Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (58)

Learn more and know more about your own culture. Read about it and talk to people about it. When you learn more about your own culture, you will be in a position to appreciate the various other cultures of the world. Abstain from criticizing any other culture and always learn to respect them.

[Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

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National Museum Weekend - The Netherlands!!

Get ready for the National Museum Weekend in The Netherlands on the 10 and 11 April 2010. The offer that gives you the opportunity to visit a number of museums in Amsterdam and all over The Netherlands for free..yes, you read that correctly - Free!! 

During this week end, more than 500 museums nationwide throw open their doors to the public free of charge or offer heavily discounted entrance. Thus, giving you the perfect opportunity to delve deep into the country's rich cultural heritage. 

There are also special events such as films, slide shows, guided tours, demonstrations, workshops and treasure hunts for children during the weekend, and opening hours are often extended. So be prepared to take a pie of this delicious cake!!

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (57)

Take advantage of the various discounts and passes available during special occasion like national holidays, off season etc, to explore the historic places of the host country. These serve as useful aids in your endeavor to know more about the country you are living in, while being affordable at the same time.

[Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

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Random Things to Share!!

Dear Readers, I write this post simply to share the latest happenings in my life besides the normal home and work routine.

Its spring time - new hopes, new dreams and new beginnings. A perfect time to move to our new apartment sometimes in the next month. I find myself looking at almost every picture of home furnishings and appliances trying to imagine how I would furnish our new place. The weekends are spent in the shopping stores, checking out the new products and looking out for some good deals!! I have so much to share about the stores in Netherlands, but will save this for another post.

I have joined a driving class to brush up my driving skills and finally get behind the wheels on my own! I have driven a bit in India, but driving here is entirely different from what one experiences in India - the opposite driving sides being one case in the point. The classes have just started and I am looking forward to take in all the learnings. As my coach says - "Enjoy driving, the rest will automatically fall into place."

I am enjoying the IPL fervour too, its the third season this year and each season seems to be bigger and better!! The Indian Premier League (often abbreviated as IPL), is a Twenty20 cricket competition initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There is a high voltage cricket drama unfolding on the pitch in every match and you just cant wait to watch!!

My RSS reader shows a lot of unread posts. I am trying to catch up with them. I really like to read all the posts and comment as far as possible so probably will take some time until I am done through with all of them. 

A day has just 24 hours, wish it had more..so that I could sleep more :)

Enjoy and wish you all a great evening ahead!!

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (56)

Participate in local events and celebrations. These are a wonderful source of learning about the local culture and customs, facilitating a smoother integration into the host country. Mark all the upcoming events and festivals on your calendar/monthly schedule and allocate time specifically for them. Take your friends along and learn while having fun.
[Photo Credit - Pink Sherbet]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (55)

Consider buying a car after moving to the host country but only after considering the cost of the public transport v/s the car. A car gives the freedom and necessary mobility, reducing dependence on the public transport. This is specially true for remote places where the means of public transportation are limited and are not so frequent. 
[Photo Credit - Horia Varlan]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (54)

Carry out research on the cost of living in the new country. Analyse and prepare a thorough estimate of the various costs and bills, dividing the costs under different heads like rent, grocery, utilities and so on covering each section extensively. This will give a clear cut idea on the amount of savings that can be done while living an expat life in a new country and will act as the guideline in managing your household budget.

[Photo Credit - Uggboy]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (53)

Yoga refers to a traditional physical and mental discipline that originating in India. Yoga asanas helps a great deal in improving concentration and health, relieving stress and exhaustion. It is a soothing phenonmenon amidst the uncertainties and stress of the expatriate life. 

[Photo Credit -  Maschinenraum]

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Friday Fiesta - Week 9!!

“I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out.” 

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Earth Hour - Call to action!

Earth Hour is organized by WWF every year. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries, it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.

Why get involved?

Put simply, because our future depends on it!

Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness on climate change issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice on the future of our planet and working together to create a sustainable low carbon future for our planet.

Earth Hour 2010 takes place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm- 9:30pm and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from India to Australia to America will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.So sign up now and let’s make 2010 the biggest Earth Hour yet!.

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (52)

File your taxes on time, according to the rules of the new country. Take time to go through the procedure yourself and in case you are not comfortable seek professional help. Be sure of any rebates and tax rulings that you may be entitled to, under the law.

