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


Museum Voorlinden: Wonderment and Philosophical Questions

Museum Voorlinden, which opened in 2016, was created by Joop van Caldenborgh, a businessman and art collector who wanted to share his collection with the world. It houses both temporary collections, as well as (semi-permanent) pieces – such as the enticing swimming pool that you can walk underneath and the heart-warming scene of a larger-than-life … Continued


Financial Considerations Surrounding Finding a Home

One of the most important issues involved with buying a house – in fact without these you could not buy one – is finances. You either have to be able to rent a home, buy it, or finance it and there are certain tax issues to be taken into account, as well. Renting a house … Continued


All Is Quiet on the Western Front?

By Patrick Rovers   It is clear that the European Union is facing its largest downsizing operation since its genesis in 1951. It stands to lose 67 million citizens, and 5.42% of its territory. It stands to lose London, its biggest population centre with more than 14 million inhabitants. Furthermore, it stands to lose one … 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


When Does My Child Start School in the Netherlands?

And What Happens Next?   By Annebet van Mameren   To these seemingly simple questions, there are surprisingly no simple answers. In this article, Annebet van Mameren talks you through the procedures and practicalities, to make sure your child gets off to a flying start. She starts with the issue that most children start school … Continued


Mortgage, Liability and Marriage

By Yolanda Bokhorst You must be wondering: what’s the connection between the words in the title? I can assure you; more than you would expect. Allow me to explain. When you buy a house without having the amount of the purchase price, expenses and taxes in your bank account, you will need to arrange a … Continued


Words Are All We Have

By Jan Vincent Meertens   In many cultures, people use high-context communication for two key reasons. One reason is their sensitivity to social hierarchy, also described as the power-distance dimension in the Hofstede model for intercultural management. Another key reason for a high-context communication style is the social interdependency that a community has developed, also … 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


Gouda: Medieval Charm by Candlelight

There are cities that come to life in spring, but become drab, unimaginative blocks of building materials in the winter. However, one city that becomes part of a fairytale in the winter is Gouda. The highlight of this fairytale, this year, will be Saturday, December 13. On this day, From the early afternoon to late … Continued


She’s the Boss

By Chris Smit   “Belgium has a higher score on hierarchy than the Netherlands. This means that in Belgium, like in Guatemala, the boss is much more the boss than in the Netherlands, where the boss is more of a colleague, whose main task it is to create a pleasant work environment for his/her people. … Continued