11 minute read
Living in
By Josine Frankhuizen
The Living In Program is part of the Municipality of Eindhoven/ Holland Expat Center South. We help internationals to settle in and to feel more at home in the Eindhoven region. We work together with all kind of organizations in the region. This time we would like to tell you more about the Living In Program itself and our new Living In Guide!
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The Living In Program The Living In program is a program of the Eindhoven city council which aims to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment, in which you as an international feel at home earlier and more easily. In this program we work together with internationals on a daily basis, so we can meet the needs of internationals.
In our discussions with employers and educational institutions, we call for a warm welcome. For instance the free monthly Welcome Evenings, in which you can get acquainted with other internationals and with the inner city. In addition to the Welcome Evenings, there are almost weekly free events with information about studying, living, working, language and taxes. Please check our website for the latest information.
We also want you to feel welcome in other urban facilities. For example, we are committed to better discoverability, accessibility and communication in culture, sports, events, education, et cetera. In addition to more English language for our facilities, learning the Dutch language is often important. Especially if you have the intention to stay longer in the region, to learn Dutch has a lot of advantages. Think of finding work for your spouse or participating in activities organized in Dutch.
With employers we also work to improve facilities for internationals and their families. More and more employers are becoming aware that boarding an international family in the region requires more than what has been offered so far.
Living In The Brainport Eindhoven Region Guide The Living In Program of the Municipality of Eindhoven and Holland Expat Center South recognizes that a new start in a completely new environment is not always easy. That’s why we want to help you to get to know Eindhoven and its surroundings better with a brand new guide next to our Welcome Guide, the: “Living In The Brainport Eindhoven Region” guide.
In this guide (available in print at the Holland Expat Center South and online at our website) you can for example find more in depth information about the history of Eindhoven, all kind of cultural and leisure possibilities in Eindhoven and region, sports clubs, possibilities for learning the Dutch language, information about the educational system in the Netherlands, schools in Eindhoven and region, finding a job, social groups for internationals, worship locations, the health system and health organizations. Please let us know what you think of this guide!
Contact www.hollandexpatcenter.com
Sign up for our newsletter: www.hollandexpatcenter.com/nl/we-are-not-alone
For more information about the Living In Program and the Living In Guide, please contact Josine Frankhuizen: J.Frankhuizen@eindhoven.nl
Euying, originally from Malaysia, has been living in Eindhoven since 2008. She is a full time mom to two children and is also the co-founder of The Reading Pier Library. In her free time, she likes to embroider and sew, featuring all her creations under her own label Oxcraft. She is also an active Jivamukti yoga practitioner.
So, you’ve moved to The Netherlands from Malaysia, how did you end up here? I moved here for love. My husband is Dutch but we met in Malaysia during his vacation. We had known each other for 10 years before we tied the knot. In 2008, he received a job to return to Eindhoven, his home base, and we decided to make the move. We were living in Singapore then and decided that the move back to NL was a better decision for the long run to settle down and start a family. university in Australia for four years, then returned to Malaysia for work and later completed my MBA in Singapore for two years. So, moving to another country was in a sense, something I’ve gotten used to. My parents have always encouraged us siblings to travel as much as possible to learn and respect people from various cultures and backgrounds. My Malaysian home is always here to welcome me whenever I wish to return, but they always tell us to make the most out of life wherever we are.
Do you miss anything from your “old” life? Honestly, not much. I take every chapter of my life with a new sense of adventure. I have attended Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I speak relatively good Dutch. When my husband was offered the job back to Eindhoven, the relocation
package included Dutch language tuition for me. I was really blessed to have a wonderful Dutch teacher who patiently taught me the language. Our move to Eindhoven gave me plenty of free time to fully dive into learning a new language. I believe that if one really wants to live and experience life in a particular country, then one has to learn the language too. I cannot expect to always depend upon the help of others for translation or that the locals here speak English comfortably. So it became my main motivation to learn the language well.
