ACCESS Winter 2012

winter 2012 WWW

S E R V I N G T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O M M U N I T Y

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Digital Dutch Special features | Digital Dutch | games are serious fun |

Of course, take a course! | the freedom to Facebook | utrecht | ABC’s of food apps | how to fit the holidays in your handbag |

BI G BE N K ID S CENTRE 19-23 Zoutman Straat 2518 GL, Den Haag bigbenkids@bigbenkids.com

The choice for quality care in the Hague A dedicated Babies Centre.

A dedicated Toddler Centre (Day Care with pre-school).

A dedicated After School Club with pick ups from HSV, local schools, French Lycee amongst others.

Secure environment rich with toys and learning opportunities.

A superb and dedicated staff – qualified as teachers, nurses, and trained in first aid and emergency responses.

An active parents committee which makes all the major decisions.

Free administrative support from Blue Umbrella.

A wealth of extra-curricular activities – music lessons, Irish Dancing and Ballet.

All programmes are in English.

An all inclusive price which includes tax and admin, 2 hot meals a day, nappies.

500 sq metres of indoor space in a modern ground floor setting, 20m from Albert Heijn XL on Eland Straat.

One tram stop north of the city.

Great garden measuring 120 sq metres.

For enquiries, arranging a meet and greet contact: 06 27325236 Nikki Idrissi 070 326 5602 Parents Enquiry Line 070 363 4070 Admin Or email: bigbenkids@bigbenkids.com

| ACCESS magazine e-zine Winter 2012 Vol. 25 No. 4

Winter 2012 Cover Story:

Digital Dutch

Contents •L etter from the Executive Director •A CCESS news •C ommunity news • What’s On • The Digital Dutch • Travel: Utrecht •H olidays in your handbag • ‘Tis the season to be jolly •G ames are serious fun

Travel:

Utrecht

•A BC of food apps photo: I am Dutched Pinay

•O f course, take a course!

• The freedom to Facebook •M eet the ACCESS Trainers 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 Editors Mandie Rose Danielski and Carina Hyllested, Design & Layout Marek Moggré, Contributors José C. de Boer, David Butcher, Alastair Burns, Kathleen Doherty, Christine Fischer, Ann Jennen, Cathy Leung, Monique Rubin, Deborah Valentine, Magda Zografou.

Copyright©ACCESS 2012 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.

Education:

Of course, take a course!

Letter from the Executive Director

Dear ACCESS readers Planning for an issue of the ACCESS e-zine is always a flurried and creative process. Reading the results our writers contribute is simply euphoric. They have, yet again, not disappointed.

That the world around us is becoming more ­digital is hard to ignore. To discover that so much of this global trend is taking place, here on our doorstep …who knew?

4 | access | winter

‘Games’ are no longer simply forms of entertainment; they can also be a way of contributing to charitable causes as Alistair Burns shares with us. Cathy Leung in the main feature relates how digitisation in the Netherlands is contributing to fascinating pioneering developments. And, even in our Travel & Food articles, we connect to the digital industry – in Utrecht gaming is serious business and no cook can be without some of the food and cooking Apps shared.

But, as much as ACCESS too embraces a digital future – with its active Twitter page and growing Facebook followers (are we connected yet?)

– we never lose sight of the ‘personal’, of the everyday face-to-face contact that a community needs. From the light “How does one pack for the holidays when weight restrictions are on the rise?” to, “How does one cope effectively with grief during a ‘festive season’?”, our writers and our volunteers know that at the end of the day, it is you, our readers and our public, who matter the most. Regardless of the technology we use to communicate.

From all of us at ACCESS: enjoy discovering what the Digital Dutch encompasses, and rest assured, we are here to help you in any way we can.

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: • provide guidance, advice, information to help individuals with settling, and/or living and working in the Netherlands • promote friendship, understanding and well-being of the members of the international community in the Netherlands • contribute to community development through skill training schemes and courses • serve as a bridge between local and international communities How you can help

ACCESS can be supported in many ways: • As 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 • As an Associate or Partner: details of which can also be found on our website • As an Advertiser: on our website or in our e-zine.

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

Members

• Charles van Beuningen,

van Beuningen advocaten • 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 | winter | 5

Partners

Thank you for your support

PLATINUM • Gemeente Den Haag GOLD • ABN-AMRO Bank • The British School in the Netherlands •W est-Holland Foreign Investment Agency SILVER • American School of The Hague • GMW Advocaten • ICP – International Community Platform • International School of The Hague

Associates

Thank you for your support

• 10 for Kids • ASPA • Bizstay The Hague • Bureau Kraamzorg Extra • Crunch Cafe • International Health Centre The Hague • J.C.Suurmond & zn Tax Consultants • Petra Foesenek - Skin Therapy • De Regenbogen Beheer • STET The English Theatre

BRONZE •A ngloINFO South Holland • Big Ben Kids • T he British School of Amsterdam • Bronovo Hospital • B SN Language Centre •D irect Dutch Institute • DutchbuzZ • DutchNews.nl • F inancial Consultants De Boer • The Guest Card • The Hague Online • The Hungry Mind • Kickstart School • P arkhotel The Hague •R otterdam International Secondary School • ThexpatTV • T he Underground The Hague • Xpat Media • Z o! Kinderopvang & Bso 6 | access | summer

The ACCESS Associate scheme is aimed at small and start-up businesses to enable them to reach a diverse international audience. With our Associate scheme we offer the benefits of a l­isting both on the ACCESS website and in the ACCESS e-zine, and promotional opportunities to our Facebook and Twitter audience.

Contact fnd@access-nl.org to find out more about becoming an Associate.

Your organisation’s name here?

Supporting ACCESS means helping over 20,000 people in the expat and international community each year.

ACCESS news

Rotterdam and Utrecht

Driving in winter a challenge?

The expat population continues to grow nationwide. ACCESS sees an increasing interest in requests for information about services, opportunities, and social groups in Rotterdam and Utrecht. Do you have a tip, a group, which would make newcomers feel welcome, or a service provider who goes the extra mile for internationals?

Share this with ird@access-nl.org so that we may have the information handy when contacted on our ACCESS Helpdesk. Together we can all serve one another. «

The ACCESS volunteer group answered YES! So, we have translated and edited a document prepared by the Automobile Association of the Netherlands (ANWB) with 10 tips, and some general suggestions about how you can best prepare for freezing conditions and snowy

ACCESSing

the Netherlands N EW !

DATE

Much to our regret the October version of ACCESSing the Netherlands ‘Meet the Experts’ had to be postponed.

weather.

Avoid accidents, be prepared, and feel confident. The Guide can be found with all our ACCESS guides on www.access-nl.org «

A new date has been set, for February 4th, 2013. Join us, and the experts to find answers to the questions you have about living and settling in the Netherlands.

Be it about Health, Education, Legal ­matters or other topics, the experts will be on hand to answer YOUR questions.

Details and sign up on the ACCESS website. www.access-nl.org « access | summer | 7

Community news

New Dutch government

photo: dejaap.nl

The new Dutch coalition, comprised of the VVD (Liberals, 41 seats) and PvdA (Labour, 38 seats), was officially sworn in by Queen Beatrix on Monday 5 November.

8 | access | winter

The formation of the new government occurred 54 days after the September 12 election, a relatively quick process by Dutch standards!

Tough government framework nego­tiations between the biggest parties have been ongoing since September with both parties making significant concessions.

The agreement to make health insurance premiums income dependent (effectively shifting the tax burden to higher earners) has incensed low tax core VVD supporters. Mark Rutte’s new administration is seen as even more proEurope and pro-austerity than his last, arguing that in order to secure a stronger future, short-term ­sacrifices must be made to get through the crisis affecting the Eurozone. « Read more in this handy guide: www.dutchnews.nl

Community news

photo: Simon Van Boxtel

A bright idea from Philips

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam

­c elebrates 125 th anniversary To celebrate, the Concertgebouw kicks off the biggest world tour ever, and an exciting array of festivities.

There are three special celebratory performances scheduled for 2013: the Opening Concert on 17 January, the Star-studded Anniversary (a joint celebratory concert with the Concertgebouw) on 10 April, and the Anniversary Concert on 3 November. In addition, the whole of the Netherlands is invited to enjoy the RCO live on 24 August, when the orchestra will be performing on the Prinsengracht Concert, via the Dutch AVRO network.

The orchestra will also be touring the world in 2013. In fact, it will be the very first symphony orchestra ever to visit six continents in a single year: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America and Australia. For details click here. «

Lighting affects us like nothing else. Warm, orange colours seem to increase the temperature in a room, whereas cold bluish whites help foster concentration.

