Author name: Angelique

Landal-waterparc-veluwemeer-flevoland-Nederland
Dutch Culture, Netherlands

Where do the dutch go on holiday in the Netherlands?

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Every country has its customs regarding how and where we spend our holidays. Of course, this depends on the number of vacation days and the public holidays you are entitled to. As new residents of the Netherlands, I can imagine that you would like to know how the Dutch celebrate their holiday in the Netherlands and where they will go. Because moving to a new country does not mean that we no longer need a wonderful holiday. During this process of getting used to a new country, those moments of doing nothing are even more precious. I totally get you, and I have some great tips for finding your perfect holiday in the Netherlands. Holidays in the Netherlands Compared to other European countries, the Netherlands does not have that many vacation days on average, and it is not legally determined that you are free on our public holidays. Always check your holidays with your employer before booking. If you want to take days off, you must request this in writing to your employer. Your employer has two weeks to approve your application. Your employer may also allow you to take some compulsory days off each year. A mandatory day off often falls between a national holiday and the weekend. Think of the Friday after Ascension Day. On such a day you have to take compulsory leave. They will deduct the number of hours you usually work from your vacation days. The employer must indicate these days well in advance. Your collective labor agreement or contract states how many days your employer may designate as mandatory days. Popular weekends to go on holiday in the Netherlands We usually plan our vacations roughly in January to see how we will turn out with the holidays we have at our disposal. This way, we can spread the days over the whole year so that the periods you have to work in succession are not too long. Most Dutch families plan 2 to 3 weeks off for their summer leave. Furthermore, Easter weekend, Ascension weekend, and Whitsun weekend are popular weekends. These are the times that many people use to get out in the Netherlands. Types of accommodations Now you know how to ask for days off and the most popular holidays in the Netherlands. Time to start with the different types of accommodations that the Netherlands offers. I immediately think of Hotels, Bungalow Parks, and Campsites. What you choose depends entirely on your needs and expectations. For romantic and more luxury trips, you can choose an overnight stay in a hotel, and if you plan to go out with the whole family, you can choose a bungalow park or a campsite. Although there are also plenty of family-friendly hotels in the Netherlands, you will find many great ones if you prefer a hotel. In recent years, slightly more special accommodations have also become very popular. Think of sleeping in a Treehouse, Pipowagen, Houseboats, or houses hidden in nature. I will tell you more about this later. Hotels A hotel is an excellent option if you like luxury or want to go out together on a romantic trip. Whether you choose a city, the sea, a bicycle, or a wellness weekend, there is so much choice in hotels in various price ranges and locations that it is almost impossible not to find something you like. Even as a family, you will find great hotels with family rooms where you are more than welcome with your kids. You only need to bring some clothes, and your breakfast will be ready when you wake up. Hotels.nl is a good website for finding a hotel in the Netherlands. Here you can search for great deals or by destination. But you will also easily find what you are looking for via Booking.com. Bungalow Parks Bungalow Parks are popular in the Netherlands. They are perfect to go all year round. Many holiday parks have an indoor center where you can find restaurants and shops and many play options for the children. You can often do all kinds of indoor activities such as swimming, bowling, and tennis. You are guaranteed a successful weekend, even with rainy weather. Determine what you would like to do during your vacation and choose your location based on that. There are holiday parks with a large indoor center, where you don’t even have to leave the park. Often these parks also have a large indoor swimming pool where you can enjoy yourself for many hours. But there are also parks close to a beach or popular attractions or a large city or zoo that you would like to visit. The fewer facilities at the park, the better the price, so take a good look at what you plan to use before you book your accommodation. There is enough choice to suit everyone’s needs and budget. CenterParcs is one of our favorite organizations for a weekend getaway. Most parks have a fantastic tropical swimming pool and an indoor area where you will find restaurants, shops, entertainment, and many fun activities. There is always plenty to do and experience, both in good weather and on rainy days. Something essential in this country where we can never be sure of the weather. If you enter this search into Google, you will undoubtedly find many Holiday parks in the Netherlands! – BUNGALOWPARKEN IN NEDERLAND – Campsites Despite our rainy weather, there are still many people who choose to camp in the Netherlands. The great thing about camping is the contact with other people. It’s so easy for kids to make friends and play outside the whole day. The Netherlands has large campsites with fantastic water parks, playgrounds, and children’s entertainment. Here you are assured of a dream holiday for your children. And if your children are having a good time, so are we as parents, aren’t we? If you don’t like the larger campsites, there is also plenty of choice in smaller ones. You can check the camps’ websites

Keukenhof Gardens Tulips white and pink
Dutch Culture, Going Outdoors, Netherlands

