Monthly Round up - Popular Posts in November

Another month has come to an end - time for a monthly round up. Here comes a recap of the most popular posts on Orangesplaash, in November :

• An Expat's Guide to Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pieten : Looking forward to celebrating Sinterklaas in the Netherlands? If yes, check out this mini guide about Sinterklaas and his helpers Zwarte Pieten.

• Christmas gift for Expats - The Best Help to Learn a Language : This post stems from my personal experiences of learning the Dutch language. Here is an ideal guide with worksheets to help you master a new language using unconventional techniques. Give yourself and your family, the gift of language this Christmas.

• Best views of Prague, Czech Republic : We were in Prague last month. The beauty, architecture and the warmth inspired this photo tour, describing one of the most visited cities in Europe.

• The Netherlands Expat Guide (Part IV) - Top 10 facts about Netherlands : A round up of the top 10 interesting facts about the Netherlands.

• Travel Photo of the Week - The Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt : The first post in a new series on Orangesplaash, depicting the Cairo Pyramids, all in one line. The Pyramids inspire a sense of awe which is truly evident only when you see the place for yourself.

The Orangesplaash expat e-book titled "7 powerful tips for a fulfilling expat life" containing tips and suggestions to make your expat life a fulfilling experience, has been well received in the expat community. Download your free copy of this e-book now by filling in your name and email in the subscription form in the side bar. 

When you subscribe, you will also get free access to the monthly newsletters from Orangesplaash, focusing on expat and travel articles, news, resources, upcoming events, workshops and other free stuff.  

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those expats who have shown enthusiasm to be a part of the Expat Interview series on Orangesplaash. We have received a pretty good response and the interviews are scheduled until Feb, 2011. 


If you want to take part in this interview series and share your expat experiences and learnings with an interested audience, do mail me at orangesplaash@gmail.com and we can take it up from there. Please note that the interview series will start on Orangesplaash from mid-December, 2010.

Expat Poll: The results for the November expat poll are as below. The question was "As an expat, are you learning the local language in your host country?" - there were a total of 18 votes. Glad to know that the importance of learning the local language in one's host country resonates with the Orangesplaash expat readers!

Yes (15 votes)

No, but I want to (3 votes)

No, it's not important (0 votes)

Finally, do not forget to join us on the Orangesplaash Facebook fanpage,  if you haven't already. The page is regularly updated with the latest expat and travel news, articles, titbits and Dutch language learning resources.

Thank you so much for all your love and support. Here's wishing you all a great festive season ahead! 

[Photo Credit - Tambako]

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An Expat's Guide to Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pieten

As a kid back in India, the Netherlands for me symbolized the place where a boy (sometimes called Hans Brinker) put his finger in the dike to plug a hole - thanks to the popular school syllabus stories. When I grew up, however, the country came to be associated more and more with tulips, cheese, windmills, blue pottery, wooden shoes and tall people. 

And when we moved to the Netherlands as expats, these stereotypes were in part restored, but at the same time we were introduced to a completely different culture and way of life. Since then, it's been a fun, interesting ride learning more and more about the Dutch traditions, cuisine, celebrations and festivals as well as sharing ours with the locals and the other expats alike.

With our third Winter in this country now, we have learnt that when the Winter arrives, it is time for one such festivity in the Netherlands - Sinterklaas - an occasion celebrated on a large scale, by locals, and nowadays even by the expats, giving and receiving gifts. 

So here is an Expat's Guide to Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pieten : 

Sinterklaas :

The feast, denoting the name day of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas, the patron Saint of Amsterdam and the bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey) is celebrated on the eve of 5th December every year, also known as the Sinterklaasavond ("Sinterklaas evening") or pakjesavond ("presents evening"). Sinterklaas is very popular amongst the children in the Netherlands, not least because they receive a lot many gifts from him.

                                                          [Photo Credit - Hans]

Sinterklaas wearing his traditional white robes, holding a crosier and carrying the book of names arrives in the Netherlands each year, about 2 weeks before the Sinterklaasavond (this year he arrived on 13th November in Hardewijk). He comes from Spain in a steam boat and his arrival is awaited eagerly by the children and adults alike. 

Zwarte Pieten : 

Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands, with his white/gray horse Amerigo (Schimmel) accompanied by his helpers - the Zwarte Pieten ("Black Petes"). The Zwarte Pieten usually wear colourful pantaloons and gold earrings, with their face painted black. 