The trouble is, you can’t run round the house changing bulbs every time you want to adjust the mood. Cue a bright idea from Philips: the Dutch electronics giant has released the Hue system; a set of bulbs wirelessly connected to a bridge device, the colour and intensity of which you can then control with a dedicated iPhone or iPad app. « Available via Apple Stores For more information visit www.meethue.com access | winter | 9

Community news

photo: Den Haag Marketing/Jurjen Drenth

The Peace Palace celebrates its 100 th anniversary – join the music!

As part of the celebrations, secondary education students in The Hague will be challenged to reflect upon the meaning of peace and justice for themselves and for the city in which they live.

10 | access | winter

Workshops and debates are already running at the schools and it all mounts up to: Peace Palace, the Musical, a production made up by The Hague’s young talents, from the cast to the members of the orchestra, the dancers and the set designers. All ­students will be welcome to audition for this musical in January 2013. The Musical is a unique cooperation between the Koorenhuis, the National Theatre, the Netherlands Dance Theatre, the Royal School of Music, the Residential Orchestra, the Dutch Don’t Dance Division and the Royal Theatre.

The performance will be staged in the Royal Theatre in September 2013 as an official part of the celebration of the Peace Palace’s 100th anniversary. « www.koorenhuis.nl/actueel/ nieuws/2012/10/ peacepalacethemusical

Community news

Seagulls eat breakfast The new Hague-based international business group BNI The Hague Seagull has recently provided a platform for an increasing and productive cooperation between Dutch and expat entrepreneurs.

Eight nationalities are already represented; the group includes enthusiastic professionals from 20 different sectors.

BNI The Hague Seagull meet once a week over breakfast, which allows entrepreneurs to leave at 8.30 a.m. to start their normal working day.

THS is an initiative of BNI (Business Network International), a professional word-of-mouth referral organisation active in over 57 countries.

BNI Seagull is the world’s first English-speaking group in a non English-speaking country, a proud addition to the international city of The Hague. « www.bni-denhaag.nl/seagull.html

Heated cycle lanes – it’s not a joke!

Tests are about to start with heated cycle lanes in two parts of the Netherlands in an effort to reduce winter accidents. The tests, an initiative led by civil engineering group Tauw, will start in the town of Zutphen and in parts of Utrecht. The system will work by using ‘asphalt collectors’ to collect the summer heat which will

then be stored underground and used to warm cycle lanes in winter. In the future, footpaths could also be kept ice-free using the same techniques. The new surface and heat collection system will cost between €30,000 and €40,000 per kilometre – about the same as it costs to lay new asphalt. « access | winter | 11

What’s on winter 2012

Special events in December wAnt tO POSt A COmmunitY eVent in thiS mAgAzine? COntACt ACCeSS mAgAzine At eDitOr@ACCeSS-nL.Org, SuBjeCt: ‘whAt’S On’.

Also see www.christmasmarkets. com/Holland.html for more Christmas markets in the netherlands / a Christmas market near you…

30 November – 1 January - Magical Maastricht Beautifully lit streets will link the various squares, where Christmas cheer and ice skating fun will go hand-in-hand with Christmas markets and heated café terraces.

Did you k Maastri now... cht best Ch was voted ristmas City 2011!

www.vvv-maastricht.eu

14 – 16 December

26 – 29 December

Dordrecht Christmas Market

The Nutcracker returns to The Hague

The atmosphere in the historic inner city of Dordrecht is totally transformed into a Christmas delight, with decorated stalls surrounding the Grote Kerk, the illuminated Stadhuis and a skating rink on the Scheffersplein.

De Dutch Don’t Dance Division brings back their popular version of The Nutcracker with magically enchanting music by P.I. Tchaikovsky. The story of Amalia and her toy figures that come to life is the ultimate Christmas treat.

www.kerstmarktdordrecht.nl

www.ldt.nl

Dickens Festival Deventer Some 900 Charles Dickens characters come to life. Meet Scrooge, Oliver Twist, Mr. Pickwick, Marley and Christmas carollers while enjoying the aromas of English punch and roasted chestnuts. You can’t say “Bah! Humbug!” to such a cheerful atmosphere as this!

PhOtO: gerArD DuBOiS

PhOtO: jOhAnneS timmermAnS

15 – 16 December

www.dickensfestijn.nl access | winter | 13

What’s on Winter 2013

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

1 January - New Year’s Dive

17 – 20 January

Scheveningen and more

Writers Unlimited Winter Nights Festival The Hague

photo: Unox/Rutger Geerling

Celebrate the New Year with a typical Dutch tradition: a New Year’s dive.

There are more than 60 locations in the Netherlands where you can jump into the sea or a lake. No matter how cold it is, at least 25,000 people plunge into the freezing water each January. How – or where – will you plunge into 2013?

www.scheveningenbeach.com

Experience a wide variety of literary programmes, music, film and dance in the halls and foyer of Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag. Organised with the PEN Awards, Oxfam Novib and PEN Nederland honour writers, journalists and filmmakers who, going against the tide and sometimes risking their own lives, search for the truth and spread it. Programme on website. www.winternachten.nl

21 – 27 January

23 January – 3 February

Leiden Jazz Week

International Film Festival Rotterdam

Besides jazz concerts in the Stadsgehoorzaal, Aalmarkt Hall, LVC, Qbus, Hot House, Jazzcafé De Twee Spieghels and De Waag, Leiden’s pubs and cafés will be buzzing with live music you can really groove to.

Enjoy 12 days of independent, innovative and experimental cinema, video and media art. Hundreds of filmmakers and other artists present their work to a large audience and 2,500 film professionals in 25 screening rooms on 8 festival venues. Film lovers can subscribe now to the IFFR YouTube channel for access to a massive video library including trailers, short programmes and films from last year’s festival.

www.leidsejazzweek.nl

www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com/en/

14 | access | winter

What’s on Winter 2013

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

7 – 10 February - Art & Object Rotterdam movie: Marcel Kollen

The heart of Art Rotterdam will once again be the upper Floor of the Cruise Terminal with 60 international g­ alleries presenting a selection of upcoming and established artists. Art Rotterdam Projections a fair for video art and film will be held in the opposite Las Palmas building. www.artrotterdam.nl/en/home/

11 – 17 February - ABN AMRO World Tennis

24 February – 3 March

Tournament - Rotterdam

Holland Food & Flower Festival - Bovenkarspel

The tournament will take place for the 40th time this February. Over the years the tournament – considered the largest and best-visited indoor men’s tennis tournament in the world – has welcomed pros the likes of Arthur Ashe, Björn Borg, Richard Krajicek (a Rotterdam native), Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. This year Roger Federer will be back to defend his 2012 title. The tournament includes special entertainment on Ladies’ Day, Kids’ Day and Family Day. Getting your tickets in advance is a must for this high-profile sporting event.

This is the meeting place for food and flower enthusiasts as well as agribusiness professionals. The 2013 theme is the Year of the Dutch-Russian friendship, offering attractions for the entire family: Russian fairy tales and presentations of the famous Fabergé eggs. Marvellous arrangements of flowers, vegetables, seeds and bulbs are also on display. Tickets cost €15 per person at the festival and are available online at a discount. movie: Elwink

www.hollandfoodandflowers.nl/en/

www.abnamrowtt.com - www.atpworldtour.com

Are you ready for the Hague Half Marathon on 10 March 2013?

access | winter | 15

Cover story

The Digital

Dutch Digitisation is one of the most useful and popular innovations in recent years – taking real world images, sounds and scenarios and turning them into electronic representations – and the Netherlands has been at the forefront from the start.

By Cathy Leung

16 | access | winter

From the invention of the electrocardiograph (ECG), the audio cassette and compact disc, and the introduction of the world’s first traffic enforcement camera (not so popular that one), the Dutch have cottoned on to digital opportunities faster than most.

However, with CDs now being replaced

by MP3s and streamed music channels, and the Dutch multinational, Philips, pulling back from the production of televisions due to competition from the far East – is the Netherlands still a pioneering digital force? The answer is “yes”, of course.

Mobile Dutch

Augmented reality

The Dutch don’t sit still for long, that we know; nipping about on bicycles, playing lots of sports, circumnavigating the globe, etc. And mobile people demand mobile digital productivity so it’s no wonder that the Netherlands has more than its fair share of mobile developers. Is it odd that a country with comparatively short road distances boasts one of the worlds’ most popular satellite navigation brands, TomTom? Not once you take into account that old Dutch knack of fostering creative, technical applications.