How to make your visit to Keukenhof gardens an amazing day

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I must honestly confess to you that my recent visit to Keukenhof gardens and tulip fields was the very first time for me. When I was looking for the necessary information for my trip, I came across that only 25% of the visitors to Keukenhof gardens are Dutch. So I am probably not the only Dutch person who has never been there (feel a little less shame now). The advantage for you is that I can now share all the information I have looked up. That saves you a lot of time that you can put back into other fun things. I will give you the best travel tips for Keukenhof gardens and tulip fields to ensure that your visit is a success. Keukenhof gardens in the Netherlands is famous worldwide and you should definitely visit this place now that you live here in the Netherlands. If it’s not for this year then go next year but don’t wait as long as I did, it’s well worth a visit. Is Keukenhof Gardens open all year? Keukenhof gardens is only open for several weeks every year. In 2022 this is from Thursday 24 March to Sunday 15 May. The park is open from 8:00 AM – 7:30 PM. Best time to visit Keukenhof Gardens? It doesn’t really matter whether you go in the first weeks after the opening or only during the last weeks. There are always plenty of flowering species to see. In the beginning, you mainly see the early flowering species such as crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and the early tulips. During the last weeks, these are mainly the later bloomers such as the larger tulips. During the early hours and after 16:00 it is quieter in the Park. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are also a bit quieter than the other days. And if you have the option to avoid the weekends, I would definitely recommend that. There are often long traffic jams to Keukenhof gardens. Where is Keukenhof Gardens located? Keukenhof gardens can be found in the province of Noord-Holland in the town of Lisse, which lies between Haarlem and Leiden and not so far from Amsterdam. Lisse is located in the center of the beautiful region that we call Bollenstreek. Amsterdam is about a half-hour drive. Can you picnic in Keukenhof Gardens? Yes, you can just bring your own food and drinks to Keukenhof gardens. Then you can enjoy your brought snacks and drinks outside on the grass fields or on a bench. You are not allowed to take them into the restaurants, but that seems logical to me. Of course, you can also buy something in the restaurants and then go for a picnic. History of Keukenhof Gardens Its history goes back to the 15th century. Countess Jacoba van Beieren brought vegetables and fruit from the kitchen dune for the kitchen of Castle Teylingen. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the landscape expanded to an area of over 200 hectares. Two landscape architects, later also the designers of the Vondelpark in Amsterdam, redesigned the garden around the castle in 1857. This park in English landscape style still forms the basis of Keukenhof. In 1949, a group of flower bulb growers and exporters devised a plan to create an exhibition of spring-blooming flower bulbs on the estate. The park first opened in 1950. The Keukenhof was a resounding success from the start. Source: Keukenhof.nl The Keukenhof Gardens of today Nowadays, 100 flower bulb companies and growers show their finest range of spring-flowering bulbous plants. Every year, in consultation with the growers, the Keukenhof garden designers put on a fantastic colorful show. These are beautiful ‘showrooms’ of flowers for the growers. Keukenhof gardens look different every year. The designers of this beautiful flower park always make it a unique experience. I am definitely a fan. How long to spend in Keukenhof Gardens To get the most out of your day, I would advise you to leave early so that you can reach Keukenhof gardens before the big crowds. Buy your tickets in advance so that you can also skip that possible line. Upon entering the park, there are maps of the park for you on which you can determine your route and have a bit of an idea about the size of the park. There are beautiful paths to follow and along the way, you will pass some pavilions with flower shows. You can also take a trip with a whisper boat at the windmill in the park. Enjoy the quiet, typical Dutch landscape around Keukenhof gardens in an electrically powered whisper boat. The boat trip lasts 45 minutes and you can listen to an explanation about the Bollenstreek during the trip! It is best to buy tickets for this in advance so that you are sure of a place. Tickets for this trip are available via this link. On average you will need 4 hours to see the entire park. If you go early, this gives you the opportunity to do another activity in the afternoon. You can rent a bicycle or, for example, pick fresh tulips yourself on the field. (Read further for more information). Rent a bike to cycle around the Tulip fields At the parking lot at the main entrance of Keukenhof gardens, you can rent a bicycle with which you can cycle around the flower fields that surround Keukenhof gardens. You can rent a bike for 3 hours or for the whole day and there are routes of various distances. Check the website of the Bollenstreek for prices and more information. Pick your own tulips If you like to take home a bunch of tulips that you picked yourself, visit one of the nice picking gardens before you drive back. In the village of Hillegom, you will find Annemieke’s Pluktuin. Self-picking is also possible at Tulip Experience Amsterdam in their indoor picking garden. At Tulip experience Amsterdam you have to order tickets online via their website. Instagrammable places at Keukenhof Gardens and

