January 2015 Newsletter Happy St. Patricks Day
ACCESS in January!
Inside
Editor’s Note Letter from the Executive Director January 5 things you didn’t know about… Departmental News Volunteer of the Month Departmental Vacancies Volunteer Feature Your Fellow Volunteers What’s on in January
We’d love to hear from you in the next newsletter – do send us your contributions! 1 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
Newsletter Editor: Anne Craig Send your input to editaccess@gmail. com by the 20th of every month
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 Co-Managers - Christopher an-Traumer / Carina Hyllested communications@access-nl.org
E-Zine Editor Sally Squirrell editor@access-nl.org
Volunteers’ Newsletter Editor Anne Craig editaccess@gmail.com
ACCESS Guides Madhavi Mistry-Ajgaonkar access.guides.coordinator@gmail.com
Webmaster Monica Meier-Bahl webmaster@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 Atrium Coordinator Annelies Ras annelies.ras@denhaag.nl
“Welcome to The Hague” Project Coordinator Aldo Rodriguez welcome@access-nl.org
IRD Co-Managers Heiner Pierenkemper / Arto Salojarvi ird@access-nl.org
VRD Volunteer Resources Co-Managers Neha Khanna / John Fields vrd@access-nl.org
Relationship Management Team Thais Pagani fnd@access-nl.org
PR/Marketing - Event Management Roy Lie prd@access-nl.org
Community Liaison Officer Jane Meijer-Zhang Community.liaison@access-nl.org
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Editor’s Note
“I wish everyone a Healthy New Year full with blessings. I hope that the friendship bond continues to grow among us at ACCESS and that we are able to explore our talents and give back to the community through this great non-profit company we volunteer for.” Bernadette
The “End of Year Celebrations” potluck that took place on 19th December 2014 was a great success. It was a lot of fun enjoying delicacies, playing games (thank you Neha and John for your sterling efforts with a somewhat rowdy crowd!), exchanging gifts and chatting to colleagues, many of whom we can now call friends.
The next social Event of 2015 is the ACCESS Potluck again – look out for an email with the date. We shall welcome the New Year with scrumptious goodies and hope that the 2015 brings happiness and joy to everyone. 3 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
Letter from the Executive Director
The Monday of the first week, of a New Year always feels to me like the start of the New Year itself. Not sure why, perhaps because during the festive start of the New Year we are all still in some sort of vacation mode – whether we have been away or not – and all the festive days, period, blends into one. That first week back at work is then not just a Monday, but truly the start of a new period. And, as I prepare to return to ACCESS I look not only forward, but back …..at the achievements we have all made. And I smile. Going into 2015 is truly an exciting period. After a few years of financial uncertainty we have turned a proverbial corner, thanks in large part to you, our volunteers, – for continuing to provide the organisation, and the public, with increasingly professional and dedicated services; to our trusted partners for having the confidence in us to reflect their good work and supporting us financially; to the Board for their conscientious oversight and determination to move forward cautiously, yet strategically and, for the good fortune we have to be able to support one another and so many others on the adventure or expatriation & relocation. New challenges are ahead, not the least of which is branching into Utrecht! Yes, that is right, in the next few months we will be putting things in place to become a part of the to-be-launched Expat Utrecht Centre and thereby ensure that we can serve the community and provide internationals living there with the multiple benefits of being a part of ACCESS, and of creating a home away from home. Details need to be finalised, formally, but in anticipation, behind the scenes we are preparing for this new challenge. So, should you know of people in Utrecht who may be interested in volunteering do let me, or VRD, know so we can be sure to contact them when we are ‘ready to roll’. Internationals in Rotterdam will be able to experience their first ever Expat Fair in February, and those in Amsterdam will get a different fair experience with the IamExpat Fair in March … ACCESS will be present at both and I am confident that at these, and many other events in 2015 you will continue to show our best side: YOU. Wishing everyone a happy & healthy 2015, from myself and the ACCESS Board, Sincerely,
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Deborah and Priya at the Christmas Potluck
January
January (in Latin, Ianuarius) is named after Janus, the God of beginnings and transitions; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) since January is the door to the year. Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, winter being considered a month-less period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, allowing the calendar to equal a standard lunar year (354 days).
