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Storm Ciara: hurricane-like winds, wet and wild weather, and possible code red

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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Storm Ciara: hurricane-like winds, wet and wild weather, and possible code red

Whew, we’re in for some wet and wild weather in the Netherlands this weekend! The KNMI weather bureau is forecasting wind gusts of up to 140 kilometres per hour this Sunday (lordy be!).

If we were a doctor, we’d be prescribing a hot cup of tea and a fluffy blanket (you can take our advice anyway). Those winds are hurricane-class, so stay indoors if you can. The worst part will be at the end of the afternoon or early in the evening, says KNMI.

“In the course of the morning, the wind increases. At the end of the morning, there is probably already a storm in the northwestern coastal area. After that, the rest of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland will also have to deal with a heavy storm with possible wind force 10. In the interior, there is wind force 7 to 8,” meteorologist Diana Woei of Weerplaza told NU.nl.

That means areas on the coast are going to be worst-affected, but those in the interior will still experience heavy wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour. It’s expected the KNMI will announce a code orange on Sunday, with a possibility of a code red.

But, Ciara is not actually coming to the Netherlands

Technically, the storm Ciara isn’t actually coming to the Netherlands – just wreaking havoc on her journey nearby. On Scotland, Ciara is expected to be over Scotland and then continue toward Norway’s fjords.

But, she will be causing a large difference in air pressure above the north and south of the country, gifting us these wild winds – thanks Ciara! (But really, we could go without, thanks anyway).

After Sunday, we get a reprieve! Just kidding. It’ll still be windy, and the coast will be stormy. This could even continue into Tuesday but should ease up by Wednesday. Dutch weather, am I right?

Are you dreading the storm, or waiting impatiently to snuggle down in a gezellig environment and listen to it batter the windows? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Josh Sorenson/Pexels

Trains to be overcrowded as NS work begins this weekend! (work from home folks!)

Vedika Luthra
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Trains to be overcrowded as NS work begins this weekend! (work from home folks!)

Between February 8 and 16, Leiden Centraal station will be under works, resulting in a disruption of routes throughout the Randstad (Utrecht, Amsterdam, the Hague, Rotterdam).

This will inevitably cause overcrowding, according to NU.nl, especially if you plan to travel during peak hours between 6.30 and 9:00 and between 16.00-18.30.

It’s unclear exactly what this disruption will look like, but what is clear is that no trains will stop at Leiden during the weekend. So if you were thinking of stopping by, don’t. And during the week, there is a schedule, but it’s messy. Not only will trains be cancelled, delayed or diverted but busses will also be affected and different routes will be used. So make sure to regularly check train schedules.

And still be confused:

Preventative measures won’t necessarily prevent overcrowding

The NS has ways to help prevent overcrowding, such as their reporting function to ensure that it happens as minimally as possible. Furthermore, it has dealt with overcrowding previously- take April 2019 when a broken overhead line between Weesp and Amsterdam-Zuid resulted in major delays and consequently major overcrowding.

To help the situation, commuters have been advised to use the Intercity direct between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Schiphol, with the surcharge for intercity direct remaining in place. However, it is unlikely that this will have much impact on the crowd levels.

Peak hours are busy enough already, and no doubt altered trains will result in overcrowding of trains that do run.

Stay at home if you can

Travellers are therefore advised to travel during off-peak hours when the trains are slightly calmer or, well, work at home if possible, especially because bad weather next week won’t help circumstances.

Will your commute be affected? Let us know in the comments!

Image: Abuzer van Leeuwen

10,000 Tikkie payments for under two euro made each day in the Netherlands

Ailish Lalor
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10,000 Tikkie payments for under two euro made each day in the Netherlands

It’s something we all knew anecdotally, but now it is backed up by scientific evidence: the Dutch love to send tikkies for small amounts of money, NOS reports. As in, for a couple of coins.

10,000 payment requests each day for under 2 euro

According to figures from the major Dutch banks, over ten thousand payments are made every day for payment requests of under two euros. That is less than the price of a cappuccino, though we can debate whether cappuccinos should actually cost nearly three euros another time.

ABN Amro’s Tikkie app is used for amounts of less than two euros more than 4.5 percent of the time. At ING, payments under two euro make up about 4 percent of its Tikkie traction, and at Rabobank that drops to 3 percent.

Is it mostly young people asking for these smaller amounts?

It’s likely that it’s mostly young people sending these requests for smaller amounts, according to Associate professor Niels van de Ven of Tilburg University, though some of us might debate that based on our own, tragic, personal experiences. Because young people earn less, smaller amounts of money mean a lot more to them.

Varying opinions of when Tikkies are appropriate

People have massively varying ideas of when it is appropriate to send a Tikkie in the Netherlands, with some only willing to do it if the payment is over 25 euros (which I think we can all agree is fair). But others will happily chase down those 50 cents for the two slices of bread you asked them for.