Flag pointing netherlands on World map
Expat Life

Moving to the Netherlands is easy with this helpful Guide

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Moving abroad isn’t easy. There are so many things to arrange and think about. The rules are different in almost every country, and you have to be very patient. This is no different in the Netherlands. What you need to arrange for moving to the Netherlands depends on your nationality, where you were born, whether you come alone or with family, and if you have found a job already. I will tell you a bit about how things are going in the Netherlands and where you will find more information. I will give you direct links to websites with more details on the subject. I hope this will make your move a little less hectic. As perhaps the most important rule I would say, start all your preparations on time and ensure all papers are in order when you move to the Netherlands. Being well prepared will certainly help you and save you a lot of stress. Can I move to the Netherlands without a job? Depending on your country of origin, you may need an entry visa, a work permit, and a residence permit. You will also need to register in the Personal Records Database to obtain a Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer – BSN). The Netherlands makes a distinction between EU-Citizens and Non-EU citizens. So let’s start with these differences. EU citizens If you come from an EU country or Lichtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or Switzerland, you have the right to move to another EU country to work without a work permit. You then only need a valid passport or a valid ID. If you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than four months, you need to register your details in the local Personal Records Database (BRP) within five days after arriving. If you register at a municipality, you will receive a citizen service number (Burgerservicenummer – BSN). Your city or an expat center can provide more information on registering. Non-EU citizens If you do not come from one of the above countries, you can only work in the Netherlands under certain conditions. For example, you must have an employer who will bring you to the Netherlands to come and work. If you’re a highly educated specialist in your field, work in the Netherlands will also be possible.  A Dutch company needs to prove that you’re uniquely suited for a job for which they can’t get a European. There are also special rules for students, artists, and asylum seekers from outside the EU. Check this page to read more about these special rules.  If you come as an entrepreneur or with your own company, this website of the Dutch government will probably help you with the necessary information. The Dutch Government has a questionnaire on its website.  Answer these questions, and you will see what you need to arrange if you are coming to the Netherlands for work. Before moving to the Netherlands Before moving to the Netherlands, you need to arrange several formalities.  First of all, I would like to advise you to renew your passport in your home country to have a long time before renewing it. This is, of course, not an obligation, but it is so handy that you don’t have to worry about it the first time. Also, check whether your driver’s license is valid for at least six months after arrival. Financial Visit your bank and tell them about your move. Ask them how things are handled during your assignment.  Make sure that you have sufficient money at your disposal during the first weeks in the Netherlands. You will not be able to open a bank account in the Netherlands immediately, but you will already have to make various payments.  Don’t forget to cancel all your automatic payments if they are not needed during your absence. Inform your tax advisor or tax office about your move and fill in any necessary forms. Think about an E101 form if you are an EU citizen and want to pay for your social security in your home country. Formalities for moving to the Netherlands Check which documents you need to submit for your work permit and residence permit. Think of birth certificates, marriage or divorce certificates, etc. Have all documents legalized and translated if they are not in Dutch, English, German or French. You can already apply for work or residence permits before moving to the Netherlands. Click here to apply for your work permit!  Click here to apply for your residence permit! For more information about different permits, you can check this website. Healthcare in the Netherlands Request your medical information from your doctor and take the vaccination information with you from everyone who moves with you. If you use medication, take enough with you to bridge the first weeks. A clear printout of the medicines you are taking may also be helpful. Check your travel/health insurance and make sure that you are covered at all times. Also, during your trip to the Netherlands and your first weeks. If you have an employer already, check with them for the possibility of collective health insurance deals.  Social Security If you are an EU citizen and wish to pay social security contributions in your home country, obtain an E101 form. You can find more information about this E101 certificate here. Children Children between the age of 5 and 16 must attend full-time education in the Netherlands. By clicking this link, you will find more information about the Dutch school system and the international schools in the Netherlands. The Dutch education system differs from that of the rest of the world, so I recommend reading more about this before choosing a school for your children. Check-in time whether the schools you are interested in have a waiting list. Register your children early to ensure a spot. The same applies to childcare organizations. At most schools and childcare centers you can arrange all this via e-mail. Don’t wait until you are moving to the Netherlands. Collect the latest

useful apps for expats in The Netherlands
Dutch Culture, Expat Life

Useful apps for Expats in the Netherlands

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If you’ve just moved to the Netherlands and your bags are unpacked, it’s time to get to know your new country a little better. But before we set off, it is helpful to start this new adventure well prepared, and these handy apps on your phone will undoubtedly help you with this. So check out these useful apps for expats in the Netherlands, and you are good to go. 1. Buienradar With Buienradar, you can see where and when it will rain. Buienradar has a handy radar that shows the location of the rain showers over the Netherlands. With this app, you can look 24 hours ahead and see the weather forecast for the next two weeks. Buienradar has a lot to offer and is almost essential for a good start to the day. 2. 9292 With the 9292 app, you can plan a trip by tram, train, bus, and metro. Enter ‘from’ and ‘to’ and ‘when’ you want to leave on the home screen. Choose if you’re going to start from an address, a station, or choose a zip code. The travel advice from public transport is automatically displayed. Make it more personal by indicating how you want to travel, for example by bus and train. You also have the choice of your current location via GPS. You can view the map to see your route when selecting’ travel advice. Scroll from left to right to know the route step by step. 3. NS (Dutch train network) Where you use the app 9292 for all kinds of public transport, this NS app is for train tickets and information. You can buy your train tickets online via this app, and the app lets you access your train ticket on your phone. You can use your phone to scan through the gates and access the platforms. The app also shows you which platform your train will leave and when you will arrive. 4. DigiD With your DigiD, you show who you are when you arrange something on the internet, whether to set things with the government, education, healthcare, or your pension fund. Your DigiD account is linked to your BSN, and it comes in the form of a username and password. Thanks to your DigiD, you can log in easily and securely anywhere. Your personal data remains well protected. 5. WhatsApp WhatsApp is the chat service we use most in the Netherlands. With this app, you can send messages and make voice calls and video calls. All you need is a working internet connection and a linked phone number. 6. Tikkie Did you go out with friends and pay the bill at the restaurant? Tikkie is an app with which you can send someone a payment request via WhatsApp, SMS, or however you want. With this app, you will have your money back in no time. 7. Too Good To Go With this app, you can easily contribute to the fight against food waste. If you enter your location, you will see shops in your area that offer ‘magic boxes’ for a few euros with products that would otherwise be thrown away. In this way, you contribute to saving the planet and having good food at an affordable price. 8. Thuisbezorgd With this app, you can order food online from various restaurants in your area, and for a small extra fee, they will deliver everything to your home. Very handy if you don’t feel like going out. 9. Stocard This app is especially useful if you hate all those different cards in your wallet. You can add your loyalty cards to this app so that you can leave all those cards at home from now on. For example, when you visit Albert Heijn, you open the AH card on your app, and you can simply scan it from your phone. So very handy! 10. Stadsparkeren If you own a car, this app is easy for paying for your parking ticket. When you use the app for the first time, you add your car’s license plate. There are blue signs with an x-digit zone number in the parking lot or along the road. You enter this zone number after selecting your car and press start. Just don’t forget to stop your parking action when you return to your vehicle. Once a month, the invoice is automatically debited from your bank account. 11. Google Maps Everyone probably knows this app and has it on their phone, but I would like to add it to this list. I find it especially useful for sharing interesting locations with friends. If we meet somewhere, we are sure we are both at the exact location. I also use this app to mark the locations that I want to visit soon and throw them out again when we have seen them. 12. Party of 4 Party of 4 is for finding friendship, (totally platonic), and for couples only. This app is designed by an expat and helps you find your future best friends. Whether you are a young couple, you have children, or your children have already left the parental home, you will always find a couple that suits you. Check out a couple’s bio to see what they enjoy doing. Then say hello to your new brewery friends, or new golf friends, or new foodie friends. Whatever you 2 enjoy doing, find another couple to do it with. It’s a great way to get to know people after moving to a new country. 13. Google Translate This app is gold when you move to a country where you don’t speak the language. We have used this app a lot during our adventures. The translation isn’t always perfect, but it does get you a long way. 14. Social Deal This app offers the best deals for attractions in the Netherlands, cafes, restaurants, and even hotels and wellness. You will find new offers every day.  If you’re planning a romantic date or a nice family outing and love