Events in January round the World National ‘Thank You’ month! New Year's Day – January 1 Independence Day in Haiti – January 1 Handsel Monday in Scotland and northern England – First Monday Three Wise Men Day, or Epiphany, in Latin America, Spain, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, and is, although not celebrated as widely or in the same way as in countries with a Spanish history, an official holiday in many European countries, for example Austria, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Liechtenstein, Slovakia and Croatia, as well as in parts of Germany and Switzerland. – January 6 Russian and Ukrainian Christmas Eve, also known as Svyat Vechir – January 6 Plough Sunday in Scotland and northern England – Sunday after January 6 Coptic and Russian Orthodox Church Christmas – January 7 Coming of Age Day (成人の日 Seijin no hi?) in Japan – Second Monday National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States – January 11 Makara Sankranthi (Festival of Harvest) in India – January 14 Third Sunday is Pongal in India and Feast of the Santo Niño in the Philippines Chinese New Year – between January 21 to February 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States – Third Monday The uniting of Moldavia and Wallachia under the same ruler in 1859, Romania – January 24 Burns night in Scotland – January 25 Republic Day in India – January 26 Australia Day in Australia – January 26 Auckland Anniversary in Auckland, New Zealand – Monday closest to January 29
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January
Twelfth Night is a festival, in some branches of Christianity, marking the coming of the Epiphany and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". There is some confusion, however, as to which night is Twelfth Night. The older tradition of Twelfth Night being on the eve of 4th January stems from the Hebrew and later Roman Catholic liturgical practice of the day beginning at sunset rather than at midnight as it does now. Thus Twelfth Night falls on the night of 5 January nowadays. A belief has arisen in modern times, in some English-speaking countries, that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a tradition originally attached to the festival of Candlemas (2 February) which celebrates the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple Food and drink are the centre of the celebrations in modern times, and all of the most traditional ones go back many centuries. The punch called wassail is consumed especially on Twelfth Night, but throughout Christmas time, especially in the UK. Around the world, special pastries, such as the tortell and king cake are baked on Twelfth Night, and eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations. In English and French custom, the Twelfth-cake was baked to contain a bean and a pea, so that those who received the slices containing them should be designated king and queen of the night's festivities. In Ireland it is still the tradition to place the statues of the Three Kings in the crib on Twelfth Night or, at the latest, the following day. In colonial America, a Christmas wreath was always left up on the front door of each home, and when taken down at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, any edible portions would be consumed with the other foods of the feast. The same held true in the 19th-20th centuries with fruits adorning Christmas trees. Fresh fruits were hard to come by, and were therefore considered fine and proper gifts and decorations for the tree, wreaths, and home. Again, the tree would be taken down on Twelfth Night, and such fruits, along with nuts and other local produce used, would then be consumed. In the eastern Alps, a tradition called Perchtenlaufen exists. Two to three hundred masked young men rush about the streets with whips and bells driving out evil spirits. In Nuremberg until 1616, children frightened spirits away by running through the streets and knocking loudly at doors. In some countries, the Twelfth Night and Epiphany mark the start of the Carnival season, which lasts through Mardi Gras Day. Modern American Carnival traditions shine most brightly in New Orleans, where friends gather for weekly King Cake parties. Whoever gets the slice with the "king", usually in the form of a miniature baby doll (symbolic of the Christ Child, "Christ the King"), hosts next week's party. In parts of Kent, there is a tradition that an edible decoration would be the last part of Christmas to be removed in the Twelfth Night and shared amongst the family. Drury Lane Theatre in London has had a tradition since 1795 of providing a Twelfth Night cake. The will of Robert Baddeley made a bequest of £100 to provide cake and punch every year for the company in residence at the theatre on 6 January. The tradition still continues. 6 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
5 things you didn’t know about…Italy
The 5 Best Kept Secrets of Italy Most people who choose Italy as a holiday destination never stray from the beaten track, they follow the usual itinerary, Rome - the Colosseum and the Forum, Florence and its Renaissance glory, Venice - the Doge’s Palace, a trip on the Gondolas and a visit to Murano to see the glassblowers’ workshops and the purchase of tacky glassware, and, if a day is left, shop-until-you-drop in Via Montenapoleone in Milan. But now it’s time to wise up on some of Italy’s most secret and mysterious places, go off the beaten track and explore gardens, chapels and castles that had us wondering for centuries about their hidden meanings and purposes. After all Italy is a country whose history can be considered a long sequel of unsolved mysteries, we will never fully understand what happens in the ancient halls of the Vatican but that’s another story… Latium, whenever you think about Latium the first thing that comes in your mind is Rome of course, a multilayered city, a lady which has known better times, which has gone through decline and rebirth countless times, but has never really lost its melancholic charm and its attitude of benign indifference to the ebbs and flows of history. But let us hop on a local train headed to a tiny little station called Attigliano- Bomarzo. A swift walk up a low hill will take you to the ancient village of Bomarzo which hosts Italy’s best secret number 1, the enigmatic Sacred Grove, also known as the Bomarzo Garden or Park of the Monsters. This eerie dreamland was created by architect Pirro Lagorio for a commission from Pier Francesco Orsini who, brokenhearted from the death of his young wife Giulia Farnese, decided to devote this bizarre garden to the memory of his wife. The park is far from being your typical luscious Italian Renaissance garden; the first thing that strikes the visitor is the total lack of harmony and balance of shapes that characterize Italian Renaissance Gardens. You are actually entering the underworld, the chaos of the mind of a man shattered by the loss of his beloved life companion who vents his pain through the creation of grotesque creatures and bizarre houses. As you stroll through the park you will see that at every turn you encounter eccentric and unexpected sculptures - a turtle with a statue on its back, steps taking you inside the mouth of a giant ogre, mythical figures half woman half snake whose symbolism has been lost in time, a dragon, a tiny theatre (which probably referred to the fact that life is a mix of tragedy and comedy), and a leaning house. There are many theories on the meaning of the sculptures of the Gardens of Bomarzo but none can really give a rational explanation of their elaborate symbolism. Maybe it is only a capriccio, a fantasy combination of works of art which bear no connection to one another that reflects the unpredictability, the mystery, and complexity of human life.
