One week ago, the International Service Desk of Maastricht was officially opened with speech and song. The unpersoned desk offers computers with access to four Web resources specific to Maastricht region and information that international members of the community may need. A cute sitting area has also been added, although I’m not sure what it will be used for. Since one of the reasons I maintain this blog is to promote better information for expats, it seemed best that I checked out and report back on what this new service has to offer. By way of disclosure, some of my articles are reprinted with the Maastricht Region website which is associated with the desk.
I was cautiously optimistic when I heard that the service desk was going in. The four websites you can access are accessible from any Internet connection, so ultimately you don’t ever need to go to the service desk unless you have another reason to be at the Gemeente. I think that is the sort of resource you would make the most use of early in your arrival when you do not have your own Internet connection set up and are still going through paperwork that requires your presence at the town hall. So far no additional resource is such as English-language forms etc. have been added to the desk, although there are plans to expand the service in 2010.
The desk is opened the same hours as the Gemeente, which might make it inconvenient if you need to visit on the weekend, but everything is accessible online right now so that’s not a problem yet.
Monday – Wednesday: 08.30 – 16.30 hours
Thursday : 08.30 – 19.00 hours
Friday: 08.30 – 12.30 hours
The four sites you can access from the international service desk are:
Maastricht.nl: The Gemeente’s own website which has some basic information in English (German & French too) but more available in Dutch.
ExpatGuideHolland.com: A well organized resource aimed at expats moving to or in this southern region. Much of the information is general enough that it would refer to most of the Netherlands. Frankly I wish I had explored this resource much earlier in our move.
ZichtOpMaastricht.nl: This site may not be immediately useful to an expat but it does have some information you could use to learn your way around the city and about the history of the area. They also have some audio guides which are nice to listen to. The Dutch side is more extensive of course.
MaastrichtRegion.com: The site covers more specific information about the Maastricht region, including links out to some real estate and job boards (although I don’t know how far you can explore from the international service desk). Many of the links on this site go back to the Expat Guide Holland, so there is some duplicated information. Has a Dutch side as well aimed at native residents.
image (cc) laurakgibbs via Flickr
There are no Stupid Questions…
In an effort to apply something of a scientific method to my interaction with the new desk, I prepared three questions that I currently need information about. I actually have found information previously about these questions so I had some prior knowledge of what I might expect to find. I think they are representative of questions one might have after only having been in Maastricht for under year. Here are my results:
Question one: how can I put my mail on hold while I am on vacation?
To my surprise this question was actually the only one not answered by the International Service Desk. It requests very specific information but information about something that most expats will have to do at some point. I suspected that I already knew the answer to this question, but when I was unable to locate an answer through the computers I ask the Municipal Service Desk instead. The answer? Go to your nearest TNT post office and request a hold by placed. I haven’t done so yet, but once I do I will write up a more detailed description of the process.
Question two: What insurance should I buy?
While this isn’t really a question that can be answered broadly since everyone has differing insurance needs, I did find my answer at Expat Guide Holland which I thought offered the best rundown of available insurances that I’ve seen online yet. The descriptions are short but clear and include the name of each insurance in Dutch as well as in English. I discovered that the only required insurances are health insurance, car insurance if you own a car, and homeowner insurance if you own a house. The site also said that most people carry personal liability insurance and household contents insurance. This fits with information I’ve found previously on the subject.
Question three: Are there any entrepreneur support organizations in Maastricht?
I have visited the KvK (Chamber of Commerce) before and pose this question with little success, but I thought there might be more information here. I did discover on the Maastricht.nl website that there is a Business Contact Center at the Gemeente where business owners can get more information about doing business in Maastricht. The KvK was also mentioned, but the computers at the international service desk will not allow you to surf to their website for more information. I feel that this information is incomplete as I know there is a student entrepreneurial group through Maastricht University.
Overall I think that the desk is a good start, but because you can get all of the information available online there needs to be additional services provided to bring you to the Gemeente. I would like to see an actual reference librarian or adviser available for expats to help them answer those situation specific questions that we all have. Non-Dutch language translation of important documents or service that will help with the translations would also be invaluable, as signing documents you cannot read yet can be nerve-racking and legally dangerous. Fortunately the city seems to have plans to make improvements so I stay optimistic.
I am gratified that the city of Maastricht is making these steps and I look forward to future improvements to the International Service Desk and their support of international members of the community.
Episode 17 is ready for your listening pleasure in this inter-holiday season. Click here to listen to Episode 17 or download it using your favorite podcatcher.
In Episode 17 we ramble through:
And we forgot to say it on the podcast but thank you to my parents for sending apple chips & almond rocca. Cheers!
One of the pleasures of living in the Netherlands is the prevalence of open air markets. Maastricht is no exception to this rule with not one, but four different options every week. More complete than the farmers’ market of Massachusetts, the markets here are more like a hybrid of flea and food markets with antiquing on Sundays. The main markets occur every week in Maastricht, but everyone should try to see all of them at least once.
