That’s It, Folks
The XPat Journal adventure lasted more than 22 years, but all good things must come to an end.
In March 2020 the final issue of our magazine appeared.
Our website stays active though so you’ll be able to access our huge archive of summaries of articles we’ve published since 1998.
View the final print issue on ISSUU


Summaries from the Latest Issue of The XPat Journal
Why Do the Dutch Speak English So Well?
By Chris Smit The Dutch are internationally known for the fact that their English is of a very high standard. Why is that? Well, there are a couple of reasons. On a technical level, the Dutch language has its roots in the Indo-European languages (like German and English itself). For that reason, grammar structures (and … Continued

To Be or Not to Be a Father
What does ‘being a parent’ mean? What do custody or parental responsibility entail? For instance, do you have a say in the choice of school for your children? Especially for unmarried expat parents, the answers to these questions are not simple. If an expat father wants to create the best conditions for his children … Continued

The Future Looks Bright for International School Delft
By Jaap Mos Since the successful launch of the Primary school in 2014 on the TU campus, International School Delft (ISD) has entered a new phase in its development with the opening of a secondary school campus in 2019. With this addition, ISD is under way to becoming one of the few schools in the … Continued

Making the Difference: Multiculturalism that Matters
By Paul Michael Let’s play a game. I’ll give you the name of a country, and you have to tell me something about its culture. Only, there’s one rule; you can’t refer to any of the ‘six fs’: food, flags, festivals, fashion, and famous people or places. So, no Eiffel Tower, frogs’ legs or … Continued

Unraveling the Mysteries of Culture
By Jan Vincent Meertens Professor Geert Hofstede, one of the Netherlands’ most widely cited and translated scholars, passed away in February 2020, at the age of 91. Hofstede is known for his pioneering research on cross-cultural groups and organizations and has been a great source of inspiration to those who have tried to unravel … Continued

The Netherlands at Its Best
There is nothing like seeing a country through the eyes of another person – and this becomes even more exceptional when you get to see it through the eyes of a photographer. On June 1 of this year, an updated version of Frans’s The Netherlands at Its Best will appear, with 100 new photos, … Continued

Dutch Education: Even When You’re Sick, Just Act Normal
Greg: Hi! It’s me, Greg Shapiro: The American Netherlander. And this time it’s also my wife Inez de Goede; author and mother of our two kids. Inez: The mother-who-always-gets-the-blame-when-things-go-wrong-with-her-child. Greg: Right. Inez has quite some experience with our 15-year-old son and his medical condition. Inez: Our son has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. … Continued

Ambassadors for Change
How It All Began The Stories that Move project, an anti-discrimination campaign and curriculum created by the Anne Frank Foundation in cooperation with ISA, has proven to be a mark of true innovation in education. A free, online tool and curriculum available in seven languages, Stories that Move is available for any person or organisation … Continued

Corporate Housing Factory Launches New Website
Corporate Housing Factory (CHF), leading corporate housing provider in the Netherlands, is excited to announce the launch of its brand-new website, corporatehousingfactory.com, which serves as a booking engine and guide for its six properties with serviced apartments in the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Eindhoven. But mostly, the new website features make it … Continued

Going to University
For those seeking an English-language study program, the Netherlands is one of the most accessible countries to explore, for a variety of reasons. For starters, over 2,100 courses are on offer here in English, constituting 23% of the bachelor’s degrees on offer here and 74% of the master’s degrees. Another reason why studying here is … Continued

Patchwork Family
‘Patchwork families’ are families made up of parents and children, whereby one – or both – of the parents has brought in a child from a former relationship. Sometimes these parents also have joint children. Almost 10% of all families are patchwork families. And this is only expected to increase. The relations within such a … Continued

How Can ‘Significant Others’ Land Successfully?
Indeed. A crucial question for anyone who accompanies, or joins, someone on a relocation anywhere. We, at ACCESS in the Netherlands, want to draw attention to the efforts of our Patron, TU Delft’s Dual Career Services. We have known for quite some time that they were on the right path – and the feedback from … Continued