What was the most challenging part moving here and how did you cope with it? Firstly, integration was challenging. You really must know some Dutch to at least understand the Dutch and their way of life. There were many nuances that were very different from my Asian background, which I had to learn along the way. In the beginning, it was challenging to follow a conversation. Just as the Dutch saying goes, “gewoon doen”; I turned from being verbally timid to practicing my broken Dutch until it improved. The locals here are REALLY sweet and appreciate that I took the effort to speak Dutch. Secondly, making new friends. At first, it felt like going on blind dates as I didnt know where to start; but I soon discovered the International Women’s Club of Eindhoven and I quickly found many good friends here. The club provides a really good platform for people to come together. Helping out at my children’s school also gave me the opportunity to make local friends too. I now have a good mix of local and international friends in my social circle. So, based on your experience having lived in various countries before, do you see any similarities or differences between them? Well, every country has its own traditions, cultural practices and way of life. There are definitely differences but not necessarily in a negative way. It is just the way it is, and if you can choose to respect that difference, then it makes living anywhere just as good. It all boils down to your own choices - to make life for yourself miserable or pleasant. People are different, yet the same. The sameness comes from the core root values of kindness, generosity, honesty etc. That I see it everywhere.
What do you value most in the Dutch society? I value their practicality, directness and nononsense approach to life. The Dutch are simple, down to earth people and I like this very much. The “doe eens normaal”, “geen flauwekul”, “gewoon doen”, “het komt allemaal weer goed” and “het is gewoon zoals het is”, have taught me plenty about how I see life. I like that the locals appreciate me for who I am, and that I don’t need to put on a superficial cover just to appear “perfect” in society. I have come to embrace these values, which are not typical Asian, and sometimes get surprised looks by my relatives back home for not being “Asian” enough. It is a funny experience.
Any tips for newcomers here? Learn the language, learn to bike and drive, try all the various Dutch local food, join a local sports/ hobby club, and go enjoy nature walks.
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October
How to Settle into Brabant!
By Olivia van den Broek-Neri
My colleagues have been busy scheduling appointments for internationals who want to make use of Holland Expat Center South’s one-stop shop to arrange their formalities. These are persons who have moved to Brabant for a job, and must now build a new life in the Netherlands. If you are one of these persons, ‘Welcome to Brabant!’ My name is Olivia and I am here to help you settle into the region. How can you do so? Check out my three tips for you:
1. Learn how to Bicycle like the Dutch! Bicycling is a way of life for many Dutch. It is also one of my favorite parts of living in the Netherlands. There are many reasons for this, such as many places are more easily accessible by bike. Riding a bike can save a lot of time and money when you calculate parking fees! It is also an easy way to participate in Dutch culture.
But just like driving, bicycling is different in the Netherlands. It is very organized and there are rules. Do you know all of the traffic rules? For instance, who has the right away at roundabouts? Are there things that you cannot do while bicycling? If you would like to learn the bicycle safety and traffic rules, so that you can be more confident while riding amongst the Dutch, then please join us during our bicycle training sessions!
There will be two training sessions to choose from: Saturday 2 October and Saturday 9 October. Both of the sessions will take place from 10:45 until 15:00 and are free to attend. You are welcome no matter your level of bicycling experience. You must however, provide your own bicycle for the session. At the end of the session, you will go on a bicycle tour of north Eindhoven, together with the other attendees.
These bicycle training sessions are being organized together by SOAB adviseurs voor woning en leefomgeving, the Municipality of Eindhoven and Holland Expat Center South.
2. Get to know Eindhoven and other internationals! Another great way to settle in is to get to know the city, because although you may have moved here for a job, your life cannot only be about work! Our Welcome Evening is an opportunity to go on a guided walking tour of Eindhoven with fellow internationals. Get to know the history of the city and learn about hotspots to check out and tips on where to go. If you are new to the region, or if you are interested in finding out more about Eindhoven, join us! It is a great way to begin your weekend together with other newly arrived internationals!
Our next Welcome Evenings will take place on 1 October and 5 November. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. A limited number of spots are available. 3. Contact Holland Expat Center South with any questions about settling into Brabant! No matter how many people that you meet or how many events that you attend, you will still have lots of questions about settling into Brabant. Contact us with any questions you may have about settling into Brabant: info@hollandexpatcenter.com. We are here to help you settle into the region! And once again, ‘Welcome to Brabant’!
Olivia van den Broek-Neri is Project Coordinator Communications & Events at Holland Expat Center South.
Holland Expat Center South is a nonprofit governmental agency. It is a joint initiative of the participating municipalities, the Immigration and Naturalisation Services (IND), Brainport Development, and the province of Noord-Brabant.
