April 2015 Newsletter Happy St. Patricks Day
ACCESS in April!
Inside Newsletter Editor: Anne Craig Send your input to editaccess@gmail.com by the 20th of every month
Editor’s Note Letter from the Executive Director April The Ruhr Valley Departmental News Departmental Vacancies Volunteer of the Month Volunteer Feature Your Fellow Volunteers What’s on in April Reviews
We’d love to hear from you in the next newsletter – do send us your contributions!
1 ACCESS for &by volunteers April 201515
ACCESS Departments Executive Director Deborah Valentine access.executivedirector@gmail.com
Office Manager Qin Cai manager@access-nl.org
Cancerlink Aine Campbell ainecamp@hotmail.com
CSN Counseling Services Network Brenda Couture csn@access-nl.org
CSD Computer Services John Pellet csd@access-nl.org
CEB Baby Courses Bintou Keita (Den Haag/Rotterdam) Maria Krawcyk (Amsterdam/Utrecht) ceb@access-nl.org
CED Community Education Interim Manager – Tejashri Khadilkar ced@acces-nl.org
Communications Christopher an-Traumer communications@access-nl.org
E-Zine Editor Acting Editor-Deborah Valentine editor@access-nl.org
Volunteers’ Newsletter Editor Anne Craig editaccess@gmail.com
ACCESS Guides Madhavi Mistry-Ajgaonkar access.guides.coordinator@gmail.com
Web Co-Editors Laila Borrie / Arto Salojarvi webeditor@access-nl.com
Social Media Matt Rees socialmedia@access-nl.org
Finance David Sanders fin@access-nl.org
THD Helpdesk Manager Magdalini Zografou thd@access-nl.org
THD LVM Coordinator Antonio Gutierrez guti.antonio@hotmail.fr
THD Training Coordinator Nuria Garcia Saorin training.thd@gmail.com
THD THIC Coordinator Annelies Ras annelies.ras@denhaag.nl
“Welcome to The Hague” Project Coordinator Anca Boros welcome@access-nl.org
IRD Heiner Pierenkemper ird@access-nl.org
VRD Volunteer Resources Co-Manager John Fields vrd@access-nl.org
Relationship Management Team Thais Pagani fnd@access-nl.org
PR/Marketing - Event Management Madhavi Mistry-Ajgaonkar prd@access-nl.org
Expat Centre Utrecht Project Manager Katie Miller utrecht@access-nl.org
2 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Editor’s Note
Dear All, Easter this year takes place in early April. Do you know why the date of Easter changes each year and do you know the origins of some the traditions that we associate with Easter in many countries? Did you know that the Jewish Festival of Passover also takes place about the same time as Easter? Read on to find out … Happy Reading and enjoy all that chocolate! Anne EASTER HOLIDAYS Please be informed that ACCESS back office at LvM70 will be closed for the Easter holidays between 3-6 April, while THIC office will be closed between 4-6 April. All our offices including ECU (Expat Center Utrecht) will resume services on Tuesday, April 7. May I take the opportunity to wish you all a happy Easter holiday with your families and friends! Qin
ACCESS now has a Makro card available for use by volunteers. If you are not familiar with Makro, it is what is called, in the US, a "big box" store, or in the UK, a wholesale or discount store. You can read about them here: http://www.makro.nl/public/home. If you are interested in using the Makro card, you can make arrangements to pick it up from Qin and sign it out in your name. You can reach Qin at manager@access-nl.org. The person borrowing the card needs to fill in their name and the date of visiting the store. The card needs to be shown upon arrival and when paying and returned to the ACCESS office after use.
PEP Card At last we have resolved the questions about how to obtain and where to use the PEP card. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the PEP card, it is discount card (kortingspas) made available to all volunteers in Den Haag from the PEP organization. We have been working to try to facilitate the process of getting cards for all ACCESS volunteers who want them. However, there have been problems associated with the conversion of their website to include an English translation. So all the information and the application are only available in Dutch at this time. If you already have a PEP card, it is still valid - regardless of the date on the card. If you would like to apply for a PEP card (it will be sent to your home address), please click on the following link and complete the application: https://www.denhaagdoet.nl/kortingspas-aanvragen
3 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Letter from the Executive Director
Even though it has been 10 years since I travelled the expatriate road, the forty years prior during which I did: as expatriate child, student, employee, spouse of, mother of and semi-repatriate still rings true. It has been, after all, the majority of my life. And, the work I do with you, the volunteers of ACCESS, reminds me of the challenges, the benefits, the trials as well as the celebrations. It also makes me appreciate the guidance I had from my parents’, in particular my mother. At the time she embarked on this journey, it was still very novel. Today, the growing mobile ‘tribe’ means we learn from each other more, we have greater access to guides to support us and we meet more fellow tribe members. One of the (in my opinion) singular most significant and relevant support guides for this life has been the recent publication of a book entitled “The Mobile Life: a new approach to moving anywhere” written by Diane Lemieux and Anne Parker. It is a unique, easy to read book which applies change management theory to the process of changing countries and provides excellent tips for those embarking on the journey. (A review will be posted shortly on the ACCESS website). I am delighted to be able to invite all of ACCESS’ volunteers to a talk by one of the book’s authors, Anne Parker on Tuesday, April 20th from 3:00 – 6:30pm on the subject of ‘Managing Yourself through Personal Change’. Anne is an excellent and inspiring speaker and I would encourage you to attend this event. In order to also offer you the chance to meet other, fellow tribe members, who are not ACCESS volunteers the invitation is also being shared with members of Connecting Women and the Women’s Business Initiative, both ACCESS members. It is my hope that in providing a cross-networking and learning opportunity an added contribution can be made to your own global journeys. Following the presentation there will be a chance to network, and have a drink with one another. To sign up for the event, please use this link - http://goo.gl/forms/5hrFGTQMDi. The deadline for registration is 21 April. The event will take place at The Student Hotel (down from Den Haag HS), another ACCESS Partner. I look forward to seeing many of you there, ‘Managing Yourself through Personal Change’ When we move to a new country, or even another part of the same country, we experience massive, ongoing, 24x7 change. This process can at times feel fairly straightforward and at other times difficult and isolating. What can make the difference between these two ranges in experience is our ability to consciously manage a few key aspects of how we prepare approach and respond to personal change. Anne Parker will talk about the process of managing personal change from the aspect of moving to live in the Netherlands. Through this experience she will analyse some key change management strategies and approaches that can be used by all internationals moving to the Netherlands or preparing to move somewhere else in the world and which can also be applied to other areas of your personal and professional life.