One of the newest areas of mobile development, augmented reality (AR), has been the source of many global firsts for Dutch innovators. Described as “a way viewing digital information which has been superimposed – or augmented – onto a live view of the physical, realworld environment around you”, AR buffs are often pointed to the Netherlands for the latest news, such as: the world’s first AR architecture app from, UAR by the Netherlands Architecture Institute, with 3D ­models showing past, unrealised and »

•

access | winter | 17

Cover story | The Digital Dutch

• •

future buildings in the urban landscape (2009) the world’s first AR flashmob which turned the crowd into superheroes, zombies, etc (2010) the world’s first postage stamps utilising AR (2011).

Indeed, the global market leader in AR is the Amsterdam-based start-up Layar – creator of the world’s first mobile augmented reality browser. Layar’s mobile app displays digital “layers” on your smartphone’s camera view, enhancing your view of the real world with links, videos and useful information. This could be a scanned link from printed media that leads you to extra digital goodies, or a “geo layar” – a geographical scanning of your current environment with all sorts of applica-

Digital Dutch facts • The Netherlands has the highest number of Internet users in the EU, and 94% of Dutch households have broadband Internet access.

• The Netherlands is at the top of the EU for online banking.

79% of the Dutch aged 16-75 engaged in Internet banking in 2011 and nearly 4 in 5 Dutch people aged 16-75 do their banking online.

• Twitter: Every day, more tweets are sent in Dutch than in Chinese, Arabic and Korean.

• Almost half of all Dutch patent applications originate in Brainport, Eindhoven.

18 | access | winter

tions. Use a real estate geo layar, for example, if you’re walking along a nice street in the The Hague’s Archipelbuurt and wouldn’t mind moving there, or NUwerk.nl’s geo layar for job vacancies near the very spot you’re standing in.

There’s even a Lost-and-Found Pets geo layar (a lizard was recently found in IJselbuurt, by the way).

Digital infrastructure

Just think, of all the Internet activity that goes on across the world, a disproportionately high percentage of that data could well be processed on servers in the Netherlands. The nonprofit Internet hub AMS-IX, for example, is one of the world’s largest and most stable digital exchange platforms.

Interestingly, geography is cited as one reason for the Dutch dominance in this sector with UK internet hosting provider, Host1plus, referring to the Netherlands’ coastline as an advantage; its “sea borders and ... several tubes of fibre optics”. Whereas, the American data centre company Equinix recently lauded the “green hosting” credentials of the region as a factor for locating their new data centre in Amsterdam’s Science Park. (That and the fact that 80% of European customers can be reached within 50 milliseconds.)

Feature header

Did you k n Childre ow... nw comput ho play er ga are quic mes ker learner s

Video games

One of the fastest growing industries in the Netherlands, computer games contribute about €1 billion a year to the Dutch economy, with Utrecht emerging as the central hub and the base for Dutch Game Garden, a business centre, network and games industry event organiser. (See our Utrecht travel article, page 28.) Popular Dutch-developed games include Awesomenauts (Ronimo Games), and Killzone (Guerrilla Games), but the cheekiest by far has to be the new release, Save Harry (MijnGame.nl) – in which players have to help a naked Prince Harry escape a Las Vegas party.

“games stimulate the learning of facts and skills, strategic thinking and creativity” Serious games

Besides such silliness, a significant portion of the sector concerns ‘serious games’, where entertainment is secondary to another purpose, for example, educational, social or commercial.

Rotterdam company Ranj are known for their business game Sharkworld, which tests players’ project management skills as they oversee the con- » access | winter | 19

Cover story | The Digital Dutch

struction of a shark aquarium in China. More recently, in 2012 the Dutch hospital Erasmus MC started using a serious game to help train staff in the introduction of a new medical standard. In ABCDE-Sim players get 15 minutes to stabilise a patient admitted

“ Besides such silliness, a significant portion of the sector concerns ‘serious games’”

20 | access | winter

to the emergency room, complete with different player levels – let’s just hope that they all made it to the top level.

Political games

There’s also strong representation from the Dutch in digital politics.

In 2008 Dutch liberal MEP Toine Manders was responsible for drafting a pro-video game report on behalf of a European parliament’s committee. In the report, contrary to fears about the violent reputation of some games, he extolled the virtues of video games, saying that they “can stimulate learning of facts and skills such as strategic thinking, creativity, cooperation and innovative thinking, which are important skills in the information society.” The biggest Dutch name in digital p ­ olitics, however, is Steely Neelie, aka Neelie Kroes. European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda since 2010, she is a strong advocate for open source software and tweets regularly on digital developments.

Digital data security

With all of this widespread digitisation comes some risks. Indeed it can seem that never a month goes by without a new digital data security scare. The Dutch company DigiNotar was bankrupted in 2011 when hackers gained access to the website security certification. Several administrative functions of the Dutch government also used these systems – including the DigiID, the Belastingdienst (Department of Tax & Customs), the RDW (Department of Road Transport), and the Kadaster (Land Registry) – leading to a disruption in access to services.

The security of digital medical records in the healthcare industry, particularly, has led to several high-profile news stories; from a badly protected computer discovered at the Groene Hart Hospital in Gouda in October 2012 and the revelation in Februrary 2012 of lax data storage procedures in the Dutch pharmacy industry.

Although hackers don’t appear to have rushed to download all this apparently accessible healthcare data, they have acted on another digital data opportunity. The Dutch technology behind the new OV-Chipkaart, the smart card used

Organisations • PKIoverheid (Dutch government Public Key Infrastructure): logius.nl/english • National Cyber Security Centre: ncsc.nl • Ron Gonggrijp, blog (in English): rop.gonggri.jp • The Hague Mobile Academy: thma.nl/en

for tram and bus transport that replaced the much-loved strippenkaart, is widely known to be vulnerable to hacking (to enable free travel).

Indeed the National Cyber Security Centre admits “it is a challenge to put into place effective ... measures to ensure that the Netherlands becomes more resilient to threats in the digital world” and admits that a “wide range of incidents feature in day-to-day reality.”

Holland’s hackers

And so a more controversial breed of pioneers has thrived in the Netherlands: hackers. Often judged critically for malicious disruption to commerce and communication (see above), it’s perhaps characteristic of the Netherlands that the hacker community also demonstrates a benevolent side.

Hacker Ron Gonggrijp, for example, has used his knowledge of field access » access | winter | 21

Educating For The Future

University preparatory program for students aged 3-18 years

“American School of The Hague nurtures and inspires character, commitment, creativity, and learning.”

AP®

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Cover story | The Digital Dutch

technology to help provide Internet access at challenging locations such as the Ter Apel refugee camp in Groningen, and the Occupy Camp in Beursplein, Amsterdam, in 2011.

Gonggrijp also founded one of the ­earliest Dutch Internet service providers, XS4ALL (now owned by KPN), which, in December 1996, enabled online access to the Belgrade radio ­station, B92, after the jamming of its broadcasts by Slobodan Miloševi´c, and more recently in 2011 provided dial-in Internet access for use by Libyian civilians cut off by political developments.

Attracting innovators

It seems that this innovative and creative environment also attracts digital pioneers from overseas. Appsterdam, for example, was a project started by American and ex Apple employee, Mike Lee, after he grew frustrated by expensive healthcare and attitudes in Silicon Valley. He toured the world looking for the just the right place to start a hub for app developers and all the peripheral skills that they would need. He chose Amsterdam. (And of course the culture of financial investment is here too – his Dutch backer provided him with the funds.)

At the same time there is noteworthy investment in the education of the next generation of digital Dutch developers.

Utrecht University was the first Dutch university to offer an MSc in Game and Media Technology, but there are now several schools and universities here offering video game development as a specific study. One municipality has recognised the need for greater skills to feed the mobile developers industry too, and a new initiative, The Hague Mobile Academy, will welcome its first students in January 2013. (See page 38) Let’s keep up

Hopefully you’ll find it exciting to be living in one of the most technically advanced and innovative countries in the world. Maybe you’ll get to know your neighbourhood better through one of the many AR applications, or retrain as a video games developer.

But at least remember to thank the ­digital Dutch when you’re streaming your favourite TV show from back home on one of the world’s fastest bandwidths. «

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

Education | Partner feature

ISH 21 century st

photo: Christel van Meeuwen

secondary students

The world of secondary education in the international domain requires that we teach 21st century students how to prepare for life beyond school. However, there is one domain where they still have advancement over us: technology.

By David Butcher - Principal of ISH Secondary School

24 | access | winter

My teaching career began in England in 1992, and since then I have worked in Greece, Brazil, Jordan and Portugal. In May I was appointed as the Secondary School Principal of The International School of The Hague. From my own schooling it is interesting to note that the British Government will revert to the same style of examination that I took as

a sixteen year old in 1986, thus ­completing an educational cycle.

