maple Abroad offer more than just the syrup to recreate the tastes of home!

As is the way for all of us these days, Canadian, Dutch or otherwise, Facebook is where most if not all of the above can be found… seek and ye shall find, and before you know it you could well be belting out “O Canada” – perhaps to the embarrassment of your teenage children…. but in full appreciation that even away from home it is okay, and possible, to be connected. «

About the author Deborah Valentine is a Canadian living in the Netherlands. Her grandfather was stationed in the Netherlands in the latter part of WWII and she considers herself a ‘returned’ daughter. She is a copywriter & currently also Executive Director of ACCESS. access | summer | 39

Ceramic Vases

€49,- / €75,Designer Piet Hein Eek travels to North Vietnam to collaborate with local potters to create this series of sophisticated Fair Trade vases. His twist on the Vietnamese crane, blossom and bamboo motifs combines perfect modern form with a centuries old decorating technique.

www.wehkamp.nl

Chunks

Accessories starting at

€25,-

NOOSA-Amsterdam was created by two Dutch travellers; inspired by the world’s cultural diversity. The customisable accessories are made of stone, wood, pumpkin, shells, bone and ceramics by disadvantaged craftswomen from Nepal and Peru. Attach them to bracelets, belts, sandals and scarves.

www.noosa-amsterdam.com 40 | access | summer

Shopping

every Purchase Matters By erIN WIlle

Dutch artists, designers and retailers are doing their part by ensuring a better life for otherwise economically marginalised craftspeople from developing countries. With the incredible amount of quality fair trade products on the market today, you can make every purchase matter.

Fair Trade

Tunisian ceramic €35,-

This hand-painted Tunisian pottery technique dates back over 2,000 years. In Nabeul, one small, woman-run company ensures above average salaries. In Tunisia where it is rare for any disabled person to find work, they proudly employ four deaf women.

www.wereldwinkel-webshop.nl

Chocstar starting at

Good Gold Bracelet

€10,-

Just the way you like it, with a make-your-own chocolate shop. Select your favourite candies, fruits, nuts and cookies to mix in and then give it a name. Founder Annefrid Imenkamp ensures that all chocolates have the fair trade stamp of approval.

donation

€15,-

The hugely successful “On Our Way to Good Gold” (Op weg naar Goed Goud) campaign brings awareness to making gold mining more responsible, both socially and environmentally. Dutch artist Bibi van der Velden designed a bracelet specifically for the cause in exchange for a €15 donation.

www.chocstar.nl

www.opwegnaargoedgoud.nl

Recycled

sari kantha

seatbelt shoulder bag

scarfs and blankets €34,95 and €149,95

€42,50

Conserve India transforms recycled materials and waste into stylish fashions. In Delhi’s slums this creates fairly-paid jobs for unemployed low-caste women. The organisation also founded a school where children learn the trade for a better future.

Bags exclusively distributed by Fairtrade B.V.

Each unique piece is made with multiple layers of vintage saris using a traditional embroidery method called kantha. In Bangladesh, women are given the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families in a dignified way while eliminating their chances of being trafficked.

www.fairtrade.nl

www.tulsicrafts.nl access | summer | 41

Education | Partner feature

Exciting initiatives and innovation The past months the International School of the Hague (ISH) has seen the school move ahead with innovation and student-orientated and led events both in and out of school.

By David Butcher, principal

It was with great pride that we received accolades from businessmen to politicians and NGO’s for our student Thomas Evans who assumed the role of Secretary General at The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN).

The theme of the conference was Energy & Sustainability, and Thomas gave an opening address that was poignant, expertly delivered and thought provoking towards the conference theme.

TEDx Youth Event

David Butcher Principal of Secondary School The International School of The Hague

At ISH we have two exciting initiatives that are seeing both Primary & Secondary sections work in unison.

We recently hosted our first TEDx

42 | access | Summer

Youth Event and we had a number of staff and parents in both Primary and Secondary prepare for the event.

The theme of the Tedx Youth Event was ‘Spark your Talent’ and there were a number of presenters including current students, former students, parents and just good oldfashioned dedicated people who had followed their passions through hard work and determination. The stories were inspiring, heart rendering and above all true, and in spite of the sacrifices, to fulfil your dream and enable yourself to work, your talent is a very worthy message.

The second initiative is one that is on-going and is something of an undercurrent at ISH that is bubbling along nicely. As a Principal new into the school, a meeting was arranged with some students about Silverback engineering. I had heard that needed some help with assisting in the project in terms of logistics,

photo: Christel van Meeuwen

planning and sponsorship. To see the enthusiasm in their faces, to listen to the excitement of them building an eco car for the Shell Eco Marathon on our campus, was simply a joy. I was hooked after thirty seconds. The Primary students will view it to see how it works, the physics department has assisted with the coefficient drag and the design has been completed by a student who wants to be a car designer as his profession.