Tikkie itself has no opinion about requesting smaller amounts. “We help with the settlement of costs. It is up to people to decide how you do that.”

Tell us about your Tikkie experiences! What’s the smallest amount you’ve been asked for? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: kschneider2991/Pixabay

First storm since August to hit even earlier than expected

Vedika Luthra
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First storm since August to hit even earlier than expected

If you need excuse for a week-long grasse matinée (a sleep-in), as the French call it, now’s your chance. The first storm to hit the Netherlands since August is now expected to make its début several days sooner, on Sunday evening instead of Tuesday, according to RTL Nieuws. 

Code Orange?

The storm will descend upon the Netherlands from Britain with a wind force of 9 and a speed of up to 120 km per hour on the coast, cruise over to the inland at 100 km per hour, a dangerous level especially for traffic. It is possible that the KNMI (Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut) will issue a Code Orange, which is only reserved for extreme weather conditions.

Ciara the Storm

Since September 2019, the KNMI has taken to naming its storms (along with weather institutes in Great Britain and Ireland) in the hopes that this personification will make people take storms more seriously. So if you stay indoors and away from Ciara, you’re doing your part.

Adding to the chaos

It is likely that turbulent weather will result in delays and cancellations. Adding to commuter distress, the NS announced that railway work commencing on February 8 will disrupt train lines (particularly those to Leiden between the 8th and the 16 of Feb).

So instead of snow, climate change brings us storms instead.

Would you rather have snow or storms? Leave your answer in the comments below!

Feature image: nikontino/ Flickr

Animal populations greatly affected since the 1990’s in the Netherlands

Vlad Moca-Grama
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Animal populations greatly affected since the 1990’s in the Netherlands

A new report by Living Planet Report Netherlands, published by the World Wildlife Fund, shows that wild animal populations in the Netherlands have halved in number since the 1990s, NU.nl reports.

The report concludes that while the situation is dire with some animal species, there is still space to make amends, especially by cutting down nitrogen levels.

The problem with nitrogen

Nitrogen is precipitated in the environment principally due to livestock farming. It causes a feedback effect in which plants needed for the survival of insects and butterflies are then taken over by plants and weeds who are into nitrogen, then leading to a decline of insect species, which in turns affects birds who eat the insects or other insect-eating animals. Examples of bird species given in the report which are threatened include the tree lark and the black grouse. Other species, like the dune pipit, have become virtually extinct.

Usage of nitrogen for livestock farming is one of the main reasons for the negative effect on animal populations. Image: PhotoMIX-Company/Pixabay

In some regions, animal populations have decreased by 70% of their initial numbers. The report concludes that in the Netherlands, it is the nitrogen that is one of the main factors in the endangerment and extinction of animals.

Butterflies heavily affected in agricultural areas

Due to the practices of intensive agriculture, monoculture, and the usage of pesticides, species like butterflies have been hard hit in large agricultural areas. This news sits amidst the broader context worldwide of an insect apocalypse, as industrial agriculture has led to the near-collapse of not only butterflies, but entire insect populations around the globe. This is a worrying development, as insects are a crucial part of the ecosystem and many other animals and plants depend on them for survival.

Some cause for hope as improvements are also present

The report, however, does point out to some improvements in some areas in the Netherlands, especially in forests, which have become more diverse in their tree species, thus facilitating greater biodiversity for animals as well. The report gives the example of forests located on sandy terrain, which have been recovering from the nitrogen precipitation, with some areas recovering their animal populations by up to 24%.

Overall, there are still ways of restoring the environment, especially by cutting down on nitrogen emissions and moving towards more sustainable practices in agriculture. But if the government wants to do that, they will need to find a way to get the farmers to agree– which as yet they have distinctly refused to do.

Should the government implement stronger policies to prevent the loss of biodiversity? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: ROverhate/Pixabay

Coronavirus outbreak: no flights to China with KLM

Vlad Moca-Grama
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Coronavirus outbreak: no flights to China with KLM

After the recent return of Dutchies stuck in Wuhan who are now in quarantine, it’s been decided to cancel all KLM flights to China, NOS reports.

The flights have been been suspended until the 15th of March, specifically the flights towards mainland China and the big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Advice was taken from WHO

KLM has made its decision based on the advice given by the World Health Organization, which has urged to avoid all travel to China unless needed to. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a similar travel warning as well. Travel to Hubei, the region where the virus originates from, is considered especially dangerous and unadvised.

From the 16th of March, flights to Shanghai and Beijing will be resumed. Elsewhere, flights towards Xiamen, Hangzhou and Chengdu will be resumed from the 28th of March.

