March 2015 Newsletter Happy St. Patricks Day
ACCESS in March!
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 March Running the CPC 5+1 Best Kept Secrets of… ACCESS Events Departmental Vacancies Volunteer of the Month ACCESS Publications Volunteer Feature Your Fellow Volunteers What’s on in March Reviews
We’d love to hear from you in the next newsletter – do send us your contributions! 1 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
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 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
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Editor’s Note
Dear All, This morning I felt the sun’s warmth, saw many snowdrops and the green shoots of crocii and heard woodpeckers – I think spring is almost here. Spring brings new beginnings for plants and for people. I have recently realized that I am no longer a ‘newbie’ with ACCESS; many more willing volunteers from different countries have joined since I did last May, enriching the ACCESS experience, and I am now an old-hand! However, each newsletter I work on I learn new things. Did you know that 20th March is the International Day of Happiness and the spring equinox? So on that day and night of equality we can all smile.
Happy Reading Anne
New roles….
,
Madhavi, our new PR/Events Manager with Christopher, who recently became the Communications Manager.
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Anca Boros, our new Project Coordinator for 'Welcome to The Hague' programme.
Letter from the Executive Director
March, the month of Spring … the promise of new beginnings. I always look forward to this time of the year …and this year, for ACCESS, it will indeed be ‘a new start’. On the 24th, three days after the official start of Spring the Expat Center Utrecht (ECU) will be officially opened. Why is this important or relevant? ACCESS will be an integral part of the ECU and will be providing internationals living in the Utrecht area the opportunity not only to come and have questions answered, face to face as many can at THIC – but just as importantly, we can provide these same internationals with the chance to become ACCESS volunteers! It is actually a tribute to you, ALL our current volunteers that we are able to do this. The professionalism with which you all contribute your time and skills has earned the recognition and attention of another city. The clear enjoyment many have in making new friends and sharing times together (during and after working hours ) has captured the attention of colleagues in Utrecht. With little effort we had potential volunteers at the last info morning, and since word has gotten out many more are in the wings: ready to be a part of ACCESS. In this stage of the planning and preparation I am particularly grateful to the VRD and THD teams who have put together a tailored training programme for the ECU and given more of their time and ingenuity to ensuring we continue to be professional yet accessible. Join me not only in thanking them, but in welcoming our newest volunteers from Utrecht! Thank you, Deborah
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March
The name of March comes from Latin Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, the Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. His month Martius was the beginning of the season for both farming and warfare. Baba Marta (Bulgaria), March 1 Mărțișor (Romania and Moldavia), March 1 Saint David's Day, (Welsh Holiday) March 1 Purim (Judaism) March 4-5 Holi (Hinduism),: March 6 International Women's Day, March 8 White Day (Asia), March 14 Pi Day, March 14, celebrating the mathematical constant The Ides of March, the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Cassius, Casca and others (March 15) Aztec New Year 2015, March 12 Anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, March 15 Saint Patrick's Day, March 17 National Festival of Trees, Belgium, March 18 Saint Joseph's Day, March 19 International Day of Happiness, March 20 The equinox, named the vernal or spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere, March 20 Nowruz: New Year's Day in Iran and several other countries; also a holiday in Turkey and Central Asian countries as well, celebrated on the day of the equinox, March 20 Mother's Day in the Middle Eastern countries, March 21 International Day of Forests, March 21 World Water Day, March 22 Pakistan Day, March 23 Feast of the Annunciation/Lady Day (Christianity), March 25 Celebration of the Greek War of Independence, March 25, 1821 Bangladeshi Independence Day, March 26, 1971. Hexagonal Awareness Month
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March
During an equinox, the Earth's North and South poles are not tilted toward or away from the Sun, and the duration of daylight is theoretically the same at all points on Earth's surface.