A good school is one that educates our students, staff and parents both in and out of the classroom. The sheer enthusiasm and passion that has been filtering through the

“ We challenge ourselves to be better” school has given a very positive vibe to life at ISH. We must continue to promote this in both the local and wider circle that we are part of; that of being international education located in The Hague. In addition, we need to extol the successes of our students and community and strive for more initiatives such as TEDx and the Shell Eco Marathon so that we challenge ourselves to be better. To be continued. «

Contact: The International School of The Hague Wijndaelerduin 1 2554 BX Den Haag Secondary School +31 70 328 14 50 Primary School +31 70 338 45 67 ish.admissions@ ishthehague.nl www.ishthehague.nl

More on TEDx at: www.tedxyouthish.com access | summer | 43

Education

Imagine a school visit to a museum in which the students are actively encouraged to question, explore and discover for themselves, where student questions, answers and thoughts are allowed to direct the learning.

schools to benefit more fully from museum visits in the Netherlands and the wishes of the Tropenmuseum, a large museum in Amsterdam – focusing on people, places and the interaction of cultures – to develop a new, innovative English-language programme.

Stories

For a small country, the Netherlands has a large number of international schools, and they are keen to visit museums to enhance their curriculum and bring learning to life. However, language barriers can prove limiting when it comes to accessing the full range of experiences a museum has to offer.

Around the World

By Claire Bown

Then, imagine an extended encounter with one object that lasts fifteen minutes where students are responding to just three questions: What do you see?

What does it make you think? What does it make you wonder?

This is in fact a programme called ‘Stories Around the World’ which grew out of the desire of international 4 4 | access | summer

In 2011, the Tropenmuseum collaborated with the international school community with the aim of creating a new programme for schools in English.

A team of teachers from four international schools were recruited to assist the process, participate in focus groups and pilot sessions at the museum. ‘Stories Around the World’ was developed last year. Its aim is to reflect the progressive approaches to teaching and learning in international schools whilst also linking to important content in international curricula.

Stop. Look. Think!

‘Stories Around the World’ explores the theme of stories and storytelling by exploring objects in detail. A new teaching method was developed for the new programme called ‘Stop.

Look. Think!’. This method is composed of five principles including the slow, careful exploration of objects using thinking routines, the development of key critical thinking skills and the fostering of a community of learners who all feel happy, willing and able to contribute to the discussion taking place.

Thinking routines are flexible, easy to use, mini-strategies originally designed for the classroom and adapted for use in the Tropenmuseum.

They provide a structure for studentled discussions and help to provoke debate about the Tropenmuseum’s collection. Instead of being told what the art work or object represents, the students work hard to examine the evidence themselves and to form and share theories about it. ’Stories Around the World’ was launched in October, 2012, with a high-tea afternoon at the museum attended by more than 30 teachers from international

Tropenmuseum A whole world of stories

schools. Their response was hugely appreciative, positive Stories Around the World and above all enthusiastic. The Tropen­ museum has since had many bookings and has welcomed the first groups, proud to be the first museum in the Netherlands with a programme specifically designed for international schools. « A new educational programme for international primary schools www.tropenmuseum.nl

About the author Claire Bown is the founder of Thinking Museum, a company which designs and delivers high quality, innovative English ­language learning activities and workshops for museums, international schools and business. www.thinkingmuseum.com access | summer | 45

Health

stress less? everyone experiences stress to some degree or another. so why all the fuss about it?

By mAry JANe rOy

I’d say poor resiliency skills are costing businesses some profits – and people their health. The American Institute of Stress estimates that up to 90% of doctor’s visits include stress, as a basis for the visit. It touches so many areas of our health, wellness and vitality. Suffice it to say the costs to society and potentially to you, are enormous.

Patience is a virtue

Recently I came across an article from a physician, Dr. Marc Schoen, who says that what we’ve forgotten is how to be patient. Notice, I didn’t say be a patient.

No, I’m referring to patience. The staying-calm-in-a-traffic-jam kind of patience, or during the wait in Did a long line-up while the only ow... , n k u s yo m o available clerk carefully (and 0 sympt l, 5 r e v o a h c t i i s y W h slowly) gift-wraps items for a an be p onal c s s e r t i s t o client. When this same clerk or em mental, r tension stares at you uncomprehendstrain o ingly while you use your newly learned Dutch. Perhaps the time it takes for your child to put on their shoes while you are already running late. There are a myriad of situations that trigger stress daily.

46 | access | summer

We seem to have an increasing need for instant gratification, which is leading to more stress in our lives. The challenges to our patience are limitless – if we let them be. If we do, then we’re activating our stress response system way too often. This is going to cost us.

What can you do?

Build your resilience. Take heed of what is triggering your impatience and then you can take action. Here are three suggestions: Don’t scream, rant or rage.

