This week in the radio show - have the Dutch got it all wrong about immigration? There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth about immigration and the impact of migrants on Dutch society, immigrants are now forced to learn to speak Dutch and learn about Dutch culture, but what if the immigrants are planning to go home again? Doesn’t this make all of this effort a huge waste of time?
Also in the radio show - teaching English here in the Netherlands and why the rest of Europe wants to know how the Dutch do it.
There’s even a chat with Sinterklaas, a kind of Dutch Father Christmas - all is explained.
A travel agency for gay people in Amsterdam - might seem a little unnecessary what with Amsterdam being gay capital of the world already - but it’s here anyway.
This week in the radio show Paul Anstiss takes a look at a proposed drive-as-you-go road tax, art factories in Amsterdam and different views on jobs for teenagers.
Bit late in posting this, but better late than never. The review of the week in the Netherlands produced by RNW, featuring a story about how a fake bomb was smuggeld in to the Dutch Queen’s palace grounds.
Hundreds of documentaries on just about every topic you can imagine - well you’d expect no less from the world’s biggest documentary festival, IDFA -the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.
The films range from big budget productions, think about Michael Moore’s latest - Capitalism a Love Story - to more intimate shorter productions such as the film Astronaut about a boy with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who dreams of going into space.
One film that has been catching the headlines is Google Baby, it’s about rich western couples using young Indian women as surrogate mothers.
More info about the films at the IDFA homepage - you can watch some things online there too. The festival runs until the end of November.
This week in Curious Orange the radio show (listen here) we reveal why the Dutch government is feeling the need to preach about the evils of divorce - do they have a point? One thousand people a week are severing the marital bonds here in the Netherlands and for the powers that be this is giving pause for thought.
Also in the show, what happens to illegal immigrants who need healthcare? And fish glorious fish, all you ever dared ask about undersea film making.
Plus music of course, this week our featured artist is Jenny Lane - a powerful voice and some soulful sounds.
Our friends at Expatica.com have got a little competition going on - they are looking for the Expat of the Year.
Maybe you have the perfect nomination, maybe it’s you? You can win a bike - it’s a good one too.
Nominate a company or indivicual for the Expat of the Year, Expat Employer of the Year and Expat Service Provider of the Year awards. Nominations will be accepted until 5pm on 15 December 2009. Submit a nomination for any award and you could win a Dutch ID Double Dutch Bike valued at EUR 749!…
A guide to Amsterdam with a difference, not the usual Red Light District and coffee shop route planner - no, this one gives you an eco-friendly plan of attack.
Other cities will be getting a similar guide soon.
Interesting story from NRC Handelsblad on the ongoing project to try and clean up Amsterdam’s image. Question is, how serious is Amsterdam about this? What do you think?
The project to turn Amsterdam’s centre from Sodom and Gomora into a bourgeois bohemian playground is well underway, but replacing a brothel by a 5-star restaurant is not done overnight.
Read the article on NRC Handelsblad site and let us know what you think by posting comments here.
All you wanted to know about Amsterdam’s Red Light District and prostitution - RNWs prostitution dossier
A controversial service is being offered by the Dutch Right to Die Society, suicide tips on their website. All you have to do to get them is register and pay 17,50.