                                                         [Photo Credit - Hans]

They help  Sinterklaas in carrying out tasks like delivering presents to the children, keeping a record of their deeds (good or bad) in the book of names and so on.

Zwarte Pieten - A racist portrayal or an adorable fairytale figure?

In the recent times, the tradition of Zwarte Pieten has been blamed for displaying racist connotations because of the black skin. In response, it is said that Zwarte Pieten do not have any racial portrayal. Their faces become black because they run up and down the chimney, in an attempt to deliver gifts to the children. It is this latter version that I would like to believe - it is a festival time after all! 

Sinterklaas Parade :

After Sinterklaas comes to the Netherlands and up to the 5th December, he and his helpers parade through the streets, distributing candies and kruidnoten (ginger biscuits) among the children - an event showcased on the National TV. They also visit schools, hospitals and shopping centers. 

                                                       [Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

Every evening after the arrival of the Sinterklaas up to the Sinterklaasavond, the children put their shoes with a carrot in it, close to the fireplace/central heating unit in the house. They may also leave a bowl of water for the Schimmel. The kids wake up in the morning, almost always finding gifts in the shoes, presumably left for them by Sinterklaas and the Zwarte Pieten - as per the medieval tradition, when the festival was used as an occasion to help the poor (by putting money in their shoes). 

Sinterklaasavond or Pakjesavond : 

Then comes the Pakjesavond, when a knock on the door brings lovely presents to the children of the house. The presents are usually accompanied by poems, describing the child for whom the gift is intended. These poems and gifts are in reality prepared by the family members (a great time for expats to polish their language skills), and are quietly kept outside the houses.

Sinterklaas and Santa Claus : 

The Dutch believe that the English adopted their tradition of Sinterklaas in New Amsterdam (New York). They then renamed it as Santa Claus and began celebrating the holiday on Christmas. 

How have your views about your host country changed over time? Do you enjoy the local traditions? How you intend to celebrate the Sinterklaasavond (if you are in the Netherlands)? 

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Travel Photo of the Week - Lisse Tulip Fields in the Netherlands

Think of the Netherlands and one thinks of the tulips. A cliche per se, but the beautiful, colourful tulips and the other flower bulbs make Spring one of the most awaited seasons in the Netherlands. 


The best place to witness the tulips in all colours, sizes and varieties is the Keukenhof Gardens - the largest flower park in the world. And even more exciting than the flower park (as we found out last year) are the large tulip fields in Lisse, just next to the Keukenhof gardens. 


This picture was shot during our day out in these Tulip fields, cycling on a 4 km long track. Read more about this tour and some tips to keep in mind while cycling along the Lisse Tulip fields.
[Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

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Expat Christmas Gift Idea - Passports with Purpose fundraiser to build a village in India!

Continuing with the Christmas expat gift theme on Orangesplaash, I believe this year Christmas can become more special for all of us, with a little contribution and social awareness. The opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of poor children in India presents itself - this is the time to join in! 

Passports With Purpose, an annual Travel Bloggers’ fundraiser, was founded in 2008 by Debbie Dubrow, Pam Mandel, Beth Whitman and Michelle Duffy as a way to build a community among travel bloggers and to give back to the places we, as travelers, visit.

Passports with Purpose raised $7,400 for Heifer International in its very first year and joined hands with American Assistance for Cambodia in 2009 raising almost $30,000 to build a school in Cambodia.

This year, the aim is to raise enough money to build approximately 25 homes to create the Passports Village in Karunganni, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This will be done through its partnership with LAFTI International.

You can support Passports with Purpose in the following ways :

• Donate: The site has started accepting donations from November 15th and the fundraiser will run through December 13th, 11:59 PM PST. With a $10 donation, you are also eligible to enter the PWP sweepstakes.
• Tell a Friend : Do tell your friends about the Passports with Purpose fundraiser to build a village in India!

Come and participate. A small donation can go a long way in bringing joy to the faces of the less fortunate. A perfect Christmas gift and a great way to welcome the new year!

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Christmas gift for Expats - The Best Help to Learn a Language

It is that time of the year again - the festive season - Christmas time! 

Being an expat, you are sure to miss family and friends, if you are not heading back home for the Christmas vacations. And I suppose you must have done plenty of offline/online shopping for folks back home, and sent them their gifts, wrapped in your love, care and concern.

