Programme
Main stage
Presentations
Workshops & SpeedDate

Programme

This 2009 programme contained something for everybody, whether looking for fun or information.

Throughout the day, there will be an art exhibition in the hallway between stands 50 and 90, leading towards the staircase that leads up to the presentation rooms. The following artists will exhibit their work: Moni de Alwis, Beryl Erikson and Sara Naumann.

The children´s room with toys, books and arts & crafts material as well as drinks and snacks is located in the Rode Kamer on the first floor. The room will be managed by Comme à la Maison, an international childcare centre in The Hague. From 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00, children can join a mosaic workshop by Suzy Wright of Living Mosaic. The workshops are EUR 5, including material, to be paid in cash to Suzy.

For questions on the programme, please come to the Expatica stand to the left of the Main Stage, where you will be welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine sponsored by Taste & Tintle.

The following experts will be at the Expatica stand to answer any questions you might have:

Immigration and employment law

by Everaert Advocaten Immigration Lawyers- Jelle Kroes & Pallas Attorneys at Law - Alain Camonier
10:15 – 11:45

Jelle Kroes is Partner at Everaert Advocaten, the best-known immigration law firm in the Netherlands. Jelle has been an immigration lawyer for over ten years. He is a specialist in the field of labour immigration, with a particular interest for elite sports people. Jelle is chair of the Immigration Law Committee of the Netherlands Bar Association (NOvA) and Board Member of the Dutch immigration practitioners association (Svma). He frequently gives courses on labour immigration to fellow practitioners and HR managers and represents his firm in international networks such as the Visalaw International and the IBA. Jelle is fluent in English, French, German and Spanish.

Alain Camonier is founder and joint owner of Pallas Attorneys at Law, an Amsterdam law firm specialised only in employment law. Alain specialises in international employment law and has published various articles on the subject. He is editor and writer of Kluwer´s Dutch Practice Guide on Foreign Secondments and recently finished a book on HR aspects of international transactions (published in August 2009). Alain frequently teaches on the topic employment law – amongst others - with the Chamber of Commerce.

Mortgages

by Expat Mortgages -Chris van Maasdijk
11:45 – 13:00

In response to the increasing number of expats asking for advice on home financing issues, Henk Jansen and Chris van Maasdijk decided to set up Expat Mortgages, an independent company, devoted entirely to providing expats with mortgage advice in the language they understand. Chris has a 12-year track record in the financial services sector as a financial planner and mortgage consultant. From 1996, he worked as an all-round consultant for his own company, an independent insurance and mortgage brokerage. After selling his company to the Herenvest Groep in 2004, he spent 2 years working as a financial planner for entrepreneurs and private individuals. Chris is of course in possession of all relevant certificates and permits needed to provide advice as an independent mortgage consultant.

Expat Banking

by ABN AMRO – Sanjay Baidjoe
13:00 – 14:15

Sanjay Baidjoe (Account Manager at ABN AMRO Expat Clients) has been a well respected co-worker at ABN AMRO since 2005. His International ambitions have encouraged him to become an Account Manager at ABN AMRO Expat Clients, where he works within an International environment, as a Financial Advisor for over 500 Expat clients. Together with his assistant Mark Staal, he pro-actively approaches his clients to find solutions for their specific financial needs and services. Sometimes this process already starts before the expat sets foot in the Netherlands, making sure that when the client arrives, he or she gets tailor-made advice and service for his or her financial needs. Sanjay is specialised in payments, savings, insurances, mortgages, credit possibilities and investments.

Taxes

by by TaXpat – Brian James
14:15 – 15:30

Brian is a Senior Expatriate Consultant for Taxpat, working out of the Amsterdam and The Hague offices. Brian has over 10 years of experience in advising expatriates and (large) multi-national companies in income tax, wage tax and social security consequences of assigning personnel abroad. Areas of expertise include the 30%-ruling, stock options, treaty application and severance payments. Brian is also the author of the book "De 30-%-regeling voor ingekomen werknemers" which deals with the expatriate tax concession (30%-ruling) in Dutch wage tax legislation, making him a leading expert in this area. Brian holds two law degrees - Fiscal and Notarial - from the University of Leiden.

