For everyone entering a new country, in this case, the Netherlands, I always advise to get all the information you can as quickly as you can… When I arrived here in 2005, I didn’t know anyone. I was the accompanying partner, mother of a son, not really knowing […]
This time of the year many multicultural families struggle with finding a compromise: which tradition to maintain around Christmas, especially when you partner is used to other customs and you are living in a place where “things are done differently” from what you were used to when you were a child. I must […]
Every country, every culture has its own ways to celebrate traditional festivities. Some families who live abroad adopt some of the local traditions and adapt them with those they know from their own childhood or from the other places they’ve lived. Multicultural families need to agree not only […]
This is an amazing animation from the Amsterdam City Archives showing the growth of Amsterdam during the Golden Age from 1600 until 1700. It’s the time when the Grachtengordel – the canal belt – was formed. Watch how the city took its actual shape.
Learing a new language is always very exciting. Especially when the new language we’re learning is similar to one we already know. These similarities can be at different levels (phonetical, lexical, syntactical etc.). The Dutch language belongs to the westgerman branch of the indoeuropean languages and is actually […]
In many countries like Germany, Switzerland, Skandinavian countries etc. it is common use to take off the shoes when entering someone’s home (*). The custom of removing shoes is widespread also in Eastern countries like Japan, Korea and Turkey. In these countries it is considered a major faux […]
St Nicholas is celebrated in many countries of Europe, mainly in German speaking countries and throughout the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, and is usually accompained by helpers. This dark or threatening companion of St Nicholas is called Krampus in Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Friuli (North Eastern […]
Last year I did write a post about 10 indoor activities to do with children during this time of the year and last week I published a post on AngloINFO about Things to do in The Hague area during Autumn Holiday. This year we did decide to spend […]
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Expat Since Birth – A Life spent "abroad" 