18 minute read
Meerhoven Internationals Platform
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In 2019 a number of neighbourhoods in Meerhoven decided to combine their activities. Grasrijk, Waterrijk, Zand-, Bos- and Meerrijk became ‘Residents’ Association Meerhoven’. “By joining forces in a single organization, we can act more decisively and effi ciently. All the more so because the number of volunteers is limited”, says chairman Ruben Trieling.
During the fi rst General Meeting of Members in February 2020, Ruben Trieling (chairman), Geert van Buul (secretary), Jos Hendriks (treasurer), Marianne van Dorenmalen, Veronica van der Biezen and Pierre America, were elected as board members. The board members come from all over Meerhoven and have been active as volunteers for a long time. Residents who want to make an active contribution within the board or a committee can register via info@meerhoven.nl.
“Representation of interests and the promotion of contacts between residents are the most important objectives of our association”, Ruben continues. “A good, pleasant and safe living environment is also high on the agenda. Important themes are traffi c, municipal heating, the shopping center, security and internationalization”. Geert van Buul adds: “We also try to support residents in organizing activities. For example, by making materials available, arranging permits or making a fi nancial contribution in the form of a subsidy.” To ensure that everything runs smoothly, various committees have been set up, including the liveability, activities and communication committees. The association also has close contacts with the municipality, police and other partners such as the Terminal M shopping center and Dynamo Youth Work.
Become a member! “The association is open to all residents of Meerhoven”, according to Ruben. “The more members, the better we can represent the neighbourhood. Since Meerhoven is the home of an increasing number of Internationals we especially welcome them to become a member. As a member you also decide together with other members on the themes we should focus on. With a yearly contribution of € 5,- per household, members also support initiatives such as collective and legal actions, the newsletter, Meerhoven.nl, Sustainable Meerhoven, the Neighbourhood Watch Meerhoven, the Meerhoven Internationals Platform,
the Children’s Holiday Week Meerhoven, Municipal Heating Foundation Eindhoven, street activities, events and much more. New members can register at www.meerhoven.nl/ membership.“
Meerhoven Internationals Platform One of the initiatives of the association is the ‘Meerhoven Internationals Platform (MIP)’. According to Diana Angelova, one of the coordinators of the Platform: ”MIP is a volunteer-based organization founded at the end of 2014 as part of Residents’ Association Meerhoven (back then it was Residents’ Association Grasrijk). Since the start, we constantly increase the number of partners we are interacting with e.g. the Municipality, the local schools, kindergartens, and the consultation bureau.
Every year we organize three main social events: New Year Borrel in café De Hangar in Meerhoven Chocolate Egg Hunt in Park Meerland Before or After Summer BBQ in Park Meerland.
Dutch Course and Coffee and More The biggest project of MIP is the Dutch course. It started in 2015 and covers levels from A0 to B2. The lessons are given by professional teachers and the MIP volunteers support the administration of the course. There are two semesters per year and when the registrations are open, details are posted on the MIP website and FB page. Because of the corona virus, most of the lessons are currently online.
Another great initiative of MIP is Coffee and More (Koffie en Meer) which started in February 2019. Internationals, Dutch and especially people who are new in the neighbourhood, are welcome to these informal coffee mornings that take place every third Friday of the month at 10.30h and in Echt Welschap Café in Meerhoven. The idea is to have a cup of coffee in a relaxed informal atmosphere, to exchange information and experience with others, people can expand their network and why not even make new friendships.
People can reach ‘Meerhoven Internationals Platform’ and stay tuned via two channels: www.meerhoven-internationals.nl/ www.facebook.com/groups/meerhoveninternationals/
More information about ‘Residents’ Association Meerhoven’ www.meerhoven.nl | twitter.com/meerhoven_news facebook.com/meerhoven.news Diana Angelova has been living in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters for 5 years. “My husband studied in TU/e in 2004, but at first, he worked in a Bulgarian branch of a Dutch HiTech company. Then in 2013, he moved to the office of the company in Eindhoven.