Thank you, Deborah
4 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
April
The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis but the derivation of this name is uncertain. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire, "to open", in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to "open". Since some of the Roman months were named in honour of divinities, and as April was sacred to the goddess Venus, it has been suggested that Aprilis was originally her month Aphrilis, from her equivalent Greek goddess name Aphrodite (Aphros), or from the Etruscan name Apru. April Fools' Day – April 1 April 1 is the first day of Japanese fiscal year. Major Japanese companies usually have Nyushashiki (entry ceremony for companies) for new employees, newly hired after their graduation from schools, on this day. Belarusian Day – April 3 Passover (Hebrew: )חספa Jewish holiday – April 4 to April 11 Good Friday (Easter) – April 3 Easter Sunday – April 5 Easter Monday – April 6 World Health Day – April 7 Buddha's Birthday – Traditional Date – April 8 Araw ng Kagitingan, also known as "Bataan Day" (Philippines) – April 9 Bengali New Year (Bangladesh) - April 14 Vaisakh (Nepal) - April 14 Vaisakhi (India) - April 14 Thai New Year in Thailand – April 13 Lao New Year in Laos – April 13 Burmese New Year in Burma - April 13 Khmer New Year in Cambodia – April 13 Zimbabwean Independence Day – April 18 Earth Day – April 22 St George's Day Patron Saint Celebration (England, Europe) – April 23 Liberation Day in Italy - April 25 is a National Holiday that celebrates the end of the Nazi Germany occupation in the Northern Italy. ANZAC Day (Australia and New Zealand) – April 25 Carnation Revolution (Portugal) – April 25 Koningsdag, the Netherlands - April 27th. Resistance day in Slovenia - formerly Liberation Front of the Slovene People day April 27 Freedom Day (South Africa) – April 27 April 29 is a Japanese national holiday, It was celebrated as The Emperor's Birthday from 1927 to 1988, then renamed as Greenery Day after Hirohito's death in 1989. It is usually marked as the first day of "Golden Week", a week-long holiday period. Independence day (Syria) – April 17
5 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
April Fool!
A "poisson d'avril" is a joke made on April 1st. In France, children try to stick a fish on their friends' back. When the joke is discovered, they shout "poisson d'avril !"
How do you know if a chef is a clown? The food tastes funny! Thais During the heat of the space race in the 1960's, NASA quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in the zero gravity confines of its space capsules. After considerable research and development, the Astronaut Pen was developed at a cost of $1 million. The pen worked in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and also enjoyed some modest success as a novelty item back here on earth. The Soviet Union, when faced with the same problem, used a pencil.
Hieren Pierenkemper
Why is it impossible to starve in the middle of the Sahara desert? Because of all the sandwhich is there! David Standing
What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?
A stick!
The past, the present and the future walked into a bar…It was tense.