Housing

by JLG Real Estate – Joost van Lingen
15:30 – 16:45

Joost van Lingen has been working in the house rental market in the greater Amsterdam area for over 10 years. He started his career at Accenture, where he was responsible for expat housing issues. Later he moved on to work for several estate agents and in 2003, together with his partners Jasper de Groot and Dimitry Jansen, he set up JLG Real Estate BV. JLG are now the largest NVM real estate agency in the greater Amsterdam area for free sector rentals. They have also begun several successful on line initiatives, such as the very popular house rental site www.Pararius.nl and rental agency Expatrentals.com. Joost is on the board of the Vereniging van Woningbemiddelaars in Amsterdam (VVW).

Main stage

Toastmasters of the Netherlands will act as Masters of Ceremony throughout the fair. They will introduce all the speakers and will present the prizes won by visitors.

Salsa on Stage

by eXtremoS – Jennifer Benavidez
11:00 – 11:15 (& 16:00 – 16:15)

Jennifer Benavidez loves salsa: it´s been her passion for over 15 years. Born in the US, her Mexican heritage has given her dancing rico sabor (good flavour). She discovered ‘partner’ dancing in 1992, and has enjoyed training, performing and just plain dancing salsa in such places as LA, NY, Puerto Rico, UK, Chicago, Israel, Berlin, Prague, Houston, and Milan. You can see her in numerous TV / film projects such as VOC, Alleen Nog Een Man, Life and Cooking, I Love the 80´s, Hoe? Zo!, Alternative Love, TMF, So You Think You Can Dance, The Way She Moves, and The Life of David Gayle. Jennifer currently resides in Amsterdam and teaches for eXtremoS Dance School in Amsterdam´s Latin hot spot Cantinero. The school is one of the main organisers of the Amsterdam Salsa Festival which features dancers from all over Europe. On the Main Stage, Jennifer and her team will demonstrate their love of the dance with a merengue mini-workshop and 007 salsa show!

Greg Shapiro´s Going Dutch

by Greg Shapiro
11:30 – 11:50 (& 15:15 – 15:35)

Gregory Shapiro (b. Chicago, 1968) is a corporate speaker, news anchor, comedian and writer. Having lived in Amsterdam since 1994, he is now known as ‘the American Dutchman’. Shapiro studied Communication and Theater at Northwestern University in Chicago and then joined the Boom Chicago Comedy Theater, where he´s performed at over 500 corporate events. More recently, Shapiro has been the anchorman for ‘Comedy Central News’ and for the ‘Obama Video weblog’ on Volkskrant.nl. You may know his voice from BNR and ‘The New & Improved American’ with BNR´s Bas van Werven. His news columns have appeared in ‘Sp!ts’, ‘XM Magazine’, and ‘The Amsterdam Times’. He can be seen online in the weekly vlog ‘The White Obama’. Greg holds both a US and a Dutch passport and is married to a Dutch woman, with whom he has 2 children. He lives in Amsterdam Oud West, and proudly bikes to work.

Raffle

by Expatica and sponsors, hosted by Toastmasters
11:50 – 12:00 (& 13:20 – 13:30 & 15:35 – 15:45)

To join our raffle, all you need to do is be seated on one of the chairs directly in front of the Main Stage. Each chair will be numbered, while corresponding numbers are held in the raffle bag. One number will be drawn for each prize and if you happen to be seated on the corresponding chair, you win! It's that simple. A list of the prizes can be found on the "Prizes" page.