Free Valentine Cards
Expat Life, Freebies

Make your own personalized Valentine Cards

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Valentine’s Day is a day when we think a little extra about everyone we love. As expats, this means that it is one of those days that we have to miss our family and friends just that little bit extra. Because I have experienced this feeling repeatedly in recent years, I started thinking about what made me happy in these situations. Often, it was a simple WhatsApp message on which I received a sweet message back, which gave me the necessary energy to continue enjoying our adventure.   So I will help you with something even better than just a message. I made a Valentine card that you can personalize and send to everyone you miss so much. And don’t think that you will never succeed because you aren’t a graphic designer. I will explain to you step by step how you can do this. You will be very proud of your result. I promise you. How did you celebrate the holidays? Are you one of those lucky ones who got to go home for the holidays and spend some time with family? I’m sure you had a wonderful time. Being together with family during the holidays gives you a whole other start to the year.   Unfortunately, I also know that this has not been possible for everyone, and I know from experience that celebrating the holidays so far from home is different. We realize how different cultures are and how different everyone celebrates those holidays. At these moments, we miss family just that little bit harder.  Missing Family! Missing family will always be one of the most complicated challenges in expat life. No matter how often we send messages and call each other, we can long for that warm hug.    This feeling comes and goes, and there are days where we enjoy all the good things that come with expat life, but there are also days when things are not going well. At that moment, we need people around us who understand us and cheer us up again. We can’t solve it, but we can help and support each other. Personalized Valentine’s Card! I’m going to help you make a personalized Valentine’s card. A card with which you can send love and get a lot of love in return. So start looking for a nice family photo that you can use. You can also leave a personal message on the card, so it becomes a bit of love from you for everyone you miss so much. You can save the card as a digital file and send it by email. You can also post it on your social media or print it out at home and have it sent by post. The choice is entirely yours.   I will explain step by step how to download and edit this Valentine Card and turn you all into graphic designers for the moment. Choose your favorite Valentine Card! Choose the Valentine card you prefer below and download it to your computer. Of course, you can also use all three to have multiple variations. Or maybe you’d like to create a personal version and a version with the whole family. Everything is possible, and the choice is entirely yours.   Valentine’s Day Card No.1 Download Valentine’s Day Card No.2 Download Valentine’s Day Card No.3 Download Canva Open www.canva.com on your computer and sign up for this graphic design platform. You don’t need a paid subscription for this. The free version is just fine to edit this Valentine Card. You have to sign up to be able to use Canva. Open the document After you’ve done this, you can open the downloaded file in Canva by clicking the CREATE A DESIGN button and then clicking IMPORT FILE at the bottom right. You can now select the downloaded file and click OPEN. The file will upload to your design overview page, and from there, you can open it by double-clicking The file will open, and we can start editing. You can change the photo and the text at the bottom of the card. The other items are locked to make selecting the right items easier. Upload and place your photo First, we select the tab UPLOADS in the left bar of our screen and then the purple button UPLOAD MEDIA. Here you can upload the photo you would like to have on the card. The selected image will appear first in the left bar. Then drag the photo of your choice into the photo frame of the design. Note that you will see the photo change and not the card’s background when you drag it. Your directional arrow should be on the photo to replace.   If you accidentally change the background, you can undo this with the undo function (command Z or CTRL Z).   Watch the video below for more information. https://youtu.be/lTW7DKmnPpA To move the photo so it fits nicely in the frame, double click on the photo, after which you can move it.   It is also possible to further enlarge the photo. Again, double-click on it and pull the dots on the corners. You can also lift and move the photo.   Watch the video below for more information. https://youtu.be/bcyLYka1Vyc Change the text message Now that the photo is in place, we will adjust the text. You can optionally press the lock in the top right to lock the photo. This prevents it from being accidentally changed. You have to select the photo and then press the lock.   To adjust the text, select the text by clicking on it. A light blue frame appears around the text. Select the text and type your own text, don’t forget your name. Extend the frame to the left and right sides of the design. This way, your text is always in the middle, and you can use the entire space. https://youtu.be/zs2pPlW2nqc Double-check if everything is the way you like it and if your text is without mistakes. Save your document

Eindhoven Strabrechtse Heide
Going Outdoors, Netherlands

Visit the ‘Strabrechtse Heide’ next to Eindhoven!