Conversely, one area that has grown, rather than turning back, and that education as a whole has had to keep up with, is technology.

The learning process for a modern day secondary student at ISH is one that centres around technology.

The very first contact moment for a student is registering attendance in our Content Management System by our schoolteachers. All teachers have their own MacBook Air – long gone are the days of handwritten registers and reports. I often do a walking tour of the campus and as I pass by classrooms, I see the interactive whiteboards being utilised by staff and students as part of the learning continuum. The IB Diploma students do all of their note taking on their mobile devices in class – will cursive writing one day be a thing of the past? Exam scripts are now digitally uploaded to external examiners – paper ­versions of portfolios have been replaced by e-portfolios. We have built our own learning platform (i-shMoodle), where teachers post homework, students complete it

“ The students at ISH continuously impress us and surpass us with their passion and skills for technology” and then upload to the i-shMoodle where it is marked electronically – no more red pens!

What never ceases to amaze is the capacity and speed of how the young mind can grab a technological concept and master it within a matter of minutes. As parents, whilst we all like a new Smartphone, we do not fully understand the capacity until our children actually show us ‘how it really works’.

For me a superb example of technology occurred recently. ISH secondary students are building an eco car as part of the Shell challenge. I went to meet the designers. Two were on the iMacs working out design pro­ totypes, the other three were poring over the interactive whiteboard trying to solve a strength problem from the axle to the wheel shaft.

With this project and others, the students at ISH continuously impress us and surpass us with their passion and skills for technology. «

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

Contact: The International School of The Hague Wijndaelerduin 1 2554 BX Den Haag Secondary School +31 (0)70 328 14 50 Primary School +31 (0)70 338 45 67 ish.admissions@ ishthehague.nl www.ishthehague.nl

access | winter | 25

Travel

Utrecht: modern design among historic streets

According to the travel guide Lonely Planet, Utrecht is a rather under-visited city. This is surprising since Utrecht boasts the second-highest number of cultural events in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam, plus a world-renowned university, an old town centre encircled by a medieval canal, and of course, numerous trendy cafés, restaurants and shops. As for location, Utrecht is a major transportation hub; by train just 30 minutes from Amsterdam and 50 minutes to The Hague.

By Monique Rubin

History & culture

Utrecht is almost 2,000 years old; it was founded in 48 AD by the Romans.

Until it was overtaken by Amsterdam in the Dutch Golden Age, Utrecht was the most important city in the Netherlands, and the country’s ecclesiastic centre since the 8th century. There is no better 26 | access | winter

symbol of the city’s religious influence than Dom Toren (Dom Tower).

Climbing the nearly 500 steps of what is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands will provide spectacular panoramic views of Utrecht. The central nave that once connected the tower to the beautiful Gothic church, Domkerk (Dom church), was destroyed by a tornado in 1674 and never rebuilt. Today Domplein (Dom Square) exists in its stead.

Another building with religious significance is Paushuize (Pope House).

It’s one of Utrecht’s oldest historical buildings (1517) and is named for Adrian VI, the only Dutch pope. The house, with its opulent salons and immaculately restored period rooms is used to host private occasions and special events.

In a country known for its multiple and picturesque canals, those of Utrecht are quite unique. In the 13th century, wharves were built at water level as a second street, and the cellars under the houses were used for storage. Those ‘second streets’ are now a bustling pedestrian-way along the water, and the former wharf cellar houses have been converted into delightful cafés.

Tips for visiting Utrecht Utrecht City Guide Download a free copy here: www.utrecht.nl/ images/Engels/city_ guide_2012.pdf Utrecht has 11 museums to discover: www.museautrecht.nl/en/info/fancy-aday-trip.html Dining in Utrecht: www.diningcity.com/en/ utrecht

Not far from Domkerk is Utrecht’s Centraal Museum. Founded in 1838, it is the oldest municipal museum in the country and houses an impressive collection of works by old Masters who lived in Utrecht, plus »

PhOtO: CentrAAL muSeum, utreCht

PhOtO: i Am DutCheD PinAY

www.visit-utrecht.com

access | winter | 27

Travel | Utrecht: modern design among historic streets

includes hundreds of buildings and furniture, as a major influence.

Rietveld’s famous Red Blue Chair is ­representative of a visual manifestation of the neoplasticism movement of which he was a prominent member.

Rietveld also designed the Rietveld Schroder House. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered to be a ­pioneering work of modernism and the most complete realization of the De Stijl aesthetic. Visits by reservation only: www.rietveldschroderhuis.nl.

works by Dick Bruna, the creator of the beloved Dutch cartoon character Miffy, as well as modern art and fashion. The museum also has the largest collection of Rietveld designs in the world. The Catharijneconvent is housed in the city center of Utrecht in a former medieval monastery and the museum has won numerous awards for its collection.

Digital Dutch design

Utrecht native Gerrit Rietveld has been the inspiration for architects and designers the world over who often cite the work of this designer, which

Advanced gaming at Utrecht University

photo: Utrecht NBTC holland.com

“ With its 70,000 students, Utrecht has a young, urban vibration with a small town, laid back charm”

28 | access | winter

The city’s 375-year-old Utrecht University boasts the widest range of English-taught graduate programmes in the Netherlands. Moreover, in 2010 the Dutch government allocated 10 million euro for game research to the GATE (Game Research for Training and Entertainment) programme, an initiative of the Centre for Advanced Gaming and Simulation (AGS) at Utrecht University. AGS aspires to become the most productive and cited research centre in Europe. It also hopes to be the top supplier of knowledge for companies seeking to use gaming and simulation for education, training and entertainment.

photo: Winkel van Sinkel salsa (c) SU

City highlights

Once the Netherlands’ first department store, and the inspiration for a popular Dutch song, Winkel van Sinkel (Oudegracht 158) is beloved by the Dutch. Housed in an early 19th century building, Winkel van Sinkel is now a popular lunchroom by day, and a tapas restaurant by night. Europe’s only museum dedicated to Aboriginal art from Australia can be found on the Oudegracht 176. www.aamu.nl, while train lovers will be delighted by the Dutch Spoorwegen museum and its superior collection. www.spoorwegmuseum.nl.

movie: InYourPocketGuides

v­ arious towers and turrets on 135 acres of French style gardens and English landscapes. In addition to guided tours (available in English on Sundays), ­children will enjoy the castle’s park, where they can find loot in the organized treasure hunt, or instead get lost in a labyrinth. www.kasteeldehaar.nl/english-summary «

About the author Castle

Just outside of Utrecht in Haarzuilens lies the splendid, centuries-old Castle De Haar, boasting 200 rooms and

Monique Rubin lives in The Hague with her husband and two children. She writes the blog Mo Travels www.motravels.com, documenting her travels, expat life and the many destination races she participates in annually. access | winter | 29

Lifestyle

How to fit the holidays in your handbag A woman’s true nature reveals itself when it comes to picking out holiday presents. Some spend weeks choosing the perfect gift for each beloved, giftwrapping it in expensive boxes and shiny bows. Others leave a department store just before closing time carrying five perfumes and four bottles of brandy. And then there are those of us living abroad – ever confined by airline regulations and restricted to suitcase space.

By Ann Jennen

30 | access | winter

Taking home original presents without being fined for overweight baggage might seem like an illusion but a minimum of planning and some smart shopping will make it work.

“Any plans for the spring?”

How about killing three (!) birds with one stone by offering your relatives flight/train tickets to the Netherlands? Entry tickets to Madurodam or the Rijksmuseum provide a good budget solution. Make up a weekend/week’s program “The Smiths’ Visit to Holland” and write it on an attractive card decorated with Dutch tulips or Delft blue. Add some brochures of various attractions, the Keukenhof and a

boat tour on the canals. Not only do you have an original, tailor-made and easy-to-carry gift, you also tie the family knots and get to discover some more of Holland yourself !

Forget-me-nots

Buy a do-it-yourself family planner (not too big – suitcase!) and glue some photos of memorable family happenings on it. Decorate it with stickers and scrapbook bits and pieces. Add all relevant family info you can think of: birthdays, family gatherings, planned holidays, special events. Randomly add a few smileys encouraging relatives to visit. Making this gift requires a bit of time and creativity but the all-yearround presence in your mum/sister/ friend’s kitchen is very much worth it.

“Holland…is that in Amsterdam?”

Make your new home country tangible to your relatives by offering some of Holland’s finest easy-to-carry items.

