Crossroads summer break
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Dear reader, Crossroads is taking its annual summer break on August 1 and will resume daily updates on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. The past few months have been busy, fruitful, rewarding and I wish to thank all our readers and contributors for their continued support and interest in our magazine! I will leave you with [...]
16 August: Craftparking at AINSI
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Announcement: Craftparking is an artistic market, free to the public, where designers, artists and other creative people present and sell their exceptional, handmade but still affordable products. Made in small editions, or even unique items, so visitors you always get your hands on something original! Craftparking will take place on Sunday the 16th of August [...]
Looking for resources for expats in Liège
July 31, 2009 2 Comments
A message from a reader: Hello, I am impressed by your website, it is very clear and very user-friendly! I am French and Canadian with Japanese origins, 25, and I moved from France to Liège almost a year ago to work for an American company. Before that, I lived five years in Vienna, Austria, studied [...]
Campaign ‘Safe Internet use’ underway
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Campaign ‘Safe Internet use’ underway Press release | 28-07-2009 People who use the Internet safely will be less likely to fall victim to cyber crime. Minister Hirsch Ballin for Justice today gave the starting signal for the public campaign entitled ‘Safe Internet Use’. The object of the campaign is to increase awareness among people using [...]
links for 2009-07-31
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Tuning in to Dutch TV British blogger Graham Jackson explores the world of Dutch television, finding native diamonds among the imported rough. (tags: English)
Declining church and mosque attendance
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
More than half of the adult Dutch population consider themselves to belong to a church or religious or philosophical movement. One in five – considerably fewer than in the past – are regular church-goers. Proportion attending religious meetings at least once a month Most substantial decline among Muslims In recent years, church and mosque attendance [...]
More men murdered in 2008
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
More men murdered in 2008 Last year, 176 persons died as a result of murder or manslaughter, 12 more than in 2007. The increase entirely consists of men. The number of women killed as a result of murder or manslaughter has declined over the past three years. Victims of murder and manslaughter by gender Most victims were [...]
Netherlands largest manufacturer of bicycles in Europe
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
The overall value of bicycles manufactured in the European Union amounted to 1.9 billion in 2008. More than 30 percent were produced in the Netherlands, making it Europe’s largest bike manufacturer. Overall value of bicycles manufactured in the EU, 2008 In 2008, the Netherlands manufactured 577 million worth of bicycles, an increase by more than [...]
Upcoming summer events in the Maastricht area
July 30, 2009 Leave a Comment
Gaiapark Kerkrade July: Daily falconer shows at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 + 16:00. For further details on these and more events: http://www.gaiapark.nl Hoensbroek Castle For further details please check http://www.kasteelhoensbroek.nl/html/?me=2&su=0&si=3 July & August (daily) – Old Castle Games’ and Family mystery hunt A variety of Old Games are set up outdoors in the second courtyard [...]
links for 2009-07-30
July 30, 2009 Leave a Comment
Online windowshoppen en winkels bezoeken met Winkelspotter.nl Vanuit je luie stoel online shoppen is een bekend principe, vanuit diezelfde stoel daadwerkelijk winkels zien en etalages bekijken kan vanaf vandaag ook. De Telefoongids & Gouden Gids introduceert vandaag WinkelSpotter.nl, een online 360° toer langs winkels en etalages. Grote steden in Nederland krijgen primeur Vanaf eind augustus [...]
links for 2009-07-28
July 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
Arab 'universities' mushrooming in the Netherlands Seven Arab universities have recently been established in The Hague. Some of them train pilots, others offer courses in Islamic sciences or nuclear physics. But far from everybody is convinced that the degrees the universities offer hold any value. (tags: English) In the land of Charlemagne When you've seen [...]
Public Transport in the Meuse-Rhine region
July 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Province of Limburg called for “the support of Europe and national authorities” to achieve more effective transfrontier cooperation in five key areas during a Council of Europe conference held in Maastricht on July 6-7, 2009.
More information: Province of Limburg calls for more effective transfrontier cooperation with humouristic clips
Running the New York City Marathon and fundraising for scholarships
July 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
Dutch Study Advisor Maarten van Kooij and Thai Bachelor student Saichon Kloyiam will be the two contestants representing Maastricht University’s Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at the New York City Marathon next November. In running the marathon, Maarten and Saichon hope to raise money for the Faculty’s scholarship fund and raise awareness about personal health.
links for 2009-07-27
July 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
Getting to know your neighbours: street parties in Antwerp A street party is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbours. The local authority in Antwerp has a policy of subsiding street parties. (video) (tags: english)
“I love thee dearly, my Dutch language!”
July 27, 2009 2 Comments
Maastricht resident and Crossroads contributor Hennie Reuvers wonders where else in the world besides the Netherlands Dutch is still spoken as a main language.
UNU-MERIT and Renmin University of China sign MuO
July 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
Prof. Luc Soete, director of UNU-MERIT (the United Nations University- Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology), recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Renmin University of China (RUC). The ultimate aim of the memorandum is the setting up of a joint UNU institute at Renmin University of China (RUC) [...]