Find somewhere to shake it off – shaking your body like a tribal dancer. Shake the anger, frustration, and irritation right out of you.

Zebras do this to calm themselves after a near death experience with their neighbourhood lion (and animals don’t get ulcers). While you’re at it, you’ll be laughing out loud because it feels that good. Don’t do this in a public place though.

What works like a charm is to breathe – deeply and slowly – for 2 to 3 minutes. Breathe a feeling focussed on calmness in and out of your heart area. Deep breathing triggers our body’s relaxation mechanism (the parasympathetic system).

1

2

The adage ‘take a deep breath and calm down’ has merit. However, it takes more than one breath to make this work. It does take practice ahead of time, when you’re not stressed out, so that you’re able to use it in the necessary moment.

“ People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a thing.” Epictetus Last but not least, try walking to clear your head. It releases feel good endorphins and just being outdoors makes you feel better.

Try a walking meditation. Stroll along a lovely Dutch canal, a beach or a wooded park to seek solitude and balance as you pace yourself to a calmer rhythm. Focus on each step you take.

3

Using these techniques will really make a difference. Try them. «

About the author Mary Jane Roy is passionate about sharing her knowledge on how to improve one’s emotional balance. She is a certified NLP Master Practitioner, Stress Counselor and licensed Institute of HeartMath provider. www.creatingwaves.nu access | summer | 47

Education | Partner feature

HSV

Learning together for the future

by Lorraine Dean

Lorraine Dean Director International Department HSV International School The Hague

The HSV International School, part of the Foundation HSV, has three schools situated in different areas of The Hague. HSV (Haagsche School­vereeniging) was our first primary school established in 1901.

The school opened an international department in 1986 and offers international education, which is subsidised by the Dutch Ministry for Education.

The HSV is an internationally diverse school, with families from all over the world. Our International Department classes have children from over 50 different countries, celebrating different creeds, cultures, languages and life styles.

48 | access | Summer

Integration is key – hence our motto, “Learning together for the future.” We integrate in many ways across all of our locations. At the Nassulaan (NSL) location, the ­children of the Dutch Department and the International Department have the opportunity to play and learn together. Children from the Lighthouse, a school for internationally based Special Needs, at our Koningin Sophiestraat (KSS) location, learn and play alongside their mainstream peers, while growth at Van Nijenrodestraat (VNS), our newest location, with 10 classes, is now our largest location. While we are uniquely located in different parts of the city, we are very much one school.

Like many schools worldwide, the HSV has chosen to use the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in the Dutch, as well as in the international departments, ­fostering internationalism and a real focus on the individual child.

We feel very fortunate to live and work in The Hague, a city of both national and global significance.

Across our three international locations the teaching teams have

Contact: Haagsche Schoolvereeniging www.hsvdenhaag.nl

worked together over the past months to produce a special 8-day unit, based on the ethos of the IPC which celebrates and promotes learning all about The Hague.

At KSS the children, in mixed-year group teams, learned a dance throughout the morning, which was then performed in an assembly.

At NSL, the parents and children were greeted on Monday morning by the entire staff singing a song about The Hague, which was composed by Dieuwke Bart, the school’s music teacher. At VNS the children took part in special art activities, all based around the central theme of The Hague. The Reception children visited Madurodam, and then recre-

ated their own version in the school gym, much to everyone’s enjoyment.

Hands-on learning activities have included a visit from the Nederland’s Dance Theatre, visits to the beach at Scheveningen, excursions to museums and sites all over the city. Guest speakers who have visited the schools include the author of a guidebook on The Hague and representatives of organisations including Europol and Eurojust.

NSL Site Nassaulaan 26 2514 JT The Hague T: +31 70 318 49 50 F: +31 70 346 33 78 KSS Site Koningin Sophiestraat 24A 2595 TG The Hague T: +31 70 324 34 53 F: +31 70 324 66 09 VNS Site Van Nijenrodestraat 16 2597 RM The Hague T: +31 70 328 14 41

Our special unit has been a real opportunity for our children, ­parents and staff, both Dutch and international, to learn together and celebrate the wonderful city of The Hague. « access | summer | 49

Food

Fair-trade

banana and chocolate ice-cream Cooking with fair-trade ingredients and thus supporting producers to improve their lives, adds another level of importance to a dish. I don’t mind paying a little bit more to know where my “ingredients with a conscience” come from.

By mAgDA zOgrAFOu

50 | access | summer

I n g re d i e n

ts

yield: abou t 750 g

• 3 large, very

ripe bananas, cu t into chunks • 2 Tbsp wate r • 90 g caster s ugar • 2 tsp lemon juice • Pinch of sea salt • 250 ml full-fa t cream, cold • 100 g goodquality dark chocola te (55%-72% c ocoa solids) cut in to small, rough chunk s

Fair-trade bananas, cocoa and coffee can be found in most super-markets in the Netherlands and are the best candidates for a delicious dessert, like this refreshing banana ice-cream with chocolate chunks. A flavour combination made in heaven and one that never fails to impress.

