Today is….. day

Our goal is to gather special holidays, moments and occasions worldwide that unite people. We love to point out those ‘not to miss’ funny occasions. If you have suggestions for special days in April and May, please send them to: fred@howdomagazine.com.

February 10th | International Epilepsy Day Celebrated: Worldwide Since: 2015 Why: International Epilepsy Day promotes awareness of epilepsy in more than 120 countries. People come together to highlight the problems faced by people with epilepsy, their families and caretakers.

February 13th | World Radio Day Celebrated: Worldwide Since: 2012 Why: Radio has been recognized as having such a profound impact on the world today that the Spanish Radio Academy put in a formal request to have February 13th be established as ‘World Radio Day’. On September 29th, 2011 UNESCO officially proclaimed that the first World Radio Day was to be celebrated on February 13th, 2012.

February 24th | World Bartender Day Celebrated: Worldwide Why: To celebrate the bartending craft, and to give recognition and appreciation to the men and women behind the counters at bars, pubs, breweries and wineries. So, give your local bartender an extra smile on February 24th. March 3rd | World Wildlife Day Celebrated: Worldwide Since: 2014 How: It’s the most important annual day dedicated to all life on our planet. World Wildlife Day creates opportunities to highlight the solutions we’ve built for a more sustainable future. It’s also our chance to focus on the accomplishments of countless individuals who devote their lives to bringing our vision of a healthy planet to fruition.

March 20th | International Day of Happiness Celebrated: Worldwide Since: 2014 Why: The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal”. Put a smile on your face and celebrate it by doing something that makes you happy.

March 30th | World Bipolar Day Celebrated: Worldwide Since: World Bipolar Day promotes awareness with the goal to eliminate the social stigma commonly attached to the disorder. World Bipolar Day takes place on March 30th because that’s the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

El Centro Latinoamericano de Orientación

20 years of reliable support for the Latin American community in Eindhoven

Since 2000, the C.L.O. (Centro Latinoamericano de Orientación) foundation organizes supporting activities for the integration of the Latin American residents in the Eindhoven region. The board consists of five people: Milagros Maldonado (chair), Leny Raedts (secretary), Cecilia Piccinini (treasurer), Lizbeth Verhulst (events), Angelica Goyenechea (communication), and with a few of them we look back, but especially forward, to the plans of the foundation.

Mrs. Milagros Maldonado has been involved in the foundation from the beginning: “Lizbeth Verhulst and I were one of the first Latin American women who moved to the Netherlands, because we were married to a Dutch man. As the internet was not as common as it is now, we had to sort out a lot of things ourselves, and that is why the idea of providing help and support through a foundation emerged. We encourage and develop activities in the field of information, education, communication and participation in Dutch society.” Mrs. Verhulst adds: “We also provide information to Latin American residents about existing plans and programs for integration and we want to be a center for exchanging experiences. We also help them search for volunteer work.”

Consultation hours “Our consultation hours are well attended,” according to Mrs. Maldonado. “We advise individuals and groups (partners, families, etc.) on issues like social problems, health, relationship problems, integration, education, asylum, immigration, social services, etc. We work closely together with more than 40 institutions and/or organizations where

we can redirect people. We work with doctors, psychologists, lawyers, migrant organizations, and institutions such as social work, police, victim support, etc.” Six times a year the C.L.O. organizes the “Multicultural encounter SOOS”. These meetings provide an opportunity for all Latin American people to meet each other, which helps to prevent social isolation. As the Hispanic culture is promoted in the activity, it also makes sure that the born-and-raised “Eindhovenaren” can learn more about the origin and traditions of their fellow citizens.

International Women’s Day Secretary of the C.L.O., Ms. Leny Raedts is 100% Dutch. She explains: “Almost from the beginning one of the board members was Dutch, and as the organization is active within the Eindhoven municipality, we aim to bring people together from different backgrounds.” It will be a busy year for the

board members: “Of course we are already working on the festivities related to our 20th anniversary in September. But our next activity also requires a lot of preparation: We are the organizers of the International Women’s Day (Saturday March 7th in the Parktheater). In cooperation with other organizations, women from different backgrounds meet and strengthen each other’s network. Ladies of various nationalities can present their creative talents, as well as their special projects in areas such as coaching, assistance, education, work and politics. There are also stands with traditional products and there will be a ‘meeting point’, a space to provide information, make contacts and expand networks.”

“The work of the C.L.O wouldn’t be possible without the help of our many volunteers.”

It is clear that the C.L.O. is alive and kicking and (thanks to the efforts of these and other ladies) plays a leading role in the Latin American community in our region.

