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Integration in the Netherlands: what is the participation statement workshop?

Maria Rita Reis
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Integration in the Netherlands: what is the participation statement workshop?

Have you heard of the participation statement workshop before? Here’s all you need to know about what the integration workshop is, what you’ll learn at it and if it is worth your while.

Integration is a big issue in the increasingly multicultural Dutch society. Currently, there are three million people with a non-Dutch background living in the Netherlands, comprising around 18 percent of the total population.

Foreigners who have a non-western background account for 10 percent of the whole number of inhabitants. With pressing issues surrounding the joys and pitfalls of integration, the Dutch government wants to make sure you get what their version of this tricky concept means.

Integration can mean different things for different people. For some it’s all about speaking the local language and knowing how to navigate the social intricacies, for others it is to successfully decode the tax and healthcare systems.

For the Dutch government, all those things are important when it comes to foreigners settling in. However, they are not enough to secure full integration. Therefore, since late 2017 it is mandatory for immigrants who must take part in the civic integration process to follow a workshop about “what is important in the Netherlands”.

The participation workshop

These workshops are called participatieverklaring, or participation statement workshops. The name comes from the statement you must sign at the end of it, stating that you have understood and will respect the values of Dutch society, while actively contributing to it. The integration-inducing program is prepared and offered by the municipality and must be completed within the first year of your arrival in the country.

When the notification letter from city hall arrived at my home, if I’m being completely honest, I must say I rolled my eyes hard. Not only was I lost in the Dutch language and job market maze, now I must also take the time to learn what is pretty obvious to me already: the Dutch do fraternité, égalité and liberté perhaps even better than the French themselves.

Values, coffee and reminders

Nevertheless, at the risk of losing my residency permit and paying a €340 fine, I cycled towards the first of three nights of integration workshops. After two and a half hours in a very multicultural classroom, for my surprise, I realised I had just had a great time.

Not only did I enjoy meeting people who were on the same boat as me, but I also saw purpose and value at what was being discussed. I could see how engaging debates about values and how they play out in society could help some of us to integrate better.

Important reminders regarding rights and obligations, what types of governmental aid one can apply for, as well as residence permit limitations were also discussed. These are vital things that we tend to forget after so many months have passed in between the visa application process and the first year of our arrival.

Other topics included where to practice sports around town and how and why to volunteer. The message to contribute and participate as a way to integrate was clear and consistent throughout the whole process.

The gift of books

The last of the three encounters happened at the library. An employee happily explained to us all the many services the Bibliotheek offers and how to access them. Even though I’m a self-proclaimed bookworm, five months in and I had yet to set foot in the local library.

I was too enamoured with the book store/café combo, and shamefully enlarging my carbon footprint with late-night book online shopping. Now, I’m a proud member taking full advantage of the language corner.

Head on approach

For those who have decided to make the Netherlands their new home, the Dutch love for bureaucracy is well known. So is their solution-oriented approach to the many challenges that arise within society, institutions and the environment.

The participation workshop is a great example of this “head-on approach for problems” and an active effort to put everyone on the same page. It is far from everything needed to secure a smooth integration process, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.

Have you experienced a “participation workshop”? How did you find it? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Mikael Kristenson/Unsplash
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in February 2020 and was fully updated in December 2020 for your reading pleasure. 

City of knowledge! Why Leiden might just be the smartest city of the Netherlands

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
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City of knowledge! Why Leiden might just be the smartest city of the Netherlands

Is Leiden the smartest city in the Netherlands? Known for its beautiful and picturesque canals, Dutch houses and the home of DutchReview, it’s also a city that puts the university at the heart of the community and sports an amazing range of different museums.

Besides being pretty, Leiden also has plenty of brainpower going on, here’s what makes it one of the smartest cities in the Netherlands:

It’s home to Leiden University — the oldest uni in the Netherlands

Leiden actually has the oldest university in the whole of the Netherlands, as it was founded in 1575 (wow!). The university is one of Europe’s leading international research universities.

As a result of this and the university being around so long, the university has taught a lot of students over the years and it currently has 29,542 students and 6,700 members of staff.

