Groovy Expat

03/01/2024

🌍 We are back and ready to welcome you! 🤗 Whether you're dreaming of a new life abroad or have questions about emigrating to the Netherlands, we're here to help.

Feel free to reach out and make contact. Your journey begins here!😀

14/10/2021

HIRING - DATA ENGINEER!! Please contact me if you are interested in this position:

Your Position
As a lead data engineer you will be leading the data engineering efforts in a product team. You will
work together with product/solution architecture to provide technical necessities to design and
develop end-to-end data ingestion pipelines and well tested and monitored data services. You will
assess the technical dependency between different functional components and define a resolution.
You will also provide technical guide and coach to the junior/medior data engineers in the team, set
technical standards and best practices.
Your responsibilities:
• You will be designing, developing, testing, documenting the data collection framework. The
data collection consists of (complex) data pipelines from (IoT) sensors and low/high level
control components to our Data Science platform.
• You will build monitoring solution of data pipeline which enables data quality improvement.
• You will develop scalable data pipelines to transform and aggregate data for business use,
following software engineering best practices. For these data pipelines you will make use of
the best frameworks available for data processing like Spark and Splunk.
• You develop our data services for customer sites towards a product, using (test & deployment)
automation, componentization, templates and standardization in order to reduce delivery
time of our projects for customers. The product provides insights in the performance of our
material handling systems at customers all around the globe.
• You design and build a CI/CD pipeline, including (integration) test automation for data
pipelines. In this process you strive for an ever-increasing degree of automation.
• You will work with infrastructure engineer to extend storage capabilities and types of
data collection (e.g. streaming)
• You have experience in developing APIs.
• You will coach and train the junior data engineer with the state of art big data technologies.
Your Profile
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, IT or equivalent with at least 7 years
relevant work experience
• Programming in Python/Scala/Java
• CI/CD, Data/Code testing (e.g., Bamboo, Artifactory, Git)
• Data Schema’s (e.g. JSON/XML/Avro)
• Storage formats (e.g. Azure Blob, SQL, noSQL)
• Scalable data processing frameworks (e.g. Spark)
• Event processing tools like Splunk or the ELK stack
• Deploying services as containers (e.g. Docker and Kubernetes)
• Streaming and/or batch storage (e.g. Kafka, Oracle)
• Working with cloud services (preferably with Azure

06/09/2021

Being an expat mom (of 2 very busy boys), I found this article very interesting.

For any assistance during your immigration and relocation, please don't hesitate to contact me.

https://dutchreview.com/expat/motherhood-in-the-netherlands/

Motherhood in the Netherlands can be quite different from what you might anticipate. Here are some things you can expect if you're a parent in the

05/08/2021

Ever wondered about the Netherlands and water?