Squeeze a pimp-up-your-bike set for your little niece into your boots: cool bike bell, flower deco and waterproof stickers. Spices from Holland’s former colony Indonesia combined with some recipes make a fine gift for a hobby cook. Queen Wilhelmina peppermint not only tastes delicious, its mini-

Shopping at your fingertips!

Don’t feel like fighting your way through the pre-holiday s­hopping crowd? Order online! www.hema.nl: The online shop delivers all those cheerfully ­colored items we love so much to any address in Holland. www.miffyshop.co.uk: For worldwide delivery of Miffy toys, books, dinnerware, bags, accessories and limited edition prints. www.flowerbulbonline.com or www.bulbi.nl: Offer your relatives a bit of Holland in their garden by shipping some original bulbs. www.amazon.co.uk: How about Dutch books that have been translated into English? www.flavourites.nl: The trendiest and most unusual shops in NL.

boxes also fit any suitcase corner and are fantastic for last-minute improvisation. Dutch-made Droste chocolates are always welcome, as are delicious mini-stroopwafels. Or include a set of kleintjes, miniature boxes of De Ruijter chocolate and fruit-flavoured sprinkles.

All the way back

One final thing before zipping up your trolley: add a lightweight foldable carrier bag to bring back home for all the presents you will receive. Because even though we think in terms of size and weight, our relatives often do not! « access | winter | 31

Education | Partner feature

To encourage the entire school ­community to ­cultivate these green goals, ASH joined the growing ­number of Eco-Schools in The Netherlands and throughout Europe.

Eco-Schools: a growing group

Sustainability and respect for the environment are all part of daily life at American School of The Hague (ASH). We separate trash, we monitor energy consumption carefully, and students work with staff members and parents towards common “green initiatives”.

32 | access | winter

Eco-Schools is an international award programme that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed the principles of sustainability into the heart of school life. Based on a series of action plans and “green” initiatives, there are three levels of participation in the Eco-Schools program, each with its own merits: bronze, silver, and ultimately the green flag. Being an Eco-School helps the school community to publicly demonstrate its on-going commitment to the ideals of sustainability alongside teaching ways to practice sustainable living. American School of The Hague secured its bronze award last year and is well on its way to earning silver this school year.

Eco-Code

ASH is committed to thinking, teaching and acting “green” and operates under its own Eco-Code.

The goal is to focus on eight key areas: energy, litter, recycling, water,

transport, health, bio-diversity and the school grounds. For example, the energy principle states that “The ASH community believes all design and development elements of current and future ASH facilities will contain sustainable elements that aim to reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint. Our community will encourage and inspire daily habits to instil a sustainable culture in daily life and beyond.”

With a new Early Childhood Center for children aged 3 to 6, due for completion in the summer of 2013, the students have had the opportunity to look at the sustainable design elements of this new facility. They have also worked with the architect to share their thoughts on sustainable measures that could be incorporated into the campus design.

Sustainable living

The Eco-Schools committee at ASH is comprised of students, parents and staff members. Together they have created an action-packed ­calendar of sustainability-related events to increase awareness, share knowledge, and work in the local community throughout the year.

Recent activities included a full

audit of the trash generated throughout the school in one day.

Volunteers separated all the items in the trash to see how well the various plastic, paper and other waste containers are being utilized, then deciding on the next steps to Did encourage recycling. you k Per cap now... ­ Students also initiated ita wast c o n s u m and ran a sustainability ers is be e by tw and 115 kilos pe een 95 conference with local and r year in Europe a n international guest d No America rth speakers from corporate and non-governmental organizations. Listening to keynote speakers, learning about the principles of Cradle-2-Cradle and working together with practitioners in small work groups made for a very practiContact: cal, creative and ­successful learning experience for the students.

Teaching the principles of sustainable living is an essential part of our lives, ensuring that we raise awareness of our individual and ­collective responsibility of stewardship of our planet.

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

If you would like additional ­information on Eco-Schools, visit www.eco-schools.org, or in The Netherlands, visit www.eco-schools.nl. « access | winter | 33

Health & Wellbeing

The holiday season is a time for entertaining, visiting family and friends, being together for special meals, for religious gathering or celebration, or the exchanging of gifts. The clustering of the winter holidays – Thanksgiving, Saint Nicholas, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Kwanza, Three Kings – make this time of year particularly difficult for people who have experienced a loss or death.

‘ Tis the season to (try to) be jolly

By Kathleen Doherty

While traditions provide us with the security that life goes on, traditions can also be painful to celebrate when a loved one is no longer with us. Some will try only to endure the holidays and survive them, to lay low until the lights and decorations disappear,

34 | access | winter

and fight against the “holiday blues”.

For those of us who don’t want to just endure and survive, but perhaps don’t know how else to get through the season to be jolly, here are a few suggestions.

Keep it simple!

Choose to do activities that bring peace and enjoyment, not pain and chaos. Try to do one thing at a time. Change your routine. If you always baked Christmas cookies or fruitcakes with your mother – and she is now present only in your memory –

ask another family member to bake.

Everything is not the same any more, so don’t try to force it. If a large family gathering at your home is beyond your physical or emotional limits, ask another family member to step in this year. Don’t be afraid to tell your family and friends what you want to do, including the alternative of having brunch or dinner at a restaurant. If gift shopping is beyond your capacity this year, shop online, order from ­catalogues, or give everyone gift certificates.

Special memories

The memory of your loved one can be kept alive during the holiday season in different ways. Perhaps contribute to a local charity in the name of your loved one, or bring seasonal flowers to a nursing home. Donating toys or bringing food to a local shelter will help you to feel satisfaction. Light a special candle and keep it burning throughout the holidays.

Don’t be afraid to talk about your loved one and to remember special times together. These stories may bring tears along with laughter at a funny memory shared. You may find yourself crying and laughing at the same time.

“ C hoose activities that bring peace and enjoyment, not pain and chaos”

Stay healthy, see the positive

Remember that during periods of grief, your body undergoes stress too.

Taking care of your physical and mental health is key to healing. It is easy to drink too much alcohol. Drinking may dull your pain temporarily, but your loss and sadness will still be there.

Greetings such as “Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!” might seem to you as if people are ignoring your grief. Accept these good wishes and focus on their sincerity.

Actively look for the happy moments of today and focus as much as possible on the good things that are still a part of your life. «

Professional counselling available If you think you would benefit from professional support, inquire about ACCESS Counsellor Service Network (CSN). They offer expertise in areas such as loss and bereavement, depression, adjustment difficulties, and more. To find out more about the ACCESS CSN, visit the website or email csn@access-nl.org. access | winter | 35

Arts & Entertainment

Are you playing games?

Again?

By Alastair Burns

I love the games industry. For the past thirteen or so years it has been my work and my passion. I’ve been enjoying games since my parents bought a ZX Spectrum 48K about a million years ago and I reckon I can still serve some serious pwnage (superiority over other players) if you want to try your luck at Jet Pac. 36 | access | winter

A good game will challenge you, • High-end PCs: Some games push absorb your time, entertain, frustrate technical boundaries in such a at times but above all, hook you so you way that only hot rod machines keep coming back for more. Many of can keep up. us play games regularly and there now And those are ‘traditional’ platforms. exists a huge variety to choose from – In the past few years we have seen all dependent upon whatever tech you new platforms emerging to disrupt have lying around and how you choose the gaming space. to spend your free time. I’m sure you are familiar with some of the following: • Browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Safari all support games that can be played • Consoles: Made by people like Sony, Microsoft by simply opening a web link.

Did and Nintendo who in Often made with Flash or you k now turn also make HTML5.

In 2011 over $5 ... ­ 0 bi games to play on was spe • Smartphones and nt on ga llion m expect a Tablets: The big disruptor. their own machines.

20% inc es; r e ase iPhones, Android handSony’s Killzone or by 2017 sets, iPads, Galaxy Tabs.

Uncharted are excluThese products iterate rapidly sively PlayStation titles. and have become remarkably Independent developers powerful and versatile in recent and publishers also make games, years. which will often exist on more than one console. Rockstar’s Grand Theft Of course, this is a short list with little Auto franchise can be played on a detail. There are many aspects to gamnumber of machines. ing platforms and many variations.

• Handhelds: These are still consoles, less powerful than their big brothers There are many different business modbut still able to pack a punch. els attributed to these platforms. Some Nintendo’s 3DS for example.

Massively Multiplayer Online games do Handhelds are mainly threatened well with a subscription, others thrive by the rise of the smartphone and on small transactions. Console titles tablet as gaming devices. are still strong on the high street. » access | winter | 37

Arts & Entertainment | Are you playing games? Again?