But is Christmas not the time to gift your own self? A small gift for all the hard work and dedication that you have put into your expat life - living and working in a new country, developing a new social circle and integrating into the way of life there.

And what better gift than a guide that teaches you the best way to learn a new language - your best help in your host country.

As I have always emphasized, learning the local language plays an important role in the integration process in the host country since it helps you to understand the local customs, behaviour and lifestyle better. 

As an expat, I have faced a lot of difficulties myself in learning the Dutch language - the awkward pronunciation and the strange sentence construction being the last thing on my mind. My resolution to learn the Dutch language was weakened initially because almost everyone in the Netherlands can speak English. But like I said, knowing the language is important in order to get a better feel of things, make friends, communicate effectively and build a social network. So I kept trying.

I took the help of online resources to learn Dutch as well as attended a couple of language courses. And one of the best language learning websites that I found was Fluent in 3 months by Benny Lewis, as I described in an earlier post of mine (language learning resources). Benny is an incredible polygot and he can speak no less than 8 languages. He is always inspiring with his mission to learn a new language every 3 months.

Benny came out with his Language Hacking Guide a few months back. The guide, describing Benny's unconventional strategies of learning a new language, has played an important role in my language learning endeavors, providing the confidence to do it better and better with every passing day.

The Language Hacking Guide explains exactly what you need to do to speak a language quickly, focusing on the most crucial and practical aspects of language learning. 

What does the Language Hacking Guide contain : 

• E-books - 30,000 words of practical tips and advice, dipped in humour. Sample this - complaining your way to glory - even if you need to complain about the difficulties of language learning, do so in the target language!
• Full translations of the guide in 13 languages including Dutch.
• Free resources list for practising any language like language exchange websites, softwares and specialized dictionaries. 
• Worksheets to make language learning an active task.
• Almost 3 hours of audio interviews with Internet’s best known language learners and polyglots disclosing their secrets of learning a language.

Highlights of the Language Hacking Guide:

• Benny describes immersion as one of the best ways to learn a language and shows you step by step ways of doing so. 
• Using simple yet powerful ideas like switching your computer interface, Facebook accounts etc in the target language, Benny shows how you can grasp the essentials of a new language.  
• His passionate enthusiasm is sure to catch on with you. After reading the guide, you just want to go out and start speaking in your target language. 
• The guide is useful for both beginners and advanced language learners, with a part of the guide focusing on strengthening mental forces, that greatly increase your ability to converse in the target language.

If you want to converse confidently with the locals in their own language, pick up this guide. I am sure you will not regret your decision. The Language Hacking Guide is a valuable product that does not cost hundreds of dollars, instead delivers much more than it promises. 

The Guide is available in two download options :

1. FULL multilingual package :

You can get all of the above content rand all language updates for just US$59.

Any future updates will be sent completely free, to all purchasers.

Get the full version of the Language Hacking Guide now by clicking below : 

2.  English-only content :

If you just want all the information and are not interested in the native-written translations then you can get the English only version, with exactly the same content listed above but without the translations, for just US$49.

Get the English-only version of the Language Hacking Guide by clicking below :

I have already told you who the Language Hacking Guide is for. Finally, a few words on who the guide is not for :

• For those who want to learn a language overnight, without putting in any effort.
• For those who want to pass a grammar test quickly
• For those who do not want to make mistakes while learning the language. As they say, the only way not to make any mistake is to not speak in the target language at all!

It is not important to make mistakes when you begin, but it is important to begin so stop procrastinating and start speaking!

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Travel Photo of the Week - The Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt

This photo was taken last year during our visit to the Pyramids in Cairo. You hear a lot of things about the Pyramids and their sheer magnificence, but it is only when you visit this Wonder of the World, that you can truly witness and appreciate its impressive grandeur.

After a number of adjustments and testing of different camera angles, we got this shot - all the 9 pyramids (Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Menkaure and 6 smaller ones) in one line. This is one of my most favourite pictures from our Cairo trip, cherished memories that bring a smile to our face.

[Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

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The Netherlands Expat Guide (Part IV) - Top 10 facts about Netherlands

The Netherlands, situated in the North-West Europe, is sometimes also referred to as Holland. Interestingly, Holland was the largest and the most powerful province of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century, and has now been divided into two parts - the North Holland and the South Holland - forming two of the country's 12 provinces. Therefore, Holland is just a part of the Netherlands today, housing important cities like Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. 

