Tag Archives: Netherlands
8 Things You Have To Know About The Dutch Verzuiling Posted by Sten on Oct 2, 2015
A significant development in the history of the Netherlands is the so-called verzuiling. It could be translated as pillarization (zuil = pillar). So what does that mean? When did it happen? Who is it about? And, maybe most importantly… Why? 1. It divided society Yes, this is a very bold point, and tells you a bit…
Fashion and Prinsjesdag 2015 Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 30, 2015
Earlier this month, King Willem-Alexander presented to the government and the Dutch people the changes for the coming year. Important topics such as health insurance costs, military expansions and the refugee crisis were all part of this very important speech. However, Prinsjesdag isn’t only about the king’s speech. One very popular topic related to Prinsjesdag is the…
Prinsjesdag 2015 Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 23, 2015
The third Tuesday of September is an important day in the Netherlands because it is the day the king will present the plans for the coming year. The speech is not written by the king, but the tradition is that he presents this plan. The following video explains what Prinsjesdag is. This year Prinsjesdag was on September 15…
Getting Creative in Dutch Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 16, 2015
One of my favourite activities to use with language learners is creative writing. Although not many students will enjoy creative writing assignments at first, the benefits make the effort worthwhile. With creative writing activities, language learners make use of the language in a more precise and thoughtful way because they must carefully select their words…
Netherlands + Hip Hop = Nederhop Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 10, 2015
I was at a dinner party last Saturday with my husband’s cousins and we were listening to music. Riccardo is a BIG hip hop fan so he quickly put some songs he liked (especially after seeing “Straight Outta Compton” a week ago). People started commenting on hip hop and the most baffling term came up…
For Dutch Kids…It’s Back to School! Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 2, 2015
Schools and education systems vary in every country. The type of schools, the programs covered, the liberties and responsibilities of the students and parents are just some of the ways in which schools in every country vary. As a person who has been to schools in two different countries, I am intrigued with the manner…
More Harry Mulisch Posted by Karoly Molina on Aug 27, 2015
Harry Mulisch is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors of all time. His writing style is simply captivating without it being pompous or pretentious. In my opinion, Mulisch’s talent lies in his story-telling abilities: his plot is impeccably executed through his simple yet enrapturing writing. His books are the type you cannot put down…