The university is made up of seven faculties; Archaeology, Governance and Global Affairs, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Science and Social and Behavioural Sciences). The campuses are all over Leiden and a few of them are also present in the Hague.

The student community makes up a large part of Leiden and is actually known for its student associations, making Leiden University the heart of the community, something you should know if you’re considering moving to Leiden.

So, what makes the university so good? Well, the university not only creates future brainiacs, but it has an impact on policy, economy and science. It’s made Leiden a very desirable place to live in a business sense.

Take, for example, the expertise centre of the university called LURIS. LURIS helps students and researchers create alliances with other people and companies, helping them with funding and also with startups. The university also collaborates with businesses in the Leiden Bio Science Park (we’ll explain what that is later) and the museums. Basically, we couldn’t picture a Leiden without the Uni.

Also check out the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Leiden

If Leiden University wasn’t enough, there’s also the highly esteemed University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Leiden (aka the “Hoge School van Leiden”). They have loads of bachelors in Dutch and the UAS offers several programmes in English: check out their minors for exchange students. This one is actually located at the Leiden Bio Science Park, which you also need to know about.

It’s home to the Leiden Bio Science Park

Leiden is the home of the Leiden Bio Science Park, which is the largest life-science cluster in the whole of the Netherlands. It also holds the largest number of bioscience start-ups in the Netherlands, with over 106 medical life science companies residing there. The park mainly focuses on the use of biotechnology in relation to biopharmaceuticals.

Not only is it home to incredible research institutes, but the companies are made up of over 12 nationalities. A true multicultural hub in Leiden.

The faculty is hugeee. Image: Biccie/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0.

Each year the Leiden Bio Science Park gets bigger and better, and it’s going to be buzzing as well in the future since the city of Leiden plans to develop a whopping 1000 new homes in the area. In case you would love to both work and live in the park, here are their vacancies.

Furthermore, with the EMA now in Amsterdam you can expect plenty of more activity for the Leiden Bio Science Park as well.

Want to know more about the Leiden Bio Science Park? Check their brochure with plenty of more info!

It was like home to Einstein

Albert Einstein first visited Leiden back in 1911 with his wife, when he was around 30 years old. He originally visited as a number of students had invited him to the city and he was a guest lecturer. When he arrived he was very fond of Leiden, saying that it was “that delightful piece of land on this barren planet.”

After his first visit, he then visited Leiden often, as he was friends with other Dutch physicists. Leiden was actually the home of his closest friend Paul Ehrenfest (professor at Leiden University) and father-figure Hendrik Lorentz.

Einstein at the home of Leiden physics professor Paul Ehrenfest, June 1920 (Image: Wikipedia/Public Domain)

When he came to Leiden, he would often discuss his theories with his friends. In 1916, he came to Leiden again to stay with Ehrenfest, during the midst of WWI. He discussed the General Theory of Relativity to Leiden’s astronomer and mathematician William de Sitter during his time there.

For the next 20 years, he came to Leiden often to meet with friends and lecture at the university. To honour his work, “Magnetwoche/Magnet week” was organised in 1921.

Einstein was present at Queen Wilhemina’s ceremony for an honorary doctorate in the Pieterskerk. He was wearing a blue silk outfit that came from the academy in Madrid. It stood out so much that to this day, other professors dress similarly when their doctorates are awarded in Leiden. 
Einstein mural in Leiden. Image: Vysotsky/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

It’s home to some amazing museums

Call Leiden a mini-Amsterdam if you will, but I can guarantee that Leiden will have some museums that you would even rate higher than the capital itself.

Leiden is home to some pretty amazing museums — The Museum of Antiquities, the National Museum of Ethnology, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, the Lakenhal Museum and of course the big and famous Naturalis. I could go on. Each one provides something a bit different and just adds that cultural and educational aspect to Leiden. Here are just 3 great museums in Leiden:

Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden)

The National Museum of Antiquities sits alongside the Rapenburg canal, the most well-known and arguably one of the most scenic canal streets in Leiden. This 200-year-old museum is definitely underrated, as it is filled with so many impressive historic artefacts.

It is home to a 2000-year-old temple, a collection of mummies and old Egyptian jewellery, not to mention the hundreds of other artefacts they have there.

This is actually shot at the museum, how impressive! Image: DutchReview/Supplied.

