Refugees in the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Oct 14, 2015
If you follow the news in Europe, I am sure you have read about the recent vluchtelingen crisis. Thousands of people from Syria, Somalia, Libya and other war-torn areas are daring the dangerous journey to Europe in the hopes to escape the crisis back home. The obstacles the vluchtelingen must overcome before even making to any European country…
VLA is Dutch – all you need to know Posted by Sten on Oct 12, 2015
VLA – what do these three letters mean in the Netherlands? A mysterious secret service? A shortcut for a big city in the Netherlands? Maybe something… astronomical? All NO, NO, NO! I am talking about something delicious here. The Netherlands is famous for its Heineken beer, its cheeses, bikes, marijuana, dykes and flatness. But not for…
200 Years Dutch Staten-Generaal! Posted by Sten on Oct 10, 2015
2015 is a year of anniversaries! The celebrations for 200 years of Dutch Kingdom just ended. That started in 1815. And the province Drenthe turned 200 years old. It is also the year that the Dutch Staten-Generaal (States-General) turned 200 years old. What is this Staten-Generaal exactly? It is the word that refers to the Dutch Eerste Kamer (First Chamber…
TV on the Web: How to Learn Dutch on TV this Fall Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Oct 8, 2015
Dutch language learners often have a harder life than learners of other languages: Dutch isn’t spoken in many countries, and the people who live in those countries usually want to speak English to you anyways. But when it comes to improving your luistervaardigheid (listening skills), you’re in luck with Dutch: there are thousands of hours of…
Our Education 2032 Posted by Karoly Molina on Oct 7, 2015
On October 1st of this year, Platform Onderwijs 2032 presented a list of recommendations in order to improve the education for future generations. In the year 2032, the students who are in Group 1 in the Netherlands will begin their career lives, and the Education program must address the future needs of these students. The…
25 Jaar Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden – The Most Successful Dutch Soap Opera Posted by Sten on Oct 5, 2015
Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden – Good times, Bad times. It is a seminal soap opera on Dutch television, which is based on the Australian “The Restless Years”. The first episode of GTST, as it is also called, was broadcast on October 1, 1990 on TV Channel RTL 4. It was the first soap opera in continental…
50 Years 3FM – Some Dutch radio history Posted by Sten on Oct 3, 2015
This week, Dutch radio channel 3FM turned 50 years old. The public channel is one of the most popular and hip ones on the air, in particular with its by now legendary morning show host Giel Beelen. Its main audience is today’s youth, 15-35 year-olds. A lot of different styles are played, from rock to…