Here are some interesting facts about the Netherlands : 

• The Netherlands, one of the most densely populated country in the world, enjoys the highest density of museums in the world - about 1000 museums of which 45 are in Amsterdam alone.

                                                        [Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

• The Netherlands is the largest producer and exporter of Tulips in the world, with Keukenhof being the largest flower park in the world. But interestingly, tulips find their origin in Turkey. 

                                                       [Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

• With over 15.000 kms of bicycle tracks and twice as many bikes as cars, the country is no doubt known as the "cycling paradise."

                                                      [Photo Credit - lyng883]

• The city of Amsterdam has over 1200 bridges and 150 canals. The city's soil being largely swampy, Amsterdam was built almost entirely on wooden poles, driven into the ground.

• Netherlands literally means the "low country". Over a quarter of the country is below the sea level, with 4000 kms of navigable canals, lakes and rivers. 

• Statistically, almost 30% of babies in the Netherlands are born at home.

                                                            [Photo Credit - Mike]

• When you think of the Netherlands, you think of windmills. The country has about 1000 old windmills still in working condition. Kinderdijk declared as the UNESCO world heritage site in 1997 has 19 historical windmills and is a must-visit destination to delve deeper into the history and culture of these fascinating mills.

• New York was initially a Dutch colony and was therefore called New Amsterdam. Similarly, Australia was named New Holland and New Zealand was named after the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands as these countries were first discovered the Dutch.

• Orange is the color of the House of Oranje-Nassau (the Dutch Royal Family), and is therefore the national colour of the Netherlands - giving this blog its name Orangesplaash.

•  The country is also known as " the land of compromises"  due to the fact that it always has a coalition government heading it. 

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Best views of Prague, Czech Republic

Last month, we visited Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic and what an amazingly wonderful trip it turned out to be. Deemed as the European city of Culture in 2000, along with 8 other cities, Prague is truly beautiful and incredibly remarkable. The monuments, towers and other attractions in Prague exhibit different styles of architecture - Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Cubism and Art-Nouveau - a result of the city's rich history and culture spanning thousands of years.

One of the most visited cities in Europe, Prague offers a plethora of sightseeing opportunities. Enjoy some of the best views of Prague below :

                                              

The largest ancient castle in the world and one of the most visited sights in Europe, the Prague Castle is the seat of the President of the Czech Republic. It was constructed in the 9th century and has been ruled by many different rulers over the period of time, thereby giving the castle a mix of varying architectural styles. 

Take a short walk downhill from the Prague Castle, and you reach the banks of the Vltava river, getting a glimpse of the majestic Charles Bridge (Karlův most). This beautiful pedestrian bridge is flanked by giant statues on both the sides and you will notice artists and painters displaying their work in full glory, on the bridge. The charming Old Town and the Lesser Town Bridge towers stand on the two ends of the bridge.

The historical city center of Prague has been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1992. The historical core of the city is divided into 6 different regions namely the Old Town, Lesser Town, Jewish Town, New Town, Hradcany and Vysehrad. The Charles Bridge connects the Old Town with the Lesser Town.

A view of the Prague Castle with the city in the background - this picture was taken atop the Petrin Hill Tower (below). The tower was built in the year 1891 on the Petrin Hill and you need to climb just 299 steps to reach the tower top! 

A copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, though smaller in size (60m high), the Petrin Hill Tower offers some great views of the city. Also, check out the Mirror Maze and the Observatory (we spotted Planet Mars) while you are at the Petrin Hill. 

A close up of the Prague Castle, as seen from the Petrin Hill Tower - the Castle houses St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George Basilica, the Old and New Royal Palaces and the Palace Gardens. Be sure to keep aside half a day to explore the Castles' beauty. 

It started getting dark and the city lights turned on, as we were getting down from the Petrin Hill Tower resulting in the above click. Notice the river - like several other major cities in the world, Prague is situated on the banks of the Vltava river in Bohemia. 

The picture above shows the Old Town Sqaure on an early October morning. The history of Square dates back to the 10th century. The Square houses many historical buildings and monuments, as well as souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. In the center of the Square is the monument of Jan Haus, a famous Czech reformer and nationalist.

The Church of Our lady before Tyn is a magnificent Church, situated in the Old Town Sqaure. A Gothic Church with rich Baroque interiors, it contains the tomb of the famous astronomer Tycho de Brahe. 