Weekly Market: Wednesday, 8:00-13:00 at the Markt Square.
Wednesday mornings are a great time to stroll down to the Markt square and do your weekly fresh food shopping. Local farmers, bakers, and butchers set up shop on the square to sell you whatever is currently in season. The food is fresh and I have found the prices to be comparable or better than the prices that the grocery store. Once you’ve finished shopping for food, you can browse the wide variety of clothing and fabric dealers that also set up during this market. Sewers, this is your one-stop shop. Finally there are flower and plant dealers who will help you keep your organic decor up to date with the season.
Organic Market: Thursday, 13:00-15:00 at Wycker Burgstraat.
On Thursday you can find the small, but complete organic food market on Wycker Burgstraat which is the road between St. Servaas bridge and the the train station. There are a fruit and vegetable, a bread, and a cheese booth selling their wares. In November, the market was quite small, but it may be larger during the summer when more local organic foods are available.
Fish Market: Friday, 8:00-13:00 at Boschstraat/Markt Street.
Friday’s fish market is actually much the same as the weekly market on Wednesdays, but with a greater emphasis on seafood. The main seafood section of the market is on the Boschstraat side of Markt square and includes a wide range of herring, salmon, mussels, and more. I even saw a a few small lobsters. There are also more options for pre-cooked food and snacks at this market. The center of Markt square is dominated by fabric, clothing, produce, and flowers.
Antique & Flea Market: Saturday, 8:00-15:00 at Stationstraat.
This market always seems to be overfilled with people. Perhaps because it is squished into a narrow strip of land between the two sides of Stationstraat or maybe it’s because this street gets a lot of traffic. But if you brave the crowd you can find a wide variety of interesting antiques: everything from Dutch pottery to African emphemra to old cameras to books (Dutch and occasionally English).
Need more? You can also check out markets throughout the Netherlands at Hollandse Markten (Dutch & English language).
This article was written for Maastrichtregion.com and can be read in the “To Live” section.
La Papiers in Maastricht
Once inside the store you will find a small and eclectic stationery store. When I visited, the store had a variety of holiday decorations and cards in nostalgic and rustic designs. The store also carries large sheets of decorative paper that could be used for wrapping or paper crafts and a selection of stationary for all occasions. Handmade paper boxes and journals are also available. Finally the store has a selection of offbeat, attractive jewelry at the counter.
I’ve not actually made a purchase at La Papiers yet because I do not yet have a need for this sort of decorative paper and all the communication I do these days is by e-mail. Still I have a very special place in my heart for paper and all the ways it is used, so this shop is a small gem that appeals to my creative side. It is probably the sort of store I will visit if I am looking for a very specific type of paper for a project or to purchase a gift for another paper-lover.
(Open hours to come.)
This weekend Maastricht’s annual Winterland fair opened on the Vrijthof; offering carnival rides, a Christmas market, and loads of gluhwijn. A large man-made ice skating ring dominates nearly a third of the square and a ferris wheel towers over the event, making it impossible to miss from nearly anywhere in the city.
Dan and I visited Winterland on both Saturday and Sunday. Partially so we could sample the food stalls; mostly because I forgot my camera the first time. I’m under strict orders from the husband not to ice skate with my hand in a cast (I haven’t been on skates since my teen years), so we restrained ourselves to eating and shopping.
Christmas Market
A large portion of Winterland is dedicated to a sizable Christmas market selling everything from coats to bells to electronic decorations. The stalls are housed in a series of circular buildings with white, snow-like peaked rooftops and linked to each other in sets of two or three. I was thrilled that the shopping was indoors. Saturday’s rainy weather would have placed a damper on any serious gift shopping. Wares at this event seem to lean more towards the handmade and small business variety than the Velvet Cave’s market in Valkensburg. We may be doing some shopping for family at this market, so I will refrain from sharing my favorite things.
Treats!
I won’t refrain from sharing our snacking experiences. We tried all sorts of sweet and savory treats; our favorite was a sort of deep fried potato patty served with appelmoe (apple sauce). They were crunchy with a soft interior. The oily, salty taste of the patty was delicious with the sweet, cool apple sauce. We also tried some warm Belgian chocolate, oliebollen, krokets, and fries (without mayo). All tasty. It was a little odd that most of the booths and menus appeared to be in German rather than Dutch, but we are very close to the border.
Another great holiday treat is gluhwijn; a sweet, warm spiced wine traditionally served around Christmas in several European countries. I love mulled beverages of all stripes, so this is right up my alley. I’ve even heard rumor of gluhbier? I’m not sure what that would taste like. The Winterland gluhwijn is served in collectable mugs ranging from the cute to a, somewhat, classier frosted glass. We got a pair of snowmen mugs. Who could resist their slightly kitche charm?
Despite the wet weekend, I had a lot of fun. Could this be the start of a new Potter tradition? Time will tell.