National Museum of Ethnology (Volkenkunde)

The National Museum of Ethnology is a museum in Leiden decided to humans. Throughout the museum, they have a variety of interesting objects than all tell a human story. It’s basically a way of bringing together anything that is culturally diverse (there are themes of usual human behaviour such as celebrating, moaning and praying), and putting it all together to showcase how we are both different, and the same.

The Volkenkunde offers a unique exhibition. Image: Erick VanB/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave (Rijksmuseum Boerhaave)

Rijksmuseum Boerhaave is a museum dedicated to the Dutch history of science. It delves into the work of different researchers, their inventions and how it has influenced our society and world as a whole. Their collection showcases 5 centuries of scientific innovation. It’s both fascinating and important.

Leiden is home to tons of tech and science companies

Besides the University and the Leiden Bio Science Park there are also tons of other smart companies in Leiden. There’s the maritime company Heerema, the leading hosting company of TransIP and Astellas in its signature building located at Leiden Bio Science Park.

An interesting building for sure. Image: Bic/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

If you’re looking for office space and network opportunities, you might want to check out hubs such as the buzzing Area 071.

That’s it? Well, one last addition — DutchReview is also located in Leiden! Yeah, we venture out tons of times to other cities, but this cute smart canal-filled town has us hooked!

There’s also a thriving start-up scene with at the heart of it the PLNT building & community, it’s also where we have our office!

PLNT is Leiden’s centre for innovation and entrepreneurship and hosts a variety of innovative and young startup companies. So in case you’re reading this and you need some office-space and help with your tech-start-up: this is the place.

 

I also have the feeling that this isn’t the last time we’re talking about the scientific side of Leiden as it will be the European City of Science in 2022!

Have you visited Leiden? Studied in Leiden? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Editor’s Note: this article was originally published September 2018, and was fully updated in December 2020 for your reading pleasure.

Feature Image: Martijn van der Nat (check out our photoreport of Leiden that we did together!)

Bad breath? Five things to know before going to a dentist in Amsterdam

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
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Bad breath? Five things to know before going to a dentist in Amsterdam

Before seeing a dentist in Amsterdam because your friends ‘suggested’ this move, here are five things to know when bad breath is your problem and before you go seeking dental care in Amsterdam.

Just arrived in Amsterdam? Going to all kinds of get-togethers, shindigs and got a new job? Nothing can be more bothering for your confidence than bad breath issues (and you know, it can also really mess up any conversation literally). So before you seek out a dentist in Amsterdam, here are 5 things to know or try.

#1 Don’t eat all that herring with ‘uitjes’ (and various other Dutch treats)

Number one is a no-brainer, but oh so important, because although we at DutchReview love our little national fishie a lot – nothing will make you smell more than a raw herring with onions.

dental care in amsterdam
Dateless Dutch men

Think about it, it’s raw greasy fish and chopped onions – you’re totally going to reek after eating that one. Other typical Dutch products that can mess with your breath (and are also to be avoided before going to some dentist in Amsterdam) are:

Black licorice – this ‘drop’ might be delicious for some, it can also mess with your breath (especially salmiak) and make your teeth black for a moment. Especially when you just eat something all day long (like a bag of ‘dropjes) it can seriously mess with your mouth health because you don’t give ‘it’ any rest all day long.

Jenever – a hardcore clear spirit which kind of smells like a cleaning product, but does the total opposite to your breath.

Want some jenever to go with your herring and onions?

Leverworst – it’s got that typical smell, and that ain’t good

‘Broodje Kaas and koffie’ – The Dutch drink tons of coffee and eat loads of cheese sandwiches. This often tried combination  (50% of your real Dutch co-workers I reckon) isn’t the way to go for that much wanted fresh breath.

And not typical Dutch, but also really tasty, garlic! The oils from stinky foods like onions and garlic can be detected on the breath up to 3 days after consumption. So best to eat that kind of food in moderation as well.

No worries, as far as I know stroopwafels, hagelslag and bitterballen are in the clear. 

Is there anything you can eat to improve your breath? Well, yeah there is – eating some fresh parsley is what your grandmother would preach. And by chewing sugarless gum you can increase saliva flow, which in turn reduces plaque acid, strengthens your teeth and reduces tooth decay. 