In 2014 our second daughter was born and a year later we joined him in Meerhoven. Back then, the neighborhood just started becoming so international and it was exciting to see the changes throughout the years to follow. The variety of different cultures still impresses me! My background is in social work and economics and a few months after my arrival in the Netherlands I joined the Meerhoven Internationals Platform. Since my decision was to be a stay-at-home mom for the first years of our Dutch adventure, the volunteer work gave me the opportunity to stay active, to help and connect people.”
TV Meerhoven: Tennis is fun, whether you’re 6 or 90!
Hi (aspiring) tennis players! Tennisvereniging Meerhoven is situated in the west of Eindhoven at Waterfront 2, and is always happy to welcome new players. Eight all weather tennis-courts (LEDlighting) are available to play free tennis in a casual atmosphere from 08.30 - 23.00h daily. Unique about the club is the wide spectrum of playing strength. Starting from beginner, but go up to Dutch Champions level, so all players should find strengthappropriate opponents. And maybe good to know: members are aged between 6 till 90 years old!
During the year several (open) tournaments are organized and many teams participate in the KNLTB competitions. Many opportunities to play good matches are offered and to get to know other people. Have a look in the clubapp to be updated.
Lessons in Dutch and English for all ages Improving your game is not always easy and requires a lot of effort. For inexperienced players or players who wish to improve their skills, additional suitable lessons are given by a professional trainer for all ages, in either Dutch or English. In the training sessions you will receive advice about technical skills and strategic concepts.
After the match or training you have the opportunity to analyze the match with your opponents. This is also a great time to socialize with your club mates over a glass of beer or cup of tea in the cozy bar or terrace!
Interested, or want to learn more? Contact the board at www.tvmeerhoven.nl / ledenadministratie@tvmeerhoven.nl.
Every HOWDO edition, Ben Wiermans, sports coordinator internationals at ‘Eindhoven Sport’, introduces noncommercial sports clubs that are happy to welcome internationals to their club.
If you would like to keep up to date with what is happening in sports, follow Eindhoven Sport on Twitter and/or Facebook. If you can’t fi nd what you’re looking for, do not hesitate to contact Ben Wiermans at b.wiermans@eindhoven.nl
Holland Expat Center South’s Guides to Brabant
By Olivia van den Broek-Neri
The Autumn/Winter edition of ‘The Expat’s Guide to Brabant’ is available at Holland Expat Center South. This guide is packed with information to help internationals settle into the region so that they can feel at home in Brabant!
Aside from an introduction to the Netherlands and Dutch culture, there is also information about Brabant and its major cities and towns, as well as local traditions such as Carnaval. The guide also includes practical information about the education system, waste and recycling, health care, transportation, places of worship, and sports and social clubs that may be of interest to the international community. “When I fi rst arrived [in Eindhoven] I read all [of] the sections and found all of them useful,” says Ecehan Onay who moved from Turkey to Eindhoven in 2019. “I always keep one copy of the welcome guide on hand.” Holland Expat Center South’s Offi cial Partners are listed in the back of the guide. These partners are private service providers that can assist internationals while they settle into the region and include language schools, lawyers, childcare providers, realtors, banks, and more. Ecehan fi nds the Partnership Program section valuable: “You can easily fi nd various companies/organisations for different needs” she says. The guide also includes tips and photos from the international community. Each issue features a cover photo from someone living in the region. The current edition was published in July and features a cover photo from Pragati Singh, as well as photos from Roland Rosier, Tatiana Kostina, Jayeeta Sengupta, and Avik Pramanik.
A new edition for international students “International students have specifi c questions that expats might not have,” says Mira Dreessen, Project Manager Brabant International Students, Brainport Development. That is why Mira collaborated with the Expat Center on a guide for international students. “I wanted to make sure that international students are aware of the services the Expat Center can provide them with when looking to settle into Brabant, especially after their studies,” she says. This guide is funded by the Regiodeal as part of the Brabant International Students project. It includes information that is specifi cally for international students, such as, information about a one year visa and student organizations. Mira hopes that international students will fi nd this guide helpful during their studies, including soon-to-be graduates who are interested in staying in the Brainport Eindhoven region. “It is great to see that many partners in our ecosystem make an effort to share this valuable guide and therefore also help (international) students in their journey,” says Mira. “Because in the end, the region will benefi t from initiatives like this.”