The CPC
I would like to share a little bit about my experience in attending a running event and why I am participating with the CPC run. (City-Pier-City run) The CPC Run event will take place on 8th of March and and it will be the 41st occasion of this Haagse family event, which attracts yearly over ten thousand participants and visitors. Young and old, schools and businesses, everyone will find a suitable distance in the Royal city. Besides a kids run, there is also a 5 km business run, a 10 km run and a half Marathon, which is 21 km and which attracts people from abroad as well. This will be my second organised run as I also participated in a run last year which was the Zuidasrun (business run in Amsterdam) where I had to run 6.4 kilometers. I decided to participate because I was curious about how I would find an organised run, and this turned out to be a lot of fun. I did not know what to expect at all. I actually thought we would stick together as 9 colleagues but eventually everyone was going by himself. I did not take my phone to see how far I was and had no music. It turned out that I missed those two things during my run. Although it was rather quiet and I had no idea how far to go, it turned out that I was 4th among my colleagues and 22th out of 800 ladies that participated. I was very proud and was certain I could have done better :-) Therefore I will participate in the CPC run and challenge myself again. Cindy Willems
6 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ March 2015
5 + 1 Best Kept Secrets of Austria
Bregenzer Festspiele/Bregenz Festival (Bregenz, Austria)
The Bregenzer Festspiele is a performing arts festival that is held every July and August in Bregenz, Austria. Founded in 1946, the festival presents a wide variety of musical and theatrical events in several venues - the most spectacular being the Seebuehne (or floating stage), with 7,000 seats, is the location for large-scale opera or musical performances on a stage over water on the shores of Lake Constance. Opera or musical productions on the floating stage generally tend to come from the popular operatic repertoire, but often are extravagantly original and innovative productions, frequently using the waters of the lake as an extension of the stage. Fun fact: One of the main scenes of 22nd James Bond film Quantum of Solace was filmed on the Seebuehne (floating stage) during a performance of Puccini’s Tosca.
Olpererhütte - Schlegeisspeicher (Tyrol, Austria) The Olpererhütte, a refuge of the German Alpine Association (DAV) in the Zillertal Alps, is at an altitude of 2388 m above sea level in the Austrian province of Tyrol. The original refuge – the first mountain refuge in the Zillertal - was built in 1881 by the former Section Prague of the German-Austrian Alpine Club (DÖAV) as a refuge for climbers and hikers. The original cottage from the 19th century was dismantled in 2007 and a new building was built in its place in a simple, but contemporary style. The new refuge offers more space and amenities - 12 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 72 people, shared and private bathrooms, a sauna, a kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and snacks. It is conveniently located at the intersection of three alpine hiking/climbing trails - Zentralalpenweg 02 of the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV), the Berlin High Trail and the Tyrolean Mountain Trail. It is accessible only by foot - walking time from the Schlegeisspeicher reservoir is about 90 minutes. 7 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
5 + 1 Best Kept Secrets of Austria
Wachau Valley & Mostviertel – Melk Abbey/ Stift Melk (Lower Austria & Upper Austria) The Wachau Valley and the Mostviertel regions of Lower Austria, famous for their wines, perry – an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears - and spectacular Benedictine monasteries, attract connoisseurs, epicureans and history aficionados alike.
Although all the monasteries of the region are fine examples of Baroque architecture, perhaps the most picturesque is Melk Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. Established as a fortified Benedictine abbey in the 11th century, it was destroyed by a fire. What you see today is a18th-century restoration in the Baroque style.
Fun fact #1: The grand restoration project - financed in part by the sale of the abbey’s Gutenberg Bible to Harvard University - was completed in 1996 to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the first reference to a country named Österreich (Austria).
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5 + 1 Best Kept Secrets of Austria
Fun fact #2: The abbey contains the tombs of several members of the House of Babenberg originally from Bamberg in Franconia in present-day Bavaria -Austria's first ruling dynasty. The Hapsburgs – of Swiss origin - were the second and the last dynasty to rule Austria. Fun fact #3: In his novel The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco named one of the protagonists "Adson von Melk" as a tribute to the abbey and its famous library
The Salzkammergut – Austria’s Lake District (Salzburg, Upper Austria, Styria)
The Salzkammergut area (Lake District), with a total of 76 lakes, is one of the most impressive regions in the heart of Austria. The region’s clear turquoise lakes, rugged mountains, thermal springs and historic villages provide limitless opportunities for sailing, swimming, fishing, hiking, biking, fine dining and wellness. The name Salzkammergut literally means "Estate of the Salt Chamber" and derives from the Imperial Salt Chamber, the authority charged with running the precious salt mines of the Habsburg Monarchy. The entire region and the town of Hallstatt – founded around 2000 B.C. and considered the oldest still-inhabited village in Europe - are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Fun fact #1: Hallstatt, one of Austria’s oldest settlements, was originally founded in 5000 B.C. to exploit the vast salt reserves in the breathtaking mountains that surround the town. The salt mines were an important source of income for the Hapsburg monarchy up until the middle of the 20 th century. Fun fact #2: A replica of Hallstatt opened in the Chinese province of Guangdong amid some controversy, as the mayor and residents were not initially made aware that their historic town was
being replicated.