#2 DIY mouth hygiene: toothpicking, mouthwash, flossing and tongue scraping

So you would expect a dentist in Amsterdam to advise you to floss mostly right? Well, kind of – but the advice I got was actually toothpicking – yes with one of those little wooden sticks. But do make sure to get the proper ones at the drugstore, the plastic ones or those much-loved cocktail picks aren’t the best for picking your teeth.

Works for foodhogging purposes – not for your breath

Flossing also works for cleaning your teeth, but it’s still better to do tooth picking, it removes more of that stuff that shouldn’t be here and massages your gums, which in turn is better for the overall health of your gums (and breath!). If you’re traveling and can’t find the right toothpicks then you can always resort to flossing.

And then there’s mouthwash – which looks like it could help with your bad breath but really has some negative side-effects, mainly because the alcohol-based mouthwash actually upsets the bacterial balance in your mouth. It’s best to use nature’s mouthwash brand, good old water! By drinking loads of water it will stimulate your saliva to regulate the bacteria in your mouth (awesome nature!).  So all in all mouthwash wouldn’t be the way to go.

When visiting Tandarts Jordaan, the dentist also told me that new studies say that enjoying 7 moments of eating and drinking could also help your mouth hygiene, so that might be something to aim for. And don’t forget to drink a glass of water after a meal, that will help too!

Last but not least, If all DIY fails, checking in at a decent dental hygienist can really help!

#3 Dental care in Amsterdam: don’t do all that drugs and drinking on Sunday before going to work on Monday

Have you gotten the idea that your breath has gotten worse since you came to Amsterdam? Well Sherlock, it might be that hanging around in a coffeeshop isn’t the best way to catch a fresh breath.

“How was your trip to Amsterdam honey?”

Furthermore, going to a rave or hanging in a ‘café’ drinking Heineken (‘plakje leverworst’ on the side) also aren’t helping. So don’t be that new international guy/girl/person that starts on Monday but has a terrible hang-over and equally terrible breath from their ‘tour through Amsterdam’ of the weekend – and no dentist in Amsterdam is going to solve that image-problem for you.

Also a pretty obvious one, but smoking can also cause bad breath, so it’s always a good one to stop with that bad habit.

#4 Bad gums are probably the root (HAHAHA) of your problem

Alright enough with the jokes, bad breath can be a serious condition (the sciencey name for it is halitosis) and the cause for it can also lie in the condition of your gums (instead of overdosing on herring and smokes). Gum disease or infection and the bad breath symptoms that come with it is something that creeps up on you. You don’t notice it because it’s developing slowly, but your friends and co-workers will know and this will cause extremely awkward situations where someone will have a chronic case of bad breath and nobody is willing to point this out. Think about it, we all knew at least. Think about it, we all knew at least one of these people at a workplace – or maybe it was just that one guy doing the ‘broodje kaas met koffie’ routine all day.

yes seinfeld true kramer correct GIF

Anyways, besides brushing and toothpicking – what also helps is cleaning your tongue. An often forgotten routine when it comes to dental care, but that little weird pointy thingy on the other end of your toothbrush can do wonders for the quality of your breath in the long run.

 

dentist in Amsterdam
Yup! It’s clean!

Tried everything and still need some dental care in Amsterdam? Well…

# 5 If you need to go to a dentist in Amsterdam, look up Tandarts Jordaan!

Tongue completely cleaned and still need to go and visit a dentist in Amsterdam because of that bad breath? Well, might as well go for the best one around (since prices are the same). Tandarts Jordaan, in yes you guessed it – the Jordaan neighborhood – comes highly recommended.

This dentist in Amsterdam combines a state-of-the-art dental practice with great opening hours and special attention for you expat folk. They’ve also got a mouth hygienist in their practice, handy for you chronic bad-breathers, and they’ve got special attention and skills when it comes to halitosis and gum diseases.