Read both of the guides online at www.hollandexpatcenter.com/ guides/.
Holland Expat Center South is a nonprofi t governmental agency. It is a one-stop shop for highly skilled migrants, scientifi c researchers and their families who can obtain their BSN number and/or residence permit at its offi ce located on the Vestdijk. Contact the Expat Center to schedule an appointment or with any questions about settling into the region. There is no charge for their services. T+31 (0)40 238-6775 info@hollandexpatcenter.com www.hollandexpatcenter.com
In 2009, some higher educated people of Turkish descent, including engineers and academics, met regularly to discuss the day-to-day affairs in the Netherlands and to see what they could mean for the Turkish community in Eindhoven. They were also a point of contact for Dutch organizations. It took almost two years to organize, but finally, in 2011, the ‘Turkish Professionals Network Eindhoven’ was founded with a ceremony in City Hall.
“We bring people into contact with each other in a hospitable manner to share knowledge and experience, to inspire and strengthen each other, so that new connections are created. We do this by organizing network meetings, presentations, lectures, workshops and events.” Ebru JanssensKayan, Chair, explains. "Both the 11 board members and volunteers of the activities do this purely pro bono: no one is paid and the association is also completely independent." are active in Dutch society. We want to be involved, form a dialogue and work together for a happy, peaceful and successful common future. We want to achieve this by creating a large and strong network in Eindhoven and the surrounding area of especially higher educated professionals of Turkish descent.”
Bringing more activities from the Randstad to Eindhoven
Ebru continues: “Traditionally, most social and cultural events took place in the Randstad and one of our goals was to bring more activities to Eindhoven. For example, there was the Red Tulip Film
Festival in Rotterdam, and in collaboration with the organization and NATLAB we brought it to Eindhoven in 2015 and 2016. During this three-day festival, a large number of Turkish films were screened, and were well attended by both immigrant and native residents of Eindhoven.”
“We want to show the diversity of Turkey,” according to Gülnur. “There is often a one-sided image of Turkey, but there is so much more. That's the beauty of TPNE: with our different backgrounds, we can all contribute to give a more realistic picture of Turkey. For example, I am involved in the Dutch Design Week and through Ebru I came into contact with a number of designers from Turkey. They visited DDW and were given the opportunity to exhibit last year and many good contacts have arisen from that.”
Always open for cooperation
Ebru would like to state that TPNE is open to cooperation with organizations and agencies that are engaged in bringing the “original and new” Eindhoven resident into contact. “Being invited by 'Centro Latinoamericano de orientación Eindhoven', we took part in International Women's Day in March and we are also a partner of 'Samen voor Eindhoven'. Through them we were given the opportunity to follow a coaching program, but we were also able to organize activities with some of their partners, such as a seminar and a guiding tour at GGzE.
In recent years, new members of our network have mainly been Turkish expats, who are quickly familiarizing themselves with Dutch society thanks to their membership.
Our social media channels are information sources for the followers and a platform for sharing knowledge and experience. The many music evenings that we organize in collaboration with the Music from the Orient foundation give many Eindhoven residents the opportunity to become acquainted with Turkish culture in a relaxed manner.”
More information about Turkish Professionals Network Eindhoven:
www.tpne.nl info@tpne.nl https://www.facebook.com/tpneindhoven
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Enjoy learning Dutch!