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5 things you didn’t know about…Italy
At the feet of the Monti Lepini in Southern Latium there is another hidden gem, the Garden of Ninfa. I am sure that you would never expect to find a Romantic English Garden in this barren area of Latium but that’s what Ninfa is, 20 acres of luscious gardens interspersed with the ruins of an abandoned medieval town. The garden was created by Gelasio Caetani with the help of his English mother Ada Wilbraham and further developed by his American wife and his daughter,Leila who was an artist and gave Ninfa its romantic character we know today. The garden was conceived around the ruins of an abandoned town, Ninfa, which was a prosperous medieval town with a strategic position on the Appian way. Ninfa was coveted by several papal families who fought ferociously between one another to take control of it; so ferociously that they destroyed it. In 1921 Gelasio Caetani, who owned the land on which the ruins stood, decided to breathe new life into this charming place and took advantage of the unique warm and humid microclimate of the valley, its unusual fertility due to being criss-crossed by a multitude of springs, and its southern aspect to create an informal garden in which the ruins of the ancient churches and towers of Ninfa are gently covered by roses, climbing hydrangeas and clematis and surrounded by cypresses and a thousand other species of plants, even exotic ones like Japanese maples and banana trees, that he had brought home from his travels abroad. The charm of this garden lies not only in the abundance of flora (the leaves of some plants grow to spectacular proportions thanks to above mentioned micro climate) but in its stillness; the gardens look like they have been put under a spell, a spell of eternal beauty. After much sufferance and bloody wars Ninfa can finally rest at the foot of the barren mountains like a beautiful sleeping princess who will keep dreaming, undisturbed, about the glories of her past.
No article on the secrets and mysteries of Italy could neglect to take a peek at its most decadent diva, Naples. Now forget about the fact that everybody will tell you that there is a 99% chance that your wallet or watch will be stolen in Naples; leave your valuables at home, and when I mean home, I mean your home, not at the hotel’s safe because you never know what the hotel staff is up to. Go out and get lost in its primeval and colourful chaos, explore its dark, small streets, and you will end up always encountering something unexpected and bizarre like the beautiful and disturbing Sansevero Chapel. It is located right in the centre of the Spaccanapoli, the centuries old artery that crosses the city. It is also known as the Alchemic Chapel. This private chapel houses an incredible collection of beautiful marble statues and anatomical machines. The chapel was initially built by Francesco di Sangro, the Duke of Torremaggiore to express his 8 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
5 things you didn’t know about…Italy
gratitude to God after having miraculously recovered from a fatal illness. But it was the eccentric Raimondo di Sangro 200 years later who gave a definite form to the Chapel; making it not only a sign of devotion to God but also an expression of his unconventional interests - chemistry, physics, alchemy and free-masonry. The chapel, with its stunningly realistic marble statues and its black and white labyrinth (a symbol of masonic initiation) which decorates the floor, has been considered by art historians to represent a masonic allegory, namely the progression towards enlightenment through the exercise of the masonic virtues - self-control, decorum, liberality and sincerity. Two statues, Modesty and the Veiled Christ are covered with finely chiselled veils, so transparent that many scholars in the past argued that it was the result of the alchemic procedure called “marblisation” invented by the Prince Raimondo which consisted in transforming a cloth into a layer of marble through a very complex process of calcification. But later studies proved this to be a legend. The Veiled Christ is entirely hewn from a single block of marble. The impalpable quality of the veil is due to the admirable technique of the sculptor, Giuseppe Sammartino. Antonio Canova tried many times to buy the Veiled Christ but with no success; it is said that he would have given ten years of his life to have been the author of this incomparable work of art.