And not that it matters that much if you’re seeking dental care in Amsterdam, but it looks the part as well:

 

? #tandarts #praktijk #jordaan

Een bericht gedeeld door TandartsJordaan (@tandartsjordaan) op

 

Tandarts Jordaan

Address: Westerstraat 176 

Website | Instagram | Facebook

 

  • We’ve worked together on this article with Tandarts Jordaan, because although we’re experts in bad breath puns we trust them a tad bit more when it comes to oral knowledge

Lekker weertje, he? 7 Dutch words you need to know for rain (seriously)

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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Lekker weertje, he? 7 Dutch words you need to know for rain (seriously)

“Mooie dag!” Lotte said, stretching in front of a window bathed with sunshine. She ate her breakfast of brood met hagelslag, and hopped effortlessly on her bike. By the time she arrived at work, she was drenched.

“Niets zo veranderlijk als het weer,” she said, followed by a particularly unladylike word we’re not allowed to publish.

“Nothing changes as fast as the weather,” Lotte had sworn. That’s right Lotte, the Dutch climate is famous for changing quickly, often showing off all four seasons in one day!

But don’t worry — with this guide learning these words will be as easy as riding your bike with the wind in your back — in fact, that’s something they like to say! Met de wind in de rug!

Words to put away for a rainy day

If you haven’t ridden your bike while the sky unleashes gallons of water directly down your back collar it’s hard to believe you’ve ever lived here. While the Netherlands is not statistically the wettest place on Earth, it’s a worthy setting of a teen vampire novel filled with angst — and a great conversation starter.

But did you know the Dutch distinguish between every type of rain?

Here’s seven of the most popular Dutch words for rain — now you’ll have no excuse but to use them all correctly!

Miezeren

Sounding a lot like “miserable” (which is really quite accurate), miezeren is a light rain, making you feel sad because it’s wet, but not stay-inside-with-a-hot-chocolate-while-you-read-a-good-book-wet.

Motregen

Moth-rain. Why? Regen = rain, mot = moth. This is a light rain that tickles you like a moth’s wings. (WTF Dutch?)

Buien

Remember that time you thought the rain had stopped so you hopped on your bike, but then in a cruel twist of the universe (that was perhaps intentional?), it started again solely for the duration of your bike ride, and then stopped again when you were safely inside? Meet buien.

Plensen

Previously mentioned, you can remember this one by the big raindrops that splash on top of your head making the sound “PLENS, PLENS, PLENS.” If this kind of rain appears you can even say “het regent pijpenstelen”, literally: it’s raining smoking pipes.

Hozen

When the rain is hozen you better get go-zen because it is raining hard.

Stortbuien

You’ve met buien, now meet stort-buien — it is translatable to BIG SHOWERS. Like if a giant took a shower above you and the rest of the water was DUMPED ON YOUR HEAD.

Stormen

Straight out of a horror movie, those grey clouds that hover menacingly in the distance can spell impending doom for your bike ride home. Watch out for wind when crossing canals, and pray your bike isn’t an easy target for lightning. But it’s okay, just remember no matter how hard the rain is je ben niet van suiker (you’re not made out of sugar!)

Our top tip: the proper Dutch etiquette before heading outdoors is to check the rain app Buienalarm — perhaps the most useful app in the Netherlands, and will help you from melting in case you ARE made out of sugar.

Dutch sayings about the weather in the Netherlands
(The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow)

But, of course, the Dutch weather is famous for going hollen of stilstaan — from one extreme to the other. On the rare occasion the sun does shine, make your coworkers smile with a sneaky “lekker weertje, he,” (“good weather, right?”)

Or, for nights when the wind is softly rocking the canal houses to sleep (seriously, some look pretty unsteady), “Hoor de wind waait door de bomen” (“hear the wind blowing through the trees.”)

And finally, you know the Netherlands is coming into warmer weather when you see girls wearing skirts — the Dutch even have a name for it: rokjesdag, literally, “skirt day.” There’s no official date, but when the bare legs are out you know spring has arrived!

Well, people don’t move to the Netherlands for sunshine. Read more to find out why the Dutch are so happy (regardless of the Netherlands weather.)