The Netherlands’s relationship with water is unlike that of any other country in the world. Here are some interesting facts and figures about how water has shaped the Dutch landscape, culture and lifestyle.
• One third of the Dutch territory, roughly speaking, is actually below sea level, while another one third is very close to the official zero-measuring (NAP) level.
• N.A.P. (Normal Amsterdam Level) is the level between average high tide and average low tide, and the standard to which all lows and highs in the country are measured.
• Along waterways throughout the Netherlands are some 50.000 indicators of NAP.
• Most windmills were simply wind-driven pumps. Nowadays, they been replaced by electric pumping stations but still almost 1.000 (out of the estimated 10.000 in the 17th century) remain.
• Dikes were made of soil and later from rock (especially basalt). Today, even though modern materials (concrete, asphalt etc.) are used, parts of d**es are still made with the original ones.
• If a d**e breaks, only a restricted area - a so-called "d**e ring" - would be flooded. But if for some reason, all d**es would break simultaneously, roughly one half of the Netherlands would be flooded.
• To find out if your home is below sea level, and by how much, you can visit the Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (AHN) and enter your postcode.
• Downtown Amsterdam lies some 2 metres (6,5 ft) above sea level.
• Schiphol is the world’s lowest-lying airport. In fact, the NS station at Schiphol lies 10 metres (32 feet) below sea level.
• The main purpose of ditches is drainage. Of course, they are meant for dividing fields and properties, and keeping cattle in place too.
• Ditches are connected to a wider water mass and eventually, the water will be discharged into a river or canal and hence to the sea. At least half of the Netherlands could not even exist without those ditches.
• Statistically there are 125 days per year without a drop of rain anywhere in the country.
• Per person, the Dutch use 120 litres (26 gallons) of clean water everyday for various reasons.
• Dutch drinking water goes through some 20 steps of purification before reaching your tap.
• In the past, the miller and his family could communicate news (birth, death, marriage etc.) without leaving the windmill, by positioning the wings in a certain way.
• Usually wooden shoes were made of willow trees. They provide insulation and are impenetrable, not only to water but also to sharp farmers’ tools. Dutch farmers often wore a kind of inside-shoe in them; pluck or straw for the poor, but soft and flexible goat leather "clog socks" for the well-to-do.
• Most types of bridges can be found in the Netherlands, the main exception being rope-bridges.
• "The (balancing) bridge was open" is considered the traditional Dutch excuse for being late.
• "Canal" or gracht is related to the English word "grave." Canals in the Netherlands were made for defence and transportation.
• The Dutch tend to call any elevation in their flat environment a berg or at least a bergje - a small mountain or rather a mound, also when it is just one meter (3,3 ft) high.
• No matter the economic climate, cutting the budget for maintenance of d**es in never ever debated.
• The mix of sand and clay was known to be perfect for agriculture when tulips were introduced to the Dutch Republic in the 17th century.
• On cycling paths in sandy areas all over the country, seashells are used for "pavement." Preventing both mud and dust, the crushed shells guarantee good passage in wet as well as in very dry weather.
• The Dutch use the word "sea" (zee), and not "ocean." They feel that the ocean is far away, behind the British Isles.
• The dunes are Holland’s natural protection against the sea. That is why admission is restricted in most places.
• Sea-water temperatures may reach 20C (68F) by late August but will be down again to just 4C (39F) by February.
• On the beach, semi-nudity is widely accepted. Of course, there are also official n**e beaches with signs saying "Naaktstrand."
• Living safely below sea level costs everyone residing in the Netherlands some 330 dollars per year.
• Too little water can also be a problem; with many old d**es built of clay and peat drought can cause a d**e to dry out and start cracking.
• In Dutch, bricks are called baksteen (bake-stone), and that is what they are: baked from river clay.
• Waterschap, the regional water control board, is the oldest-existing democratic "body" in the Netherlands, dating back to the 13th century. There are 27 waterschappen today.
• Holland’s soft subsoil has a great advantage; All cables, tubes and pipes can be neatly hidden underground. Have you seen any telephone poles around?
• There are some 10.000 houseboats in the Netherlands and over 2.400 in Amsterdam alone, even when only a third of these are on the picturesque city centre canals. Note that one of them has been sitting in precisely the same location in Amsterdam since 1888!
• Amsterdam authorities want to gradually reduce the number of houseboats. As a result, when houseboat dwellers move out or die, permits are often not renewed, and the number of houseboats will eventually decrease.
• The first areas with "biological" agriculture in the Netherlands were set up in the 1970s.
• Amsterdam’s drinking water system was the first of the country, dating back to 1853.. 70% of the water comes from the Rhine river and the remaining 30% from a polder (a reclaimed catchment area) in Loosdrecht lake area.
• Parts of the Dutch landscape became low due to human intervention. When settlement started long ago, people stuck to higher spots such as river levees, the slopes of the dunes and an occasional elevation. Between these was the wet wasteland, full of growth and wood, or holt - therefore "Holt-land," or Holland. By conquering this, i.e. Pumping it dry, digging away the peat and then using it for agriculture, the land got lower and lower.
• Amsterdam grew around a 13th century dam in the Amstel river, its most famous and striking feature is its canals (grachten), which gave the city the nickname "Venice of the North" and, in 2010, also Unesco World Heritage status.
• "Flushing" the canals is done at night, twice a week under normal conditions and four times in period of hot weather. Flushing is done by opening Amsterdam’s system of sluices in such way that fresh Amstel water pushes the "older" water out into the IJ.
• Some buildings can be seen tilting. If the tilt is forward, there is nothing to worry about; it was done on purpose when the house was built, to make rainwater drip from the wooden windowsills in order to preserve them and perhaps also to keep furniture being hoisted up the facade from hitting the building. If the tilt is sideways, however, it indicates a serious condition.
• The "palace" on Dam Square (built around 1650) sits on no less than 13.659 poles driven into the soft river ground.
• Just like Amsterdam, many towns have a Dam square, situated at some distance inland from the tidal waters leading to the sea, since the river mouth could function as a protected harbour.
• Even though tulips originate in the dry and cold mountains of Turkey, they grow best on a special kind of soil behind the dunes that is a mix of sea sands and more fertile clay.
• Keukenhof means "kitchen garden," originally being a castle garden where vegetables and herbs were grown for the kitchen. It was turned into a more formal garden in the 1850s, and by 1949 into the now-famous annual flower show.
• The world’s earliest public transport could be found in the 17th century Dutch Republic, where passenger boats would leave for certain destinations at fixed hours, and people would know the arrival time at their destination.