Another unique feature of the Chapel are the anatomical machines. They were thought to be an example of a process called “human metallization” as implemented by anatomist Giuseppe Salerno for a commission by Prince Raimondo. The two models are a mature male and a pregnant woman. Their skeletons (real skeletons) are encased in hardened arteries and veins which are coloured red and blue. It was believed that the arteries and veins had been hardened and transformed into metal by injecting into them a very mysterious alchemic substance invented by the Prince. But recent studies proved this theory to be false, the circulatory system of the anatomical models is made of wax, metal wire and silk and although it is fake it reproduces the blood circuit perfectly. 9 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
5 things you didn’t know about…Italy
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Tuscany? Palazzos? scheming Medicis? Usually it is the Renaissance. But there is a lot more to it; among its gentle hills dotted with cypresses, there are two peculiar creations of two inspired aristocratic artists, an abandoned Moorish Castle, the Castello di Sammezzano, and another mysterious and arcane garden, the Tarot Garden. th
Sammezzano lies 36 kilometres east of Florence. Until the beginning of the 19 century it was just a palazzo like many others, but when Marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes of Aragon inherited it, he transformed it into a Moorish Revival style palatial villa which is one of the finest examples of orientalist architecture in Italy. Sammezzano has 365 rooms, one for each day of the year and they are all different; their ceilings are decorated with exquisitely carved abstract patterns and their walls are covered with colourful tiles. Unfortunately after the death of the imaginative Marquis, the castle went through a long period of abandon and neglect. First it was looted by the Germans, then it was transformed in a hotel which closed its doors in 1990. At the end of the 90’s it had been bought by a British Company and there were plans to turn into a golf resort and spa but the funds were scarce and the castle was forgotten and now it lies empty and in a extreme state of disrepair. The exterior damage by vandals and the weather is fairly evident. On the inside, many windows are broken, railings cut, chandeliers and rosettes stolen. It wasn’t until 2013 that a local non-profit committee was founded to help raise awareness of the increasingly decaying castle. They have no ownership of Sammezzano but they are helping to arrange and promote public openings. I hope one day we will be allowed to visit the castle and drink mint tea under the intricate and technicolour patterns of its vaults.
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5 things you didn’t know about…Italy
The Tarot Garden is an esoteric sculptural garden created by French-American artist Niki De Saint Phalle and it is based on the symbolism of the tarot cards. It is located in Garavicchio in Southern Tuscany. Niki had dreamed of creating a sculpture garden for many years and then her friend Marella Agnelli gave her a stretch of land in Maremma. On these 2 hectares of land stretched between the luxuriant Mediterranean scrub and the sea Niki created a magical world populated by 22 colourful gigantic creatures made of steel and concrete and covered by a mosaic of glass, mirrors and coloured ceramic. Each one of them represents one figure from the Major Arcana (22 cards in the tarot deck, among them The Empress, the Fool, The Hangman and The Magician ) and a significant aspect of life. The artist writes, “I am convinced that the cards contain an important message… The tarot cards have given me a key to better understand my spiritual life and to deal with life’s problems.” The garden can thus be considered as a visual expression of her inner world, of her conflicts and of her way to examine her emotions. She adds, “This garden was made with great difficulty, with love, with crazy enthusiasm, with obsession, and more than anything else, with trust. Nothing and nobody could have stopped me.” And nobody did; it took 17 years to finish it and 10 billion dollars , completely financed by the artist. Perhaps the most intimate space in the garden is the Imperatrice (The Empress), the female sphinx like structure. Niki lived inside this structure for about a year, and you can go inside it now. It has a kitchenette, sleeping loft, and bathroom with a shower that comes out of a monster’s head. The whole inside is covered in mirror mosaic, every single surface, even the dining table. On the outside, female symbols predominate, the shapely women for which the artist is famous.
By Barbara Bacciucchi
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Departmental News
Departmental News – November/December 2014 THD – Magdalini Zografou Eight new Helpdesk volunteers joined the team in November: Brid, Roland, Mengting, Simona, Iulia, Monika, Sylwia and Rawan. We had two presentations at the November Helpdesk meeting: Jacqueline van Gent gave a presentation about Transactional Analysis. Wendy Fossen gave a presentation about her art history classes and city walks. Zeestraat Helpdesk -Team members are required to add their name on the Holiday ROTA even if they leave on vacation for just one week, so that management can keep track of shifts, vacation times, etc. Antonio has worked tirelessly to ensure 100% coverage of the LvM Helpdesk and finding buddies for the new volunteers. Thanks Antonio. The Hague International Centre -This month, it was THIC’s four year anniversary. Happy birthday THIC! At the end of November, Deputy Mayor Rabin Baldewsingh visited the centre and