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5 + 1 Best Kept Secrets of Austria
The “Heuriger” (Vienna & Upper Austria)
The Germans have their Biergarten and in Austria there is the Heuriger - a typical EasternAustrian/Viennese wine tavern where pretty much all you get is local wine and food. Traditionally, each vineyard or wine grower had it’s own tavern where the most recent year's wines are served along with a limited selection of homemade food. The word Heurig or Heuer means this year's (as an adjective) in Swiss German and Austrian German; thus, a Heuriger. It’s a really nice experience because it’s something that is very traditional and typical for Austria, so if you’re visiting during the Heurigen season, be sure to check one out. The 19th and 23rd districts in Vienna, as well as Perchtholdsdorf (South of Vienna) are the main areas. Fun fact: These wine taverns also serve what Austrians call Obstwein (fruit wine) made from fermented grape, apple and pear…grape must(young wine), apple cider and perry. Although they taste like alcoholic fruit juice, they can give you a headache – drink in moderation.
Le Loft - Sofitel (Vienna, Austria) Le Loft is one of the “new” hotspots in Vienna. The city has been experiencing a building frenzy of sorts and this new hotel by French architect Jean Nouvel is the jewel in the crown. This Michelin star restaurant located on the 18th floor of the Sofitel hotel is a hotspot for lovers of gourmet food – contemporary Alsatian/Austrian cuisine. The bar is well stocked with an extraordinary wine collection of over 500 exquisite local and international vintages. Apart from the food, the restaurant offers one of the best views of the city. The Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist created the glossy and multi-coloured video ceilings, and the French architect-landscaper Patrick Blanc planted a magnificent vertical garden, a ‘living’ wall covered with 20,000 species of plants. Note: The bar and café no longer take reservations. Reservations for the restaurant is a must.
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5 + 1 Best Kept Secrets of Austria
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Christopher An-Traumer
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ACCESS Events
The social gathering at the Leopold in February. Come along to the Pot Luck Lunch on 17th March!
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Vacancies - March
Communications Department Editor
The editor is responsible for managing editors, writers and contributors to the ACCESS e-zine. This person works to develop each issue’s editorial, working with the writers and editorial staff to finalise specific stories, angles and sources. The editor may or may not write articles, but reviews all articles for content before they are published. The editor contacts all editors,writers and advertising staff before material is due to ensure they are on schedule. Requirements: - Excellent written English, including good spelling and grammar - Meticulous approach to their work and an eye for detail - Ability to maintain high-quality work while meeting deadlines - Love of and feel for language
Communications Assistant The ACCESS Communications Assistant is responsible for:
Assisting a team of writers, editors and contributors to the ACCESS Publications: ACCESS e-zine, website, guides and social media accounts.
Assisting with coordination of requests for ACCESS advertisement/appearance in the media. Assisting with 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 - March
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? – 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. 14 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 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 March 2015 goes to:
DAVID STANDING It is with great pleasure that we congratulate David with the ACCESS Volunteer of the month for March 2015 "From the moment David joined the Helpdesk he has been enthusiastic, dedicated, and a joy to be around. Due to his professionalism and helpful nature, he quickly became a valued and trusted member of the Helpdesk Department. Thank you, David, from all of the THD team and ACCESS, and lots of heartfelt congratulations on the well-deserved honour of Volunteer of the Month." Magdalini Zografou “David has been one of our most valued team members. I am impressed by the dedication, the enthusiasm and the commitment to quality shown by David towards every project that was assigned to him. Thank you for all your support and appreciate your help in completing every task on behalf of the Guides team. I hope to continue working with you. Congratulations you deserve this honor.” Madhavi Mistry-Ajgaonkar “David always shows his interest in improving the service by coming up with new good ideas from a different point of view. In addition, he is committed, easy going, accurate, discrete, extremely polite, kind and a tireless worker. David is someone you want as a colleague once you get to know him and the way he works.” Nuria Garcia-Saorin
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Congratulations David!
