Many times when I am asked the question "where do you study?", my answer brings a certain surprise on the faces of the people in front of me. Inherently followed by a raised eyebrow and curiosity: "where?". Today I set out to take your imagination on a tour of my city of love - Maastricht, also known as the Pearl of the South. To give you a first impression of Maastricht,...
The title probably sounds like a kind of farewell letter, or a regret that the time machine hasn't been invented yet. But it doesn't. As a student in my first year away from home, I learned a lot. Easy, or not. And I'm glad that today we all have the opportunity to share our knowledge and...
If you are reading this article as a senior in high school, in the suspense of the Baccalaureate exam, with dozens of formula sheets and essays, or perhaps as a parent who feels helpless and uninformed in making a decisive decision about your child's education, this story is certainly helpful. I feel compelled to expose the experience of...
1. First, tell us a little about yourself. Who is Luiza Manea-Cijsouw? I'm Luiza Manea, Cijsouw after my husband, I'm 40 years old, I have two little boys, one 6 years old, Milan and one two and a half years old, Matthijs. I have been living in the Netherlands for 23 years. Born in Bucharest, I started gymnastics at the age of 5. My parents, more from...
Although not a typical Dutch city and therefore not top of the list of tourist destinations, Rotterdam has its own charm and offers many possibilities to its inhabitants. As the heat comes and the city blossoms both literally and figuratively, a few of the following activities should be tried if you live nearby. Picnic in Het Park A first activity, typical of good weather and...
New country, new town, new house... basically, a new life. Moving to a foreign country on your own can be overwhelming, especially for a first-year student who's just getting to grips with life. You arrive in the Netherlands, in your new home; you go to the shop, your card is rejected; you go to the bank to open a Dutch bank account,...
Each country has its own specific use of technology. An example of a distinct system is the card system: you may have gone to the supermarket before moving to the Netherlands and they don't accept the Romanian card. At the checkout counter you would be astonished to find that they do not accept the most popular types of cards in the world. All...
The Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the great joys of spring in the Netherlands. After the snowdrops and bramble herald the arrival of sunnier weather, the cherry trees are the first to show off, before the fields of tulips and other spring flowers. People eagerly await the time of flowering and pack their picnic bags for a day out. This...
First, tell us a little about yourself. Who is Gabi Ungureanu? Gabi: Gabi is one of the Romanians who dreamed of a world full of possibilities, free of the frustrations and problems they faced for years in their homeland. Born in the last years of the communist period and raised in the chaos that followed, I still remember with...
On 15 March, provincial elections are held in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On the same day, elections for the Water Council (Waterschappen) also take place. What are provincial elections? Provincial elections are held every 4 years. In these elections, voters elect the members of the Provincial Council. To be able to vote, you must have Dutch citizenship and be at least 18 years old....
The birth of a child is one of the most beautiful events in a family's life. We all know that bringing a child into the world involves some serious costs. The government of the Netherlands has announced that from 1 January 2025 there will be changes to childcare costs. Under the legislation...
2022 was an interesting year for the social department. It started with a change in the coordination of the department and a change in strategy. Whereas until this year the department had been almost exclusively focused on helping individual cases, 2022 saw a shift towards an approach that aims to inform the community about aspects of life in the Netherlands....