Infection rates and death toll rising

There are now 28,018 confirmed cases around the world, with the majority being in mainland China, and the death toll has risen to 563 people. Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, is going through its second week of complete shutdown and quarantine. There’s concerns in regards to to the effectiveness of the shutdown, as it has also prevented the transportation of important medical supplies across the Hubei region. The outbreak has tested and strained China’s ability to deal with the issue, some describing it as being a humanitarian disaster.

Dutchies have made it safely home

The Dutch that were stuck in Wuhan arrived at the beginning of this week back home safely, and are currently undergoing quarantine. Two of them have even managed to return back with their Chinese spouses, an interesting situation as China has banned the departure of Chinese spouses together with their foreign co-nationals. So far, none of the Dutch has displayed any of the symptoms of the virus.

Should more countries cancel their flights towards China? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: KLM/Supplied

January 2020 was one of the hottest winter months on record in the Netherlands

Vlad Moca-Grama
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January 2020 was one of the hottest winter months on record in the Netherlands

If before, Dutch winters were a thing to complain about precisely because they were cold, windy and wet, the current winter raised concerns due to its higher than normal temperatures. 

The temperatures are so high, that on some beaches in the Netherlands, the beach clubs are already being set up.

Comparisons to other winters

So far, the hottest month of January to occur on Dutch soil was back in 2007, when the average temperature was 6.6 degrees Celsius. 2019 was a much colder winter, with 4.6 degrees on average, a year in which there was also quite some snowfall. This year, however, the average of this winter was 6.2 degrees, making it one of the top three warmest winters, alongside the winter of 2016, which had an average temperature of 6.4 degrees.

This week: a warm January ending with a storm on the horizon

The weather throughout this week will remain calm and sunny, yet the end of the week will bring with it the first storm in a couple of months. There will be severe winds and rains, especially throughout Saturday and Sunday, and it will continue on throughout part of next week. William Huizinga, a meteorologist from Buienradaar considers the construction of beach tents as perhaps a bit premature, yet nevertheless, the temperature will remain high throughout February.

This month of January considered hottest winter month worldwide

Overall, this month has turned out to be globally the hottest month of January on record. In Europe at least, it has surely been the hottest month of January so far, with temperatures being especially high in north-eastern Europe, such as in Norway, where the temperature was 19 degrees in a western region, 25 degrees more than the normal average.

This has had a considerable effect on wildlife in different places, including the Netherlands. For example, ducklings have already hatched in some areas and salamanders have begun their migration routes much faster than usual. Migratory birds have also remained in the country when normally they would have migrated south, and pests like mice and mosquitos have shown up in higher numbers than usual. Even at our office in Leiden, we spotted some trees in bloom outside the building.

Blossming trees near our office (Source: Abuzer van Leeuwen)

Is a warm winter preferable to a cold and snowy one? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: tm/Wikimedia Commons

‘Dutch not required’: are English-speaking jobs for students a dream or reality?

Linda Vecvagare
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‘Dutch not required’: are English-speaking jobs for students a dream or reality?

The quantity of international students in the Netherlands has reached a record high number. In the 2017-2018 academic year over 112,000 international students studied in Dutch universities—and we’re on the way to breaking the record again.

In fact, Nuffic research shows that many of them are also keen to work here after completing their studies. Which is not that surprising given the optimal work-life-balance and the high living standards of the country. However, despite the increasing internationalisation, the research also shows that the most important reason students depart is because they can’t manage to find a job. So what are the possibilities and the obstacles for international students in the Netherlands? Are English speaking jobs for students just a naive illusion?

jobs for students
Yay! Here’s to an uncertain future! Image: Magister danko/Wikimedia

The Dutch labour market

In general, the employment climate in the Netherlands is very good. Unemployment in the Netherlands (seasonal adjusted) fell to 3.5% percent in August 2019, making it the lowest jobless rate since 2008 financial crisis.

Moreover, the wages are relatively high and there are good sick leave and holiday leave benefits. In fact, some companies offer more than the minimum number of holiday days, with up to 32 days of annual leave. If you’re a young international student or recent alumni, the Netherlands might look like a great place to start your career.

However, even if the the Dutch have been voted the best English-speakers in Europe, being able to speak fluent Dutch is usually required to land jobs for students. Especially when applying for positions in the government sector or smaller companies. Dutch is still the country’s working language because local companies usually have internal communication in Dutch and their clients most likely also are Dutch. The more international the company or department is, the less Dutch might be required. Altogether, Dutch definitely gives you advantages, but let’s be honest—not a lot of international students have mastered this language.

Are there any jobs for students if I don’t speak Dutch?

Not being able to speak Dutch can weaken your positions in the labour market, however, it’s definitely not the end of the world. Actually, the Netherlands can offer many opportunities for expats and international students. There is a wide range of multinational and international companies, like ING Group, Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Unilever, Philips and Heineken that look for English speaking candidates. Moreover, the Netherlands has a booming startup ecosystem that offers many opportunities for young international professionals. So why is it so difficult to find the perfect vacancy?