The Netherlands has highest rate of part-timers in Europe
July 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Netherlands has the highest rate of part-timers within the European Union (EU). This applies to both genders. Part-timers Nearly half of Dutch working population are part-timers In 2008, nearly half of 15 to 64-year-old Dutch worked on a part-time basis. The proportion of part-timers is much lower in other EU countries. The Netherlands is [...]
Promoting an international student life in Maastricht
July 26, 2009 1 Comment
For many highschool graduates, the decision to pursue higher education means leaving their long time friends, family, even pets, and naturally one of the questions they ask themselves is: “How will I build myself a new social life?” In the Netherlands, just like in many others countries, student associations aim at helping students to do just that, and in the new academic year 2009-2010 student associations at Maastricht University are making it a point to embrace all new international students in their midst.
links for 2009-07-25
July 25, 2009 Leave a Comment
Adding a splash of Brazillian colour to Four Day Marches (tags: english)
links for 2009-07-24
July 24, 2009 Leave a Comment
Steden troeven elkaar af in race Europese Culturele Hoofdstad – Kunst – de Volkskrant Gemeenten die Europese Culturele Hoofdstad 2018 willen worden, moeten niet te veel geld uitgeven aan hun kandidaatstelling. Daarvoor waarschuwt PvdA-minister Ronald Plasterk van Cultuur. Vijf (combinaties van) steden azen op de titel, twee hakken binnenkort de knoop door. (tags: Dutch)
Mosques refuse Dutch ‘State Imams’
July 24, 2009 Leave a Comment
Not a single mosque in the Netherlands has to date been prepared to take on an Imam trained in the special government courses. “Mosques have no money and no confidence in the ‘polder Imam,” reported Trouw newspaper yesterday. The Free University Amsterdam, the University of Leiden and Hogeschool InHolland college have developed Imam training courses, [...]
The problems with being a foreigner – but not an expat – in Eindhoven
July 23, 2009 6 Comments
Olivia Neri exchanged her home in California for Eindhoven, the Netherlands, [90 kms to the north of Maastricht] to be with her Dutch husband. She contacted us some time ago with the following idea: “I am interested in writing an article about what Eindhoven is doing for its expat community and in learning about opportunities for internationals in Eindhoven, because everything I have found (aside from Crossroads) is centered in the Randstad area.” Read on to find out the outcome of her investigation.
links for 2009-07-23
July 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
Eerste Wereldcongres "Hearing Voices" in Maastricht! INTERVOICE, de internationale organisatie voor de belangenbehartiging van stemmenhoorders, organiseert haar eerste wereldcongres op 17 en 18 september 2009 in het MECC te Maastricht. (tags: Dutch)
links for 2009-07-22
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
Veel belangstelling voor kenniswerkersregeling Het Nederlands bedrijfsleven heeft samen met kennisinstellingen enthousiast gereageerd op de zogenoemde kenniswerkersregeling. (tags: Dutch)
14-16 October: International conference in Maastricht concluding the European year of creativity and innovation
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
On 14, 15 and 16 October 2009, a special three-day international conference will be held in Maastricht on creativity and innovation. The conference has an unconventional programme entitled Get Inspired. The various events will be cross-border in nature and are programmed at locations throughout the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion: Liège, Hasselt, Aachen, Heerlen, Sittard-Geleen and Maastricht. The [...]
Downward trend in Dutch house prices continues
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
Prices of existing houses sold in the Netherlands in June were on average 3.7 percent lower than in June 2008. Prices fell 0.9 percent compared to May 2009. “For the fifth month in a row, prices of residential property were lower than one year earlier,” the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reported yesterday. It produces [...]
3.6 million one-person households in 2050
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
The number of one-person households will have mounted up to 3.6 million in 2050, an increase by 1 million compared to the current situation. Over the next two decades, the annual increase will be 30 to 40 thousand. Most of these people will be 65 or older. Subsequently, the growth will slow down. Types of households Dutch population is ageing [...]
An afternoon with Jacques Ogg: Maastricht’s early music maestro returns to his roots
July 21, 2009 Leave a Comment
Much is written about the curse of not being a prophet in your own town. Thus, the globally acclaimed early music conductor, director and performer, Jacques Ogg, has made his mark more deeply outside of his hometown of Maastricht. Amidst the smell of flowers and fresh berries on a picture perfect summer afternoon, Crossroads writer Susan Schaefer and Jacques Ogg share tea and conversation.
links for 2009-07-21
July 21, 2009 Leave a Comment
Synagoge in Meerssen wordt weer zichtbaar Tientallen jaren lag het verscholen tussen andere gebouwen. Maar vanaf dit najaar is het historische gebouw eindelijk weer goed zichtbaar: de synagoge van Meerssen. Deze maand is begonnen met de sloop van het huis aan de Kuileneindestraat, dat pal voor het Joods gebedshuis staat. (tags: Dutch) Most Dutch downloads [...]
Obama more appreciated than any Dutch politician
July 21, 2009 Leave a Comment
The American President Barack Obama is much more popular in the Netherlands than any Dutch politician. He has support from both leftwing and rightwing voters, pollster Maurice de Hond reports. The US president, who came into office six months ago, scored 7.4 on a scale of 1-10. This is more than a point higher than [...]