Gamification

Gramble gaming social network

Furthermore, we exist in a period of ‘gamification’. Games are exploding into other industries and it is not unusual to find a car manufacturer, for example, using games to sell product.

People like games because you can interact with them and because they provide feedback.

Now, the games industry means much more to me. It is a Business Wild West.

Technologies expand and warp at an amazing pace and this means opportunities abound. For the creative entrepreneur, games are golden. For example, I don’t currently make games.

Although there is always an idea rolling around in my head I see game production as more of a hobby for the moment. Instead, my friends and I are building a gaming social network called Gramble. Our network is a place where players and game developers can meet and play. And more. We also donate a share of our revenue to charities, which also have their own special place on our network. This way we are changing, innovating the way that people donate to charity with games.

Now that’s cool!

So why do I love the games industry?

Initially I simply enjoyed the kick of making games. In 1990 I fell in love with First Person Shooters (FPS) – Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, Halflife,

“ Technologies expand and warp at an amazing pace and this means opportunities abound” Unreal. In 2000 I joined Guerrilla to start working on what would become Killzone. Since then I have had the ­awesome privilege of contributing to franchises including The Simpsons, Star Wars and Aliens vs. Predator. There is a reason why Gracie Films production company ends each episode of the Simpsons with the statement “I made this”. It is because they are proud of their work. And so are game developers.

38 | access | winter

We are not asking players to play ­special games for charity and we are not asking developers to make charity games. When you play games, you can have as much fun as you like! If you do it on Gramble, I can tell you exactly how much money you automatically generated for charity. If you have already selected some favourite charities on Gramble, I can make sure your

contribution goes directly to them.

People are going to play games: They are so ingrained in our spare time.

So why not capitalize on that time and help send solar powered lights to the Sudan so that children can do their homework when it gets dark? Or so that people in Rwanda can simply drink clean water?

This is a clear example of how the games industry evolves and how playing games can be applied. Every day there is another idea and another start-up. In that regard, The Hague has been a great place to establish our selves as the support and advice we have received from local business start-up networkers and incubators has been brilliant. In six months we have been able to set up, secure substantial investment and expand to a 30 strong company with remarkable potential. All because people like to play games and technology is malleable.

All ye who claimed that computer games are a waste of time, please eat those words. The games industry is very much alive and well in the Netherlands.

Look what we can make! «

Contact Alastair Burns - Ops Grambler AKA COPO www.gramble.com - alastair@gramble.com Or befriend me on the Gramble network. We can have fun and you can improve other people’s lives.

access | winter | 39

Food

The ABC’s

to match your dish in a flash. Here are some of the top free applications.

of food apps

Epicurious

Long gone is the time when treasured family recipes were passed down by grandmothers as keepsakes. Nowadays, no secrets are allowed in the world of food. The Internet, smartphones, tablets and all they have to offer, make sure of that.

Jamie’s Recipes

By Magda Zografou

This is our ABC guide to today’s sources of cooking inspiration.

Apps, either free or costing a few euros, are available for every type of food preference.

You can browse through thousands of recipes or find the prefect wine 40 | access | winter

Enables you to search for professionally created and tested recipes from magazines and cookbooks, create your own shopping lists, and more. www.epicurious.com/services/mobile

Jamie Oliver offers a free taster pack consisting of 10 recipes and three videos to get you started, and additional themed content packs can be purchased for a small amount. www.jamieoliver.com/apps Hello Vino

Rated best app for wine shoppers by the New York Times, it offers wine recommendations for meals, occasions, holidays, and by taste preference. www.hellovino.com/ wine-iphone-app

Blogs written by connoisseurs and ­lovers of all things food (like yours truly) aim to provide you with inspiration for your next meal and guide you along the process of cooking. Three accomplished personal food blogs written by home cooks: smitten kitchen

Features stepped-up, made-fromscratch comfort foods with luscious photographic accompaniment and plenty of tutorials such as how to poach an egg. http://smittenkitchen.com Simply Recipes

A great resource for cooks who love to use mostly whole foods and honest ingredients. A recipe for blue cheese burgers can certainly tempt you to get in your kitchen and start cooking. www.simplyrecipes.com Bakerella

An enchanting online source of sweet recipes, filled with baking and decorating tips and scrumptious treats like peanut butter brownies and snowman cake pops. www.bakerella.com

Chefs are no longer obscure people behind a stove. They are celebrities, super stars who generously spread their knowledge and know-how daily via Twitter and Instagram.

Rene Redzepi

Danish chef of the number one restaurant in the world, Noma, Redzepi shares pictures of his innovative dishes as well as links to interesting online articles on Twitter. https://en.twitter.com/ReneRedzepiNoma April Bloomfield

British Michelin-starred chef of New York’s Spotted Pig, Bloomfield is active on Instagram, sharing tantalizing images of food and more. http://web.stagram.com/n/aprilbloomfield Mario Batali

An American chef, and expert in Italian cuisine, provides a small goldmine of cooking tips that he shares regularly via Twitter. https://twitter.com/Mariobatali «

About the author: Magda Zografou writes a blog based on her experiences as a Greek girl cooking in her little expat kitchen in the Netherlands. http://mylittleexpatkitchen.blogspot.com access | winter | 41

Law | Partner feature

Legal Experts @ Legal Expat Desk

…with a global attitude and mindset The Hague hosts the world’s main legal bodies and is therefore referred to as the ‘legal capital of the world’. This title comes with a certain responsibility, for the municipal government as well as for many local entities. The Legal Expat Desk, LED for short, is an example of an entrepreneurial service rendered to the international cluster

by GMW Advocaten.

Legal expat cases almost always cross more than one country. In case of a divorce for instance, the first question will be: where to file for divorce?

Godelijn Boonman employment law

Antoine de Werd family law

42 | access | winter

René Willemsen company law

Sometimes filing in the Netherlands will best suit you, in other cases ­filing abroad might be better. Then, more likely than not, the case will incorporate aspects that may be subject to different national legislations. Strategic insight with a global attitude and mindset are essential.

International cases

As international cases require special skills and a different approach than Dutch cases, GMW Advocaten established the Legal Expat Desk (LED) back in 2006. The team consists of lawyers (see photos) who

Arthur de Groot administrative law

Susan Meijler family law

have been selected because of their extensive experience and expertise in handling legal matters with international aspects. Most of them have lived or studied abroad, some even had an international upbringing, are bi-lingual and familiar with the expat lifestyle themselves.

Marieke Morshuis inheritance law

Marjet van Yperen-Groenleer family law

Christian Malipaard real estate law

Carla van Waes inheritance law

Fraukje Panis immigration law / employment law

Elena Deliran immigration law / empl­ oy­ment law / family law

Information hub for expat community

In January 2012 LED launched a brand new website, www.legalexpatdesk.nl, that serves as an information hub advising the expat community living and working in the Netherlands.

The site provides legal information in English on a wide spectrum of legal topics within the fields of family law, employment law, real estate and tenancy law, and administrative law. To highlight certain actual topics and to keep you informed about changes in the Dutch legal system, GMW’s LED lawyers regularly ­publish legal articles. LED also ­provides workshops and seminars about relevant legal topics.

Working together and sharing ­experiences with a network of legal experts in the Netherlands and abroad, with notaries and

trusted partners such as ACCESS, the Guest Card, IamExpat, The Hague Online, Women’s Business Initiative International (WBII), Xpat Media and Thexpat.TV, ensures they add value and continuously improve their services.

Contact: GMW Advocaten g.boonman@gmw.nl 070 361 5048 www.legalexpatdesk.nl www.gmw.nl/en Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook

Feel free to consult them on any legal issue. You can contact Godelijn Boonman (head of the Legal Expat Desk and partner at GMW Advocaten) at 070 3615048 or g.boonman@gmw.nl. « access | winter | 43

Of course, take a course! the life of the international can be a phenomenal experience but it is also challenging.

Once moving outside the familiar networks of your home country, many come to realise they have plenty of questions about how to manage the new work and social dynamics they are experiencing.

BY ChriStine FiSCher

4 4 | access | winter

Moreover, they realise that spending free time watching another rerun on TV or wasting directionless hours on social media simply won’t provide growth or fulfilment.

ACCESS has a Community Education Department whose purpose is to continually headhunt new trainers so that ACCESS can provide courses that address the changing needs of the international. At any one time ACCESS has some 50 courses running, covering topics such as languages, culture, job seeking, personal development, health

Education

and wellbeing, as well as childbirth and parenting. Taking such courses allows internationals to expand their professional and social networks and to better understand how they work.