What’s your favourite Dutch expression for the weather? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Tim Goedhart/Unsplash

Rooster roundup as Feyenoord Stadium waves goodbye to its feathered friends

Brin Andrews
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Rooster roundup as Feyenoord Stadium waves goodbye to its feathered friends

It’s been 20 years since French football club Les Bleus took the European football championship in Rotterdam. French supporters were so elated with the victory they released roosters (their mascot) into the stadium. The 150-some offspring of these cocky creatures are still strutting around the stadium and business park today — but they won’t be for long.

As roosters don’t live up to 20 years, nor do they lay eggs, it can be inferred that hens were introduced to these handsome birds some time ago. But now, just as quickly as they were released will they be swept away, reports Rijnmond.

At the request of some local business owners, company Fauna Management is coming to round up all the birds and take them to a new home, Akka’s Goose Paradise in Dalen (Drenthe).

They walk strangely…

“The danger is that they will be run over by a car, by a truck,” Monique Molenar of Peitsman tells Rijnmond. “Apart from that, some of them have health problems that you can see.”

Hans Becht of Groen Rubber agrees: “There are a little strange chickens walking among them. I think: that family has been very close to each other. Bald necks, they walk strangely …”

“They don’t belong to anyone, they just don’t belong here,” says Molenar. “They deserve more than this.”

Obviously, for those that can understand a bit of Dutch, the video report on it is golden too!

 

Beloved by some

But not everyone is ready to say goodbye to their feather friends. “They just belong. When they cuckoo it’s just nice to hear,” says garage owner Hamza Karaman. “Now and then I grab a fresh egg. I know where they are. I don’t know what people have against chickens.”

“Until now, I haven’t seen a chicken do anything dangerous,” says Muhittin Tokmak.

While the business owners may be divided, Fauna Management is set on catching every last one of them. “100 percent, no doubt about it. Until the last, we catch them all.”

What do you think of this curious case of roosters in Feyenoord Stadium? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: DMCA/pxfuel 

Letters containing harmful white powder keep showing up around the Netherlands

Brin Andrews
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Letters containing harmful white powder keep showing up around the Netherlands

Letters containing a harmful powder have been arriving in mail slots throughout the Netherlands this past week. Police report that they are still determining whether each of these 19 letters may be linked to one sender.

The powder in the letters causes recipients mild respiratory problems and burning eyes.

The letters have been delivered to 12 addresses in Amsterdam, and to additional locations in Amersfoort, Arnhem, Best, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Roermond, and Zeist.

The recipients are all businesses, ranging from hotels, hospitals, law firms, and media companies.

Examination

Specialists from the Netherlands Forensic Insitute are examining the letters to determine what exactly the powder is.

The criminal investigation department is investigating the origin and motive behind the letters. The photo shared by police shows one of the letters, which is believed to be from a fictitious sender.

A police spokesperson told RTL that they cannot yet confirm that the letters have all been sent by the same person. “We do not know whether there is a connection between the earlier letters that have been delivered.”

Amsterdam locations

Amsterdam police have confirmed that two letters were found in the city yesterday. The first at an unspecified location on Prinsengracht. The second was found at a location on Van Baerlestraat.

No one was injured in either case. The police will continue to investigate.They warn that if you receive a suspicious letter, do not open it, but call 112 right away.

For more news in the Netherlands, follow DutchReview on Facebook.

Feature Image: Police

5 things you should know about Dutch health insurance before the New Year

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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5 things you should know about Dutch health insurance before the New Year

This year has forced us all to reconsider our health — and the Dutch government to reconsider the role of health insurance. 

Many of us probably took a moment at some point this year to consider our health insurance policy. We also wondered: what exactly does health insurance cover during a global pandemic?

With changes on the way, here are five things you should know about health insurance in the Netherlands in 2021.

Corona and health insurance

With an extraordinary number of people falling ill due to coronavirus this year, the Dutch government has had to implement many new measures. One of these measures was to include coverage for corona under all basic insurance policies.

This means that anyone with health insurance in the Netherlands — which is almost everyone (exceptions below) — will be covered should they need hospitalisation due to coronavirus.

This summer, the Dutch government also decided to temporarily include coronavirus recovery care under basic insurance. This way, anyone who suffers long-term complaints after falling ill from the virus won’t need to expect a hefty bill for any convalescent (recovery) care. This applies to treatments outside the hospital such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics.

However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of these treatments on convalescents is unknown for now, so the government has only agreed to cover them under basic insurance for a year.

