The Summer 2010 Issue contains the following articles:

INTERVIEW

From the Point of View of… Bing Thio

“In short, what can be said about a particular national culture in general, can also be said of the hospital culture. In the eastern countries, there is a lot of respect for the doctor; what he says, goes – no discussion. And the patients are treated with respectful distance. In the western culture – at least, here in the Netherlands – the nurses are far more liberal. It starts with the uniform; what they wear has a specific common basis, but there is room for individuality – in contrast with the truly uniform uniforms in Asian hospitals. Furthermore, if the nurses think a patient is being obnoxious, you can be sure the patient will know this. This will not affect the quality of care he gets, but the warm, fuzzy feeling may be missing. On the other hand, if a nurse disagrees with what the doctor is doing, then he will make the time to say so. And the doctor will make the time to listen. Based on respect for their experience, observations and the realization that they interact more with the patient than the doctors do.”

HEALTH

Someone to Take Care of Me

It’s one thing to be dealing with living in another country when you are in good health. But there is little that undermines your feeling of well-being and ability to cope more than feeling ill.
The good news is that you don’t need to be airlifted by helicopter across the jungle to the nearest hospital or wait for six days for the appropriate medicine to arrive. The density of doctors and hospitals here is enough to ensure that you will find a listening ear, knowledgeable hands and a well-stocked medicine cabinet within minutes.
This article offers you an introduction into the medical system of the Netherlands, including finding a GP, visiting a specialist, getting medication, check-ups, having a baby , and more.
Of course, being sick anywhere abroad will never be the same as being sick at home. If only because you have to deal with it without the support of your usual comfortable support group. But if you realize that the latter issue is really the biggest difference, then you should be able to take a deep breath and relax in the knowledge that you will nonetheless be taken care of by capable hands.
You can find more in-depth information on medical care in the Netherlands in The Holland Handbook, www.hollandhandbook.nl.

Dental Care in the Netherlands

Almost all dental practices in the Netherlands are private, there are no state practices. Most of them are modest undertakings, with one dentist and one assistant. In the larger cities there are larger practices, consisting of several dentists, a number of assistants and dental hygienists. Such a structure allows the practice to diversify its services.
Dentistry is privatized in the Netherlands, i.e. the patient is responsible for the payment of the costs of the treatment, not the insurance company. However, under Dutch basic health insurance, the insurance company will fully cover all costs of dentistry for children through to the age of 21 as well as dental surgery for all adults. All other dental care, which constitutes the majority of care given, can only be insured by taking out an additional insurance.
Thomas Rietrae runs an international high-end dental clinic in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw neighborhood. His practice is focused on expats and among his clients are many employees of multinational businesses.
www.theinternationaldentist.com

Special Children Need Specialized Help

By Nikki Young

When children have special academic, physical, social and/or behavioral problems these concerns are multiplied for families facing an international transfer. Placement for children with special needs is quite complicated and requires substantially more time than a standard school search. When seeking out a new school, finding the help a child needs is critical, along with the right fit and a good environment. For expat families in the Netherlands, what is available here for the non-Dutch child needing extra help?
www.access-nl.org
www.lighthousese.nl
www.aaof.info
www.xpatskids.nl
www.ango.nl

INTERVIEW

Private Recruiter Natanja Lokerse Frees Up Your Time and Your Mind

As a private recruiter, Natanja Lokerse can find every private service professional you need, be it here or abroad. She is called upon to find special staff for families, executives, career couples and entrepreneurs. Whether you need a personal assistant, an estate manager, butler, nanny, housekeeper or a domestic couple – finding the perfect match is what she does best. In 2005 she started her company Some-Buddy, to deliver specialized recruitment services for a niche market.
www.some-buddy.nl

TAX

Health Care Insurance – Home Coverage or Dutch Coverage?