had a spontaneous talk with Martha about volunteering at ACCESS / THIC. He asked several questions about volunteers’ positions at THIC and Martha was very helpful in answering them. THIC welcomed one new volunteer that moved from LvM: Renata M. More volunteers are needed and hopefully more will be able to join the team soon. Many thanks to Annelies for providing updates from 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 - A THD trainer’s meeting was held in November. Various issues were discussed regarding changes and updates in training material, trainers’ participation in training sessions and online feedback statistics. Thanks to Nuria for facilitating the meeting. Thanks to Nuria and the training team for organising the training sessions for the new volunteers and to all HD volunteers who have been buddies at HD and THIC. OAD / Office Manager – Qin CEB (Bintou and Maria) For 2014, the total numbers of couples who attended Childbirth courses in each city are Utrecht: 9 couples Amsterdam: 109 couples The Hague: 112 couples Rotterdam: 19 couples A grand total of 249 couples! Well done, team!! Qin is having a team meeting with all CEB trainers and coordinators, Bintou and Maria, on 12 December to discuss how to improve this service to the community in 2015. 12 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
Departmental News Welcome to The Hague – The forth, and last edition of 2014, on 8 December went well with about 58 registrations and 39 attendees, feedbacks were positive on the day, still waiting for the feedback report from Aldo. CSN – John Pellet The website stats for November are as follows: 32,215 Visits 18,034 Unique Visitors ( compared to 19,127 in October, a slight drop ) 44.02 Returning Visitors (%) 00:05:09 Ave Time on Site VRD – Neha Khanna Information Morning - The information morning scheduled for 5th November resulted in the 8 recruitment of new volunteers. The next information morning will be held on Wednesday 7th January, 2015 Social Events - The social event “ACCESS Drinks” on 25th November at the “Fiddler “Den Haag was a huge success. We also presented the Volunteer of the Month Certificate to Hima Mehta for her continued motivation and commitment to ACCESS. The next Social Event is ACCESS End of Year Celebrations Potluck on 19th of December at the Conference Room in LVM 70. Free Tickets/Spots For Events - We have been offered some free tickets/spots and discounts for ACCESS volunteers for below events as part of partnership agreement with ACCESS, in return for listing their events on our website, or as gifts: 1. Cos Jazz concert 2. Waves, Theatrical Play in Leiden 3. STET: The Hague Shakespeare fringe weekend 4. Christmas X-Clusive by Expat Events 5. DNR Film Club 6. Haagse Helden Festival A request to all volunteers who request for tickets, please do so only after ensuring their availability for the scheduled time/date. VRD Statistics as on 30th November Total Volunteers as of this month - including CED/CEB/CSN: 132 Number of volunteers who left during the month: 1 Number of Volunteer nationalities as of this month: 31
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Departmental News CancerLink – Aine Campbell To mark Breast Cancer Awareness month, Cancerlink organised another Cookery Workshop with nutritionist Kyrin Hall and chef Ivo Schellen. This was on Sun, Oct, 5th, in the Amsterdam Art Center (www.amsterdamartcenter.nl ) The facilities include a large commercial kitchen, which was made available at a reduced rental. The theme was “Cooking with Superfoods”. The event was well attended with 14 enthusiastic participants. The venue was very impressive and people had an opportunity to see round the center and view the Art work. Mike Bosman, the manager, is happy to sponsor these events in the future. We are continuing to advertise for an ACCESS volunteer who would also like to support the work of Cancerlink. We had one new Cancerlink contact, none in Sept and one in Oct. Events – Roy Lie On December 5 2014, ACCESS participated in the traditional ICP End of the year party at the Hilton Hotel in The Hague. Besides being present with our information table, ACCESS also provided two volunteers for the clock room. The number of attendees were probably lesser compared to 2013. There was also the concluding WTTH program for 2014 on this day with approximately 40 in attendance. Not a bad score at all. Up to 2015. NL4Talents/NUFFIC, edition 2014, a fair for talented foreign students. The fair took place at the Fokker Terminal Den Haag. The Dutch government tries to sway talented students to remain longer in the Netherlands, The students are generally very particular, they only take material they might be needing should they decide to stay in the Netherlands. A great show to be at, very gratifying. There was also the Shell outpost annual fair on November 13.Christine reported positively on the fair. November 11, ICP at the New Babylon complex Den Haag. ACCESS furnished ICP with multiple services as hostesses, ushers; there was also an ACCESS information table. It was a pleasure receiving positive feedback from individuals who have made use of ACCESS services in the past. A day of good exposure at the fair. Thank you volunteers for your great input. The Beurs van Berlage was also this year the venue for the 11th edition of I am Not A Tourist. One of the major annual events. Feel at Home, Shell outpost and NL4Talents are other major annual events. Delfi, 18 October at Delft. This is the first time ACCESS participated in this fair. It was held on18 October 2014. A presentation was held at the Embassy of Canada for newly arrived diplomats on November 16. We managed to answer the many questions. The feedback was positive.