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One of our favorite family trips is a walk in nature. Going outdoors is so important for kids, and it’s great to relax and clear your head.  Even if the children have a lot of homework on the weekend, we try to spend a few hours outdoor. Away from the digital devices and a moment to connect. These are often the moments when the kids come up with their stories and the things that keep them busy. It is nice to discover the Netherlands, but we also ensure that we have some beautiful places around our living environment that we can go to. You will find some great places around Eindhoven to explore. On this website, we will add more things to do around Eindhoven.  Subscribe to our monthly newsletter so that you are immediately informed when we post new articles. Strabrechtse Heide (Heath) One of the places we have liked to go since we are back in the Netherlands is the Strabrechtse Heide. This is a nature reserve in the south of the Netherlands in the province of North Brabant. The nature reserve is located in the municipalities of Heeze-Leende, Someren and Gedrop-Mierlo and close to Eindhoven. On the Strabrechtse Heide, you will mainly find beautiful views. It is a large open area with fens and heath vegetation. To maintain and improve this area, they place sheep on the fields. You will undoubtedly encounter these herds during your visit. Due to the vulnerability of this area, only subtle forms of recreation are allowed. But you can still enjoy hiking, cycling, or discovering the area on horseback. What is Heath (Heide) Heath is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils characterized by open, low-growing woody vegetation.  Fens on the Strabrechtse Heide You will also pass many fens during your walk or bike ride. The Strabrechtse Heide has the largest fen in the Netherlands called Beuven. This fen is also known for the many birds and the particular vegetation. Two other unique locations on the Strabrechtse Heide are the Hoenderboom and the Galgenberg.  The Hoenderboom is of historical importance. Five municipalities used to meet here: Heeze, Maarheeze, Someren, Lierop, and Mierlo. Due to municipal reclassifications, this number has fallen to two (Heeze-Leende and Someren). There is a copy of the boundary marker that used to be here on site. In the middle of the Strabrechtse Heide is the Galgenberg, a beautiful small piece of open drifting sand, which is maintained by management measures to preserve the typical flora and fauna. Among other things, ‘spurry’, ‘fine-leaf sheep fescue’, and ‘grey hair-grass’ grow there. Best time to visit the Strabrechtse Heide? The heathlands in the Netherlands are often at their best in August and September. That’s when the heather is in bloom and turns a beautiful purple. During this time, you have to go here for a walk and to make beautiful pictures, but also during the other months of the year, it remains an excellent place for a lovely walk or bike ride. Another great idea is to visit this area at the beginning or end of the day. A sunset is always fantastic, especially in an open space like this. Where to start your activity? The Strabrechtse Heide has 3 locations to start your walk or bike ride. 1. De Plaetse De Plaetse is a starting point located in the municipality of Heeze. De Plaetse is the dutch name for an old Frankish heath village. A user-space for farmers where cattle used to be collected to go to the communal heath as a herd. De Plaetse has been recreated with the characteristic triangular square surrounded by a number of buildings, such as the sheepfold, and a haystack. In the middle of De Plaetse you will find a dug round pool. This had four functions; a drinking place for the cattle, extinguishing a fire, a washing place for cattle feed, and a wool washing place. On the Plaetse is the sheepfold where the herd of 400 Kempen heath sheep is housed. This breed of sheep was almost extinct, but thanks to a targeted breeding program, the breed has been preserved. In addition, there is a heather garden here where a number of characteristic plants have been brought together as they occur on the Strabrechtse Heide. There is also an insect garden, where beehives, an insect hotel, and an insect wall can be found. Of course, there is also a flower garden that attracts many butterflies. You can visit Heidecafé de Strabrechtse Heide for a drink or something to eat. This Heidecafé is part of Kempenhaeghe, a progressive center of expertise in the field of epilepsy and neuroscience. From Tuesday to Friday, Kempenhaeghe clients are busy at and around the Heidecafé. They work in the kitchen, in the service, and also in the landscaping. In addition, they are busy in the work shed ‘het Schob’, which you will find next to the Heidecafé. Kempenhaeghe’s clients make the most beautiful products here, mainly from natural materials. If you’re curious, be sure to go visit there! Various cycling and walking tours start from De Plaetse, are indicated by colored posts, and vary in length. But also other walks pass this place. Address for Parking lot: de Plaetse 71, HeezeGoogle maps: De Plaetse, Heeze, Nederland 2. De Strabrechtse Hoeve This starting point is in the municipality of Mierlo. You can park your car at the Strabrechtse Hoeve and enjoy a snack or drink. Here you will also find a camper place to spend the night for € 15,- per camper. If you only want to go for a walk, there is a parking lot closer to the Strabrechtse Heide. Address for Parking lot: Heezerweg 22, MierloGoogle maps: Strabrechtse Heide Parkeerplaats, Mierlo, Nederland Adress for De Strabrechtse Hoeve: Aardborstweg 19, MierloGoogle maps: De Strabrechtse Hoeve, Mierlo, Nederland 3. Vennenhorst Vennenhorst is the closest to the Beuven, the largest natural fen in the Netherlands. You will find this starting point in the municipality of Someren. From here,