Since a couple of years, everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands has the obligation to participate in the Zorgverzekeringswet, or Health Care Act. Particularly in international situations, the question arises whether this obligation also applies to the expat and his family – because in many cases the home country health care insurance is continued while the expat is here.
In this article, Nico van Dijk goes go into how it is determined whether the act applies and into whether or not the international insurance can be continued.
www.loyensloeff.com

EXPAT LIVING

IamExpat: Enjoying the Experience of Living in the Netherlands

“There is a complete expat eco-system out there; on the one side, you have the expats, and on the other side you have the services; on either side, there is awareness that the other party exists. We are the players in the middle who help them establish contact.” IamExpat publishes articles about expat life – integration, language (courses) and culture, has a lifestyle section, establishes contact between expats and governmental organizations, explains everyday issues such as the DigiD (digital ID) and offers legitimate sources of information. “We include expats from all backgrounds; students, travelers, artists, adventurers, diplomats, accompanying families, entrepreneurs, company employees as well as employees of non-governmental agencies, job seekers… everyone. Among them are newly arrived people who are grateful for what they find on our site and who give us feedback on and insight into what is currently important to them. But we also have among our members people who have lived here many years, and who consider us a good and reliable source of information. Both sides of the spectrum enjoy the community feeling and the up-to-date information we provide.”
Interview with Nikos Nakos and Panos Sarlanis, co-founders of IamExpat.
www.iamexpat.nl

LEISURE

North Sea Jazz; Enjoying the Known and Discovering the Unknown

The time has come again to check the website of the North Sea Jazz Festival – at least, for us NSJ-junkies. Somewhere halfway May, the organizers of the North Sea Jazz Festival reveal their secrets; who will be jamming, jumping, singing, and sliding their way across the 15 stages of the festival, with a full program spread over three nights. More than 175 acts come to mesmerize, entertain and fire up anything ranging from a group of 50 people to a crowd of several thousand.
And that is the special magic of the North Sea Jazz Festival; it has acts that attract people by the thousands, but it also has acts that appeal to the taste of a select few. There is plenty for those who wish to avoid the biggest crowds, while it also introduces new – and perhaps eclectic – sounds to those who otherwise might never be exposed to them. All boundaries fade as you slowly make your way from adventure to adventure – enjoying the known and discovering the unknown.
Among those who will be attracting the big crowds are favorites such as Marcus Miller and Macy Gray, as well as Norah Jones, Jamie Lidell and Corinne Bailey Rae. And have we mentioned Joss Stone, Buddy Guy and Stevie Wonder yet?
www.northseajazz.com

How to Turn City Slickers Into Happy Campers
And Harvest the Flavour of Your Weekend Visits

Article and photos by Suzanne Schreve & Tijmen Wisman

There are multiple locations in which ‘Het Betere Boeren Bed’ (Better Farm Bed) has facilities, and the hosts are very much part of the experience. The tents at Het Betere Boeren Bed in Harskamp are very spacious, and decorated to reflect former rural life down to the cast-iron pots and enamel plates. Folksy touches are scattered around – framed photos of farm animals, vintage sweets tins, and a Douwe Egberts manual coffee-grinder. Here, electricity is out and a wood-burning stove for cooking and oil lamps or candles for lighting are in. There’s even a rustic-looking cool box to store the beers and butter.
From there, you can visit the Hoge Veluwe, the second oldest national park in the Netherlands. The entire park contains more than 5,000 hectares of woodland, heath, sand dunes, drift sand, lakes, the Kröller-Müller Museum, the St Hubertus Hunting Lodge, a Visitors Centre, several campsites and restaurants, and of course wildlife.
At the Kröller-Müller Museum, hallways of van Goghs give you the impression that you are visiting the studio of the post-impressionistic painter himself. The entire museum’s collection exists of early artwork by Mondriaan, Pablo Picasso, Isaac Israëls, Fernand Léger, George Seurat and many, many others – and a sculpture garden covering 25 hectares, making it one of the largest in Europe.
www.betereboerenbed.com
www.kmm.nl  
www.hogeveluwe.nl