Grupo Colombia: Representing the diversity of Colombia through dance

The C.L.O. is an important meeting point for Latin Americans in Eindhoven area. They meet to share experiences at C.L.O. and many initiatives started here. One of them is Grupo Colombia. Sally Ocaña, is the Coordinator of Colombia in the CLO and one of the founders of the women’s community “International Creative Women”. She has been living in the Eindhoven area for 12 years.

“I started dancing Colombian rhythms with other Colombians in Eschede. Then in Eindhoven, linked to the activities of CLO, I started again with other Colombians to consolidate the Colombian group in this city. The dancers of Grupo Colombia represent the diversity of Colombia, a country with a mix of many subcultures. Although I love dancing, my primary role nowadays is to maintain the public relations and design of the costumes. We started dancing at C.L.O. parties and step by step we were gaining recognition and we have performed in several cities in the Netherlands, at events of the Colombian embassy and international parties.”

UNESCO Heritage Dorángela Giraldo Arana, also an active C.L.O. volunteer and ambassador for the International Creative Women: “ Music connects hearts and is the language of the soul. That’s my purpose when I dance. I can show the energy, and cultural richness of Colombia, connecting the audience with the best energy, positivism and the good vibe that Colombians have. More than a group we are a family, we take care of each other, we support each other, we love each other. And although it’s purely a hobby for all of us, we’re very dedicated and disciplined. We finance everything ourselves, and to make that possible, we sell food at international parties in order to collect money for paying hats, shoes, textile dresses and decorations. For a carnival party in 2017, we worked one whole week to prepare all ingredients for the complex Colombian food. At the end, we sold everything and with the collected money we bought material for new traditional costumes. My home city in Colombia is Cali, the world salsa capital. Where we don’t just dance salsa, because we have a lot of folkloric rhythms that characterize the people of the Pacific region as well as marimba music. I am very proud we dance pacific music in our group as, for example currulao, the best-known marimba music style from the Pacific. There we have the most Africaninfluenced dance styles in Colombia. In 2010, currulao was added

“The dances and our rhythm are a consequence of the mixture of races and cultures: black, white and Indian people.”

to the UNESCO list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity to ensure that this music will live on for many generations to come.”

Having lived in Eindhoven for 21 years, Ana Milena Machado, has the longest residency here: “I am a happy, grateful and active volunteer at the C.L.O. and have been for 20 years. From the start, I have been passionate about being a bridge between Latin America and the Netherlands, together with our fellow volunteers. Our mission at Grupo Colombia is to be the ambassadors of the joy, the cultural richness, the diversity and the flexibility of the Colombians. Sharing that we are a positive,dynamic and participative group. That we came to Eindhoven to join the social and cultural development and to contribute healthily to the diversity in the Netherlands.”

Proud of Colombia A big contrast with Ana is Michael Rodas; as he’s only been living in Eindhoven for 9 months, but the group helped him to adapt to the Dutch way of life.”They opened a new unknown world for me where I have friends and it feels like I belong to something bigger.”

Also for Libardo Navia the group was important for his starting period in Eindhoven: “Grupo Colombia changed my life in Eindhoven. It allowed me to meet many great and funny people. Every week we train our choreography it is very cool; we laugh a lot and we eat together. Also, as I am not good at dancing, I find it challenging to prepare the performances with the members of the group.” In september 2019 Stephanie Villegas Martinez joined the group. “Although I’m a new member, I’ve enjoyed myself very much. I moved to the Netherlands over 8 years ago, creating choreographies and to perform Colombian traditional dances is a very nice way for me to stay in touch with my roots. Originally I’m from Barranquilla, the city called the “golden gate of Colombia “. The carnival is the second largest in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro. In 2003, it was also added to the UNESCO Heritage list.”

For Melissa Vargas it’s also important to stay connected to Colombia: “Although I’m abroad, I can do positive things for Colombia like showing the beauty of its culture, its happiness and its diversity. Furthermore, I really enjoy dancing and hanging out with all the group members. I’ve also learned to overcome the fear of performing in public.” Being in the Netherlands for 19 years, Kike Sanjuanelo works at Philips as an architect. “I love the music from my homeland, therefore I joined Grupo Colombia, but beside that I have a vallenato music group called “San Pués” which is a tribute to a small town in Colombia. The vallenato is a musical genre of the north-east of Colombia, and like currulao music and Barranquilla carnival it, is also on the UNESCO Heritage list.” Silvia Ardila loves the diversity of the music and dance: “Our dances represent every corner of our country. The dances and our rhythm are a consequence of the mixture of races and cultures: black, white and Indian people.” Juan Francisco Sanchez agrees and adds: “Dancing has its challenges: once I ripped my pants during a performance, another time I fell backwards but managed to make it look like it was part of the dance. Perhaps the most fun we have is during the rehearsals: we eat together, share a laugh, and of course, dance.” Needless to say that Grupo Columbia is an esteemed guest at many events: with their colorful costumes, thumping music rhythm and exuberant dances, they take you to warm and sunny Latin America.