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ACCESS Publications
ACCESS is very proud of its publications, which are written by the volunteers and provide valuable information on many aspects of life in the Netherlands. The content of the guides are based on frequently asked questions (FAQs) received at our helpdesk and are updated every year. So how useful are these guides? In 2014, a total of 64,518 guides were downloaded. That’s 402 copies per month! As far as the most downloaded guide is concerned - drum roll please - that honour goes to What to do when leaving the Netherlands, with over 13,000 downloads in 2014. Christopher
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Volunteer Feature
When Anne approached me to pen down few words about myself I was reluctant; I thought I had a very average uneventful life. But Anne insisted that being an old timer in The Netherlands and having been with ACCESS for over two years I would have some expat experiences to share. That got me thinking and took me back in time when I arrived in The Netherlands exactly 24 years ago. As a young girl just out of college, brought up in a very traditional Indian culture, I decided to follow my husband to this far off cold country. The adventure started the day we commenced our journey from Mumbai to Amsterdam; the date was 15th January 1991. It was the night when the United States-led coalition forces launched a massive military assault on Iraq and Iraqi forces stationed in Kuwait - the onset of the first Gulf War. Lucky for us, our flight was one of the last commercial flights to fly over the Middle East. Most flights between Mumbai and Europe were stranded for the following 2 weeks. Having arrived safely at Schiphol, I was excited and looking forward to starting a new life. On stepping out of the airport I still cannot forget the feel of the very first gush of cold air right on to my face, it was -15 C (yes it used to be cold in those days). For a person who was brought up in a tropical country it was some experience; the harsh reality struck me that I had left a warm protected nest far behind to face this cold strange world on my own, that things were going to be very different to what I was used to and though I had read about this beautiful country, it’s climate, language and culture, living here was going to be a challenge. Being an expat in those days was extremely difficult, the frustration of not being able to converse nor being able to understand what you read in magazines, newspapers or even the bill boards nor follow anything on the TV (we had no English channels except for BBC news) were some of the many things that infuriated me. Communication with loved ones back home in the form of a phone calls would cost a bomb (6.60 guilders per minute to be exact) so we had to restrict calling just once a month, though letter writing being popular in those days had its own charm. This was life before laptops, Wi-Fi and smartphones. With these developments in technology life as an expat became easier and “far off” places are now much closer. As for me over time I enrolled into an evening college, learnt Dutch, made friends, had 2 wonderful kids and through all this got excellent support from my dear husband and eventually got used to the Dutch way of living. I volunteered at various Dutch organisations, got to know how the system works and tried my best to integrate into the society. Then one fine day I heard about ACCESS and what a wonderful job they were doing helping the expats. I felt the need to share my many years of experience to help other new comers into this country. I joined in the ACCESS team in May 2013 and since then have absolutely loved meeting amazing colleagues from different nationalities and walks of life. The diversity that I am exposed to, the conversations that I have with many of you and the warmth that I receive from all of you have personally been enriching. So, thank you ACCESS and fellow volunteers for giving me this broad spectrum of experience.
Madhavi 17 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
Volunteer Feature
I am originally from Galway on the west coast of Ireland – straight across from Dublin is my usual response when I encounter a confused look when I say this. It is an area renowned for its natural rugged beauty – especially Connemara It is an Irish speaking area known as a “Gaeltacht”, and probably the only place on the planet that is wetter than the Netherlands. When people complain about the weather here I think at least the rain isn't sideways rendering an umbrella useless! I graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a degree in English Literature and Italian. Straight after graduation I went to attend a family wedding in Boston and strangely enough did not make it back until several years later. I first worked at The Boston Museum of Science and enjoyed exploring the city and traveling around the US. Coming from a small country like Ireland I found the concept of an American road trip very exotic! I moved back to Ireland to complete a postgraduate degree in Business accompanied by my now husband. Having caught the travel bug I started throwing darts at a map to see where next? Not really – my husband was offered a job in California and looking out at the rain I did not need to be asked twice – my bags were packed! Living in sunny, beautiful California close to San Francisco was a great experience if somewhat surreal never seeing a cloud in the sky. I didn't think it was possible to miss cloudy skies and rain but apparently it is. I moved back to Boston and started to get involved with Educational Technology for elementary schools. This experience was then transferred to a role at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina where I managed Smart Classrooms located at various satellite campuses - allowing people in more remote locations to attend classes. This work not only included installing the equipment, but also writing technical manuals and training. Then I returned to Ireland and worked at Hewlett Packard as a technical writer and at my Alma Mater in the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Program – a teacher training program to teach elementary school through the Irish Language. My son and daughter Fionn and Isabelle were born during this time. We have lived in The Netherlands for the past 4 years. During this time I have done some volunteer and freelance work including research, writing and English language editing. Both of my children go to a Dutch school and speak fluent Dutch which has prompted me to (attempt) to learn Dutch – especially since my children have realized how beneficial it is to be proficient in a language that I am obviously not very good at and find endless entertainment in ridiculing my admittedly bad Dutch accent. I have been volunteering at ACCESS since last November and it's been a great experience learning about all the different projects and meeting people from all over the world.