HOUSING

Monumental Living on the Nassauplein

The Hague has a number of very characteristic quarters, one of these being the noble Archipelago Quarter. Here you find wide lanes, lots of greenery, and beautiful and stately mansions. The atmosphere is serene. Therefore it should come as no surprise that the quarter – which also houses many statues, reminding us of memorable events and persons – has been designated an ‘urban conservation area’.
On Nassau Square, you will find apartments whose design is a natural combination of the 19th and 20th century architectural style and that are known for their singular mix of neo-renaissance with a classical feel and luxurious and modern finishing. The stylish ground apartments allow direct access to the spacious gardens and all other apartments are provided with a balcony or a roof terrace.
All the apartments have been constructed in keeping with the standard of modern needs regarding lighting, space and living conditions in order to meet the highest quality standards. Currently, only two of the eight apartments on Nassauplein 26 and 27 are still available.
For more information, contact Zeilstra Beheer at tel.: 070 – 338 58 80

CULTURE

Taken Out of the Box, Classical Music Has Something for Everyone

By Deborah Valentine

Festival Classique is the embodiment of ‘thinking outside of the box’. Festival Classique has taken the music out of the box; out of the traditional concert hall. Thereby they have provided unique settings, and opportunities to show off the city, as well as expose musicians and audiences alike to one another.
Festival Classique is by all accounts a unique worldwide event – an outdoor classical multi-day (and multi-location) event, for one and all. There will be more than 80 performances, concerts and events which take place throughout the city of The Hague Friday June 18th through to Sunday June 20th.
Huismerk-series: ‘How do we reduce the costs of performances?’ was another one of the challenges confronted. Among the costs of any performance is location and in an effort to reduce these costs the organisers placed a small ad in a local paper asking for people to ‘donate’ a space. The response was overwhelming. And so, this year for a mere € 4.99 (plus transaction costs) lucky early birds can purchase tickets to experience exceptional classical music at the HEMA for instance, or at MacDonald’s, or even in the intimacy of someone’s 17th-century living room. The Huismerk series takes place in the week proceeding Festival Classique, from the June 14 to 17.
www.festivalclassique.nl

EVENT

World Première Wild Wonders of Europe in The Hague

From May 27 through August 30, The Hague will host the world première of Wild Wonders of Europe. A free open air exhibition on the Lange Vijverberg with more than 500 larger-than-life nature photographs made in the 48 European countries by 69 top-photographers.
Wild Wonders of Europe will reveal the most amazing treasures of nature of the continent to 700 million Europeans and the world and you can see animals and landscapes that you may never have heard of. The exhibition will be visiting all 48 European countries over the years to come, with the city of The Hague hosting the première.
www.wild-wonders.com

Feel at Home in The Hague - The International Community Fair 2010

A Day to Discover International & Cultural The Hague!

Plan a day trip to The Hague on Sunday, September 19, and discover all there is to do in the region at the fifth annual Feel at Home in The Hague – The International Community Fair 2010, in the Atrium of the City Hall. There will be plenty to see and do at this keenly anticipated annual event before heading out with the family to make the most of the attractions that The Hague has to offer.
Feel at Home in The Hague - The International Community Fair 2010 is the event for the expat and international community of The Hague region to discover all there is to do in their free time at one time, in one location, and is the perfect opportunity to discover The Hague as a truly international and cultural city.
Whether it’s finding a sports club for the kids, obtaining advice about the Dutch health system or being the first to know about the upcoming cultural events, there is useful information in English for each and very visitor. Approximately 150 stand-holders will be present to provide information in the areas of Top Events 2010/2011, Heath and Wellness, Property and Travel, Business Services, Sports and Activities, as well as Education and Careers.
www.feelathomeinthehague.com

