Connect International serves the international community in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.

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2 Connecting Worlds Connect International serves the international community in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. Supported by an international staff and Board of Directors, we provide quality relocation services and practical information to help familiarize international residents with all aspects of living, working or studying in the Northern Netherlands, as well as organizing events and activities to make connections. Services: Immigration services Home search & set-up Career services Social events, activities & clubs Business events Personal support & assistance Buddy -system Free access to books & guides Knowledge database Join Us! You can register to become a Connect International member via our website. For a small yearly fee, you receive the Connections e-magazine newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, you have access to the Connect International community through organized events, you can ask us any questions you may have and much more. Welcome New Members! Visit: Connect International would like to welcome the following new members: Marcel Vergolts, Pilar Perez, Guillermo Perez, Chiara Lisciandra, Bahati Mpazi and Laura Corbett 1 Connections #66

3 Event Review Connect Sinterklaas Party Past Event Review On Friday, 4 December, about 50 people of many nationalities joined together to celebrate during a Sinterklaas Party for adults at the Pakhuis in Groningen. While waiting for the arrival of Sinterklaas, we gathered into teams for a very difficult quiz about Sinterklaas and members of the winning team each got a potlikker, a very Dutch kitchen item that is used to get every last bit of good out of a jar of mayonnaise, ketchup, peanut butter, etc. When Sinterklaas arrived with his Pieten, we were all very good and sang a traditional song to welcome him and he gave each of us a present. experience this typical Dutch tradition. The party continued after Sint and Piets' departure with everyone going home knowing how to celebrate Sinterklaas the next day for real at home with their friends and family! Written by Margaret Metsala The good Sint also read a poem he and his Pieten had crafted, about the lives of internationals in the Netherlands, so that we could also Connect International Office: Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98, Groningen Postbus 16, 9700 AA Groningen Telephone: info@connect-int.org Website: Editorial Editor: Stephanie Fermor Assistant Editor: Margaret Metsala Writers: Stephanie Fermor, Karen Prowse, Milena Stanojevic, Maria Kuznetsova, Margaret Metsala and Rachel Heller Send all letters and submissions to: publications@connect-int.org Editorial and advertising in Connections is based on material, written and verbal, provided by contributors and advertisers. No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Connections is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission by the publisher. Connections #66 2

4 What s on January 2016 CONNECT EVENTS Highlighted Events this month 14 Jan Colour me amazing Connect Beauty Club invites you to join the "Colour me amazing" workshop. This colour analysis workshop will give you a whole new confidence boost! 20 Jan Cheese Tasting During the Cheese & Wine Tasting you will be offered 5 different types of wine (or beer) accompanied by different cheeses and snacks. 28 Jan Culinary Connect High Tea Join Connect International for a High Tea Workshop, hosted at Adeline s. All Connect Events this month Movie Club: Still Alice Monday 11 January, 13:30 Pathe Bioscoop Groningen Book Club Monday 11 January, 20:00 Alexandra s house Colour me amazing workshop Thursday 14 January, 13:30 hrs International Coffee Morning Friday 15 January, 10:30 V&D s La Place (Groningen) Writer s Circle Tuesday 19 January Cheese Tasting Wednesday 20 January, 19:30 De Kaaskop (Groningen) The Vision Board 2016 workshop Thursday 21 January, 13:00 hrs Easy Dutch Café: Transport & Travel in the Netherlands Friday 22 January, 11:00 hrs Pub Night Friday 22 January, 18:00 hrs O Malley s Irish Pub (Groningen) Easy Dutch Café: Transport & Travel in the Netherlands Tuesday 26 January, 19:00 hrs Culinary Connect: High Tea workshop Thursday 28 January, 13:00 Adeline s house (Winsum) International Coffee Morning Friday 29 January, 10:30 V&D s La Place (Groningen) Colour for Men & Women workshop Saturday 30 January, 12:00 StyleSense (Westerbroek) 3 Connections #66

5 What s on January 2016 SCHOOL HOLIDAY DATES Christmas Vacation Times Primary Education & Secondary Education Schools Basisonderwijs & Voortgezet onderwijs North Netherlands 19 December January 2016 Week 52-1 Mid-Netherlands 19 December January 2016 Week 52-1 South Netherlands 19 December January 2016 Week 52-1 OTHER EVENTS Events in Groningen, Friesland & Drenthe NNO New Year's Concert 5 January - Drachten 6 January - Leeuwarden 7 January - Groningen 8 January - Stadskanaal 9 January - Winschoten 12 January - Hoogeveen 13 January - Emmen Eurosonic Noorderslag 13 January - 16 January, Groningen Frisian Proms 15 January, Leeuwarden Vrijdagweek January, Groningen MotorEXPO Assen 22 January - 24 January, Assen Ice Sculpture Festival 24 Dec - 24 Jan 2015, Zwolle Ice Skating Keep an eye out for when temperatures drop for ice skating rinks. Connections #66 4