With the full-bodied taste of ripe banana, bittersweet notes from the dark chocolate and a light and smooth texture, this ice-cream is a delight to eat on a hot summer day. It is also very easy to make and it doesn’t even require an ice-cream machine.

And don’t forget, the riper the bananas, the more flavor they’ll impart to your ice-cream.

In a small saucepan, add the banana chunks along with the water and sugar.

Simmer over a low heat until bananas start to break down and become mushy and syrupy, stirring regularly and being careful not to burn them.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Place bananas in a food processor along with lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt, and purée them. Give mixture a taste and add more lemon juice if you

find it too sweet. Empty mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Using a stand or hand-held mixer, beat the cold cream on high speed until soft peaks form, i.e., until fluffy but still soft. Add a third of the whipped cream to the banana purée and mix it in with a spatula to lighten the mixture. Add the banana purée to the rest of the whipped cream along with the chocolate chunks, and fold in with a spatula, very gently so you don’t deflate the whipped cream.

Empty the ice-cream mixture into a container suitable for the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours. Before serving, leave it out of the freezer for 20-25 minutes to soften.

Fair-trade coffee with a twist

The next time you make an iced coffee, try adding sweetened condensed milk as well as a grating of you favorite fairtrade dark chocolate on top. It will change your coffee habits forever. «

About the chef Magda Zografou, a Greek girl cooking in her little expat kitchen in the Netherlands. mylittleexpatkitchen.blogspot.com access | summer | 51

Education | Partner feature

The German International School The Hague (DISDH):

150 Years of Excellence The German International School The Hague is proud to be celebrating its 150th anniversary making it the oldest international school in the Netherlands.

Contact: Deutsche Internationale Schule Den Haag Van Bleiswijkstraat 125 2582 LB The Hague The Netherlands +31 70 354 95 94 www.disdh.nl info@disdh.nl

At the end of June, the school will pay tribute to this great honour with a weekend full of celebrations ranging from ceremonies at the Diligentia Theater, an international school festival and an evening of dinner and dancing at a beach club.

The special events are attracting hundreds of alumni and past teachers who are coming back to The Hague from all corners of the world to share in the joy and the history.

It all started in 1863 with a modest initiative by the German Evangelical Church The Hague. The first classes were held in the back building of the church. It was only in 1925 that the

52 | access | summer

school had a building it could call its own. After several moves, the DISDH is now located in Statenkwartier at the centre of the international zone.

Cultural exchange

The DISDH has always played an important role between Germany and its host country. The continuation of the German School after the 2nd World War marked the first initiative between Germany and the Netherlands leading to the opening of dialogue and rapprochement between the two countries.

The result was a strong cultural exchange which has been upheld until today.

Students now represent over 30 nationalities. The trend in recent years for international families to choose the school is rising. School Director Dr. Hans Meyer explains why: “Education ‘Made in Germany’ is a sign of quality recognised not only at German universities and within the German labour market but also at universities across the world”. Dr. Meyer is absolutely convinced of the quality of his school and an external audit has proven

him right. In 2011, the school was awarded the certificate of “Excellent German School Abroad”.

German is the basic language with Dutch, English and French taught intensively at an exceptionally high level. Children with no prior knowledge of German receive extra language instruction. The recently introduced bilingual International High School Diploma (German and English) further prepares students for the global environment in which they live today. Throughout their history, the school has always been committed to meeting the needs of their families. Full day care from 7:45 am to 6 pm for children (ages 3 to 11) is available including a holi-

“ T he international character of the school and my classmates was especially positive for me.”

DISDH 1967 graduate

day programme. In addition, a wide array of extracurricular activities rounds out the school day for students of all ages.

The strength of the school remains in the quality in education and individual care offered to each and every student. The German International School The Hague salutes the past 150 years of excellence and looks forward to a future rich with growth and development. « access | summer | 53

PhOTOs: glOBAl CITIzeNs NeTWOrk WWW.glOBAlCITIzeNs.Org

By CANDACe CONNer kABelA

Volunteer vacations 54 | access | summer

Amy leans against her shovel. The air was finally growing cooler. she looked at the amount of ground she had cleared away from what was now starting to resemble a road. For as tired as she was, it seemed that the pile should have been bigger. she looks over and catches sight of her two daughters, sami 12 and Josie 10. Their dirtstreaked faces were balanced with wide grins.

Family

For most, hard labour in a tiny Guatemalan village would seem a strange way to be spending a family vacation, but for Amy, this trip was exceeding her expectations. “We’ve taken typical family vacations before.

We wanted to see the world. We wanted to give our children that gift, but we also wanted to give them perspective.”

What Amy Schneider and her family chose was to take a volunteer vacation.