[Photo Credit - Tracy O]

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Remarkable weapons - Delft

100 unusual collection of weapons from the Army Museum - 

The exhibition gives an overview of the most spectacular collection of arms and weapons. There are several weapons on display such as a pen, a walking stick and a belt buckle. There are weapons of famous personalities or belonging to events of national history, like that of Prince Bernhard and General Snijders and a gun that was used in 1975 by the Moluccan hijackers train at Wijster. There are also weapons developed by manufacturers such as Cadillac, Siemens and Brabantia.

The exhibition Remarkable weapons lasts from March 18 until Sunday, October 31, 2010 at the Army Museum in Delft.

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Winners of the Expat of the Year Awards 2010

On Tuesday, March 23 the winners of the Expat of the Year Awards 2010 were declared during the official awards ceremony at Nyenrode Business University. For those who are not aware of this award, read about the Expat of the Year Awards 2010 in my earlier post.

Expat of the year

The public and jury voted unanimously for Sueli Brodin as Expat of the Year due "to her obvious dedication to both the expat and Dutch community and her unique ability to build bridges between both groups." Sueli is the founder and editor of Crossroads, an English language webzine serving the expat community in and around Maastricht.

Expat Employer of the Year

Optiver carried off the Employer or the Year award "for their people-oriented approach to their expat and international employees." The evidence submitted during nominations and the amount of support shown by the public proved Optiver to be “an outstanding employer” and one that even the jury felt drawn to work for! Optiver is actively trading on Euronext Amsterdam as a primary and competitive market maker.

Expat Service Provider of the Year

The Service Provider of the year award went to ACCESS for its "ongoing and selfless commitment to the community." ACCESS provides a range of valuable services to expats and internationals in the Netherlands which include courses on Dutch culture and counselling referrals to help support expats in their new life in the Netherlands.

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (51)

An expatriate life provides a truly global experience. To enjoy this and learn from the multi cultural opportunities that an expat life provides, it is imperative that the children in the expat families get a culture friendly environment at home. You cannot expect them to understand and respect the different cultures of the world when the parents do not demonstrate this by their action. The children thus get encouraged to mix and interact with people from cultures that are different from theirs, if they see their parents and other family members doing the same.

[Photo Credit - Norman B]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (50)

One should always be prepared thoroughly on the medical front. The importance of a well equipped first-aid box along with the essential medications for all the members of the family cannot be overemphasized. It comes in very handy during travel, relocation and expatriation moves.
[Photo Credit - Marcin Wichary]

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Visit To Keukenhof - the Tulips garden!

I have already written about our visit to Keukenhof and attending the flower arrangement workshop. Here are some more pictures from our last year visit to the Keukenhof.

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (49)

Expat life entails a lot of paperwork and documentation. While the documentation itself is essential, it is equally important to keep all the stuff at one place securely, in a way that it is easier to find the papers later. Get a big document folder from the market, and allocate a section in that folder for each of the document type like travel, medical, housing, employment, etc. Have this neatly marked with the small colorful marking chits and you are ready to go. This makes the paper management really easy, efficient and effective.

[Photo Credit -  300td.org]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (48)

Start preparing a checklist and a to-do list of items as soon as you plan the move to a new country. The sooner this is done, the better and more complete will be the list. The list may include tasks that need to be done before you make the move as well as all the 'pre-move' shopping. Keep striking the items off the list once they get completed - you cannot imagine the sense of satisfaction that you will get in the end when all the items are off the list.

[Photo Credit - Generationbass.com]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (47)

While moving to a new country, you may decide to carry your old stuff from the home country. This includes a long list of items like clothes, furniture, books, DVD's, old memorabilia etc. Movers and Packers is a great option for doing this. There are several such companies out there, that provide excellent services in terms of packing your items neatly and safely, and transporting them to the new country. A little research is all that is needed and you are on your way to make the biggest move of your life.
[Photo Credit - aka*kirara]

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Flower Arrangement Workshop

While browsing through my pics folder today (which is growing in size by the day, looking to usurp my hard disk space at a dangerous pace), searching for some pics a small subfolder caught my attention. These were the pics from our last year's Keukenhof visit where we attended a flower arrangement workshop. The experience was awesome, we got to witness a whole lot of ways to do the same thing. Some of the arrangements were absolutely fabolous. Here have a look and decide for yourself.

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Friday Fiesta - Week 8!!

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. ~ Albert Einstein

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (46)

Expat life thrives on anxiety and apprehensions. Music gives you a chance to relax your senses and calm your nerves. Listening to tapes of spiritual music or classical tunes rejuvenates the soul and sometimes provides an opportunity to reflect inwards.