Brid Keane
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Our fellow Volunteers
JOIN ‘ACCESS VOLUNTEERS’ GROUP ON WE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO:
Neha Khanna Roy Lie A Tjam Kamila Grzadka Lulia Popescu
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!
WE WELCOME: - Margriet Presburg - Stella Calverley - Emmanuelle Starck - Kathryn Gerrits - Renel Venter - EmmaGrijsen - Maria Mikhailova - Vidhya Kannan
MARCH BIRTHDAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 1st Maria Krawczyk 3rd Chiara Esposito 5th Martha Alvarado Ruiz 7th Renel Venter 16th Jenny Correia 23rd Sri Hartati Dewayani 25th Jackson Muriel 27th Truus Gale
ACCESS social media
www.facebook.com/groups/308062515897693
ACCESS Information Morning: The next Information morning will be held on Wednesday 18th March 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 March: There will be a Pot Luck lunch on Tuesday March 17 at LvM 70 – be there! The social event for February was a cocktail event held on 10 February at Café Leopold. There was excellent attendance and we were pleased to have two members of the Executive Board, Jesse Rodell and Godelijn Boonman Event Ticket Winners: Congratulations to those who won tickets for recent events: Barbara Baccuicchi (“Royal Concert Jazz”) Thais Pagani (The Cyclepaths) Niti Gupta (The Cyclepaths) Anca Boros (The Cyclepaths)
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What’s on in March
5 Days Off 5 Days Off brings a cutting-edge electronic music program where well-known artists from across the globe perform alongside up-and-coming talents in the most exciting venues in Amsterdam. The event is not only a platform for the electronic music scene, there is also a strong focus on a wide diversity of media art disciplines, such as experimental films, electronic music videos and art installations, which manifest in the ever evolving club culture. 5 Days Off shows a diverse program which spans the genres of minimal, techno, hip hop, dubstep, house and UK Bass. Over the last ten years 5 Days Off has become a city-wide festival and aims to show a wide spectrum of what is happening in electronic music today. Spread over three of Amsterdam’s best venues, each of which is an amazing place in itself and worth a visit no matter what, and each bringing its own special and unique experience to the table.
http://5daysoff.nl/ Where: Amsterdam When: March 4th to March 8th 2015
The Hague Half Marathon – City-Pier-City Elite athletes and recreational runners will come together in The Hague for a new edition of The Hague half marathon (also known as the City-Pier-City). Over 26.000 participants will run in different categories, varying from a one-kilometer run for children to the half marathon with world class athletes. The course of The Hague half marathon leads you from the historical center to the beach of Scheveningen and back. This phenomenal run, which has led to world records in the past, is always viewed by thousands of cheering spectators. It’s without a doubt one of the best runs in the Netherlands. If you want add a physical and sporty challenge to your stay in Holland you should definitely sign up for The Hague Half Marathon. The starting and finishing lines are located a stone’s throw away from the train station. Another great plus are the excellent facilities, including drink stations, bag storage and changing rooms. http://www.nncpcloopdenhaag.com/ Where: The Hague When: March 8th 2015
HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show Every year the sailing season is officially opened on the first day of the HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show. People of different backgrounds and ages visit the show for one and the same reason: they share a passion for water sports. More than 350 exhibitors show you the latest trends and designs in the world of water sports: navigation equipment and electronics, rigging and deck hardware, clothing, safety and rescue equipment, tourist information, boat hire, insurance and financing, yacht brokers, sailing schools and over 500 boats in all shapes and sizes. A day at HISWA is a wonderful day out for everyone. Adults can get the best information about anything related to the world of water sports, while children can participate in all kinds of water activities in the Water Fun Zone and the Wavesurfer. http://www.hiswarai.nl/Pages/English.aspx Where: Amsterdam When: March 11th to March 15th 2015 20 ACCESS for & by volunteers March 2015
What’s on in March
TEFAF Maastricht The world’s leading art and antique fair attracts the best dealers, academics, art critics, and collectors. Everyone who’s in the field of fine art should visit TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) in Maastricht. TEFAF Maastricht is a yearly feast for thousands of curious visitors and art lovers. Well over 250 of the world’s most prestigious antiques and art dealers from different nationalities come together at TEFAF Maastricht each year. The masterpieces they bring along are all examined on quality, condition and authenticity by one of the 150 internationally respected experts. http://www.tefaf.com/ Where: Maastricht When: March 13th to March 22nd 2015