New skills & renewed passions

One of the first transitional experiences in a new country is the process of learning the language. Depending on how long you’ve been residing in the Netherlands, you may have yet to master the language. Trainer Amina Abdelmoula of Dutchessa, leads participants in an interactive, enjoyable and effective language learning experience. Understanding Dutch is an invaluable tool when trying to understand and participate in the community at large.

In addition to mastering the language of the land, people find it important to improve a variety of skills. Whether you relocated for work or are accompanying your spouse, you may find this a perfect time to focus on career development. No matter where you are in the world, economic conditions and employers’ requirements are constantly fluctuating. ‘Adaptability’ is more than just a buzzword these days but a true asset. Refreshing your skills

can make a difference in your CV and your confidence.

Perhaps you’ll want to fine-tune your public speaking. Following Marlene Burns Powertalk courses allows one to practice the skills needed to be an effective speaker in a friendly, supportive atmosphere.

However, it is conceivable Did y o that you’re already sellu At any o know... ­ ne t ing wings to angels and has som ime ACCESS e 50 cou instead of polishing rses r ­ u n n i n g your gift for gab you find ! it necessary to upgrade your computer skills.

Trainer William Rumley-van Gurp of Candles Flame Training offers Microsoft Office Training and Certification courses that provide the needed computer literacy to keep one up-to-date.

It is also entirely possible that your current skills are marketable but the change of location has changed how you feel about your career. In fact, Teresa Moynihan, one of several ACCESS Career Coaches, is finding that people desire change. She states: ‘I’m getting an increasing amount of people who want to do something completely different from what they’ve » access | winter | 45

Education | Of course, take a course!

been doing.” Her process of taking people on the road of self-discovery and reflection allows her international clients to determine whether to follow current passions or discover new ones.

Cultural competency & stability

For those internationals whose job stability is relatively secure, they can often find themselves wishing to pursue interests that focus on personal development. Any of ACCESS’s diversity trainers will tell you that living abroad is an excellent time for cultural introspection. Trainer Christine Fischer, owner of FischersFiresidechats, offers courses that cultivate awareness of one’s own cultural worldview, attitudes towards cultural difference and a variety of cross-cultural skills. Possessing cultural competency is a valuable asset when trying to understand the habits and perspectives of the people with whom you work and live.

On the flip side, living abroad can also create instability. And along with instability comes stress; stress of finding a place to live, coming to terms with living apart from many friends and family, not to forget the everyday balancing act of work and home life.

The ACCESS trainers, having lived 46 | access | winter

abroad themselves, understand that it’s easy to become isolated and stressed. Trainer Mary Jane Roy of Creating Waves has designed workshops that teach individuals and companies the stress-resilient tools that allow healthy responses to the stressful situations that many of those living abroad face.

Health & happiness

In terms of growth one cannot forget the importance of creativity and fun.

What better time to follow ACCESS’s photography or art lessons which can help you capture all the beauty to be found in the Netherlands. Trainer Megan Alter of Megan Alter Photography wants her clients to be inspired. She states, “I believe photographs are the most valuable material items, irreplaceable… My goal is for my images to not only be beautiful but communicate a message.” She imparts this philosophy in each class she teaches.

At some point the international realizes that living abroad is different to any vacation or travel they’ve experienced. Everyday life concerns arise, be it healthcare, wellness, or maybe even family planning. Many find the medi-

cal system in the Netherlands to be the biggest cultural shock. Medical Advisor Dr. Christine Houser assists expats in understanding the Dutch healthcare system, including both cultural and medical differences. For those who find that in the excitement of the move they have been on a “vacation” diet, what better time to join a workshop that provides guidance in maintaining a healthy weight. Still others achieve the status of feeling settled and want to start a family here. That is the time when ACCESS’s childbirth preparation practitioners are of great support.

“ You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” Oscar Wilde Across the spectrum of needs, ACCESS tries to assist the international, and their families, along the entire duration of their stay. If you’d like to learn more about ACCESS’s courses and trainers please check the Workshop and Meet the Trainer sections of our website and in this issue of our magazine. [pages 57 to 62] www.access-nl.org/about-access/what-wedo/courses-workshops/all-courses.aspx

access | winter | 47

Business | Partner feature

More mobile manifestations The West Holland region is home to several leading players in the c ­ reative industry, where more than 18,000 professionals are employed in the creative sector. Incubators such as the Caballero Fabriek and Bink 36 in The Hague and YES!Delft are home to young entrepreneurs in the creative sectors and provide an excellent source of potential partners.

The appetite for mobile, social and casual games in Europe continues to grow. Considering the 830-million inhabitant market in excess of 40 languages – the potential is immense. The Free2Play online games market continues to grow exponentially and web browser games lead the booming trend.

Moreover, Europe is the fastest growing smartphone market in the world.

The Netherlands is the most competitive place for hosting in Europe.

DSL connections are available in ­virtually all parts of the country, with the OECD reporting broadband penetration reaches more than 40% of all households. Some 49% of the Check out Gramble, the WFIA Company of the Month for July, 2012. Gramble is a Hague-based social game publisher with a focus on mobile devices. Read more here about how to become a ‘Grambassador’ and play games for charity.

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Dutch population use the Internet for downloading games, images, films or music.

The Hague Mobile Academy

A new feature added to The Hague’s IT and Telecom cluster is The Hague Mobile Academy (THMA). This is a joint effort by Sharewire, a leading developer of mobile Internet solutions, the city of The Hague, and Bink36, a Hague-based innovative incubator located in a typical postindustrial building. THMA trains students to become mobile experts by providing students and recent graduates with a platform from which to build their skills in developing innovative mobile applications, covering all aspects from concept to marketing. The Academy welcomes companies or investors who would like to benefit from this inspired curriculum.

Mobile app/solutions

Fully 95% of the leading global enterprises have ‘mobile’ ranked high on their agenda. Mobile is a new, serious business opportunity that can lead to substantial revenues, new products and services, and improved customer experience.

THMA gives public and private companies the opportunities to develop mobile solutions in order to generate revenues and exposure, or to ­create internal efficiency within the company at low costs.

THMA is especially interesting for companies that want to test mobile applications for their company but don’t yet have the budgets for these kind of high-end solutions, and want to start with a pilot or proof of concept. Companies that are related to the mobile app/solutions industry, and are willing to become a member of THMA in order to train potential new employees, will also benefit. By doing this the company will also be close to potential clients in the future.

Serious gaming

Recently the city of The Hague added a new feature to its status of City of Peace and Justice, with the establishment of The Hague Security Delta. The Delta includes a large pool of companies dealing with critical infrastructure and urban security. Already several gaming companies are able to meet the demand for visualised scenarios. «

Resources www.thma.nl www.sharewire.net www.bink36.nl www.yesdelft.nl www.doingbusiness­ inthehague.com

The WestHolland Foreign Investment Agency offers free location services to help your company make the right connection.

Contact: WestHolland Foreign Investment Agency www.westholland.nl

access | winter | 49

Crèche Hermelijntje - partner in child raising and caring is an organisation that focuses on providing professional and expanding child care to private clients and businesses.

Quality is our Priority with first attention given to our children and no less to parents, businesses and employees.

Head Office: Hoge Pr. Willemstr. 226 2584 HX Den Haag Tel: 070-3062771 Fax: 070-3515391 info@hermelijntje.nl www.hermelijntje.nl

It’s one less worry to know that your child is in the safe hands of qualified teachers who understand what excellent child care means.

You can count on the staff of Crèche Hermelijntje!

With 8 day-care centres in The Hague and 1 in Voorburg, we offer professional child care for children from 0-4 years of age.

Visit our website to find out more about locations and general terms and conditions: www.hermelijntje.nl For more detailed information and placement opportunities, please contact Elisa Bouwens-Struijs or Tanja Morley at our child administration centre: Hoge Prins Willemstraat 226 Tel: 070-3062771 e-mail: administratie@hermelijntje.nl

Finance | Partner feature

On October 29th the two coalition partners VVD and PvdA reached agreement on new budgetary measures in the Netherlands.

Their motto is “Building Bridges” and that is exactly what they have had to do – build a bridge between the Liberal Party and the Labour Party, two parties whom, before this union, did not have much in common.

• Free public transport for students will be replaced by a discount card.

• The controversial measure to make health insurance premiums linked to income has been cancelled. Part of medical costs will no longer be covered. This amount varies from € 180 per year to € 595 depending on income.

Coalition agreement builds bridges

By José C. de Boer MFP RLP

Not surprising then that these new measures are not very popular and have met with much discontent.

Great sacrifices are being asked from both citizens and businesses with the implementation of this agreement, which affects education fees, health insurance, mortgage rates and tax rebates, the pension age, and more.