02/08/2021

(Article) Hope you find this interesting:

The Netherlands, a country known for its tall people, windmills, tulips, clogs, canals and flatness, as well as its progressiveness and directness. A country with more than 17 million inhabitants, living on just 41,543 square kilometres!

Did you know that Amsterdam was found in 1275, but the Kingdom of the Netherlands did not exist until 1814? Or that the country was the first in the world to launch a scheduled air service and to allow same-sex marriage?

Quick facts about the Netherlands
• Official national language: Dutch
• Official Regional languages: West Frisian, English and Papiamento
• Anthem: Wilhelmus
• Capital: Amsterdam
• Monarch: King Willem-Alexander
• Currency: Euro

The Netherlands is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, consisting of a head of state (King Willem-Alexander) and a Council of Ministers. The Dutch parliament consists of two houses: The Senate (Eerste Kamer, 75 seats) and the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer, 150 seats). Every four years elections are held.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a monarchy. The first King of the Netherlands was William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau, 1815-1840), and the country’s longest reigning monarch was Queen Wilhelmina, daughter of William III. She reigned from 1890-1948, 58 years in total. She was only 10 when she came to the Dutch throne in 1890.

Today, the reigning monarch of the Netherlands is King Willem-Alexander. His mother, Princess Beatrix (then Queen Beatrix) abdicated on April 30, 2013, making her son the youngest monarch in Europe.

The Netherlands is a small country, but it was/is home to some “big” people. Here are some famous Dutch people throughout history: Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Piet Mondriaan, M.C. Escher, Anne Frank, Mata Hari, Johan Cruijff, Ruud Gullit, Robin van Persie, Famke Janssen, Carice van Houten, Rutger Hauer, Doutzen Kroes, Paul Verhoeven, Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Anton Corbijn.