You are welcome on: Arts & culture
Dutch level 1 (A0 - A1) twice a week – intensive, (Tue evening & Sat morning), starting Tue Oct 27th 19:00
21.30 hr, 6 lessons Dutch level 1 - to A1 - morning – superintensive , starting Wed Oct 28th 09.30 – 11.45, 16 weeks New Dutch courses from January 2021
Poetry circle, starting Mon Nov 2nd, 19.00 -20.30 hr, 6 lessons Essay writing for beginners, Tue Nov 10th, 19.30 - English spoken courses:
Dutch – all levels, please visit our website Volksuniversiteit Eindhoven www.vu-eindhoven.nl
Check our website (Courses- Eindhoven – English spoken courses) https://www.vu-eindhoven.nl/eindhoven/english-spoken-courses
The Trend Before the Trend: Dutch Coffee
Did you know that the Dutch East India Company was making cold brew coffee 300 years ago? The Netherlands was instrumental in spreading coffee consumption around the world, and the Dutch East India Company invented a unique way of brewing coffee using cold water. Unlike cold brew, Dutch Coffee drips cold water through the coffee grounds, rather than immersing them. This method requires less coffee and takes less time than cold brew, providing delicious cold coffee in just 3-4 hours. While today, Dutch Coffee makers may look like strange laboratory equipment, and be unfamiliar even to people in the Netherlands, this method of brewing and enjoying coffee is still widely enjoyed in places around the world where it was introduced so long ago. From Japan and Korea to Indonesia, Dutch Coffee is still a local favorite. In fact, because of the recent popularity of cold brew, Dutch Coffee is enjoying a resurgence worldwide, and these unique coffeemakers are now available everywhere.
Dutch Roots: The Iconic American Vanderbilt Family is from the Netherlands
The Vanderbilts are a legendary American family. Cornelius Vanderbilt was the richest man in America in 1877, and, upon his death, his son William became the richest man in America. Vanderbilts built everything from the New York Railroad to the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and lived in famous mansions from The Breakers in Rhode Island to the Vanderbilt Mansion in New York. Famous Vanderbilts include Harld Stirling Vanderbuilt, a yacht racer who won the America’s Cup three times; Gloria Vanderbilt, famous fashion designer; Anderson Cooper, award-winning television journalist; and actor Timothy Olyphant. The family roots, however, go back to the Netherlands, when Dutch farmer Jan Aertson emigrated from De Bilt to New Amsterdam, adding “van” to his name, which was eventually Americanized to Vanderbilt. The family is also descended from the fascinating Anthony Janszoon van Salee, son of a Dutch pirate and a Moorish mother. He is though to have been the first Dutch Muslim to settle in New Amsterdam, and he became one of the largest landholders on Long Island, and one of the first settlers of Coney Island. It’s amazing to think that this controversial biracial figure would go on to establish one of the wealthiest and most respected families in American history.
Theaterlab, the ultimate place to bond with your fellow audience member
Do you want to be part of the theatre experiment and at the same time start a circle of new friends from various cultures? Hop on and visit the Theaterlab!
Behind the scenes, together with the audience
You may think that everything behind the scenes stays behind closed doors, but their experiments take a different approach. It is quite the opposite: the audience is invited to work with them behind the scenes. “With these experimental performances we are doing, we would like to contribute to the expats and internationals in Eindhoven. It does not matter which background you have or even the language you are speaking. The main goal is to make theatre, together with the audience. This shared experience is what binds the individuals together. I think that making theatre is a creative way of connecting with each other. When they are creating the scene together with us”, said actress and theatre maker Ineke Noordhuizen, creator of Theaterlab.
Director and theatre maker Geert Niland could not agree more. “This format of theatre making brings the spectators together so that they can explore. The excitement of exploring this experiment. It is amazing to know the perspectives -a different view- of the crowd. Every culture has its different outlook on situations. In that way we create a play that even I cannot come up with”.
This theatre event is set in a respectable corona proof workspace. The one and only rule they have is not to call someone on stage. “We do not want to put the public on the spot. All they have to do is to sit down, enjoy and react. That is our motto”, according to Noordhuizen.
With this concept they are working with different performers. Each day is a different experience, so you will never be disappointed!
These experiments take place on October 14th, November 18th and lastly December 16th at 7:30pm in Micro lab Eindhoven. The bar opens at 7pm. Reservations can be made through https://
www.eventbrite.com/e/ticketstheaterlab-119078265297
and costs are 10 euros. Go for more information to www.