BEAUTY

Exploring the Beauty Within

One Expat Artist’s Quest to Redefine What It Means to Be Beautiful

The Exploring Beauty Project is a series of images paired with inspirational words from the models. The project aims to redefine the perceptions of beauty beyond age and size, both in Europe and the United States. Launched in 2009, it has grown at an amazing rate, attracting the interest of many different types of women.
The project has evolved to include women as young as 25 and as old as 61, with every age and body type in between. Says Erik Hagen: “I didn’t want to say no to people who had a strong opinion on what beauty was and wanted to contribute to the project. I didn’t want to constrain the project – I wanted to see where it would go and how it would evolve. I have never said no to someone who wanted to contribute and the project is the better for it.”
Hagen is starting to receive notes from others who have been impacted by the project. “I received an e-mail from a woman in the American Midwest. She feels that beauty is elusive, and has been troubled by it for most of her life. She believes the project is important to people like her who are finally accepting their own beauty.”
www.exploringbeauty.org

CULTURE

Den Haag Sculptuur 2010 met Manolo Valdés en Kim De Ruysscher

From June 17 through September 12, The Hague Sculpture Foundation will be presenting its 13th open air exhibition. 23 huge bronze sculptures, created by the famous Spanish sculptor Manolo Valdés, will be on display on the Lange Voorhout, as well as five smaller sculptures by the Flemish sculptor Kim De Ruysscher. A unique and free cultural event of international allure.
In 2010, Spain and Belgium will be sharing the presidency of the European Union, which is why the foundation decided to organize this exhibition around the best-known sculptors of these two countries. Paintings and sketches by Valdés will also be on display in Pulchri Studio and the Kloosterkerk, both on the Lange Voorhout.
www.denhaagsculptuur.nl

Delft Chamber Music Festival 2010: Play!

For 14 consecutive years, the last weekend of July has seen the kick-off of for the Delft Chamber Music Festival; a chamber music lovers’ paradise that takes place in the city center of Delft. For ten days in row, musicians from all across the world will be performing in the informal festival-setting, as guests of artistic director Liza Ferschtman.
Play! is the lively theme of this year’s Delft Chamber Music Festival. Based on the idea that the pleasure of playing the most important part of making music, the Liza Ferschtman has striven to find pieces that – for her – reflect the ultimate pleasure of playing.
As usual, the festival will start with an ‘upbeat concert’, while there will be a few free concerts, given by laureates of competitions. Novelties this year will be the free Canal Concert, hosted by the Rubens Quartet, and the Musical Chairs Concerts on Tuesday and Thursday. These will be three short concerts on three different locations, allowing you to discover the musicians’ solistic qualities.
www.delftmusicfestival.nl

COLUMN

Funny You Should Ask About … Health (in the Fast Lane)

By Shirley Agudo

Truth be told, I would make a horrible patient, disabled in any way and requiring some sort of special care. I feel sorry for anyone who would have to care for me. I would not be a ‘happy camper’, knowing that I could not live the fast-track life I’m used to. As a result, that’s why I do some of the things I do to try to keep healthy. It’s also why I tend to live each day out loud, seeking and thoroughly enjoying the high points and successes of each day and, more importantly, the love that I continue to be blessed with.

COMPETITION

Young Writers in Print: Friendship Book Features Competition Winners

Every young writer wants to be published. So perhaps the best prize of all for the winners of the Young Writers Competition, organized by The XPat Journal, The International Herald Tribune and DutchNews.nl, is the publication of a book featuring their work.
In total, nearly 700 young writers from 40 different schools took part in the competition, launched last September, and submitted stories, poems and plays based around the theme of friendship. The book contains the 15 winners and some 40 runners-up – picked by the judges on the basis of their imagination, emotion, insight, and writing skills.
“We were staggered by the number of entries and the enthusiasm so many children showed in taking part,” said judge Jo Parfitt. “The students who contributed to this project wrote with insight and emotion about the reality of friendship in the context of their mobile lives. I was both moved and impressed.”
All 700 original entries have also become part of the Expatriate Archive Centre’s collection, so every story and poem, not just those in the book, will have a place in history.
The book can be ordered via www.hollandbooks.nl or by sending an e-mail to: editor@xpat.nl
For more information check: www.youngwriterscompetition.nl 

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