Coronavirus man and woman
Anyone with health insurance is covered for coronavirus in the Netherlands? Image: Gustavo Fring/Pexels.

Premium prices to rise in 2021

According to the insurance comparison company, Zorgwijzer, insurance premium prices are set to rise by approximately €58 in 2021. They estimate that those who hold basic insurance policies can expect to pay an extra €4.82 per month on average.

Exactly how much extra you will have to pay depends on your own insurance policy. For example, CZ healthcare insurance has raised its basic insurance premium by €8.65 per month, whereas Zilveren Kruis’ has increased its premium by €3.

If you would like to compare premiums and find the best policy for you, Zorgwijzer is a helpful health insurance comparison tool. Simply enter your information and what you would like to have covered and the tool will lay out all of your options — from cheapest to most expensive.

If you’re worried about paying your health insurance premium this year, bear in mind that the zorgtoeslag health insurance allowance is available to anyone who earns below a certain amount. This benefit will also increase slightly in 2021.

You can switch your insurance policy for the next year — but there’s a deadline

You may have opened your email this week and found that your insurance policy for 2021 is just not up to scratch. If you have decided to switch your health insurance policy, bear in mind that you have a deadline to consider.

In the Netherlands, you can only change your policy once a year, and the deadline of December 31 is steadily approaching.

Insurance companies are required by law to notify customers of any changes to their policy for the approaching year by November 12. This means that now is the time to read those emails and double-check that you’re still happy with your premium for 2021.

Do you have any new needs that won’t be covered next year? If not, consider different options and make the change before the new year begins!

Remember to check in on your mental health

seasonal depression netherlands
Mental health care in the Netherlands is tricky. Image: 1388843/Pixabay

There is a lot of debate about mental healthcare in the Netherlands. If you’re generally feeling pretty good and don’t live with any severe mental conditions, sticking to only the basic health insurance package is normally fine. This package covers some basic primary and secondary mental health care.

However, this year has been tough both physically and mentally for many and you may find yourself in need of new mental health services. So how does health insurance work in terms of mental health?

Your basic healthcare insurance should cover you for certain basic mental health services. But you must read up on it, as only some insurers will cover you for certain things.

For example, if you have a more complex mental health condition, which might require a lot of intervention, then your insurer may not cover all of your primary or secondary care. In short, some policies will cover you and some won’t. It depends on the extent to which you are suffering and which policy you chose.

This means now is the time to really scrutinise your policy for the coming year. However, if the time comes and you need help, you can always pay for additional mental health care alongside your basic healthcare insurance.

How does insurance work for internationals?

The Netherlands is a popular destination to pursue higher education and it attracts students from all over the world. If you’re here on a student visa, or if you plan to only study without working, then you are not obligated to be insured by Dutch health insurance.

However, many students are often required to do an internship as part of their studies. If the internship pays a minimum wage, then you (unfortunately) have to get Dutch health insurance. If you’re paid less than the minimum then it is not required.

The Netherlands can also be expensive, and it’s only natural that many internationals look for other opportunities to make some cash on the side. So if you do manage to get a part-time job (there are ways to do that even if you are on a study visa) which pays you a minimum wage, you have to be insured from the first day of your work contract.

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Check out this handy diagram to find out if you need Dutch health insurance! Image: DutchReview

If you are an international student who is looking to find health insurance, then the process can be quite confusing at first — especially when you are met with phrases like “zorgverzekering vergelijken.”

Luckily, this is where Zorgwijzer can come in handy once again. It is the only insurance comparison website that offers service in English. Save yourself the tears and the migraine and simply do the process in a language that isn’t composed of so many z, v and g’s.

Are you happy with your health insurance policy for 2021? Make sure your covered and find the insurance that’s best for you! 

Feature Image: Karolina Grabowska/Pexels

Cigarettes will no longer be sold in Dutch supermarkets by 2024

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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Cigarettes will no longer be sold in Dutch supermarkets by 2024

Cigarettes and other smoking materials will be removed from Dutch supermarket shelves in 2024.

Sources have confirmed the plans to the NOS. Currently, tobacco products are no longer visible to customers in Dutch supermarkets. The next move will be to remove them from the stores completely.