What to expect

• Schoolbooks will no longer be s­ upplied free of charge.

• University student loans will be replaced by a social loan system.

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• For new home buyers the “interest only” mortgage will cease to exist. This means that those who buy a home after December 31, 2012, will need to fully repay the loan within the mortgage term.

• For new home buyers the tax rebate will be phased out over time, and for existing home owners the rate against which they may claim back their taxes will reduce by 0,5% per year. So for those who are in the top tax bracket and ­currently claim back 52% of the interest paid, they can claim back 51,5% in 2014, 51% in 2015, etc., and down to 38% rebate in year 28 of the mortgage term.

José C. de Boer MFP RLP

Contact:

• The starting age of the Dutch State Pension (AOW) will go up.

This is a gradual increase of ­initially 3 months per year and later on 4 months. In practice this means that from 2018 the retirement age will be 66. From 2021 the retirement age will be 67 years.

Currently if someone loses their job, there is a right to unemployment pay for a minimum period 3 months and maximum of 38 months. This number depends on the employment history. The amount of benefit depends on the amount of the last earned salary. Our new cabinet wishes to adjust this per July 1st, 2014 and maximise the duration

of unemployment benefit to 24 months. Only the first 12 months the benefit will be based on last earned salary. The following 12 months it will be reduced to € 1.019 per month.

Although agreement had been reached on lowering the top and middle tax rates in 2014, this idea has been dropped to finance the cance­­l­ lation of the proposal to link health insurance premiums to income.

So the only ­shimmer of hope is that to stimulate the housing market, a tax relief is being proposed. As from next year the interest payments on a residual mortgage debt may be deducted from income tax for a maximum period of five years. «

Financieel Voorlichtingsbureau de Boer / De Boer Financial Consultants tel office: +31 (0)70 511 87 88 mobile: +31 (0)6 557 603 99 www.fvbdeboer.nl Wassenaar/ The Hague office: Gang 3 2242 KD Wassenaar Amsterdam office De Lairessestraat 108 1071 PK Amsterdam

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Family

You try to be hip, cool, to share proudly with friends that your children ALLOW you to follow them and be friends on Twitter and Facebook and, what happens? ...you get bitten in the proverbial back side.

The freedom to Facebook:

one parent’s thoughts on social media

By Deborah Valentine

Yes, while academically there may be all sorts of praise as well as warnings about the new forms of communicating and interacting, one never really pays attention, till it comes close to home.

Parenting across cyber space

Personally I delight in the way I can ‘spy’ on my children and take their comments, posts, etc., as food for thought at dinner time. They provide perfect opportunities to discuss issues of importance, dig deeper into topics which could otherwise not be discussed at all – or potentially ‘too late’.

Little did I figure though that I also would be parented. Calls from grandparents, yes, my own mother, expressing disappointment at having allowed 54 | access | winter

my children to post what was, in her mind, inappropriate, seemed a high price to pay. We are separated by an ocean, air travel and a six-hour time difference, and yet there she is, breathing down my neck. And don’t get me started on trying to assure my father that the fact my son was ‘interested in women’ was nothing to worry or be concerned about.

Curtailed freedom

Out of respect for my children’s own personal social media identity, I actually refrain from being present in their posts; occasionally ‘liking’ a post is about as far as I go. However, in respecting this ‘agreement’ I find I also cannot whinge and whine about my children (or my parents for that

matter) with my friends. We are all connected – and a wrong comment online would potentially open up a can of worms better left closed, or deeply buried! So, in essence, this freedom I have to observe, share and communicate is somewhat curtailed by my wish for a peaceful life.

I considered developing an ‘alter ego’, one which would connect with everyone but family ...but then, who would ‘find or recognise me’? Thank goodness therefore for coffee mornings and Skype to connect, share, and be who I am. Don’t get me wrong, we are not a dysfunctional family – simply one that does not want to share everything with every member – for fear of unknown consequences. «

Social media family facts 70% expats use Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends. (2011 HSBC Expat Survey) 22% of grandparents use social media; 17% of them Facebook, 34% Twitter. 51% were encouraged to do so by their grandchildren.

The “frequent and casual communication is actually changing the relationship between these two generations—and so far, all for the better.” (2011 online survey, MyVoucherCodes). access | winter | 55

Dutch & English courses at The BSN Language Centre Adult courses All levels and business Mornings, afternoons and evenings

Young learners Ages 9 to 12 (English only) Wednesday or Thursday afternoons

In-company and private lessons By appointment

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

marek maakt grafische ontwerpen Raamweg 47, 2596 HN Den Haag www.marekmaakt.nl

ACCESS Trainers

Meet our 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.

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 family) and gain insight to how things may be a little different to where you are from.

We offer courses in the following categories:

• Childbirth and parenting • Personal development • Job seeking • Health and wellbeing • Creative • Languages and culture Are you interested in being part of the ACCESS trainer network?

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

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

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

Have a look at all the courses and register online:

http://access-nl.org/about-access/what-wedo/courses-workshops.aspx Meet our Trainers online:

http://access-nl.org/about-access/how-wedo-it/trainers/meet-our-trainers.aspx » access | winter | 57

Trainers r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s o n l i n e a t w w w . acc e ss - n l . o r g , o r co n t ac t t r a i n e r d i r e c t ly .

Language Amina Abdelmoula Dutch language teacher Amsterdam & The Hague

Amina loves the intricacies, nuances and playfulness of language. Her interactive and hands-on approach to language has proven to be very successful! “This fantastic experience is what keeps me motivated as a teacher, and what makes me proud to say: ‘I’m a language teacher, I am Dutchessa!’”

www.Dutchessa.com

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

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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.

Trainers r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s o n l i n e a t w w w . acc e ss - n l . o r g , o r co n t ac t t r a i n e r d i r e c t ly .

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.

Diversity discussions Christine Fischer Multicultural coach The Hague

www.fischersfiresidechats.com

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.

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.

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

www.cftrainingtoday.com

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 defense 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.

access | winter | 59

Trainers r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s o n l i n e a t w w w . acc e ss - n l . o r g , o r co n t ac t t r a i n e r d i r e c t ly .

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

Life-work balance Anja Ferrari-Malik Back pain specialist and orthopaedic surgeon, MD Amsterdam, The Hague & Rotterdam

www.ferrarimalik.com

Anja is a back pain specialist who has developed a specific method for stopping chronic pain. The method consists of a few individualised and targeted exercises that help to relieve pain and to improve back health. She has worked in her own private practice for over 10 years, giving workshops for individuals and in-company trainings.

Career coaching and Job hunting support Teresa Moynihan HR and career consulting The greater Hague area

www.moynihan-hr-consulting.com

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As well as being a Career Coach, Teresa also offers interim HR and Recruitment support to international organisations.

She is a member of NVP (Dutch Association of HR professionals), and Member of the WBII (Women’s Business Initiative International). Teresa offers career coaching and job-hunting support, company workshops or one-to-one coaching.

Trainers r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s o n l i n e a t w w w . acc e ss - n l . o r g , o r co n t ac t t r a i n e r d i r e c t ly .

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.

Weight loss support Jacinta Noonan Weight loss coach

Amsterdam & The Hague

www.bigontheinside.com

Jacinta specialises in helping people achieve their most healthy weight. She uses a unique, non-diet approach offering one-to-one coaching, support groups and workshops.

Jacinta holds a Bachelor of Science degree, is a certified NLP Master Practitioner and an ICF certified Coach. She is well qualified to work as a coach in the field of eating disorders and obesity.

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 &Â Rotterdam

www.creatingwaves.nu

Mary Jane will facilitate you learning 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. access | winter | 61

Trainers r e g i s t e r fo r co u r s e s o n l i n e a t w w w . acc e ss - n l . o r g , o r co n t ac t t r a i n e r d i r e c t ly .

Creative art classes Marjolein van der Sluis Artist & Art instructor The Hague

www.vandersluis.com

Marjolein has exhibited her work in Europe and the US. She will teach you painting techniques and enable you to develop your own style to creatively express yourself in an artistic way.

Marjolein has developed an art and etiquette program for children as she finds it is important that children are introduced to the world of art and decorum at an early age.

International career coaching Dorota Klop-Sowinska International career coach & counsellor Amsterdam & The Hague

www.dosocoaching.com

DoSo! Coaching focuses on internationals living in the ­Netherlands. Dorota combines her education and work experiences as a coach/counsellor and her personal experience as an expat herself (the Netherlands, Mexico and Brazil) to help people to discover what they truly want to accomplish in their lives (professional & private) and provides them with tools so they can realise their goals.

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

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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