Researchers agree that one of the best ways to instil empathy is through volunteering. Actually, volunteering has been related to an increase in compassion and tolerance, higher self-esteem and even better health.

This may be why volunteer vacations have become the fastest growing trend in the tourism sector.

Volunteering during vacation time isn’t new. Back in 1987, there were 75 companies that organised volunteer trips. That number jumped to 10,000 as of 2010! Considering that tourism is the world’s largest industry, with a record one billion international tourists in 2012 and that roughly onefourth of all tourists are children, it’s no wonder that many of these volunteer vacation providers are now designed to include the entire family.

One of the best ways to instil empathy is through volunteering

Youth volunteering

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) reports that youth volunteering can encourage greater citizen participation, promote a respect for equality and create young leaders. University of Wisconsin sociologist Jane Allyn adds that when young people volunteer, it has a positive effect on their grades and they generally have a higher quality of life as an adult. The problem is that for many, finding the time to volunteer regularly can be challenging.

Linda Stuart, director for the volunteer vacation organiser Global Citizens Network (the same organisation with which Amy Schneider and her family volunteered), travelled to Mexico with her 6-year-old daughter, Ananda.

Linda said that she did this for three reasons: “to share with [Ananda] my belief that giving isn’t a privilege, but rather a way of life; to integrate her into my work of responsible exchanges » access | summer | 55

Family | Volunteer vacations

and alternate tourism; and to show her, in person, that 90% of the world does not live as we do and their lives are so rich.”

Philanthropy and the Dutch

According to the Nederlands Jeugd Instituut, nearly 42% of Dutch youth

participate in some type of volunteer activity; the highest percentage of all the European countries. In the 3rd annual study of 153 countries, the Charity Aid Foundation concluded that the Netherlands rates 6th, worldwide.

The criteria that are measured include volunteering, helping strangers and donating money. It’s not surprising that in this culture of giving that the Dutch do great things.

Resources: Cross Cultural Solutions www.crossculturalsolutions.org Global Aware www.globalaware.org Global Citizens Network www.globalcitizens.org Nature: Earthwatch www.earthwatch.org Biosphere Expeditions www.biosphere-expeditions.org Elephant Nature Park www.elephantnaturepark.org Elephant Human Relations Aid www.desertelephant.org Building: Habitat for Humanity www.habitat.org La Sabranenque www.sabranenque.com Outdoors: Appalachian Mountain Club www.outdoors.org World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms www.wwoof.org Koke’e Resource Conservation Program www.krep.org Grass-roots Organizations: The Alice Project www.aliceproject.org Aldea Yanapay www.aldeayanapay.org Further Reading: www.Journeys4good.com www.Voluntourismgal.wordpress.com www.Ethicaltraveler.org www.Voluntourism.org 56 | access | summer

Chaim Fetter from Eindhoven began Peduli Anak in 2005 after visiting Indonesia on vacation. The NGO aims to improve the lives of street children in Lombok by providing education, accommodation and family and medical care. Fetter began with a 17-bed bunk house in 2006 and has expanded to three children’s homes, a primary school, vocational school and a medical centre. Peduli Anak relies on volunteers, including family volunteers to support it’s many programs.

Varied and abundant activities

Types of volunteer activities are as varied as they are abundant. Frommer’s travel website suggests sitting down as a family and talking about what interests each person has. For example, families could help with an afterschool

program for underprivileged youth in Indonesia www.pedulianak.org, assist with research on the migrating grey whale in the Pacific Ocean www.earthwatch.org, build houses worldwide www.habitat.org or preserve medieval buildings in France www.sabranenque. com or even help track and preserve the desert elephant in Africa www.desertelephant.org. Whatever the interest, there is an organization devoted to it, it seems.

PhOTO: WWW.PeDulIANAk.Org

Along with the overwhelming interest in ‘voluntourism’, there are words of caution. Mark Jacobs, managing director of AZAFADY, a UK-based charity in Madagascar, says that before choosing an organisation, it’s Did you k the responsibility of every now.. .

Types o traveller to ensure that the f activitie volunteer organisation is a true chars are ied as t as varhey a ity, not a profit-making abunda re nt company, and that the projects listed are actually needed.

A ‘true’ volunteer vacation experience should follow these guidelines: 1 Volunteers should be embedded in the community and put to work on projects that benefit the area.

2 Volunteers should work with and not instead of the local people. » access | summer | 57

Family | Volunteer vacations

3 Each project should have longevity and continuity: ideally, the efforts you contribute will be built upon the efforts of previous volunteers.

4 Projects should be ‘community based’, meaning that the people actually living in the community should actively participate in deciding what their community needs and how to implement that with the volunteer organisation.

Why pay to volunteer?

