Author: Stephanie Fermor

IWCN: Welcome Guide

The IWCN has released an updated edition of its Welcome Guide to the North. A 155 page handbook full of useful information for the newly arrived internationals living in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.

The Welcome Guide is a pocket-sized handbook covering many topics that arise for newcomers to the Netherlands. From official procedures when you first arrive in the Netherlands, to finding somewhere to live, organising utilities, health insurance, banking and much more.

All international residents of the three Northern provinces, whether EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA, are welcome to use the information services and join in on the social activities and events of the International Welcome Center North.

You can visit the the IWCN office (open five days a week, from 10-17:00 hrs) to collect your free welcome guide. Or visit their website for more information.

Address: Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98,  9711 HL Groningen
Website: www.iwcn.nl

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Day at the Zoo

Visiting the zoo, or animal parks, is something me and my family really enjoy. We go usually once a month to one of the many small animal parks in the Netherlands, where entry for a family is usually around €20-€30.

But once a year, during the summer holidays, we plan in a visit to one of the larger animal parks or zoos. With high entry prices, parking fees, a day out with the family can quickly peak the €100 mark and more. So we make a big day of it, get there early, bring a picnic with us and stay for most of the day, with rest breaks planned in so our daughter won’t have a meltdown.

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Exploring Europe by Car

If you plan to explore Europe this summer by car, you need to prep your car for all the countries you will be travelling through. This may include safety equipment, car repair supplies and breakdown cover.

Before you plan to leave the country you need to check your car insurance covers you when driving in other countries. You may also wish to take out European breakdown cover (pechhulp) and purchase a road map that covers the areas you will be traveling through.

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Transporting Kids Dutch Style

To truly settle into the Dutch lifestyle you need to own a bicycle. When I moved from the UK to the Netherlands I bought myself a second hand bike within a week and have not been without one since. I use it for getting around the city, daily errands, leisurely outings, even moving house (with a rented bakfiets). So last year when I had my baby girl I was faced with a dilemma: how can I continue using my bicycle while transporting a baby?

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Open Torendag

The Martini Tower on the Grote Markt in Groningen will be open the coming Saturday (10th June 2017) to the public for free. At 12:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00 you can join an excursion to climb up the tower to the bells.

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Groningen Earth Tremors

Maybe you have heard or read about it in the news; the earthquakes affecting the province of Groningen. Or maybe you have felt one yourself; it can be alarming.

In 2014 I was living in Groningen city centre when a earthquake hit near the city. It measured only 2.8 on the Richter scale, and yet I could feel the house around me trembling. At the time I had not heard about the earthquakes caused by the extraction of gas in the north of the province, so when it hit I was not prepared and did not know what was happening, or if I should be running out of my flat, or taking cover under a table- similar to the panic I felt the first time I heard the air raid siren drills.

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Cycling fines

If you live in the Netherlands, a bicycle is one of the most essential forms of transport, but they still have to follow the rules of the road.

Below is an overview of some of the fines and penalties that you can receive for not following the rules.

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