Kathryn Gerrits
Anne Craig
A man comes with an elephant at the border and meets the customs. They ask him for the papers of the elephant. He didn't have any, so he was not allowed to pass the border. A while later he came again . The customs told him he couldn't cross the border. The man however said " let me go on. I can decide myself what to put on my sandwich ". At the front and at the back of the elephant he had put a sandwich. Genoveva Gepaart "What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet." ;) Magdalini via Woody Allen A travelling circus gets ambushed and captured in darkest Africa. They are taken prisoner by cannibals. A feast is prepared and one by one the circus acts are cooked and eaten. As they are eating the clowns, one cannibal turns to another and says " this meat tastes a bit funny to me !" David Sanders 6 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Easter & Passover
The week before Easter is called Holy Week, and it contains the days of Easter including Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday), commemorating the Last Supper and its preceding foot washing, as well as Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, two days after Good Friday. Easter's date corresponds roughly with Passover, the Jewish observance associated with the Exodus. Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, the full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March (taken to be the date of the equinox). Ecclesiastically, the equinox is thus reckoned to be on 21 March (although the astronomical equinox occurs on 20 March in most years), and the "Full Moon" is not necessarily on the astronomically correct date. The date of Easter therefore varies from 22 March to 25 April inclusive. The date of Passover is fixed for the night of the Full moon near the time of the spring equinox. Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar. In many languages, the words for "Easter" and "Passover" are identical or very similar e.g. Pasen in Dutch, Pâque in French. Easter customs vary across the Christian world, and include sunrise services and decorating Easter eggs, a symbol of the empty tomb and of fertility. The Easter lily, a symbol of the resurrection, traditionally decorates churches. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter and are observed by both Christians and some nonChristians include egg hunting, the Easter Bunny, and Easter parades. The Jewish people celebrate Passover as a commemoration of their liberation by God from slavery in Egypt and their freedom as a nation under the leadership of Moses. It commemorates the story of the Exodus as described in the Hebrew Bible especially in the Book of Exodus, in which the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God helped the Children of Israel escape from their slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the ancient Egyptians before the Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves; the tenth and worst of the plagues was the death of the Egyptian first-born. The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord knew to pass over the first-born in these homes, hence the English name of the holiday. When the Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise (leaven). In commemoration, for the duration of Passover no leavened bread is eaten, for which reason Passover was called the feast of unleavened bread in the Torah or Old Testament. Thus Matzo (flat unleavened bread) is eaten during Passover and it is a tradition of the holiday. . 7 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Easter Eggs Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given out to celebrate the Easter holiday. The custom of the Easter egg may have existed in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion. In later traditions the egg is also a symbol of the empty tomb. The oldest tradition is to use dyed chicken eggs, but a custom dating from the early 19th century is to substitute eggs made from chocolate. Easter eggs are a widely popular symbol of new life in Poland and other Slavic countries' folk traditions. Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks we see now in the shops all stem from pagan roots. These were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honouring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The origin of the celebration — and the origin of the Easter Bunny — can be traced back to 13thcentury, pre-Christian Germany, when people worshiped several gods and goddesses. The Teutonic deity Eostra (origin of the word Easter) was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were held in her honour on the Spring Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal’s high reproduction rate.
What happened to the Easter Bunny when he misbehaved at school? He was eggspelled! Spring also symbolized new life and rebirth; eggs were an ancient symbol of fertility. Easter eggs also represent Jesus' resurrection. However, this association came much later when Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in Germany in the 15th century and merged with already ingrained pagan beliefs. The Easter Bunny is a popular legendary anthropomorphic Easter gift-giving character analogous to Santa Claus in American culture The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country. The tradition of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon followed. Eventually, nests became decorated baskets and colourful eggs were swapped for treats and other small gifts. In Australia, however, bilbies replace rabbits. Bilbies are native Australian marsupials that are endangered. To raise money and increase awareness of conservation efforts, bilby-shaped chocolates and related merchandise are sold within many stores throughout Australia as an alternative to Easter bunnies. The celebrated House of Fabergé workshops created exquisite jewelled eggs for the Russian Imperial Court in the late 19th century.
8 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
The Ruhr Valley
Exploring the Ruhr valley in Germany The Ruhr district / Ruhr valley (German: Ruhrgebiet) is an urban area in Germany with a population of eight and a half million people. It is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany. It consists of several large cities bordered by the rivers Ruhr to the south, Rhine to the west, and Lippe to the north. In the southwest it borders the Bergisches Land. It is part of the larger RhineRuhr metropolitan region of more than 12 million people. The Ruhr area, once a centre of coal and steel industries, has become one of the most thrilling cultural regions in Europe. Former industry plants are now home to arts and culture, entertainment, sport and relaxation. It is really worth visiting, located just across the border between The Netherlands and Germany and can be reached easily and fast by train or car. The Industrial Heritage Trail (German: Route der Industriekultur) links tourist attractions related to the industrial heritage in the Ruhr area. It is a part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. More information: http://www.ruhr-tourismus.de/en/ Some locations you should not miss: Zollverein World Heritage Site http://www.zollverein.de/service/english-page With its museum, restaurants, events and culture, the change the region has undergone is truly visible here. The Zollverein World Heritage Site is now the best known industrial monument in the Ruhr area. In accordance with its motto, "preservation through conversion", the coking plant has achieved a great deal since its decommissioning in 1993. The remodelled boiler house is now home to the Design Zentrum NRW design centre, and the restaurant "Casino" has moved into what was once the compressor hall. The former coal washing plant now houses the Ruhr Museum. Visitors can look forward to a wide range of facilities, from exhibitions detailing the history of the industrial Ruhr area, through culture and creativity, all the way to special events, fine dining and special leisure activities. The Zollverein colliery is a symbol of the Ruhr metropolis, and is an absolute must for any visitor to the Ruhr area. Der Tetraeder (The Tetrahedron) The Tetrahedron in Bottrop is a walkable steel structure in the form of a tetrahedron with a side length of 60m, resting on four 9 m tall concrete pillars. It is located in Bottrop on top of
9 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ April 2015
The Ruhr Valley the mine dump Halde Beckstraße and serves as the town's landmark. It was opened on German Unity Day 3 October 1995. The design is reminiscent of the Sierpinski tetrix: placing four half-size tetrahedra corner to corner and adding an octahedron in the middle, a full-size tetrahedron is formed; this process can be repeated recursively to form larger and larger tetrahedra.