Calendars 2022 overview
Freebies

Free printable Calendar 2022

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We wish everyone all the best for 2022! Let’s work on great goals and enjoy each other and the simple things in life. We use this new start of the year to look back at our goals and adjust them where necessary. We have clearly written down where we see ourselves in the coming years and work towards those goals. These past months back in our home country have made us realize even more how important these goals are to us. We already miss the life and freedom that we experienced as expats, and there is so much more than just hard work and busy life. We, therefore, try to find a good balance between work and private life and go out as much as possible with our teenagers. We will maintain the bond that we developed as a family in Taiwan, which means doing many things together. We hope to motivate you to do the same and discover the country you live in as much as possible. It’s so lovely to go out and enjoy each other and the small, simple things in life. Printable Calendars Every year I make a new design for a calendar to plan our trips, and holidays, and to fill in all our appointments. Also this year I will share these calendars with you to help you organize your busy family life a little bit. You can download them for free and print them out. There is a yearly calendar in A5 format and a monthly calendar.  With this calendar, you can choose between a landscape or a portrait version. Choose what works best for you. I’ve also added the weekly calendar with a week overview and enough space to write down your appointments and details. I also provided space for a shopping list and a to-do list. Start 2022 by downloading these free calendars and writing down all those appointments and holidays. I have put the calendar on a clipboard for this year. You can order these via Bol.com! So handy to be able to take it on your lap and update everything quickly. Maybe also a lovely gift idea for that friend for whom you like to do something extra or just to make someone happy with something small.  Who can’t use a beautiful calendar? So start those downloads, print everything out to write down all your trips and appointments, and start 2022 well organized. Download Yearly Calendar 2022 Download Monthly Calendar 2022 Portrait Download Monthly Calendar 2022 Landscape Download Weekly Calendar 2022

sinterklaas sweetness
Dutch Culture, Expat Life

How to celebrate Sinterklaas

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Sinterklaas is a famous annual festival celebrated in the Netherlands on December 5. The Sinterklaas season starts in mid-November with the arrival of Sinterklaas on the first Saturday after November 11 (Sint Maarten), followed by a period of putting a shoe in front of the fireplace until the party itself. When we talk about Dutch culture and specific things that belong to this country, we think directly of Sinterklaas. It’s not Santa Claus but Sinterklaas. The figure of Santa Claus is largely based on the Dutch Sinterklaas. There are some differences, however.  I will try to help you understand Dutch culture a little bit better, that’s why I especially want to tell you about how the Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas and how you can prepare your children for all the festivities that this party entails. Who is Sinterklaas? Saint Nicholas is the main character of the Sinterklaas party, which is celebrated in the Netherlands on December 5. Saint Nicholas is based on the bishop Nicholas of Myra, a Greek saint who lived in Lycia in the third century AD in modern-day Turkey. He died on December 6, 342. Later this day became his name day. The current celebration of the Sinterklaas party stems from the picture book ‘Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht’ from 1850 by teacher Jan Schenkman, who lived from 1806-1863. He was the first to send Saint Nicholas from Spain. According to him, Saint Nicholas was the bishop of Spain. This teacher also introduced the servant who would later be called ‘Piet’ and the steamboat with which he came to the Netherlands. Saint Nicholas is usually presented as a stately old man with a white beard and white hair, wearing a red miter and cloak. He rides on a white horse called ‘Ozosnel’ and has several helpers who we call ‘Pieten.’ If we briefly summarize this, Saint Nicholas comes by boat from Spain together with his Pieten and his horse and brings presents. What do we celebrate during Sinterklaas? The best answer to this is that we commemorate the anniversary of the death of Saint Nicholas, who has his name day on December 6.   However, the children are told that Saint Nicholas celebrates his birthday on December 6, giving all the children presents. Which countries celebrate Sinterklaas? Sinterklaas is also celebrated outside the Netherlands in: Belgium Germany Aruba Some small things are different about how these countries celebrate Sinterklaas. Traditions that belong to Sinterklaas! Intocht (arrival) van Sinterklaas The national arrival of Saint Nicholas is broadcast on national television. This is always on the first Saturday after November 11. Saint Nicholas and his helpers arrive by boat from Spain and often continue on horse or foot.   The local arrivals are usually the same weekend as the national arrivals. Where possible, Saint Nicholas also arrives here by boat and continues his way by horse or walking past all the children and their parents. During this parade, traditional candy is distributed by all the ‘Pieten’, and children are singing Sinterklaas songs.   This is the official signal for children that they can put their shoes ready from that moment on. Putting your shoe in front of the fireplace The oldest Sinterklaas custom is to put your shoe in front of the fireplace. In the Netherlands, this has been done since at least the 15th century when the poor put their shoes in the church, and wealthy citizens put money in it, distributed among the poor.   It is believed that they started placing the shoe in living rooms in the 16th century. The children fill their shoes with oats and straw. The parents replace this with apples, biscuits, raisins, or money late at night. Later, this was replaced for toys, candy, gingerbread nuts, spice nuts, marzipan, or speculaas.   The story goes that naughty children were beaten with the rod or even taken to Spain in the sack of Saint Nicholas. A sweet tradition Sinterklaas is a feast with many sweets. Especially for the period around Sinterklaas, some typical candy that we call ‘strooigoed’ is handed out on the street or is scattered inside by the pieten.   ‘Strooigoed’ contains gingerbread nuts, spice nuts, little meringues, and sugar confections and looks like the picture. Singing Sinterklaas songs Singing to Saint Nicholas is one of the most important customs associated with this celebration. Kids will sing songs during the arrival of Saint Nicholas in the Netherlands, when kids put their shoes at the fireplace and at the start of ‘Pakjesavond,’ which is on December 5. Sinterklaas evening or ‘Pakjesavond’ Sinterklaas evening, also known as ‘Pakjesavond,’ is held on or around December 5th and is often celebrated with the family. Sinterklaas songs are played and sung this evening while Saint Nicholas and his helpers visit the children at home with a bag full of presents or deliver the gifts to the door.   When children are still very young, they put their shoes in front of the fireplace and find the gifts when they wake up in the morning. Wishlist In the run-up to Sinterklaas, you will find magazines with gift ideas in the various toy stores. These books are ideal for making wish lists. Let the children cut out their wishes and stick them on to a piece of paper. These lists are put in the shoe so Piet can take the wishlist and give it to Saint Nicholas. December 6 According to the story, Saint Nicholas will return to Spain on December 6 early in the morning. Most elementary schools will give the children a day off if December 6 is on a weekday. Some helpful Tips There are companies where you can hire Saint Nicholas and Piets to come to your home.   It is also very common to ask an acquaintance or neighbor to put the bag of gifts at the door and then knock on the door loudly. Make sure they are gone before the children open the door.   At Albert Heijn, you can get the

