Archive for 'News'
Dutch Ingenuity in the U.S. Elections Posted by Karoly Molina on Oct 13, 2016
For the last couple of months, the Netherlands has been closely watching the presidential campaigns in the United States. While everyone has their own political opinions about the elections, the presidential election is a tense time for the country. That being said, the campaign trail has also inspired people’s creativity. After the first debate, Sten…
The Donald Trump Votewiser Posted by Sten on Oct 3, 2016
You have probably seen the debate between Clinton and Trump last Monday. It was watched by more than 80 million people, not counting people following it online. That is a vast amount! It also did not go unnoticed in other parts of the world, and also news outlets in the Netherlands reports on the important…
Women in the Military – Dutch Dienstplicht Posted by Sten on Aug 8, 2016
In the Dutch system, every boy receives a letter at the age of 17 that tells him that he is enrolled in the military dienstplicht (conscription), though this is not compulsory. Only in case of war, they will be drafted. So the boy does not have to follow actual military training. However, so far only boys…
The EU, de Globalisering, and the Dutch Language Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Jul 19, 2016
The summer is off to a shaky start for the European project. For the 27 remaining member states, it’s not only politics and public life that stands to change, but also language, languages, and the balance between them. In the midst of it all, the Netherlands and the Dutch language have front row seats, right in the…
Bye, bye Bijlmerbajes! Posted by Sten on Jul 17, 2016
One of the most infamous prisons of the Netherlands, the Bijlmerbajes, closed on June 1, 2016. It started as a humane prison, without bars in front of the windows. The cell doors were mostly open all day long, and some of the gedetineerden (detained) even had the key to their own cell. But notorious escapes ensued, and the Bijlmerbajes became…
Book Review: The Woman who Fed the Dogs Posted by Karoly Molina on Jun 29, 2016
“The Woman who Fed the Dogs” or in Dutch De vrouw die de honden te eten gaf by Kristien Hemmerechts is my latest Dutch-language read and one that I also struggled with (for another struggling read, please read my previous book review). The novel is based on the true story of the wife of murderer and…
After the Brexit, maybe a Nexit? Posted by Sten on Jun 27, 2016
The people of the United Kingdom have decided: they want to leave the European Union (EU). This is also referred to as the Brexit, a combination of Britain and exit. But what does this mean for other countries in Europe, what about the Netherlands? Will there be a Nexit? The Brexit Even though many outlets and…