This seems to be the most frequently asked question. Earthwatch created the idea of the volunteer vacation back in 1971. They did this out of necessity as the government had cut their funding. Now, thanks to donations and the expedition fees, they currently run around 60 projects in nearly 40 countries and over the last 40 years, more than 90,000 people have donated 11 million hours of their time.

Full service companies, such as Cross Cultural Solutions, Global Aware and Global Citizens Network offer volunteer projects worldwide. Their fees are a bit pricey, but with that money they pay for the cost of housing, food and transportation for the volunteers, as well as any training, preparation and

“ You must be the change you wish to see in the world”.

Mahatma Gandhi

supervision needed. The money also goes to create employment for local workers, the cost of materials for the community’s projects and insurance costs. It even goes to pay for the bottled water. These ‘complete’ volunteer vacation providers have developed long-term relationships with these communities and are able to provide secure volunteer opportunities for children to participate in.

If you are more adventurous and don’t mind doing the research yourself, websites such as Voluntrippin www.voluntrippin.com and Grassroots Volunteering www.grassrootsvolunteering.org list a number of free or nearlyfree, small worthwhile volunteer opportunities, some of them suitable for children. «

About the author: Candace moved to the Netherlands 14 years ago and lives in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband and their 2 children. Along with her job in the travel industry, she is a freelance writer. access | summer | 59

Law | Partner feature

Can your employer enforce a salary cut?

The good news, as a matter of fact, is an employer cannot easily enforce such a measure.

By Godelijn Boonman

This is mainly because the general rule is as follows: Salary is a so-called primary performance of an employer, which can be set against the primary performance of an employee to work. Furthermore, salary is essential to be able to support oneself. In other words, it is obvious that an employee has a substantial interest in the unaltered maintenance of his/her salary.

A short while ago, a judge was asked to agree with a proposal from an employer to cut an employee’s salary by 10%. The employer stated that all employees had to agree to a salary decrease of 10%, in order to prevent the company’s insolvency.

Some 69% of the employees had agreed to the proposal, as had the

60 | access | summer

works counsel. One of the employees, however, decided to request full payment in legal proceedings. The judge agreed with the employee.

The judge could follow the employer’s argument as far as the poor financial situation of the company was concerned. However, in the opinion of the judge the proposal was not reasonable. The employee could not reasonably be asked to accept a salary cut of 10%.

A unilateral changes clause

One can conclude that, even though a works counsel, along with twothirds of this employee’s colleagues were prepared to accept the salary decrease of 10%, the employer can still not force this employee to do so as well. Such a salary cut is not a reasonable proposal and that means that the employer should not expect an employee to agree to such a proposal. The judge even added that if

Godelijn Boonman Attorney at law Partner GMW Advocaten

the employer had a unilateral changes clause in the contract, the outcome still would have been the same.

not be expected that the employee will agree with modification of his/ her employment contract.

Contact:

What must an employee accept?

Tip:

In general, one can state that employment conditions cannot be changed without first obtaining the employee’s consent. When an employer does not have a clause in the employment contract stating that it can unilaterally change the employment conditions, it will need a substantial business interest. But even then, an employer will still need to prove that, on grounds of reasonableness and fairness, it can-

Even if your employer’s financial position is not sound, do not conclude too easily that an employer can ask you to accept less salary.

Not only does the employer need a substantial business interest, but the proposal must be reasonable.

A salary cut is usually not found reasonable, whereas, for example, a change in a car lease agreement may be decided differently. «

GMW Advocaten led@gmw.nl 070 361 5048 www.legalexpatdesk.nl www.gmw.nl/en Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook

access | summer | 61

Dutch & English courses at The BSN Language Centre Adult courses: April - July: All level courses, mornings, afternoons and evenings.

Enrolment is still possible.

Summer Courses: 2 week Intensives in July for adults and children.

1 week pre-TEFL intensive (teacher training).

In-company and private lessons: By appointment

Are you looking to expand your horizons and meet new people?

Then connecting women is for you!

Come join us to meet an international community of diverse women and to listen to an inspiring speaker at one of our gatherings.

We meet on the first Monday of every month (except August and January) in The Hague.

You don’t need to be a member to join our events.

For more information visit our website... www.connectingwomen.nl

For more information, please contact us at languages@britishschool.nl or call 070 315 4080 www.britishschool.nl/languagecentre

English Builder / Timmerman

Peter French & Sons For 1st class jobs

• 30 years of experience in the local region • All round Carpenter/joiner • Specialised in building bathrooms and kitchens, plastering and roofwork • Woodwork and metal workshop for one off furniture items and welding jobs

Alexanderplein 2 2585 AZ The Hague www.aspadirect.com Telephone: 0651137656 / 0703450215

Tel: +31(0) 6 53 32 83 63 +31(0) 70 364 73 72 Email: peterfrench@planet.nl Workshop: Westeinde 58, 2512 HE, Den Haag

Will you come play with us?