This will be another step towards the larger aim of only being able to buy cigarettes in tobacco stores by 2030.

The National Prevention Agreement

This decision follows the introduction of the National Prevention Agreement in 2018, which aims to encourage a healthier lifestyle in the next generation of Dutch residents.

There were a number of prevention measures proposed by the agreement, some of which have already been implemented. For example, in recent months, it was decided that cigarette packaging in the Netherlands will be a neutral brown colour.

Earlier this year, it was also decided that cigarettes may no longer be smoked on train platforms throughout the Netherlands. It is also expected that the price of cigarette packs will rise to €10 by 2023.

A smoke-free generation

The National Prevention Agreement, fronted by State Secretary Paul Blokhuis of Public Health, states that the people of the Netherlands need to live a healthier lifestyle.

By implementing measures such as the above, the Dutch government hopes to introduce a generation of children by 2040 who will “no longer know the smell of tobacco smoke.”

A smoke-free generation is one in which no child will ever start to smoke, eradicating the generation of the pull towards cigarettes.

Do you believe in a smoke-free generation? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! 

Feature Image: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

All restaurants in the Netherlands could reopen in mid-December

Brin Andrews
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All restaurants in the Netherlands could reopen in mid-December

From mid-December, all restaurants in the Netherlands may be able to open their doors once again, inside sources tell RTL Nieuws.  Stricter measures will be required.

The restaurant industry has been closed for seating for over a month now due to the government’s coronavirus measures.

For the past few weeks, officials have been experimenting with reopening 25 restaurants, testing conditions such as ventilation, walking routes, and distanced seating, RTL’s sources say.

Conditions

In order to reopen, the restaurants would need to adhere to strict arrangements regarding alcohol sales and closing times. Both staff and customers will be required to wear masks, and cough screens installed between tables.

“Our commitment is still aimed at ensuring that all catering establishments can be opened in a responsible manner, with workable conditions, as soon as possible,” says Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KNH) in a response to RTL, adding, “for example, by mid-December.”

The conditions will be evaluated in early December. “In the meantime, KNH will continue to discuss this with the ministries on a daily basis,” a spokesperson said.

Reopening not certain

There is, of course, a risk that reopening will not be possible so soon if the course of the coronavirus takes a turn for the worse. A government press conference on December 8 is expected to provide more clarity.

Do you think mid-December will be the best time for restaurants to reopen? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Feature Image: Igor Starkov/ Pexels

Legendary-and-never-happening Elfstedentocht cancelled until 1.5m measure is dropped

Emily Burger
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Legendary-and-never-happening Elfstedentocht cancelled until 1.5m measure is dropped

The famous outdoor skating event known as Elfstedentocht traditionally takes place along the frozen rivers and canals of 11 Frisian towns in the wintertime. But it seems this winter, the games are cancelled — again.

For years, this beloved event has been halted due to a lack of ice. But surprise surprise, this year corona has found a way to cancel it once again. The Royal Association of the 11 Frisian Cities have announced that they will not organise the event this winter under the current corona measures, reports NU.

Social distancing impossible

The association explains that especially at the start of the race, it will be impossible to keep the 1.5m rule between competitors. On top of that, the event would draw crowds to the riversides and canals, which is the last thing the organisation wants to encourage during a pandemic. Such behaviour would risk putting unnecessary pressure on the hospitals, which the healthcare system cannot afford right now.

Relaxing measures

There is still a while before the skating event would normally take place, and if the 1.5m rule were to be dropped it would theoretically still be possible. During the press conference on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that cabinet may be able to consider relaxing measures around mid-December. But there is no guarantee that this will happen, and realistically the 1.5m rule is likely to be one of the last measures to go. For these reasons, it is almost certain that the Elfstedentocht will not take place this winter.

The last Elfstedentocht

The last time the Elfstedentocht took place was in 1997 and unfortunately, scientists predict it will become increasingly difficult to host the event as global warming is preventing the rivers and canals from adequately freezing over. It’s possible that the 1997 Elfstedentocht will indeed be the last one.

Are you disappointed about the Elfstedentocht being cancelled again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Feature Image: Rob Bogaerts/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

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