6 Life Experience DIY, WHERE TO START? Guide to DIY stores Since buying a house almost two years ago we have done a lot of work on it. From stripping every room of wallpaper and decorating, putting in new flooring, new toilet and having an extension built for a new kitchen, there has been a lot of learning and hunting for the best prices and deals. My dad was a big DIY man, doing most of the jobs around my parents home himself and it rubbed off on me. So when we bought our home I was looking for a place that needed some work on it so that we could get it for a good price and make it our own. The house we bought certainly fitted into that category, having been previously owned for the last 50 years by a now 80 year old couple. We started off by investing in a wallpaper steamer as we had a lot of wallpaper to remove. We purchased one from Kwantum for just 30, but they are also available to hire from other DIY stores like Praxis and Gamma. Next was the flooring. In some rooms we laid laminate flooring ourselves, an easy and cheap option. But we also had some carpet in the bedroom and had that laid by Carpet Right. We found that if you waited a little bit and planned you could get a nice deal on things. We bought the laminate from Praxis with 20% off vouchers, and the carpet we got on sale too with free underlay. Before 5 Connections #66

7 Life Experience After I did all the painting and decorating myself. Having never decorated before anyway, figuring out which type of paint we wanted was a challenge, plus then the translation issue. Here are some of the common types of paint and their translations. Muurverf Wall paint, you have mat (mat) or silk (zijdemat) Lak Gloss paint, you will need to apply a primer (grondverf) first and then either silk (zijdeglans) or high gloss (hoogglans) When the time came to build our kitchen extension we contacted a few builders to get quotes. Some builders were rude once they knew we were getting more than one quote, but we didn t let that stop us and got 4 quotes total. If possible it is also good to get references or see if a friend can recommend someone to you; generally the same precautions you would take in your home country. Communicating with builders can be difficult; none of the builders we spoke with knew much English, so I was grateful that my husband is Dutch. So if you do have a large project it may be worth finding a project manager who speaks English and Dutch to help organise everything. They can also help you source materials, I particularly wanted PVC windows and doors (kunststof ramen en deuren) and had to go to the builder s material supplier to pick out what I wanted. If you have some DIY projects for the new year planned, here are some of the larger DIY stores where you can find supplies and advice. Connections #66 6

8 Life Experience DIY Stores Praxis - Often have coupons for 20% off, will also honour coupons from other DIY stores. Gamma - Great selection of painting supplies, including affordable mixed paints. Formido - Good all round selection. Hornbach - Large collection, but often located out of town. Karwei - Good selection of all DIY products, power tools and some furniture. Fixet - Offer a voordeelpas for 5% discount on everything. Kwantum - Has a range of lower priced flooring, wallpaper, and other decorating supplies. Carpet Right - Good range of flooring materials and will lay for a reasonable price. Also offer a measuring service. Ikea - Has a range of laminate flooring and plinths. Written by Stephanie Fermor 7 Connections #66

9 Upcoming Workshop CONFIDENCE BOOST THROUGH COLOUR IN 2016 Upcoming Connect International Workshop The New Year is a perfect time to look at yourself from a new perspective, to re-evaluate different areas of your life and to introduce big- or small-scale changes. In this light, Connect Beauty Club organizes two style workshops with colour as a central focus. We organize two workshops in an attempt to create an equal opportunity for everyone to attend one of them. To help you orientate and make the right choice, here is the short description of both of them. Colour me amazing workshop will take place Thursday, January 14, in the afternoon and will be given by Karlijn Buist from KIEK. During this workshop you will get a chance to learn why certain shades compliment your look more than others; how to best wear the colours you already have in your wardrobe and to create easy colour combinations; and how your power colour can boost your confidence. This workshop will be available for 8 to 10 people. Colour for men and women workshop will be given by a Style Coach Babette Aquino from StyleSense on Saturday, January 30th. After a brief explanation of the colour theory, each of the participants will undergo an individual colour analysis. In a fun and interactive way you will learn how colours influence your appearance and perception by others. In the end of the workshop you will have a much clearer idea about the colours that flatter you the most and how to combine them with each other. This workshop will be available for 4 to 6 people, and each participant will get a Personal Colour Disk with their own best colour combination data. And for those of you who will not be able to be present for a personal advice, we have prepared an article highlighting the basics of the Colour Theory. Connections #66 8