More interesting facts:
• The flag of the Netherlands is red, white and blue; just turn the French one 90 degrees to the left.
• Orange is the Netherlands' national colour because of the house of Orange, the Dutch royal line.
• The Netherlands is one of the best countries for children to live in (2007 Unicef report).
• The Netherlands has the highest concentration of museums in the world. Some of the most famous Dutch painters are Rembrandt, Vermeer, Steen, van Gogh and Mondrian.
• Holland is a geographic part of the Netherlands referring to the western part of the country (e.g. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague).
• Amsterdam has 1.281 bridges and is entirely built on piles.
• The Netherlands' highest point is 322,7 metres above sea level (Vaalserberg) and the lowest 6,76 metres below sea level (Prince Alexander Polder).
• The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
• The voltage used in the Netherlands is 220, 50 cycle AC.
• Most cities and villages have at least one tourist information office (VVV sign) that provides maps and brochures for free.
• The tap water is of excellent quality.
• Every city has its own opening hours for shopping on Sundays.
• Only some 100 years ago the central Netherlands still had sand deserts.
• Places of worship can be found all around the country even though the Dutch are quite secular; only 20 percent of them attend services on a regular basis.
• In the Netherlands there are twice as many bikes as cars with over 15.000 km of cycle tracks.
The Dutch: Interesting facts & figures
• Statistically, Dutch are among the tallest people in Europe.
• Eye contact and criticism are to be expected when chatting with a Dutch.
• The Netherlands has the highest number of part-time workers in the EU (four out of 10 employees).
• Almost all Dutch people can swim, skate and ride a bike.
• The Dutch always consult their agenda and do not appreciate "surprise" visits.
• They are the world's second biggest coffee drinkers.
• The Dutch are not conversation-starters. However, they will respond immediately and rather eagerly when addressed.
• Dutch citizens take their own bags to the supermarket to pack their groceries.
• When you introduce yourself, always state both first and last name and shake hands with everyone in the room.
• Dutch ladies have to get kissed three times (right-left-right) on the cheek. Expats may get by with shaking hands though.
• The Dutch enjoy one of the longest average life spans in the world.
• Congratulating your Dutch friend for his / her birthday is more than expected.
Business facts about the Dutch & the Netherlands
• The Dutch were the first Europeans to discover Australia and New Zealand.
• The Netherlands is the fourth largest investor in the US.
• The Netherlands is the world’s first producer and exporter of tulips.
• Dutch inventions include the compact disc, microscope, telescope, mercury thermometer and artificial heart.
• The Netherlands is the third largest agricultural exporter in the world. In fact, NL is the world's main producer of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Rotterdam seaport is the world’s second largest port in size and tonnage (after Singapore since 2005).
• The first wooden shoes were made here. The Netherlands has plenty of water so people wanted shoes that would keep their feet dry while working outside.
• The Hague is dubbed "the legal capital of the world" since five international courts are located nearby: International Court of Justice, Permanent Court of Arbitration, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, International Criminal Court, Special Tribunal for Lebanon
• More than 80 international organisations and NGOs are located in the Hague.
Did you know that?
• Words such as "dollar" and "Yankee" have Dutch roots - just like 4,5 million Americans.
• Same-sex marriage and euthanasia are legal (since 2001 and 2002 respectively).
• Prostitution is considered legal as long as prostitutes are at least 18 and clients at least 16 years old.
• Only coffee shops are allowed to sell soft drugs. Citizens can grow their own though.
• Although the Dutch language is taught at more than 250 universities worldwide, in the province of Friesland, locals speak Frisian, their own language.
• Royal House members have to acquire an official approval by the parliament in order to get married. If not, they lose the right to succeed to the throne.
• A Dutch wedding can consist of either a civil ceremony (by a local official at a town hall) or a wedding in a church or other location. Regardless of location, unions must be registered with the local town hall (gemeente) to be recognised as legal marriage in the Netherlands.
• The Homomonument in Amsterdam is the world’s first public memorial to persecuted g**s and le****ns.
• Around 9 percent of marriages in the Netherlands are same-sex.
• Every New Year’s Eve, fireworks worth around 65 million euros are consumed.
• The Dutch healthcare system is (considered) one the best in the world.
• May 4 is the day when Dutch victims of war are remembered and at 8pm, a two-minute silence is observed nationally.
• The Dutch monarch's birthday has been an officially celebrated since 1898 (Queen Wilhelmina’s 18th birthday). Queen Juliana (1948-1980) changed the date to her own birthday (April 30) whereas Princess Beatrix (1980-2013) celebrated her birthday on April 30, despite the fact that she was born on January 31. King Willem-Alexander (2013-present) celebrates his birthday and King's Day (koningsdag) on April 27.
• Sinterklaas and Santa Claus are not the same person! Sinterklaas, his white horse and his helpers (Pieten) arrive from the south of Spain on a steamboat.
• Since January 1, 2014, one has to be aged 18 or older to purchase alcohol, ci******es or soft drugs.
• As a rule, public consumption of soft drugs is unacceptable.
• Dutch police are not obliged to grant a phone call to those they detain.

(Credit: IamExpat.nl)

31/07/2021

29/07/2021

Being expats ourselves, having relocated from South Africa during the Covid pandemic with 2 young boys, we know how stressful immigration can be. Throwing 2 dogs in the mix and it is just a party!

Groovy Expat was established in 2021, with the goal of assisting individuals and families during their immigration to the Netherlands, as we know exactly how daunting this process can be.

We will provide you with reliable service, efficient communication and honest feedback. Everything we do, we do with pride and keeping you (and your family’s) needs as top priority.

It is our desire to help YOU on YOUR journey to settle into YOUR new home.
Let us help you find your groove!

Kind regards
Michelle

29/07/2021