Central Office

Willemstraat

226 Hoge Prins 2584 HX Den Haag tel. 070-3062771

info@hermelijntje.nl

www.hermelijntje.nl

(Flexible)

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daycare and after school care!

Follow us on Twitter!

@CreHermelijntje

ACCESS Trainers

ACCESS Trainers are an integral part of the ACCESS Community. They provide training opportunities on topics of relevance to the international community ACCESS serves, in English or other languages. Trainers who work with ACCESS are vetted for their relevancy to the international community.

Meet our Trainers The courses offered through ACCESS are aimed at providing opportunities for personal growth; supporting the development of ‘community’; learning something new; preparing for a new direction; cultural adaptation; as well as pregnancy and childbirth.

ACCESS courses cover a variety of topics and they provide you with the opportunity to meet new people, while learning new skills. The most popular of our courses are those related to preparing for a family, in which you meet others in the same situation (having a family far from home) and gain insight to how things may be a little different to where you are from.

Do you have a course, which provides value to the international community?

Contact ced@access-nl.org or click here for more information.

Diversity discussions Christine Fischer Multicultural coach & ACCESS Community Education manager The Hague

www.fischersfiresidechats.com

64 | access | summer

Christine holds an M.A. & a M.Ed. in multicultural counselling psychology from TC, Columbia University, NYC. She created FischersFiresidechat discussions, workshops, and seminars to foster warm, informal, yet informed environments for learning cultural competence. Her programmes cultivate awareness of one’s own cultural worldview, attitudes towards cultural differences, and offer a variety of cross-cultural skills.

r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s on l in e at www . acc e s s - n l . o r g , o r contact t r ain e r di r e ct l y .

Digital photography Megan Alter Professional photographer & photography teacher Amsterdam

Learn to take better photos. Megan believes in learning by doing; her classes not only teach theory, but how to put that theory into practice. Sign up for a class now and take control of your camera so you can express yourself more fully and preserve beautiful memories with your images.

www.meganalter.com/classes

Career coaching Caroline van den Bogaard International career coach Amsterdam & via Skype

www.cctransitions.com

Caroline inspires and motivates international professionals to look for ways to continue their career in a new country, and to make the transition easier through career coaching. She knows the challenges and opportunities that professionals face when transitioning to another country, having lived and worked abroad herself. She is a certified career coach and has a Master’s degree in occupational psychology.

POWERtalk Marlene Burns Coaching in effective communication skills The Hague

www.powertalkeurope.com

Marlene is an accredited trainer for Powertalk International’s Short Course, which she presents with fellow trainer Angela Tait. Both are experienced speakers at both local and international levels. Are you a nervous beginner or just feel the need to improve? This course offers in-depth training at all levels for effective speaking.

Career and life coaching Marie Dewulf International career and life coach The Hague

www.en.coach2moveon.com

Marie is a coach who specialises in cross-cultural adaptation, communication skills and careers in transition. Her focus lies in helping people to be in control of their lives, rather than being at its mercy by using effective tools. Being an expat working mum for 17 years, she knows how relocating often is challenging and also very rewarding.

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ACCESS Trainers | Meet our Trainers

r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s on l in e at www . acc e s s - n l . o r g , o r contact t r ain e r di r e ct l y .

Art history Wendy Fossen Freelance Art historian & Art history teacher The Hague

www.casadellarte.nl

Wendy is owner of Casa dell’Arte and works as a freelance art historian. She has been giving art history courses in both Dutch and English for over 7 years now. She also works as a museum guide at the Gemeentemuseum, and as a tour guide in Italy. Wendy holds degrees from the Universities of Leiden and Amsterdam and of the University of Kent in Canterbury, England.

Childbirth preparation Truus Gale Experienced midwife and prenatal coach Amsterdam

www.childbirthclassgale.com

Truus has over 20 years experience in Dutch midwifery and related areas. She holds a Dutch equivalent of a BA in Educational Sciences from Amsterdam University and graduated from Amsterdam Midwifery College in 1988. Truus has been an ACCESS trainer since 2005, specialised in prenatal individual or group information sessions for expat couples expecting a baby in the Netherlands.

Workshops in coaching and counselling Jacqueline van Gent Psychologist and trainer in Transactional Analysis The Hague

www.ta-denhaag.nl

Jacqueline provides internationally accredited workshops for people wanting to enrich their coaching or counselling skills with very effective, ready-to-use tools. Workshops consist of a little bit of theory and lots of practice, and in a learning climate that helps people of all ages, feeling at ease and willing to engage in developing both personally and professionally.

IT and Self defence William Rumley-van Gurp Professional personal development trainer The Hague & Rotterdam

www.cftrainingtoday.com

66 | access | summer

William is a qualified and experienced trainer, able to offer tailor-made courses in a range of IT and Self defense areas.