sunrise from airplane window
Expat Life

Moving back home after 4 years in Taiwan!

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After four great years as an expat family in Taiwan, it was time to move back to our home country, the Netherlands. The kids will be graduating in the Netherlands in the coming years and will find their way in life. Bert and I will work hard to make our dreams come true and retire early to travel the world together. That special feeling of freedom we experienced in Taiwan has made us reflect and change our outlook on life. In this post, we will share how we experienced moving back to our home country. I also give you tips about things that we have experienced as very helpful.  Moving back or relocating is always a challenge and is accompanied by a lot of emotions and tension. But it’s also a new chapter and an adventure where we learn a lot along the way.  Read here our experiences and tips that can be useful for your next move. We had an emotional last year The past year was a tough one where we had to deal with many different emotions. It all started in October 2020 with the unexpected death of my dad. An open heart operation did not go as suspected, and due to additional complications, it all went very quickly. We flew to the Netherlands urgently, and despite the whole covid situation, we were, fortunately, able to be with mom and arrange the funeral.  It was a difficult time, and after three weeks in Belgium, we had to go back to Taiwan and get back to our daily life. Processing the death of a loved one while you are so far away is difficult, but unfortunately, it is also part of the possibilities if you choose a life as an expat. Because we are also in our last contract year in Taiwan, Bert has to look for new options within the company he works for. Are we staying in Taiwan, are there options in other countries, or are we going back to the Netherlands for a few years? So many questions but no answers yet. This period of uncertainty always demands a lot of energy. It’s nice to dream about new countries with every option that presents itself, but after a few months, you’ve had enough of this and want clarity. But the whole covid situation doesn’t help here either.  So we decided to take the plunge ourselves and choose to return to the Netherlands for at least two years.  Moving truck in front of our house Ambassador Hotel Hsinchu View from Hotel over Hsinchu Relocating our stuff and furniture In 2017 we chose to move to Taiwan and bring our furniture. We thought this would create a home feeling because we had our own bed and such at our disposal. Now I dare to say that it is not the furniture that makes a home, but the people who live in that house. Even with small accessories and some personal stuff, you can create a pleasant living environment, and your furniture makes no difference in this. Bringing furniture also means that they have to go back to the Netherlands in a container. We have scheduled three days for a company to come and pack everything. Due to the typhoon season in Taiwan, the moving company advises not to plan too tight, meaning when there is no typhoon, we will stay in a hotel for over a week before we fly to the Netherlands.  Precisely this was the case which turned out to be the perfect decision. We have plenty of time to enjoy these last days. We say goodbye to friends, and the children have time to hang out with classmates. We cancel the mobile phone subscriptions and close the bank account. On the day of departure, our car is the very last to be handed in.  This planning could not have been better, in our opinion. We would really recommend that you consider this if you are also facing a relocation. Plan a week between packing stuff and leaving the country. This will give you time to terminate subscriptions and contracts that are still running and to say goodbye to friends. This helps a lot to end your adventure in a relaxed way. Expat Tip Moving back home We flew with KLM to Amsterdam. On the flight, we were surprised by a lovely gift from the crew. We told them that we were on our way home after living in Taiwan for four years. Because we come back in a period with little supply and high house prices, they solved that problem by giving us ‘two houses’ and a postcard with lovely words written on it. So incredibly thoughtful of this KLM crew. When we arrived at Schiphol, another surprise was waiting for us. Some of our lovely family members were standing there to give us a very welcome home. The first tears of the day were there, and they weren’t the last. It is nice that there is some extra attention for your coming home in this way. It is and remains weird. It’s called coming home, but you no longer have a home in your home country. This feeling will have to grow again and needs time.  Temporary housing Because our furniture is shipped to the Netherlands, we stay in temporary accommodation. In our case, a super tiny apartment where it is reasonably necessary to take each other into account to live there. But we can’t complain and are lucky that the company arranged this for us. The first weeks are tough. We want to have space and sometimes need a place for ourselves. After all the family visits, we decided to go out for a few days and rent a holiday house near the water. We went sailing, fishing and had some good chats. We all needed these few days outdoor. Housing Tip! In the Netherlands, there is a housing company that provides short-term accommodation. Very useful if you move to the Netherlands and didn’t find anything yet.   If