BE EFFECTIVE IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE

LEARN DUTCH AT THE HIGH TECH CAMPUS

Do you want to learn Dutch quickly and thoroughly?

If you work on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, you don’t have to travel far to do so. Language Institute Regina Coeli provides Dutch language courses on campus. It’s easy to combine with your daily work, and there’s a course for every level. Learning the Dutch language and getting to know the customs of the country will help you understand the Dutch and integrate smoothly. Why Regina Coeli? · Time-tested method based on scientifi c insights · Unique method ensures that you learn to speak a foreign language quickly and effectively · Well-educated native speakers who delve into your situation · Easy to combine with your daily work

Making small talk

You’ll score points if you can chat a bit in Dutch with your Dutch neighbours, at the gym or with other parents at your children’s school every now and then. If you’re not yet keen on putting a lot of energy into learning Dutch, at least have a go at learning the sentences below. Because if you master the art of ‘over koetjes en kalfjes praten’ (making small talk), you’ll soon fit right in!

Goedemorgen! - You can say this to anyone you see on the street or the train in the morning. An easy way to practice your pronunciation.

Greeting someone you know Hoe gaat het? - (How are you?) A standard question that you’ll hear several times a day. Don’t give or expect a more complicated answer than: Ja, goed. En met jou? - (Fine, and you?) Even if things aren’t going well, the Dutch like to keep things positive. You can expect ‘En met jou?’ in return. Super simple question! The answer: Ook goed! - (Fine too!) Check! Subject dealt with. Now on to the next one…

If you know someone a bit better or are wondering about something specific, feel free to ask:

Hoe gaat het met je werk? - How’s work going? Hoe gaat het met je nieuwe huis? - How’s your new house? Hoe gaat het met je kinderen? - How are your kids?

Talking about the weather The favourite subject of the Dutch is hands down the weather. Try out these sentences:

Lekker weertje vandaag - Lovely weather today, isn’t it? Vies weer vandaag, zeg! - Nasty weather today, isn’t it? Koud, hè? - Cold, isn’t it?

And it doesn’t stop there—a Dutch person will always relativise afterwards.

If it’s nice weather now: Maar er komen weer buien aan - But rain’s on the way. Het is zo weer afgelopen! - It’ll be over before we know it! Het is wel erg warm…! - It’s a bit on the warm side…!

If it’s not sunny weather: Maar het wordt beter weer! - But it’s going to clear up! Dit weekend wordt het mooi! - It’s supposed to be nice this weekend! Ach, het is goed voor de plantjes… - Oh well, it’s good for the plants.

More koetjes en kalfjes? It’s not so complicated, is it? Would you like to learn proper pronunciation, get even better at small talk or start really learning Dutch? It’s all possible At Regina Coeli. Simply get in touch!

Before the Romans, there were the Trechtervolk

Netherlands by the Numbers

Let’s take a look back at the last decade and see how some things have changed.

During the previous decade, the population of the Netherlands increased from 16.6 to 17.3 million people. This increase is largely due to immigration: the Netherlands has had over 432 thousand migrants in the past 10 years.

On another note, while general employment increased 6% between 2010 and 2018, there was a sharp rise in self-employment, which increased 11% over that time period. It must mainly be due to our entrepreneurs: in 2017, the Netherlands generated 203.59 new patent applications per million inhabitants, nearly double the EU average of 106.84. It’s been a decade of rapid change, with even bigger changes on the horizon. The archaeological record shows that around 3400BC, primitive people called the Trechtervolk lived in the Netherlands. The Trechtervolk lived in Northern Europe, with a range that extended up into Sweden and skirted the Baltic toward Lithuania. In the west, they were located primarily in Drenthe, and in fact Drenthe was the most densely populated part of the Netherlands right up until the Bronze Age.

The Trechtervolk are known best for the dolmens they left behind. Called hunebedden, these piles of glacial rock are presumed to be graves, but millennia of neglect, looting, and erosion have left few clues. Of the 54 remaining hunebedden in the Netherlands, 53 of them are in Drenthe. The Trechtervolk also left behind a handcrafts and artifacts that are still fascinating after all this time. Some of Europe's oldest archaeological sites are right beneath our feet.