[Photo Credit -  Rennett Stowe]

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Keukenhof - The largest bulb flower park in the world!

Its springtime!! The time of the year that I look forward to. Mainly because of the awesome weather, and ofcourse the tulips and other flower bulbs. Think of tulips and "Keukenhof - The largest bulb flower park in the world" comes to one's mind.

An unprecedented wealth of spectacular floral displays planted in endless varieties, alternated with beautiful works of art - Keukenhof is unique, world famous and has been one of the most popular destinations in the Netherlands for many years now. And it has been photographed millions of times, more than any other location. There is something for everyone here - whether you visit us on your own, with the children or as a group.

Opening times 2010:

18 March to 16 May (inclusive)

Daily from 08:00 – 19:30.

(Ticket office closes at 18:00).

Some of the upcoming events at Keukenhof :-

Tulips’ 4-day event
March 18 till 21st

Love Weekend
March 26 till 28

Baptizing new VVV Tulip

March 31 at 12.00

Birds of Prey Demonstrations

April 2 and 3

Parade Weekend

April 4 and 5

Russia Weekend / Summer Bulb Market

April 16, 17 and 18

Orchid Weekend

April 17 and 18

Flower Parade of the Region

Theme: Journey trough Europe

Saturday April 24th

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (45)

Learn a local art or a craft after you have settled down in your host country. This is a wonderful way to experience the local culture and get involved. There are plenty of such courses running in almost all cities. You just need a little inspiration to get started. So don the artist's hat and get going.

[Photo Credit - John-Morgan]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (44)

An expatriate life provides an opportunity to see different places. But just visiting the major tourist attractions of a place presents a part of the picture. It is the small alleyways, markets and cafes that bring forth the hidden beauty of any city and make you appreciate the culture even more. Therefore, do make it a point to explore the off-the-beaten-tracks and folklore of the place you are visiting and you will be surprised at what all you can discover.

[Photo Credit - magical-world]

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Saint Patrick's Day - History and Parades!

The Chicago River is dyed green each year for the St. Patrick's Day celebration.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the Saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish meat and cabbage.

Originally the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. However, over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. Lime green chrysanthemums are often requested for St. Patrick's Day parades and celebrations.

St. Patrick's Day Parades :

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in the United States on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.

For more information check out :

• http://stpatricksday.com/
• http://www.stpatricksfestival.ie/cms/home.html
• http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day

Photo credits : Wikipedia

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (43)

Be ready to step out of your comfort zone while leading an expatriate life. Sometimes, things may not turn out as you planned, but this is no reason to get disheartened. Step on the gas, gear up and move your life back onto the right track. The greatest lessons of life are sometimes learnt when you are in situations you cannot control.

[Photo Credit - phirschybar]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (42)

Make a list of all the bills (including municipality taxes) that you are supposed to pay in the host country. Keep a tab on all of them and get them rechecked with the concerned person when in doubt. These bills add up to a significant amount at the end of the month and therefore it is essential to be aware of them before hand and make requisite allowances in the monthly budget.

[Photo Credit - bradipo]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (41)

In order to keep a tab on the finances as an expatriate, it serves well to check the option of discount cards/bonus cards/member cards offered by nearby supermarkets, shopping malls, and gas stations. Such schemes are a part of most major retail chains - plan your shopping and make the most of it.

[Photo Credit -  fsse8info]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (40)

Keeping a tab on finances is essential, specially in the new country. It helps to avoid unpleasant surprises. Always look out for shopping offers in the various malls and supermarkets. It helps to keep a control on the budget while giving the flexibility to spend where you want to. It is a great idea to keep in mind what the words "discount" and "free" are called in the local language. This proves immensely useful while looking for the offers.

[Photo Credit - Public Domain Photos] 

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Friday Fiesta - Week 7!!

"It took me 20 years of hardwork to become an overnight success" ~ Narayan Murthy

Image Courtesy - Stock Xchng

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (39)

Just as getting registered with an efficient GP is important, it is also essential to look for a good dentist. Given the prohibitive costs of healthcare in some countries, spending some time on searching for a dentist who is skilled and understands his/her craft well pays off in the end.

[Photo Credit - ellie]

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Daily Dynamics - Expat Tip of the day (38)

Get registered with a good GP (General Physician) within a few days of your arrival in the host country. Having a GP that understands you and your medical history completely is a comforting factor in a new country. Make sure you also have all your medical documents from your home country at immediate disposal.

[Photo Credit -  Biology Big Brother]

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