It helps if you are not afraid of heights. ! Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landschaftspark_Duisburg-Nord The Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is a public park located in Duisburg-Meiderich. It was designed in 1991 by Latz + Partner (Peter Latz), with the intention to heal and understand the industrial past, rather than trying to reject it. The park closely associates itself with the past use of the site: A steel production plant (abandoned in 1985, leaving the area significantly polluted) and the agricultural land it had been prior to the mid-19th century. There is a visitor centre on the site and a restaurant. My tip: Go there later in the evening, reserve a table in the restaurant for dinner, let the night fall and enjoy the illumination on your way home. You can climb up the old ‘Hochofen’ and if you are brave enough do it at night.
10 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
The Ruhr Valley
Gasometer Oberhausen
http://www.gasometer.de/en/ The Gasometer in Oberhausen, a former gas storage facility, can be seen from a great distance, making it also a high-visibility landmark for the Ruhr area, and is one of the most impressive exhibition venues in Europe. The visit is guaranteed to be a highlight in the Metropolis Ruhr. It is rounded off by the magnificent view over the entire western Ruhr area from the 117-metre high roof. You ride up the inside of the Gasometer in a glass elevator. Concerts, lectures, exhibitions and other events are regularly held here. Current Exhibition: THE APPEARANCE OF BEAUTY http://www.gasometer.de/en/exhibitions/current-exhibition “ExtraSchicht” – (Night of industrial culture) It is ExtraSchicht when 50 venues in 25 cities cooperate to offer the best entertainment and create a unique atmosphere, when 190 shuttle buses drive around 37.000 kilometres in one night, when former industrial plants, active production facilities, mines and slagheaps turn to stages and visitors can experience hundreds of shows with one ticket.
11 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
The Ruhr Valley
This year the event is taking place on June 20 th : Info-/Ticket hotline: +49 1806.181620 If you use a car to visit the locations, a NAVI or smartphone will help a lot to find the places. Something completely different if you are tired of “Industriekultur” would be a visit to the Museum Folkwang in Essen: Museum Folkwang Essen
http://www.museumfolkwang.de/en/museum-folkwang.html Museum Folkwang hosts a major collection of 19th- and 20th-century art in Essen. The museum was established in 1922 by merging the Essener Kunstmuseum, which was founded in 1906, and the private Folkwang Museum of the collector and patron Karl Ernst Osthaus in Hagen, founded in 1902. Museum Folkwang incorporates the Deutsche Plakat Museum (German poster museum) hosting approximately 340,000 posters from politics, economy and culture. The New extension of the museum has been designed by the British architect Sir David Alan Chipperfield. He has been recognised for his work with an array of honours and awards including membership of the Royal Academy of Arts, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, a knighthood for services to architecture, and the Praemium Imperiale from the Japan Art Association in 2013. Hiener Pierenkemper
12 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Departmental News
February/March 2015 THD – Magdalini Zografou Five new Helpdesk volunteers joined the team in February: Stella, Kathryn, Emmanuelle, Ronel and Falguni. We had one presentations at the December Helpdesk meeting: K.H.Khaled gave a presentation about Arabic culture. LVM70 Helpdesk – Antonio has worked tirelessly to ensure 100% coverage of the LvM Helpdesk and finding buddies for the new volunteers. Thank you Antonio. The Hague International Centre (THIC) – Niti and Rawan moved from the LvM HD to the THIC team. As Always, Annelies and the THIC volunteers have ensured that we achieved 100% coverage of the THIC ROTA. Thank you to Annelies and the team. THD Training – Anna Rita joined the THD training team in February. Thanks to Nuria and the THD training team for organizing the training sessions for the new volunteers and to all HD volunteers who have been buddied at Helpdesk.