The National Museum situated in the Wenceslas Square has a huge Paleontological, Zoological, Mineralogy and Petrology Collection, besides pre-historical Bohemian collections. It took us several hours going through the collections, but it was fun and quite informative. 

The Wenceslas Sqaure has been witness to many important events in the Czech History and is always bustling with tourists and locals alike - a great place to end your Prague trip.

Have you visited Prague or any other East European city? What is your favourite destination there? 

[Photo Credit - Orangsplaash]

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Expat Interview Series on Orangesplaash

Orangesplaash will be featuring an Expat Interview Series starting mid December, 2010.  As the name indicates, the interview will focus on expats sharing their experiences living and working in a new country.

The interview will involve one or more of the following elements, in the form of 6-8 questions, to make it a wholesome reading and learning experience for Orangesplaash readers.

• Expat Inspiration
• Expat Tales
• Expat Tips
• Expat Entrepreneurship
• Expat Travel
• Expat Student life

So, if you are an expat who has lived or worked in a new country for any period of time, Orangesplaash invites you to share what you have learnt on your way, with other expats out there. The interview will also be featured in the Orangesplaash monthly newsletter and on the Orangesplaash Facebook fanpage.

If you are interested in doing an expat interview, just leave a comment below expressing the same or you can email me at orangesplaash@gmail.com and we'll take it from there. 

I am looking forward to hearing from you. 

[Photo Credit - Orangesplaash]

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The Netherlands Expat Guide (Part III) - Banking in the Netherlands

We have already seen how to open a Dutch bank account for expats living and working in the Netherlands. Today, we will discuss the most common methods of payment in the Netherlands, in continuation with the Netherlands Expat Guide series. For the rest of this series, click on How to get a BSN (Burgerservicenummer) in the Netherlands and How to open a (Dutch) bank account in the Netherlands?

Payment methods in the Netherlands: Have you have arrived recently as an expat in the Netherlands and are unfamiliar with the various options of making payments in the Netherlands? Do not worry - here are some of the most common methods that you will be using : 

• Cash: Euro is the official currency of the Netherlands since 2002. The notes are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, increasing in size with the denomination. The coins are available as 1 and 2 euros, as well as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 euro cents, though 1 and 2 euro cents are not used nowadays.

• Pinnen: This is one of the most common methods of payment in the Netherlands. The payment is done using a PIN card (pinpas). You simply need to swipe your PIN card through the payment machine at the check-out points (kassa) in shops, restaurants and supermarkets, and then enter your four-digit PIN code (you will receive this after opening a Dutch bank account). The amount specified will be debited from your account. 

• Chipknip: This is a faster way of paying and is usually employed for small transactions and car park fees. The process consists of payment done through a chipknip - electronic cash loaded onto a chip, located in your PIN card. Th e-cash can be loaded onto the chip at Chipknip machines, generally situated next to ATMs. The payment is faster because authorization from the bank is not needed every time you pay using chipknip. However, when you lose your card, all the cash loaded onto the chipknip also gets lost. 

• Credit Cards: Credit cards can be used in large departmental stores, hotels and restaurants, although they are not accepted as a form of payment in supermarkets and small shops. MasterCard, VISA and Eurocard are the most commonly used cards in the Netherlands.

• Online Banking: Online banking is becoming more and more popular in the Netherlands. Internet banking avoids the hassles of going to the bank each time and gives you the power to manage your own bank account.  In case you register for Internet banking, a small calculator size device will be given to you. You need to insert your PIN card into this device and then proceed according to the steps mentioned on the device screen to ensure authorization access to your bank account. 

• Acceptgiro: A typical Dutch form of payment, an acceptgiro is used mainly to pay off utility bills like gas, water and electricity. The process involves a yellow payment slip, generally attached to the bottom of an invoice. You need to enter details like your name and bank account in the space provided on the slip and then either drop it in a dedicated box in the bank or mail it to the bank. Alternatively, you can pay online using the details available on the acceptgiro. 

• Direct Debits : You can also instruct the bank to pay a fixed amount periodically from your bank account to the specified bank account number. This payment method is very useful in case of regular payments like house rent, and garage rent. Known as a standing order or a direct debit (automatisch overschrijven), you can set it up either directly with the bank or via online banking. The standing order can be cancelled by contacting the bank and filling up the appropriate form.

[Photo Credit - Peter Koves]

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