Archive for 'Culture'
4 Things I Dislike about the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 24, 2016
I’ve lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years and I think in this time, I have been able to see a good variety of Dutchness. There are plenty of things I like, but there are some things I find simply vervelend. I decided to compose a list of 4 things I dislike about the Netherlands…
6 Ways to Read More News in Dutch Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Feb 23, 2016
Especially when learning a small cultural language like Dutch, it’s nearly impossible to separate the language from the culture of the people who speak it. That’s why jezelf op de hoogte houden (keeping yourself up to date) on current events in the Netherlands, Belgium, and other parts of the nederlandstaalgebied is a great way to…
Volkskrant: I am not Dutch Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 17, 2016
The writer for the Volkskrant, Nadia Ezzeroili, published a very interesting and controversial column titled Ik ben geen Nederlander: Nederland en ik, we gaan uit elkaar. In this column, Ezzeroili begins by comparing her relationship with the Netherlands as that to a partner or spouse. She recomends that maybe it is time for both to go to…
The Dutch Version of the Correspondents’ Dinner Posted by Sten on Feb 15, 2016
Last Wednesday, February 10, the Dutch press held their version of the US Correspondents’ Dinner at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. The idea is to copy the Correspondents’ Dinner and have the “President” of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, make fun of himself, his fellow politicians and the press. So comparing to President…
4 Things To Know About Maastricht Carnival! Posted by Sten on Feb 9, 2016
1. The Vastelaovendsleedsje 2016 Every year, a Vastelaovendsleedsje (“Carnival song” in the Maastricht dialect) is chosen. This year, it is Confetti by the carnival band de Zes Köp (“The six heads” in the dialect). However, it is not played much during Carnival! Just today, while walking around a few hours through Maastricht, I heard one song many times over: De Körk by Fabrizio: The text…
What to do in this year’s Carnival Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 3, 2016
It’s that time of the year when the people from Limburg and Brabant get together to enjoy a time to drink, be jolly and be crazy…carnaval! If you are in the area or are interested in some of the events, here are just a few of the many events in cities and towns throughout the…
Koninklijk Muntenhuis – Will It Stay? Posted by Sten on Feb 1, 2016
Every country has a currency, and so every country needs a place where that money is made. In the Netherlands, coins are made by a company called Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (KNM) or the Koninklijk Muntenhuis. Paper bills are made elsewhere. Despite this important role, the KNM might become superfluous very soon… So let’s have a closer look. Where does KNM come…