OAD / Office Manager – Qin CEB (Bintou and Maria) Amsterdam: Feb-March course: 17 couples March – April: 8 couples registered Utrecht: Feb: 2 couples March: O couples (cancelled) March Sunday course: 1 couple registered The Hague: February-March: 11 couples Sunday course (March 8):3 couples Rotterdam: March: 1 couple Welcome to The Hague – Aldo has stepped down as the Project Coordinator, Anca has kindly stepped up to cover the position. Welcome Anca! We have also recruited more volunteers for the team: Jane, Rawan, Cynthia and Emmanuelle . So far we have 20 registrations confirmed. Thanks to John P for creating the online registration form, so it would make the procedure easier and faster, also ease the task of collecting data later. Preparation for the opening of ECU, Utrecht – the recruitment of the team is going well, thanks to the extra hard work VRD/John F put in, many thanks John. The training scheduling is going well too, John F and Heiner will be the trainers to begin with, first training session will take place at THIC on March 16, Will prepare a log book for the volunteers in the beginning to fill in anything worth noting to help formulate the training materials. John P has added a window in Orange on ROTA for the team to fill in their shifts. Queenie has created a new Zoho account for ECU. Project Manger, Katie will start her duties as from April 6. 13 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Departmental News CSD – John Pellet The website stats for February 2015 are as follows: 30,100 Visits 17,232 Unique Visitors (compared to 15,119 in December 2014, a good increase) 42.75 % Returning Visitors 00:05:10 Ave Time on Site VRD – John Fields New Member of VRD – Jackson joined VRD and will assume responsibility for managing and posting events to the ACCESS website. Information Morning - The information morning scheduled for 11 February resulted in the recruitment of 8 new volunteers including 4 who will join the new ECU team. The next information morning will be held on Wednesday 18 March 2015. Social Events – The social event for February was a cocktail event held on 10 February at Cafe Leopold. There was excellent attendance and we were pleased to have two members of the Executive Board, Jessie Rodell and Godelijn Boonman , join us. The next Social Event will be a Potluck Lunch on 17 March (St. Patrick’s Day). Free Tickets For Events - We have been offered free tickets for ACCESS volunteers for several events from our partners and advertisers. Free tickets were received for: Royal Concer Jazz (awarded to Barbara) The Cyclepaths (awarded to: Thais, Niti and Anca) VRD Statistics as of 28 February 2015 Total Volunteers as of this month - including CED/CEB/CSN: 136 (Net gain of 3 from 31 January 2015) Number of volunteers who left during the month: 4 Number of Volunteer nationalities as of this month: 34 CSN – Brenda Couture Two new members have joined the group – Vanessa Prins and Ann Kuis. CSN now has 21 active members. Three applications are in process and three other applicants have expressed interest but have not submitted formal applications yet. CSN is in the process of updating screening and interviewing processes. A draft framework for the interview process and a set of draft interview questions has been developed for approval by the group. Interested CSN members will be presenting at THD meetings to provide Helpdesk volunteers with more information about their areas of expertise and CSN. The group’s next meeting is on March 10. Communications – Christopher an-Traumer Trello Presentation – Streamline your life, your work. · Marketing collateral review (All ads, banners, brochures, bookmarks, booklets) · Mobile App feedback from TEDxDelft · New! Queenie has joined the Communications Department as social media coordinator and will share the role with our current coordinator, Matt Rees. · 14 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Departmental News ACCESS Website – Features Carousel – Monthly Plan Week 1: Volunteer Profiles Week 2: Expat Authors Book Review Week 3: 3 Most interesting questions of the month received by Help Desk & THIC Week 4: Did you know? ACCESS Fun facts (stats, infographics…) IRD – Heiner Pierenkemper Partners - Updates are being made regularly as usual. Team – Ruchi left the team / ACCESS due to health reasons. Updating DAISY – Records were modified, updated and added as usual. A clear structure of tasks for every team member was discussed and agreed upon at the last meeting. The main target is to improve the quality and the relevance of the entries in DAISY in order to provide valuable information to our clients. FIN – David Sanders / Adista Blom Workload - The bookkeeping is up to date, and filing is well organised. New Team Member – We have a new team member, Nasreen effectively joined the finance team per Feb 15. She is now being trained to use the bookkeeping system. CancerLink – Anie Campbell The CancerLink Cookery workshop on Health and Vitality on March 1 attracted 15 participants. The event was again sponsored by the Masterdam Art Center, which is a great venue. The presenters were Nutritionist Kyrin Hall and chef Ivo Schellen, both passionate about educating people about the impact of nutrition on health and well-being. Check out the ACCESS FB page for photos. Our next workshop is planned for Oct. We are continuing to advertise for an ACCESS volunteer who would also like to support the work of CancerLink.
Qin Cai
15 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Vacancies - April
ACCESS OPEN VACANCIES – APRIL 2015 Communications Department - Social Media Coordinator (to assist Matt Rees) The ACCESS Social Media Coordinator is responsible for implementing the social media strategy with the goal of developing awareness, increasing engagement, generating website traffic and encouraging participation across social media channels – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +. - Communications Co-Manager The ACCESS Communications Co-Manager is responsible for: • Managing a team of writers, editors and contributors to the ACCESS Publications: ACCESS ezine, website, guides and social media accounts. • Coordinating request for ACCESS advertisement/appearance in the media. • Designing/coordinating production of ACCESS templates. Contact Christopher: communications@access-nl.org For all positions: You must be a self starter, self motivator, computer literate and driven by initiative and creativity.