10 Upcoming Workshop THE COLOUR THEORY Colour is an important element when choosing the right wardrobe and an important part when it comes to making a first impression. According to colour theory, every colour sends different messages. Also, most people process colour interpretation faster than other aspects of your look; therefore if you are aiming for a certain message, wearing a specific colour is a must. Colours can also affect your mood and your energy, so it will impact how others view you. By wearing the colours that best suit you, you will not only appear healthier, younger, more alert and energetic but most of all it is your personal touch that will stand out. Wearing too many colours will only detract attention and just a few colours will make you look boring. So it all comes down to making the right colour combination. The Colour Wheel The colour wheel is a logical and useful way to make a colour combination. Primary Colours Red, yellow and blue are the 3 primary colours that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colours are derived from these 3 hues. Secondary Colours Green, orange and purple are the colours formed by mixing the primary colors. Tertiary Colours Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green & yellow-green are the colours formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color. 9 Connections #66

11 Upcoming Workshop Warm Colours Warm colours are made with orange, red and yellow. Skins with warm undertone will look great with gold. By adding blue, a colour will be cooler. Cool Colours Cool colours are made with blue, green and purple. A pale skin with silver will look great. By adding yellow, a colour will be warmer. Analogous Colours These (related) colours are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel such as blue & green, red-orange, red/pink, fuchsia, lime, lemon and orange. This so called ton-sur-ton will make you look harmonious. How To Make A Colour Combination? To make a colour combination that is interesting and pleasing to the eye, you need to follow some guidelines. Monotone (A)chromatic Monotone chromatic is a colour scheme that consists only of one hue and its variations in terms of tints, shades and saturation. And monotone achromatic is only neutral colours. Both will make you look good but they have the risk of looking boring. Combining with a bright or highlight colour will create an effective look. Complementary Colours On the 3 primary colour mixing wheel, complementary colours always sit opposite each other. Use a primary colour as a base in your outfit and wear its complement in the accessories. There are so many colour combinations, especially those that reflect your personality. But it starts with understanding the basics of the colours and most important of all this is to have fun with it! Written by Babette Aquino StyleSense Connections #62 10

12 Netherlands and beyond DRIVING COSTA BLANCA Some Advice If you re ever in the Costa Blanca in Spain, here s what I d recommend: get away from the coast! Yes, you can enjoy the beaches and party till the wee hours in the coastal towns, but there s far more to see inland. The drive I did the other day, for example, was absolutely lovely. Leaving from Parcent, a small village halfway between Valencia and Alicante, where my in-laws lived for more than 20 years, in a small rented car, I drove along minor routes through the mountains toward the city of Alcoy. My excuse for going there was to 11 Connections #66

13 Netherlands and beyond visit the Refugio de Cervantes, an air raid shelter from the Spanish Civil War. But this post isn t about that; it s about the drive. It turned out that this trip was worth the time just for the drive itself. The distance is less than 60 kilometers, but, if you do it, the drive will take at least two hours more if you want to stop and take pictures and enjoy the scenery. The roads in this region, however, are not for the faint-hearted. Narrow, without an inch of space on either side, they twist and turn as they climb up and down mountains. In many places, despite the fact that a line has been painted down the middle, there isn t really quite enough room for two cars to pass. I am not exaggerating when I say that you are taking your life in your hands on every turn, since you can t see around the corner. Locals, it seems, don t mind taking that risk, preferring to drive fast and then slam on the brakes as needed. I was fortunate to be about one second away from taking a left-hand turn uphill around a blind curve. A cement mixer was headed downhill and took its right-hand turn too fast, veering halfway into my lane. Given that my side of the road was lined with large concrete blocks edging a cliff, it was very nearly a disaster. But don t let any of this scare you away from driving in this region. It really is lovely. The villages are generally perched on the smaller hills: tightly-packed clusters of stone or stucco houses surrounding a church with a tall square tower. The land between the villages is either mountainous rocky, scrubby, with scattered olive orchards on the lower slopes, bare rock on the heights or the valleys between those mountains, again either scrubland or orchards: olive, citrus or almond. Some things to keep in mind if you decide to drive in the Costa Blanca 1. Slow down before every turn, which really means: go slow pretty much all the time. If someone comes at you just as you reach a turn, you may have to brake suddenly, so it helps if you re not going fast to begin with. Remember, there s nowhere to swerve out of the way. 2. Stay to the right, especially on the turns. If you can see around the next turn, as is sometimes possible, and you re sure that no one s coming the other way, you can be a little more Connections #66 12