Special wishes in a Taiwanese Temple at Sun Moon Lake
Expat Life, Taiwan

Xie Xie Ni Taiwan

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Our last week in Taiwan has arrived. The last week of an incredible four year adventure in which we have learned and grown so much. Four years in which we have learned about Taiwan and the culture that comes with this country. Four years in which we have had to deal with emotions that we never experienced before. But also four years in which we have created a unique family bond and in which we have grown so close as a family. No one can take this incredibly beautiful experience away from us. Before we step on the plane, we want to look back on this adventure and say thank you to Taiwan.   Family is so important in Taiwan’s Culture Thank you Taiwan for teaching us all about your impressive culture. What we find most special is how you put the extended family at the center of all your cultural activities. You value hard work, patience, humility, friendliness and respect for others. We love how you are all patience with foreigners and how you take time to explain to us how everything works in your country. Subtropical Climate with cold winters Thank you Taiwan for the subtropical climate that we have been able to enjoy during these 4 years. No year has been the same when it comes to the weather so if people ask, what is the best time to travel to Taiwan, I wouldn’t be able to answer it with a single sentence. Every season has advantages and disadvantages and forecasting the weather in Taiwan is not easy. You even surprised us with real winters. We never expected to experience the cold and wear winter coats in a subtropical country but it can get really cold in Taiwan because of its strong wind and the high humidity.    The safest country we’ve been so far Thank you Taiwan for your safety. It’s great to be able to walk around and not have to worry about your bag, wallet and phone. Our teenagers were able to hang out with friends in the shopping malls from the very first moment. We never had to worry. No crossing without seeing a scooter Thank you Taiwan for surprising us with the traffic. We have never seen so many scooters together. We’ve learned to take it easy here and if you’re wrongly pre-sorted, turn on your turn signal and you’ll be fine. Rules are open for interpretation and not followed by the book. What we didn’t like is that every citizen can take pictures from your mistakes and that this ends up with a fine.  Convenience stores at every corner Thank you Taiwan for your convenient life. With your convenience stores at every corner of the streets and your shops that are even open on Sundays and until late in the evening. When we suddenly felt like something sweet in the evening, we ran downstairs and got something at a seven eleven on the corner. These are also the places where you pay your bills and are open 24 hours a day. They also provided us with cold drinks, a quick lunch and many coffees for on the road. We will definitely miss these convenience stores. Breathtaking mountain views Thank you Taiwan for your beautiful mountain scenery. As a family that grew up in a country without mountains, you have often surprised us. So rugged, so huge and so breathtaking. We enjoyed many lovely walks and quite a bit of exhaustion on the way to the top but were always rewarded with breathtaking views. We have made our most favorite walks in Taroko National Park. I’ve even been a guest on a podcast where I shared our experiences about the visits to Taroko National Park.  Great memories at the Beach Thank you Taiwan for the wonderful memories we have of Fulong Beach. This beach is where we spent many weeks of summer vacations with friends. Where we went during Chinese new year and other long weekends. Lots of great memories with the best company. This is also the place where we were introduced to the centipedes, sand cockroach and hummercrab and let’s not forget the snake that crawled out of its hiding place in broad daylight. This was also part of life in Taiwan.   This Island even has beautiful offshore Islands Thank you Taiwan for your amazing offshore islands. We were introduced to life on some of these islands. All with their own story and details. We will certainly never forget tough crossings by boat and those to Green Island with more than half of all passengers who got sick.   HIS – Hsinchu International School – by Lotte and Pepijn Thank you Hsinchu International School for giving my brother and I a wonderful time over the past 4 years. You taught us so much and made us stronger as a person. We are thankful for all the friends we have made there, you guys made our for years most awesome. It is the absolute best to have so many friends from all over the world! They secretly teach you so much! Thank you HIS for all you’ve done!!!   Traveling and exploring Thank you Taiwan for making traveling so easy with your trains, busses, boats and wide choice of Hotels everywhere on the island. We were lucky to be able to explore your country even better during the last 1,5 year when international travel wasn’t possible.  Bike rides – by Bert Thank you Taiwan for the amazing rides and stunning scenery. I had a lot of great rides across the island and was blessed to share these rides with nice people and friends. Riding the bike will never be the same outside Taiwan and will definitely miss the rough nature, steep hills and the convenience of a 7/11 on every corner even if you ride in the middle of nowhere.   Taiwan and the Pandemic  Thank you Taiwan for responding so well and quickly to everything related to the Pandemic. You

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