Finance Department - Finance & Administration Assistant Requirements:
6-8 hrs/week Some finance experience helpful- not essential Good knowledge/experience with MS Excel desirable A good team player Contact David: fin@access-nl.org
16 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Vacancies - April
Cancer Support - Admin/Promoter 6-10 hours per month, so could be combined with another function within ACCESS. Includes the following responsibilities: Maintaining awareness of Cancerlink within ACCESS- checking supply of publicity material, ensuring distribution at key events, checking posting of events/news on website & social media Identifying key contacts in cancer centres, schools, social clubs and maintaining/updating mailing list Helping with admin-attending monthly meetings and writing, distributing minutes Helping with organising and publicizing workshops. Should you interested contact Cancerlink Co-ordinator Aine Campbell: ainecamp@hotmail.com
Project Department -PowerPoint Presentation for The Hague Do you live in these expats neighbourhoods in The Hague? – Bezuidenhout, Benoordenhout, Scheveningen, Valkenbos Kwartier, Kijkduin, if you do, and would like to share your local knowledge with fellow ACCESS colleagues, and work together in preparing this presentation for other international new arrivals, then this is the opportunity for you! We would really appreciate the participation from all of you. Please send your comments to, or contact Qin: manager@access-nl.org, or ask Qin directly for more details. We are making progress with this project, but we need more help! – Please offer your knowledge and tips in helping making the PowerPoint presentations, we can help provide you with a photographer to take pictures. It is fun to work on this project ;-)
For all positions: You must be a self starter, self motivator, computer literate and driven by initiative and creativity.
NOTE: New volunteers must finish the probationary month before applying for any vacancy. 17 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Volunteer of the month
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
Volunteer of the Month The Management Team on behalf of ACCESS would like to thank you for your continued commitment and everything you do for helping with the international community in the Netherlands. Your contributions of time, dedication, hard-work and talent ensure the continued success in fulfilling the mission, vision and goals of ACCESS.
You made the difference!! The Volunteer of the month award for April 2015 goes to:
ANCA It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Anca with the ACCESS Volunteer of the month for April 2015 “Anca has been an enthusiastic and committed volunteer from the day she joined ACCESS. Right from the beginning, she participated in all the activities she could with energy and curiosity. She is helpful, intelligent, dynamic, multi-talented and has a friendly personality, She has been working at the Helpdesk, THIC, Events, the Welcome to The Hague programme, and recently took on the position of Project Coordinator for WTTH. There is no sign of stopping ! Thank you very much Anca for your contributions and we truly appreciate your being here with us. Many congratulations!” Qin Anca is an active woman.. She likes to learn and enjoys her time with ACCESS. She speaks very good Dutch, which makes it easier for her. She is easy going, helpful, serious, funny, in short a lovely woman. I hope she will be a member of the team for a long time Annelies
Congratulations Anca! 18 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
-
Volunteer Feature
The Road to Mandalay At Access, many of us are expats. We find ourselves for all sorts of reasons in a foreign country with a foreign language and climate. From time to time we feel uncomfortable, homesick and unwelcome. We are, however, very lucky. Most of us can easily organise a home trip and we have lots of modern conveniences that help us to stay in touch with our home country, home -cooking and home comforts. Seventy years ago during World War II things were very different. My father was shipped out from Liverpool to Burma on a troop ship in December 1941. He was 21 years old. He had never been far from his home address. He was in the Royal Air Force and was off to war, to fight against the Japanese and prevent an invasion of India, the darling of the British Empire. He arrived in India and travelled across Bangladesh to Burma by train, via Lucknow, Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar. He spent 4 years as an "expat" in Burma and like all RAF airmen had no idea when or indeed whether he would return home. Different times. My brother and I decided to trace his footsteps and visit the country in which he served so far away from his old home. A few small, old black and white photos were all we had to go on. A trip to Burma is a journey through time. The country is full of wonderful old fashioned customs that no longer survive in our ultra modern high tech world. Children play barefoot in the streets and they are often seen playing with glass marbles. A Ferris wheel in Yangon is put in motion and stopped manually. Agile young men apply their weight to gravity by climbing up and down the big wheel to bring the ride in motion and vice versa. In this automated power assisted world it was hard to believe this. Trains run on tracks that were laid by the British almost 100 years ago. They have not been upgraded. A 3 hour train journey around the city of Yangon costs approximately 20 euro cents. It is, however, quicker to walk and walking along the track is in fact very popular. A bus trip to Pagan is slightly more up to date than a train journey as the bus is relatively modern. The journey is however a strange experience. The first hour is devoted to Buddhist prayers and monotonous chanting. The second reserve driver sleeps in the baggage compartment below in between bags of rice, onions , gas bottles and suitcases. We stop frequently to check if he is still alive. The definition of an aisle seat in Burma is different. An aisle seat means that you actually sit on the floor in the aisle. As the journey takes 8 hours these tickets are understandably sold at a substantial discount. Toilet breaks are by request and everyone watches with mild disinterest as you squat by the side of the road. Any disputes with tickets seemed to be resolved by producing home made food for the driver and his crew. Amazingly the bus had a TV screen which seemed to offer some kind of Burmese soap opera. Everyone was glued to this latest episode until the transmission bizarrely switched to fast forward