Check out more Maastricht (and regional) Holiday events on Crossroads Magazine.
If you plan on shopping in Maastricht this holiday season, you should be aware of the extended shopping hours many stores are honoring for the holiday. Also, shops are always open until 9 pm on Thursdays.
The sign translates:
Extra Long Shopping
- All Sundays in November and December
-X-maastricht Shopping Night: Saturday, December 19 (until 10 pm I think)
- Extra Shopping Evenings: December 4, 22, 23 until 9 pm.
St. Servaas Bridge
Since I don’t read much Dutch yet, I won’t really get into what is available on that side of the website. As I understand it is intended to introduce individuals and businesses to the region whom may have overlooked it previously as an excellent place to live and work. At a glance this side of the site looks pretty robust and if you are a Dutch speaker wanting to learn more about Maastricht then you should probably check it out.
The English side of the website is thinner, but growing. This site is focused on expats and immigrants who may be considering a move or have moved to South Limburg. There is plenty of information either on the site itself or linked from the site about work opportunities, finding housing, taxes, and other things that as as an expat you need to know about. There is also some information about cultural events and recreation in the region. It isn’t one-stop shopping for the busy expat, but it a welcome addition to the rather thin resources in this area.
Both sides of Maastrichtregion.com have bloggers. Current Sueli, the editor of Crossroads Magazine, blogs for the English side. I will be re-publishing some of the Maastricht Minutiae articles with them as well on a trial basis over the next several weeks. They will be in the To Live section. If you happened to find my blog through one of those articles, welcome to my site. And please let me know what you think of both my blog here and Maastricht Region.
Maastrichtregion.com is also affiliated with the new International Service (expat) Desk which is being launched (ahem…finally) by the city. The desk officially opens officially today, will be only self-service for now. I will be sure to check it out soon.
This blog article is dedicated to NaNoWriMo 2009. Please sponsor me and my goal of write 50,000 words by making a donation to the Office of Letters & Light.
Yes this is creepy.
Earlier this week we found some cranberry sauce and ate it with pork and potatoes. It was almost like a Thanksgiving meal. But I don’t feel like cooking all the fixings, so this year Dan & I are foregoing tradition all together and going out for All-You-Can-Eat Sushi. Perhaps I’ll pick up an apple pie.
So Happy Thanksgiving and Eet Smakelijk! Here’s wishing family and friends back in the US a happy holiday. We’re with you in spirit.
Foot bridge in Maastricht
As a quick disclosure, I help maintain the Events page on my.Mtricht.com.
My.Mtricht.com is a ning-based social networking site designed to bring together locals, expats, and anyone else who lives, works, or simply likes to know more about Maastricht. Just like other social network sites, you can sign up, make friends, chat on the forums, upload your own media, and even maintain a blog. The website is maintained primarily in English and users are encouraged to post in English to make the website as accessible as possible. If you are looking for an activity in or near Maastricht, the events page attempts to include a comprehensive list and also list of the events in English; one of the weaknesses of most other events websites for this area.
In addition to My.Mitricht.com, you can find more factually based information about Maastricht at the sister site: Mtricht.com. This part of this website is dedicated to teaching you about Maastricht, its region, and its history. You can read here about some of the landmarks of Maastricht or check out the city’s stats. Weekly, the founder of the website sends out a newsletter about Maastricht and/or about activities on the website.
How You Can Help
Mtricht.com and My.Mtricht.com are still young websites and they need your help to make them a truly wonderful resource. I encourage you to sign up on the website and proactively start posting about things that interest you, you have questions about, or just tell us about yourself. The community that is starting to grow there is friendly.
You can also contribute to the website by uploading events that you or someone else has organized. These events don’t have to be in English, but we do ask you to post about them in English so that people can decide whether or not to attend. I know there are many Dutch-language activities that can be accessible even if you do not speak the language or have only a rudimentary grasp on it.
Finally, Mtricht.com is looking to increase the information it provides. Please contact the website founder if you would like to write an article or otherwise contribute to the mass of information found here.
I look forward to “meeting” you at My.Mtricht.com. Feels free to friend me by clicking here to sign up or clicking the big green button on the right hand side.
And if you’re a twitter fan, download your unofficial my.Mtricht.com Twitter Background here.
This blog article is dedicated to NaNoWriMo 2009. Please sponsor me and my goal of write 50,000 words by making a donation to the Office of Letters & Light.
The article I wrote about Sint Annalaan has been published on Crossroads Magazine as part of a two-part article about an international family and how they came to name their daughter “Annalaan”. Part one of “Ever named a kid?” is written by Eric Lemay, who lives with his family in the US, about how he and his wife named their daughter. Part two is my letter to Annalaan sharing as much about the place she was named after as possible. We also sent her some goodies like menus and newspapers from the area.
I am pretty excited about this article going live, so I encourage you to swing by Crossroads Magazine and check it out.