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Departmental News Communications – Christopher an-Traumer The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect upon the past year while preparing for the beginning of a new year. The communications department would like to finish 2014 by doing two things: 2014 - We are putting together a series of infographics to highlight ACCESS achievements in 2014. These will be published on our website and social media channels. 2015 - The communications department is working on a plan to revamp our communications strategy that will align with the general ACCESS business strategy. This involves rethinking our digital & print channels in order to optimise content - social media, website, media partnerships, ezine, etc. Do any of the managers/departments have any requests/suggestions? Promotional video -We are currently working with a group of students from InHolland University of Applied Sciences on a promotional video for ACCESS. For this project we will need volunteers who would like to be in the video. Filming should take place during the month of December. The video should be edited and ready by the 19th of January. IRD – Heiner Pierenkemper Partners - Updates are being made regularly as usual. Team – Our new team member Ruchi got the training on November 17th. She will join the team as of now. Arto has left the team as Co-manager and team member. The IRD is looking for new team members. DAISY – Records were modified, updated and added as usual. We are aiming to improve the quality of the entries in DAISY. Outdated entries are being removed. The expanding DAISY project will be intensified. Currently a special focus is being laid on the number of entries for the Utrecht region. Those entries will gain importance for ACCESS in the future. CSN – Brenda Couture
The group welcomed a new member, Jacek Cieplinski CSN has 20 active members at present Eight more applicants are currently pending in the intake process A CSN logo was developed for members to put on their websites and counsellors can also have their websites included on their profile page on the ACCESS website The group held their Christmas social on December 9 with 15 members in attendance
ADV / FND – Thais Pagani Department changes: Priya will be leaving the advertising department. We would like to wish her good luck on her new job. Advertising department duties will be transferred to funding department.
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Departmental News
Priya will be checking advertising emails until the end of the year. Advertising e-mails address will be cancelled and system will be forwarding it to funding e-mail for a few months. We will have only funding department e-mails. We’ve set up account managers (Deborah, Thais and Fonte) for all of our partners. Account managers will be the primary point of contact for our partners and responsible for the ongoing communication process. Deborah will be responsible for all schools and Gemeentes. The rest will be divided between Fonte and Thais. In addition, we are in the process of changing the name of the department to “Relationship Management”.
Secret Santa at the Christmas Potluck
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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 January 2015 goes to:
JENNIFER RUESS GLAESE It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Jennifer with the ACCESS Volunteer of the month for January 2015 “Jennifer is one of the CSN members who has kept in touch with ACCESS back office the past years - we like seeing her presence in our office from time to time she regularly volunteers to help out with our volunteer Coordinators and make their work easier and smoother, she is appreciative and supportive to the work ACCESS does in helping to promote the CSN and its service to the community, she likes to share her ideas and to communicate about them with others, her warmth, helpfulness and professionalism make her a great pleasure to work with. Thank you Jennifer, and many congratulations!” - Qin Cai “Jennifer regularly volunteers to interview new counsellors, chaired an extra CSN meeting in the coordinator's absence, and also volunteered to organize the annual Christmas social. Jennifer is always eager and willing to help make CSN the best it can be." - Brenda Couture
Congratulations Jennifer! 17 ACCESS for & by volunteers January 2015
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Congratulations Hima!
Vacancies - January
ACCESS OPEN VACANCIES - JANUARY Communications Department -
Email Marketing Specialist - Mail Chimp The Email Marketing Specialist is responsible for hands-on execution of email marketing efforts in support of the Communications Department objectives. This includes the maintenance, editing, and creation of email marketing campaigns. Additionally, this individual maintains a current understanding of email marketing best practices and applies them to the execution of our email campaigns. - Marketing Coordinator The Marketing Coordinator is responsible for hands-on execution of email & other marketing efforts in support of the Communications Department objectives. This includes the maintenance, editing, and creation of email marketing campaigns. Additionally, this individual maintains a current understanding of email marketing best practices and applies them to the execution of our email campaigns. Knowledge of Mailchimp preferable, but not an absolute must. - 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.
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Vacancies - January
Information Research Deparment - Information Researcher (IRD Team Member) The information and research team member searches, records and updates information in the database (DAISY). Requirements: - Ability to read, write and summarise information in English(Good knowledge of the English language is advised) - Ability to use initiative - Ability to work independently - Ability to support other team members Tasks: - To read, write and summarise information - To research and record all new information according to set procedure - To delete all irrelevant information according to set procedure - To check information which is not complete nor clear (by using Internet) - To ensure information is kept up to date - To assist with transferring information coming from other departments to the computer, if necessary (includes updating, creating or deleting information) Commitment: A minimum of 1 day per week (6 hours), if the team member is only involved with IRD OR A minimum of 1 half day per week (3 hours), if the team member is also involved with another department Current projects: - Recording and updating information - Expanding DAISY The goal is to improve the quality of the DAISY database and make it more global. Should you interested contact IRD Manager Heiner - ird@accesss-nl.org
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
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Vacancies - January
Project Department -PowerPoint Presentation for The Hague Do you live in these expats neighbourhoods in The Hague? – Statenkwartier, Bezuidenhout, Benoordenhout, Scheveningen, Valkenbos Kwartier, Kijkduin, Centre (around Buurtschap, Dennenweg and Zeehelden Kwartier), 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 ;-)
NOTE: New volunteers must finish the probationary month before applying for any vacancy.