14 Netherlands and beyond expansive in your driving and go over the center line. Otherwise, just don t! 3. Slow down to a crawl when you do need to pass someone coming the other way, or you re liable to lose a side mirror. 4. Which is why when you rent a car you should get the full coverage, so if you do end up with scratches or damage a side mirror, you ll be covered. 5. Stop only where there s space off the road. Unfortunately, on this route, there are very few of these spots. You can risk stopping in the middle of the road, but only do that where you can see a long way in both directions, so you can hop in and get moving if a car comes along. 6. Don t look at the scenery if you re driving. It s just too risky. Take turns driving, switching whenever you find one of those pull-over areas. That way each of you will get to enjoy the scenery for part of the journey. 7. In some places, the roadway is painted with arrows indicating that a passing zone is ending and you should move back into your own lane. Please don t take this to mean that it s ever okay to pass! Anyone who passes other cars on these roads must have a death wish! Despite all these warnings, I d highly recommend taking a drive around the Costa Blanca countryside. It s too pretty to miss! Written by Rachel Heller. Rachel Heller lives in Groningen and writes about travel, expat life and other topics at 13 Connections #66

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16 Your Career SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING The First Step To Finding A Job In The Netherlands Networking is the way to find a job in the Netherlands, but networking can be seen as an art or a science most people need to learn about and practice regularly. Networking to find a job in the Netherlands can be especially challenging for those coming from abroad and struggling to find their way in a foreign application culture. Professional career support is very common in the Netherlands; it varies from group workshops providing more general information to in-depth individual trainings and coaching. Powered by this knowledge, Connect International and International Welcome Center North (IWCN) have offered the Networking to Work in the Netherlands workshop exclusively to Connect members. On 4 November 2015, 17 people gathered at the IWCN for this workshop given by career professional Annette Rauh. Annette s company, Annette Rauh Coaching & Consult, is one of the Service Partners of the IWCN. The participants represented 13 different nationalities and many 15 Connections #62

17 Your Career different professional backgrounds, ranging from fashion to travel, real estate, engineering, research, accounting, HR, etc. Some were graduating Master s or PhD students, others were trailing spouses or people looking to start a new venture in the Netherlands. It was a truly diverse and talented international group! During this informative and interactive workshop, participants learned how to assemble an effective elevator pitch concerning their key talents and competencies, their added value and their call to action point, and then put the theory into practice. Once the pitch was set, Annette discussed the different types of networking and when they should be used, how to go about achieving a networking talk with someone (as a successful and specifically Dutch way of getting a job), and finally discussed some cultural differences in business etiquette and networking. With this training, participants were far better prepared to effectively engage in the labor market in the Netherlands. Bedrijfsleven Noord-Nederland, a company showcase at the Martiniplaza, to try out their newly acquired networking skills during the exposition. Annette was on hand to encourage them and give a bit of advice when necessary. The goal was for each person to come away with at least one new warm contact, which is the starting point for building a successful network, and we re pleased to say that everyone achieved or exceeded that goal. All in all, this workshop turned out to be a useful and successful event and a worthy investment in one s own career opportunities. Written by Karen Prowse As an added bonus, at the end of the workshop, participants were given entry tickets to visit the Promotiedagen van het Connections #66 16

18 Taste of Dutch DUTCH APPLE TART Traditional Dutch Recipe You may have had this traditional Dutch apple tart at a birthday party, or work celebration, and they can be purchased at supermarkets. But as with most treats, a homemade version tastes so much better! Here is a recipe to make your own apple tart; you can opt to leave out the walnuts or raisins if you don t like them. Make the dough by hand for best results. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, zest and salt. Dough 175gr cold cubed butter (Roomboter) 150gr caster sugar (Witte basterdsuiker) 300gr self-raising flour finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 egg yolks pinch of salt Apple Mix 1-1,5kg cooking apples, e.g. Goudrenetten or Jonagolds, peeled, cored and each cut into eight wedges 50gr raisins 50gr walnuts 2tbsp ground cinnamon 4tbsp sugar Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles yellow corn meal mixed with bean sized bits of butter. (If the flour/butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Add one egg yolk and stir the dough together with a fork or by hand in the bowl. 17 Connections #66

19 Taste of Dutch Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled: at least 1 hour. For the filling, mix the apples with the raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and sugar. Leave aside. Take the dough out of the fridge. Keep one quarter for the top. Sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and using a rollingpin, roll out the dough to a 26-30cm circle, 3-5mm thick. As you roll out the dough, check to make sure it isn't sticking to your work surface. If and when it starts to stick, gently lift it up and sprinkle a little more flour on the work surface or on the dough to keep it from sticking. Fill in with the apple mixture. Roll the remaining dough into long strings (8 total) and lay them across the top in a lattice format. Whisk another egg yolk and brush it over the top. Bake for one hour in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees. Serve the apple tart warm or cold with a little cream on the side, or may be some ice cream! Written by Milena Stanojevic Gently place the rolled out dough into a 24cm round deep cake tin. Press down to line the bottom and sides with the dough, push in into the corners. Connections #66 18

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