19 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ April 2015
Volunteer Feature
or slo- mo - a signal for everyone to go back to sleep with no complaints and no criticism. At various intervals the bus picks up someone selling local produce. Typically quails eggs, jackfruit and papaya. In Pagan you feel as though you are taking part in an Indiana Jones film. 4000 temples, mostly built around 1000 years ago, are just standing close to the road. You can explore and climb all over these ancient buildings without any health and safety regulations. COMMON SENSE LIVES! In this over regulated European Union I had begun to believe that common sense had become extinct. In Burma very few children are educated in schools. They have no knowledge of the world or of academic pursuits. They do, however, have a natural instinct for common sense. They learn from their elders and peers and know that a smile brings a smile in return . Average earnings are only $50 per month. They are, however, not starving and there is food enough. They do not know what they do not have and ignorance is bliss. I felt safe and contented there. World War II resulted finally in a victory in 1946, but the death toll was serious. 30000 allied fighters are buried just outside Yangon in a very dignified cemetery. My father was not in Burma as a tourist and could not buy souvenirs or indulge in touristy pastimes. He did not talk much about his time there. He served his King and country and fortunately came back alive. I now feel as though I have a better understanding of his journey, how he may have felt at the end of a dusty, dirty day in service and how he may have eaten and drunk when allowed outside the base into villages and towns. It was a very special trip and truly unforgettable. The sunrise balloon flight over Pagan was wonderful. Many people believe that today's Burmese regime is evil and corrupt. I am not so sure. It may be true that a small elite military dictatorship is lining its pockets with money that belongs to the people of Burma. On the other hand, I witnessed no crime, no aggression, no tension, and very few military uniformed people on the streets. There are no Starbucks, no McDonald's, no Pizza Hut and no TGI Fridays, no sleazy girlie bars, no drunkenness, no gambling and no pornography. I saw people laughing and living together in a way which depends on "help thy neighbour" and "treat others the way you would expect them to treat you." It is not all bad. It was refreshing. David Sanders
20 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ April 2015
Volunteer Feature
David’s Father in Burma
David, ready for his trip. Looking very dapper!
A balloon trip over Pagan 21 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
Our fellow Volunteers
JOIN ‘ACCESS VOLUNTEERS’ GROUP ON WE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO:
Bennu Corbishley Barrera David Sanders Ruchi Aggarwal
WE WELCOME:
A Facebook group for ACCESS volunteers has been created, it is called ‘ACCESS volunteers’, search for it (ACCESS in uppercase!) or use below link. Please do join!
Christine Jones-Carter Dymphna Pafitis Emma Elisabeth Grijsen Johar Syed Nika Lamesic Rox-Anne Hughes Sharon Clark Silvia Calles Oliveros
April BIRTHDAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 2nd 5th 9th 10th 13th 13th 14th 16th 19th 22nd 27th
Tejashri Khadilkar Helen Marshall Kathleen Sheridan David Standing Christopher an Traumer Stella Calverley Arto Salojarvi Nicole Drinkwater Ana Maria Napoleao Deborah Valentine Genoveva Geppaart
ACCESS social media
www.facebook.com/groups/308062515897693
ACCESS Information Morning: The next Information morning will be held on Wednesday 15th April 2015. All potential volunteers must first contact VRD before attending the information morning. Enquiries about volunteering should be forwarded to vrd@access-nl.org ACCESS SOCIAL EVENTS: The social event for March was a Pot Luck Lunch held on 17 March at Laan van Meerdervoort.. There was excellent attendance and we were pleased to have Jesse Rodell, from ACCESS Executive Board, join us. The next social event will be Cocktails at Gusto on 17 April. Event Ticket Winners: Congratulations to those who won tickets for recent events: Megan Alter (How To Be Frisian) El Loto (Anca Boros) Qin Cai (Beyond Words)
22 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
What’s on in April
Easter brunch in the Zeeheldenkwartier The Hague’s Zeeheldenkwartier will organise a gigantic open-air Easter brunch in the Prins Hendrikstraat on Monday, 6 April. The communal brunch will celebrate the completion of the project to repave the Zoutmanstraat and Prins Hendrikstraat. The morning will kick off with a traditional Easter egg tapping game (‘eitje tik’). The organisers are calling upon all residents, businesses and fans of the Zeeheldenkwartier to bring a breakfast and to share it with their table companions under the motto ‘sharing is caring’. The organisers will supply the drinks and musical entertainment. You can take a seat at the 300-metre long table for the friendliest breakfast in The Hague starting at 10.00 hrs. Make sure to take your own non-disposable plate, cutlery and cup as well. This way the brunch will cut down on the amount of rubbish produced. Several restaurants in the Prins Hendrikstraat (Pim, the Gouden Konijn and John & June’s) are selling a take-away breakfast, which needs to be ordered in advance.
http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/to/Easter-brunch-in-theZeeheldenkwartier.htm Where: The Hague When: April 6th 2015
Motel Mozaϊque Each year Motel Mozaïque organises several special cultural events such as the (inter)nationally respected Motel Mozaïque festival which offer a mix of pop music, dance, theatre and visual arts. At various indoor venues in Rotterdam distinctive programmes are presented. Motel Mozaïque showcases new and upcoming movements in different art disciplines, and the crossovers between.