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Volunteer Feature
Hello everyone, My name is John Fields. Thank you for allowing me to share a bit about myself with you. I was born and raised in the northeast of the United States – not far from the city of Boston. Well, actually it seemed very far! My home was in a small fishing town at the very tip of an island – approximately 115 km from the mainland. Needless to say, when I graduated from high school, I wanted to get as far away as possible, so enrolled in the University of Hawaii. After university, I was “invited” by the US Army to join them in southeast Asia and served as an emergency medical care provider in Vietnam. That experience led me to return to university to get a degree in nursing. My entire career has been connected, directly or indirectly, with the delivery of emergency medical care. After having worked for several years in clinical nursing, I became a hospital administrator and eventually moved on to direct the design and development of software specifically for hospital emergency departments. I retired to Paris and lived there for three years and happily met my partner there. When the opportunity came for my partner to work for the European Patent Office here in Den Haag, I suddenly had to consider the implications of moving to a country I had never visited and knew almost nothing about. Fortunately, I found ACCESS through a Google search very early in the migration process. Once I arrived, I headed directly to The Hague International Center armed with many questions, which, of course, were completely and cordially answered by the ACCESS volunteer working that day. I think I knew then that I would like to become an ACCESS volunteer as soon as I had settled in. I joined ACCESS in June 2014 and have enjoyed every single moment of the experience. From the Help Desk, to working with the Volunteer Resources Department, to now actually staffing in The Hague International Center – the very place that made me feel so comfortable and welcomed when I arrived over a year ago. Relocating to a new country is inherently challenging and more so, I believe, when you are retired. You no longer have an office and work colleagues to get started in building a new network of relationships. ACCESS has given me that and so much more through all of the wonderful people I have met here. When I’m not working at THIC or on VRD projects, I like to spend my time exploring Europe, gardening, cooking, reading, and trying to become a better photographer. Woven through all of that is my never-ending study of the Dutch language. I hope that one day I can actually tell my Dutch friends, in their native language, how much I feel at home here in the Netherlands and how valuable they all are to me.
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My home town... Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA
Volunteer Feature
A Career as a Volunteer By Genoveva Geppaart, It was summer 2005 and due to a change in my personal situation, I decided to look for volunteer work. As I had no idea what kind of volunteer work there was available, I went to HOF (now PEP) to have a look in their database. Eventually 2 possibilities came out: teaching Dutch to low educated women from countries such as Morocco and Turkey, and some kind of work at ACCESS. Teaching Dutch did not make it for me as the mothers could bring their little ones with them and the childcare was in the same room as the teaching. In my view that would not work. The mission of ACCESS in those days was “helping everyone from everywhere to settle with ease in the Netherlands”. This appealed to me, as I felt that we- Dutch people- should be more helpful to people who are new to the Netherlands. As it was the summer holidays there was no information mornings taking place, but I could have a chat with VRD, together with another potential volunteer. At that time ACCESS was very different from now, e.g. starting at the helpdesk was not compulsory. You could start in any department that had vacancies if you met the requirements. Both THD and IRD were looking for new volunteers. In those days, THD could only be reached by phone and the phone was ringing all the time. IRD was focused on research and as a professional information researcher, this sounded most interesting to me. I started updating the database we had (DAISY didn’t exist yet). Gradually my work became more challenging and the warm and welcoming atmosphere was great. In 2009, I decided to join the helpdesk as well as I missed the contacts with our customers. Working on the guides and at the helpdesk (which was now also using e-mail) complemented each other for me. I was the coordinator of the guides and the work was slowly moving from mostly writing/updating guides and some coordination work to mainly coordination and a little bit writing/updating. I wanted to focus on the content, i.e. writing and updating, so in 2011 I decided to step down as coordinator of the guides and continue as team member- of course sharing my knowledge with the new coordinator. This felt much better for me. Meanwhile, our website was modernised to what we have now and I started writing articles for it occasionally. This was a very interesting addition to my work. For many years, my dream was to get experience with a Content Management System (CMS), i.e. a programme that allows you to put information on a website without the need to have knowledge of HTML. In September 2014, this dream came true; I became online news editor. This includes looking for news that can be useful for our audience (e.g. changes in healthcare in 2015), write a news item on it and upload to the website. I am very grateful for all the opportunities ACCESS has given me over the years and for the warm and welcoming atmosphere. ACCESS has really become my second family and some of the people I met are close friends now.
