Dutch News in English Roundup: 4 Websites

Ever since my cable company changed CNN to some French language news channel, I’ve been completely reliant on the Internet for my English language news. These 5 websites are great for the expat in the Netherlands to get a grip on local, national, and international news. Enjoy!

Links

• Crossroads Magazine
• DutchNews.nl
• Expatica
• RNW.nl

This post needs a transcript. Do you want to help?

The lovely newspaper photo is by ShironekoEuro and licensed via CC.

About the Maestricht.nl & Mtricht.com merger

Maestricht.nl and Mtricht.com, two local social networks, have recently merged in the hopes of creating a better, bilingual whole. Since I’m having trouble typing today, you get the first ever MM Vlog today instead. Enjoy!

Please share your thoughts in the comments below. The video will eventually be transcribed, if not by me than by someone else.

Surfing Sunday

Surfing Sunday is just a mix of articles and posts about the Netherlands that sounded interesting. Hope you enjoy!

• Dutch are among world’s happiest people (Dutch News)
• Optimizing Ferry Fares (Random Walks in Low Countries)
• Greenwheels: Car Sharing in the Netherlands (Orangesplaash)
• Getting Married Around the Clock (Expatica)
• Volunteer During Preuvenemint 2010, Dutch not Required (Jules & You)

I’d like Surfing Sunday (or something of similar name) to be a regular feature. If you’d like to suggest a link, share it below or email me.

Podcasts for Dutch Learning

If you follow me on Twitter (please follow me on Twitter) you know I’m struggling through the third course in a series of Dutch for Expats courses offered by Maastricht University. Everyone has their own problems, but for me the biggest hurdle is being able to understand the Dutch that is spoken to me. In the real world, Dutch people speak much faster than the teacher and other people in my class (and the people in my class, like myself, don’t have the proper accents). The shop keepers must be telling all sorts of stories to their families about that weird American girl making funny faces over whether or not she wants a bag.

Of course my lack of vocabulary makes it difficult to respond too (I always want to say something more complex than I’m equipped to); but I don’t like to start a conversation I can’t finish.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been listening to Dutch language podcasts in an effort to build up my ability to understand native speakers better. I can’t say I actually know everything that is being said, but this little exercise is really about hearing the distinction between words and the way they are strung together. Here are a couple that I’ve been enjoying:

• Laura Speaks Dutch: This is actually a bilingual Dutch/English podcast for teaching you Dutch. The creator teaches your conversational phrases about specific topics. The early episodes are a little easy for me, but the later ones ramp up a lot and its a good way to pick up some vocab and pronunciation training.
• DeBuren Podcast: An all Dutch podcast with interviews and presentations about culture, politics, and art. These last about 40-60 minutes and are, frankly, much more interesting than the exercises we do in class. [website]
• Radio Taalblad: Short (8-10 minute) episodes about a variety of subjects, this podcast appears to be part of a larger Dutch learning program online. Comes out of Belgium.

I try to listen to two or so hours of Dutch every day in the hopes that it’ll improve my comprehension. It can be pretty exhausting to actively listen to Dutch right now (reading is tiring also), but I think it’ll be worth the effort. I hope so. Nederlands is moeilijk.

Call Your Mother! VOIP

Dan & I have a great relationship with our families across the pond, so when we moved we knew we needed a cheap and easy way to keep in touch. Enter VOIP via Skype. So easy my 96-year-old grandfather-in-law can do it.

Why VOIP?

Voice-Over IP is software that allows you to make phone calls over the Internet to another computer or directly to a land line. The biggest reason to use VOIP is that it is much cheaper than making direct calls abroad. Skype is free to call any other computer, and approx. 17 cents a minute to call a landline or cellphone (rate depends on your location). If you make many calls you can also purchase a monthly plan to call landlines.

Of course we opt to call computer-to-computer as much as possible for the better experience. When calling a computer, many services has a video option, so if you and the person you’re talking with have webcams you can see each other while chatting.  The quality of the sound and video will be dependent on the Internet speed on both ends, but I can call my parents in Vermont without too much trouble; and they have satellite cable. Being able to see everyone back home helps alleviate some of the anxiety of living so far away.

Although less used, Skype also has a chat function. I find it handy for checking in with friends and family when I want a quick chat but we don’t have time for a call. The chat is realtime but uses less bandwidth and therefore is less dependent on having a good connection.

Getting Everyone Set Up

Although there are a variety of packages out there, the one I am most comfortable with is Skype. Skype has been providing VOIP services for a long time and they have services in many different countries.  If you have it, Google Voice can provide an even cheaper experience (sign-ups are by invite only).

To set up Skype you will need to download the software to any computer you wish to use and set up an account for yourself. The website has an English option for those of us with paltry Dutch skills. If you wish to call a landline (say of your luddite great aunt), you’ll need to purchase a phone number for your home country and either calling credits or a monthly subscription.

Once you’re set up, you can start calling landlines and mobiles without the other party doing anything. If your family wants to use the video option they’ll need to download and set up a Skype account too, as well as make sure you both have a microphone headset and webcam.  Built-in microphone/speaker hardware is usually sufficient to get you started, but you can get much better sound with a USB headset. After that, its just a matter of waiting for your family member’s account icon to turn green so you can give them a call.

Business Considerations

The other reason I set up an American number via Skype was to facilitate my freelance work. I knew I’d be working with people in the US and having a US number makes it easier and cheaper for them to call me when necessary.  When I send people my Skype number I let them know that it is for a VOIP service so they understand if I pick up and then scramble a moment for the headset.  I actually feel more comfortable talking with someone on my headset than I do via my mobile.

One Short Warning

VOIP is a great service, but it shouldn’t replace all your phone services locally. Firstly, local calls are generally free with a landline or mobile plan. Secondly, Skype does not support emergency calls, so be safe.

Happy chatting!

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