Jobs for students: you have to know where to look

One of the main challenges of finding a student job in a foreign country is knowing where to look for it. In the Netherlands, many companies post their vacancies on the internet. However, most job boards are filled with vacancies for Dutch-speaking nationals.

The choice of non-Dutch jobs might be very limited which makes it more difficult to find the right fit for you. Additionally, most recruitment agencies hire only Dutch-speaking candidates since they are attractive for employers and thus would increase their chance of getting paid their commission fee. Think of all the time you’ve wasted browsing through all those vacancies to find the one that finally does not require fluent Dutch.

Luckily, there is a place where you don’t have to scroll through a bunch of unfitting vacancies and where all the job offers only require knowledge of English. On the College Life Job board there’s a strict policy that companies can only post non-Dutch jobs which ensures a curated job board for international students. There you’ll find everything from internships to graduate jobs, from multinational companies to startups.

In fact, College Life is cooperating with such large international companies as ING, Uber, Philips and Delivery Hero. The companies appreciate the possibility of finding international English speaking candidates all in one place as well.

Any other tips for scoring a student job in the Netherlands? Feel welcome to share them with us!

Supermarkets open increasingly late in the Netherlands

Vlad Moca-Grama
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Supermarkets open increasingly late in the Netherlands

Over the last five years, there has been an increase when it comes to the opening hours of supermarkets, with one in seven supermarkets staying open until 22:00, all as a response to growing demand from customers.

If five years ago, there were only 250 supermarkets open until late out of the approximately 4000 different branches, nowadays the number has doubled to 550 supermarkets open until 10:00 PM.

Albert Heijn leading the way in this development

Albert Heijn is one of the main supermarkets which has started keeping its stores open until late. Estimates are that around 36% of AH supermarkets stay open until 10:00 PM, allowing for more flexibility for customers when it comes to doing their groceries, according to a spokesperson. Not every store is following this trend however, with supermarkets like Aldi having a very small percentage of stores that stay open after 10:00 PM.

That’s way past nap hour:

Dissatisfaction with the longer hours

Trade unions have caught on to this development, and are not particularly happy with it. There are concerns over the impact this will have for small shopkeepers, who will be forced to adapt to the longer open hours. Unlike big chains like Albert Heijn, they might not have the necessary resources to do all of this.

Mari Martens, a member of the FNV trade union, considers it completely irresponsible that big supermarkets choose to remain open later, and those smaller business owners who are forced to participate in this “violence“ .

The CNV trade union also backs up the criticism, with one representative urging people to consider where the line is drawn with regards to closing hours, and that if they are to remain open longer and later; workers would need better pay and benefits.

Do you find it convenient that supermarkets are open until later? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: ElasticComputeFarm/pixabay

 

 

 

Invictus Games to be held in the Netherlands: all you need to know

Vedika Luthra
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Invictus Games to be held in the Netherlands: all you need to know

Following the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, the Invictus games will be held in The Hague this year. Because the sporting event is a fairly recent development (it was established only a few years ago in 2014)- you might be wondering what it is exactly.

What are the Invictus Games?

The word ‘Invictus’ is synonymous for ‘unconquered,’ intended to embody ‘the fighting spirit of the wounded, injured and sick Service personnel’ and what these individuals are capable of post-injury, according to its philosophy. The games are aimed at aiding in recovery rehabilitation through sport, and fostering respect for those that have served their country- so unlike other sporting events, winning a medal is not necessarily the most important element.

What does Prince Harry have to do with the Invictus Games?

The Invictus Games were founded by British Prince Harry, who served for a decade in the British Air Force. After having attended the Warrior Games in the United States (initiated by the US Department of Defence, participants of Warrior Games are also military service personnel and veterans from six different countries) in 2013, the Prince was inspired to launch the Invictus Games, with an initial budget of 1 million pounds.

Regarding the launching of the Invictus Games, Prince Harry stated, ‘I have witnessed first hand how the power of sport can positively impact the lives of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women in their journey of recovery.’

The event has since grown- this year the games will take place between the 9th and 16th of May, comprising of 500 participants from 20 different countries, including Afghanistan, Estonia, Jordan, Poland and of course, the Netherlands. Interestingly, the games are linked to 75 years of liberation of the Netherlands in 2020.

What can you expect from the Invictus Games?

The array of sports include: the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, archery, athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. So if you’re looking for something a little more positive after all the drama entered along with the new year, (coronavirus, fires in Australia, a failed attempt to impeach the American president), this is it.

Tickets can be purchased here. Will you be attending? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Seara Marcsis/Wikimedia Commons

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