http://motelmozaique.nl/en/ Where: Rotterdam When: April 10th to April 11th 2015
Get into the Greenhouse A few hundred greenhouse owners will open their doors to you and let you discover the world of vegetable, flower and plant cultivators. Children are playfully introduced to the high-tech greenhouse and are allowed to see how their vegetables, fruits and flowers are developed by robots in laboratories. Parents can get information on healthy nutrition and enjoy cooking workshops. Get into the Greenhouse is the largest public event of the Dutch greenhouse industry. The hundreds of hospitable vegetable, flower and plant cultivators are scattered over multiple regions throughout the Netherlands. It is a unique opportunity to see what is happening in the greenhouses. The cultivators will proudly present the art of growing fresh, tasty, healthy, beautiful and safe natural products. In recent years, more and more agricultural companies are starting to participate.
http://www.holland.com/us/tourism/article/get-into-the-greenhouse.htm Where: Rotterdam When: April 11th to April 12th 2014
23 ACCESS for & by volunteers April 2015
What’s on in April
Rotterdam Marathon On Sunday April 12, 2015 the most beautiful marathon of The Netherlands will take place for the 35th time: the NN Marathon Rotterdam. This high quality marathon is well known for its fast times, professional organization and the many enthusiastic supporters along the course. The world's top athletes will be at the start on the bustling Coolsingel, alongside ten thousands of other runners who will also triumph, each in their own unique way. The marathon weekend is a wonderful blend of (top) sport and festival. No other marathon in The Netherlands can match the ambiance which is felt in Rotterdam. Experience what it feels like to finish as a hero on the atmospheric Coolsingel, a moment you’ll never forget.
http://www.nnmarathonrotterdam.org/ Where: Rotterdam When: April 12th 2015
Life I Live Festival Sunday April 26th, on King’s Day eve, The Hague’s city center will be transformed into one big festival area with nine stages and a lot of great music to discover. The annual LIFE I LIVE Festival will take place for the fifth time, boasting a huge number of free performances from (inter)nationally renowned artists. The festival’s atmosphere is laidback and relaxed while high quality tunes fill the air. Under different circumstances one has to travel and buy pricy tickets to enjoy artists alike. But in the city of The Hague it all happens at once: a totally free festival for conscious music lovers from all over the world who can enjoy a line-up as varied as it is exciting!
http://www.lifeilive.nl/english/ Where: The Hague When: April 26th 2015
Kings day On 27 April, all of Holland is a party! From the biggest cities down to the smallest hamlets, the entire country celebrates King’s Day. There are street markets everywhere, where people sell all kinds of miscellany and (home-made) treats. Bands are playing on every street corner, every pub is serving beer outside and all around, people are dancing in their orange outfits. Tradition dictates that the Royal family visits one or two municipalities in Holland on this day, so with any luck, you might see them yourself! http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/activities/events/april-1/kings-day-in-holland.htm Where: Throughout the Netherlands When: April 27th 2015
Tulip Festival Holland’s longest tulip route can be found in the Noordoostpolder in Flevoland. Over 100km through nearly 2500 acres of colourful fields make this one of the world’s most beautiful routes. Windmills, wooden shoes and colourful fields filled with tulips. That is how Holland looks on a postcard. Spring in Holland is marked by flowers and flower bulbs. The most famous places are Keukenhof and the flower-bulb region but Flevoland is not as well-known even though it boasts Holland’s longest and most colourful tulip route in the Noordoostpolder!
http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/activities/events/april-1/tulip-festival.htm Where: Noordoostpolder - Please contact the VVV tourist information desk for detailed When: April 17th to May 5th 2015
Thank you Hima for compiling the What’s On each month.
24 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
routes
Reviews
I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban Malala Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. This is the story of an ordinary Pakistani girl who turned into an activist for child education. This book is an autobiography where she narrates her life in Swat province of Pakistan and shows how she ended up in Birmingham, after being shot by the Taliban. I was fascinated to read her story when she was awarded Noble price in 2014. Receiving a noble prize at the age of 17, makes you wonder about this girl. With no second thoughts I purchased a hard copy. Malala describes her struggle in the Taliban affected province of Swat in Pakistan. She writes about her journey from being a blogger to an activist and spokesperson for education. All along she had the support of her father who, according to her, has never clipped her wings.. The importance of education is realised when it is taken away from her. One sentence which touched me profoundly is “God sends solution first and the problem later” Developing or under-developed countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan India,Tanzania etc are facing problems like poverty, providing primary education to children, child trafficking and many other problems. Malala is a Co-founder of Malala Fund and believes that each girl, and boy, has the power to change the world and that they need is a chance. The fund aspires to invest in efforts that empower local communities, develop innovative solution that build up upon traditional approaches, and deliver not just basic literacy but the tools, ideas and networks that can help girls find their voice. Do read this book for inspiration and courage to improve the world around us. If you are too lazy to read, then watch a Times documentary “Class dismissed” and “Malala Yousafzai’s 2014 Noble peace prize speech “ on Youtube.
Falguni Lothari Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. At age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate
25 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
Other activities that ACCESS Volunteers do when not working for ACCESS
Aromatherapist You can always contact Bernadette Davis for your own personal blend of oils tel: 070 4060389.
nuriagsaorin@gmail.com
(+31) 0681 49 46 66
Anne Craig English English lessons. Editing and Profreading Annecraig69@gmail.com 0617930645 a
-Thank you to all the contributors to the April Newsletter-
26 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ March 2015