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Genoveva and Madhavi at the Christmas Potluck
Your fellow Volunteers
JOIN ‘ACCESS VOLUNTEERS’ GROUP ON WE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO:
Christine Fischer Gillan House Jacqueline van Gent Marlene Burns Rohini Patil Sunita Marwaha Virginie Lukacie
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!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! January Birthdays 3rd 4th 8th 12th 14th 23rd
Vera Kusters Teresa Moynihan Sylwia Motylinska Anna-Rita Danieli Dora Lucia Neves Aine Campbell
ACCESS social media
www.facebook.com/groups/308062515897693
ACCESS Information Morning: The next Information morning will be held on Wednesday 7th January 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 EVENTS in November: Pot Luck Lunch! Date to be announced.
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What’s on in January New Year’s Dive 2015 Celebrate the New Year with a typical Dutch tradition: a new year’s dive. There are over 60 locations in the Netherlands where you can jump into the sea or a lake. No matter how cold it is, at least 25.000 people plunge into the freezing water each January. The tradition started in 1960 when a swim club decided to start the year fresh with a plunge in the sea. The New Year’s dive received national attention after a big soup brand decided to sponsor it. From that moment on, the amount of participants and locations has increased every year. The New Year’s dive is cold, bold and the best way to start the year fresh. The largest dive is held at the beach of Scheveningen, where well over 10.000 people plunge into the sea each year. This spectacle is also great to watch from the sideline. http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/to/New-Years-Dive.htm Where: Scheveningen beach however events take place across the Netherlands, you can check at you gemeente. When: January 1st 2015 Editor’s note – I’m sorry this is after the event; did any Volunteers go along? Put it in your diary for next year!
Classical ballet “Swan Lake” The classical and much-loved ballet ‘Swan Lake’ will be performed by the Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet Theatre on 2 and 3 January at the Lucent Danstheater. ‘Swan Lake’ has become one of the most famous ballets in the world, partly thanks to the bewitching scene of the arrival of the swans in the second act. Still today this masterpiece by the famous trio of choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky is seen as the high point of the classical-romantic repertoire. The trio created the ballet in 1895 for the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre. Petipa, the ‘grandmaster of dancing en pointe’, devoted a great deal of attention to the highly inventive dancing en pointe for the ballerinas. The absolute zenith is the 32 fouettés of the Black Swan. The dizzying technique, coupled with the double role of Odette/Odile in which 2 totally opposite characters are portrayed, make this ballet the supreme test for every ballerina. http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/to/Classical-ballet-Swan-Lake.htm Where: Den Haag When: January 2nd and January 3rd 2015
Winter Fun in Madurodam Winter Fun in Madurodam
When the thousands of lights are lit, you experience the magic of Madurodam. There are special winter tours by the park staff who will show you all special and hidden stories and secrets. Create a cheerful picture with special winter photo wall and win a year round family subscription. Socialize at the table together for a winter stew. For children there are special activities: have your face painted and decorate your own wooden decorations to hang in Madurodam Wish Tree in the park. Madurodam will donate 1 Euro for every decoration to the Make a wish foundation. At the end of the evening everyone can walk along with the lantern parade. http://www.madurodam.nl/en/winter-fun/ Where: Den Haag When: December 20th to January 4th 2014
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What’s on in January
National Tulip Day Witness the official start of tulip season on National Tulip Day. The season begins officially on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The event is organised by Dutch tulip growers who build a special tulip picking garden on Dam Square. Anyone can come to pick free tulips here. This festive event sets of tulip season because some 1.7 billion Dutch tulips are expected to bring spring into homes around the world. http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/activities/events/january-1/national-tulip-day-1.htm Where: Amsterdam When: January 17th 2015
International Film Festival Rotterdam The 44th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam will take place from 21 January to 1 February 2015. One of the largest public film events in the world, IFFR actively supports independent filmmaking from around the globe and is a recognized platform in Europe for launching new films and talent. https://www.iffr.com/en/ Where: Rotterdam When: January 21st to February 1st 2015
CaDance festival Enjoy dazzling performances by talented international and Dutch dance artists in the most special locations in the city. CaDance Festival’s venues include Theater aan het Spui, close to the historical Binnenhof buildings, the exciting Gemak exhibition space, and several other cultural gems. Another location is the Korzo theatre, which is situated in the middle of the Hofkwartier – one of the most charming districts in the city center of The Hague. http://www.cadance.nl/ Where: Den Haag When: January 27th to February 9th 2015
Romantic Fashions: Mr Darcy meets Eline Vere The 19th century was a special era in which many social changes occurred. Fashion played an important role because it allowed people to show what they believed in. To capture this era in fashion, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag is organising a wonderful exhibition with countless gorgeous costumes and many unique accessories. http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en/organisation/press/romantic-fashions-mr-darcy-meets-eline-vere Where: Den Haag When: October 11th 2014 to March 22nd 2015
Thank you Hima for compiling the What’s On each month.
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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 teacher, editor and proofreader annecraig69@gmail.com/annecraigenglish @gmail.com (+31) 0617930645
-Thank you to all the contributors to the January Newsletter-
26 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ December 2013