He has 26 years experience in Self defence and Karate. He has also been teaching people to use Microsoft applications since 1997 when working as an IT Trainer for an international organisation based in The Hague.

r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s on l in e at www . acc e s s - n l . o r g , o r contact t r ain e r di r e ct l y .

Medical advice Dr. Houser provides guidance on issues of great concern to expats - health & healthcare. She is a Johns Hopkins trained Physician advisor, expatriate (US) physician with experience in training Dutch physicians. medical concerns Her focus is assisting expats with the Dutch healthcare the Netherlands ­system, including both cultural and medical differences.

Dr. Houser lives in the Netherlands with her four children www.expatmedicaladvisor.com and her husband, who is Dutch.

Christine Houser

Breastfeeding Myrte van Lonkhuijsen Experienced lactation consultant, IaBCLC

The Breastfeeding centre in Amsterdam offers specialised individual help with breastfeeding, courses and a breastfeeding shop. Myrte and the centre can assist you in solving problems, and in fitting breastfeeding into your everyday life.

Amsterdam

www.borstvoedingscentrum.nl

Career coaching and Job hunting support Teresa Moynihan Career coaching & Job hunting support The greater Hague area

www.moynihan-hr-consulting.com

Teresa Moynihan is a HR Professional and a Certified and Licensed Career Counsellor with a Postgraduate qualification in Career and Talent Management from Kingston University in London, UK. Teresa’s extensive experience in HR and Recruitment enables her to incorporate this knowledge into coaching situations involving career issues.

Childbirth preparation Nester Moyo Senior midwifery advisor The Hague

www.access-nl.org

Nester is a Zimbabwean Midwife Educator who has lived in the Netherlands since 2001, and has worked with ACCESS conducting child birth preparation classes since 2002. Nester is well versed in the education and practice of midwifery in the Netherlands, as she has been a visiting lecturer to some of the midwifery universities in the Netherlands.

access | summer | 67

ACCESS Trainers | Meet our Trainers

r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s on l in e at www . acc e s s - n l . o r g , o r contact t r ain e r di r e ct l y .

Pre- and postnatal courses Joke van Roosendaal-Kuyper Breathing and relaxaation therapist/Yoga instructor The Hague

www.access-nl.org

Joke has been working in the yoga field for 25 years (Pregnancy yoga for 18 years). Through different kinds of schooling (Breathing and Relaxation) she has developed a practical preparation for labour and offers tools to cope with fear and pain. Being fully informed and prepared makes for a less stressful delivery.

Mind your stress Mary Jane Roy Stress and emotional resilience facilitator Amsterdam, The Hague & Rotterdam

www.creatingwaves.nu

Mary Jane will facilitate your learning of simple, effective ­techniques to reduce, relieve, and release stress anywhere, anytime. She is available for presentations, trainings, workshops and one-on-one sessions, for individuals as well as companies. Her educational background is as a certified stress counsellor, NLP master practitioner, registered HeartMath provider, and she is a registered nurse.

Childbirth preparation Lee Tolman Fysiotherapeutacupuncturist The Hague

www.partnersinwellness.nl

Lee has undertaken extensive post-grad courses specialising in childbirth preparation, prenatal and postpartum complaints, menopause and infertility. Lee is currently practicing physiotherapy and acupuncture in a private practice in ­Voorburg and shares facilitation of the ACCESS childbirth preparation courses. She has been a Dutch resident for the past 20 years and a childbirth educator for ACCESS for 15 years.

Childbirth preparation Ria Wiertz Antenatal teacher Rotterdam

www.borstvoedingspijkenisse.nl

68 | access | summer

Ria is a qualified antenatal teacher with over 15 years experience. Ria trained with the Stichting ter Verbreiding van de Psycho Prophylaxes Method, a Dutch Lamaze variant. She is a lactation consultant, personal coach and is qualified to teach Baby Massage. Ria is in the process of obtaining the official Lamaze Trainer Certificate so she can train others to give this wonderful course.

WELCOME TO THE NETHERLANDS ABN AMRO: Expert in financial services for expats ABN AMRO is literally and figuratively the bank for international customers. ABN AMRO is the financial specialist for expatriates residing in the Netherlands. And just like our expat customers, we aim to offer pioneering services complete with tailor-made products and skilled consultants who speak their language.

You have a busy job, so we would like to make banking in the Netherlands as easy as possible.

We will gladly assist you with your financial needs, not just after you arrive, but from the moment you know you are coming to the Netherlands. ABN AMRO is a trusted partner for expats, diplomats, civil servants and international organisations.

For more information, please visit www.abnamro.nl/expats Contact Amsterdam: 020 - 34 34 002 The Hague: 070 - 37 52 050 Rotterdam: 010 - 40 25 888

e-mail: expat.clients@nl.abnamro.com e-mail: international.clients@nl.abnamro.com e-mail: international.clients@nl.abnamro.com