MOVIES THAT MATTER This is not your usual film festival. During the last week of March, Amnesty International tries to create awareness for poignant situations on our planet. The film festival is held in and around the ‘Filmhuis’ in the center of The Hague and attracts several thousand visitors each year. During the film festival in The Hague you can watch movies, participate in talk shows and debates and enjoy music performances and the movie awards ceremony. Founded in March 2006, Movies that Matter followed in the footsteps of the Amnesty International Film Festival. It continued and enhanced the festival’s activities, both in the Netherlands and abroad, thus creating a unique organisation that serves as an international platform for films of interest dealing with human rights and social justice, and for their makers. Movies that Matter screens and promotes films and stages cinematographic events all year round. The film screenings are followed by an expansion programme consisting of debates, among other things. http://www.moviesthatmatter.nl/english_index Where: The Hague When: March 19th to March 25th 2015
Keukenhof 2015 Keukenhof is the world's most beautiful spring park. Seven million flower bulbs make for a unique experience. The park's theme for 2015 will be Van Gogh, 125 years of inspiration. Tulips from Holland are world famous. If you want to see the Dutch tulip fields in bloom, you should visit Holland in April and May. This is the same period in which the biggest flower park in the world, Keukenhof, opens its doors. Keukenhof is a park where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Gardens and four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers. You will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes. Keukenhof includes many gardens and four grand pavilions that show the most magnificent flowers you can imagine. Every year, Keukenhof creates a complete new look according to a central theme. Everywhere you look are tulips and other flowers. Though the park is only opened 8 weeks a year it attracts around 800.000 visitors each year. It is without a doubt the best place to see tulips in Holland. http://www.keukenhof.nl/en/ Where: Lisse When: March 20th to May 17th 2015
Thank you Hima for compiling the What’s On each month.
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Reviews
What Makes a Tiger Mother? When the term ‘Chinese tiger mother’ first appeared in the media some years ago, I did not pay much attention to it, but imagined some strict, controlling and over-bearing mother figures from China, or of Chinese origin living in the West, of which I am, to some extent, rather familiar from my observations and experience. It wasn’t until recently that I got a copy of the book where this term was coined - “Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua. It was recommended by Cynthia who works at the Helpdesk and we often talk about how to raise multi-lingual/cultural children our own households.
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The book turned out to be something completely different from what I read in some of the reviews in the media when the book was first published. It is a story about a headstrong second generation Chinese mother bringing up two gifted daughters in the States. I could not put the book down, nor could I stop laughing all the way from the first page to the last. So many scenarios described in the book were familiar and I could see how they were to unfold and end. It was also funny that my view of the Chinese Tiger Mother changed completely after finishing the book - I liked her! It is true that the mother figure is ambitious with high dreams for her two daughters and the methods she uses to achieve the goals she plans for them are taxing and extreme, sometimes to the verge of being seen as child abuse in the eyes of the Westerners. However, the book also describes how the two daughters, who are from the same parentage and were raised in the same household, reacted to their mother’s childrearing very differently due to their own personalities and temperaments. In the end they both understand that it is their mother’s unfailing and unconditional love for them that is the most endearing and touching gift a daughter could ever have, whether it be a Chinese or a Westerner. Parenting is a trial and error process and with all the best intentions in the world, it is natural that different cultures have their very own different views and practices. Each child is unique and special; would it be wise and productive that each parent should also adapt their own parenting style to the needs of the particular child on top of the habits and aspirations drawn from their culture? For parents like us at ACCESS, it adds another layer of complexity by living and bringing up our children in a second or third culture country. Also to use the opportunity to enjoy yourself and your relationships with your children is, to me, is equally important. For a week after completing the book, I tried to be a tiger mother myself – hassling my daughter to practice her flute daily for fifteen minutes instead of the two hours like the real tiger mother did, demanding my son to finish each of his college projects a day before the submission date so he would have an extra day to revise and to perfect it. My children just gave me a knowing smile, put their arms around my shoulders and said: “Mummy, you can never be a tiger mother, you are more like a cat mother”…I guess that each tiger mother is entitled to her own unique style, or, we are all tiger mothers in disguise On the Eve of Chinese New Year, I salute my mother, all Chinese mothers, and mothers of all races and cultures!
Qin Cai 22 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 teacher, editor and proofreader annecraig69@gmail.com/annecraigenglish @gmail.com (+31) 0617930645
-Thank you to all the contributors to the February Newsletter-
23 ďƒ§ ACCESS for & by volunteers ďƒ§ March 2015