Zumba on Stage

by eXtremoS – Jennifer Benavidez
12:15 – 12:30

The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. In the past years, the Zumba® program has become nothing short of a revolution, spreading like wildfire, and positioning itself as the single most influential movement in the industry of fitness. Zumba® instructors Jennifer Benavidez and Rimo Bensalah (eXtremoS Salsa Dance Company) will show some of the most popular moves! So, get ready to "Join the Party™"!

easylaughs Improv Show

by easylaughs
12:45 – 13:20

Easylaughs, an international group of actors, will perform an excerpt from their Friday-night improvised comedy shows. Improvisation is a theatre form originally used to rehearse theatre pieces which later became an art form in its own right. It is fun, good for communication skills, and helps team building.

Raffle

by Expatica and sponsors, hosted by Toastmasters
13:20 – 13:30 (& 11:50 – 12:00 & 15:35 – 15:45)

Reiki Works! An Alternative, but Effective Health & Wellness Practice

by Authentic Matters – Barbara Rogoski
13:45 – 14:15

Reiki on the Road is a travelling Reiki and energy reconditioning practice that goes to the homes or offices of people to offer gentle healing in privacy and comfort. Reiki supports wellness in people on all four levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Whether you have persistent physical ailments that won't go away, feel very stressed from your hectic life or feel your energy supply getting lower and lower, YOU can benefit from Reiki and energy reconditioning. People of all ages can benefit from this healing and rebalancing of energy: in infertility, in pregnancy, with fussy babies, children with behavioural issues, teens in puberty, in menopause, senior citizens, in hospitals and in the workplace. It is not a miracle treatment, but some form of healing occurs in almost all cases. Reiki Master and Ordained Interfaith Minister, Barbara Rogoski, will show you a brief demonstration of how Reiki is done and how it can help you feel healthier, happier and more balanced whether you believe in it or not.

Job Hunting Advice

by Undutchables
14:30 – 15:00 (& 11:30 - 12:00 in the Verweij Kamer)

Undutchables Recruitment Agency matches well-educated internationals to vacancies that require a native or fluent command of one or more languages. Would you like to continue your career in sales, finance, customer service or another office sector? Undutchables can help you find the perfect international job. Please come to our booth (nr. 1) and discuss your career possibilities with our experienced recruiters. We have an original present for everyone who brings their CV.
Be sure to come to our workshop as we will discuss the following interesting topics: writing a good CV, applying for jobs, preparing for an interview, working in The Netherlands and cultural differences.

Greg Shapiro´s Going Dutch

by Greg Shapiro
15:15 – 15:35 (& 11:30 – 11:50)

Raffle

by Expatica and sponsors, hosted by Toastmasters
15:35 – 15:45 (& 11:50 – 12:00 & 13:20 – 13:30)

Salsa on Stage

by eXtremoS – Jennifer Benavidez
16:00 – 16:15 (& 11:00 – 11:15)

Jennifer Benavidez loves salsa: it´s been her passion for over 15 years. Born in the US, her Mexican heritage has given her dancing rico sabor (good flavour). She discovered ‘partner´ dancing in 1992, and has enjoyed training, performing and just plain dancing salsa in such places as LA, NY, Puerto Rico, UK, Chicago, Israel, Berlin, Prague, Houston, and Milan. You can see her in numerous TV / film projects such as VOC, Alleen Nog Een Man, Life and Cooking, I Love the 80´s, Hoe? Zo!, Alternative Love, TMF, So You Think You Can Dance, The Way She Moves, and The Life of David Gayle. Jennifer currently resides in Amsterdam and teaches for eXtremoS Dance School in Amsterdam´s Latin hot spot Cantinero. The school is one of the main organisers of the Amsterdam Salsa Festival which features dancers from all over Europe. On the Main Stage, Jennifer and her team will demonstrate their love of the dance with a merengue mini-workshop and 007 salsa show!

Presentations

The presentation rooms are located on the first-floor gallery. To reach them, please go via the art exhibition in the hallway between stands 50 and 90 and take the stairs (or lift) up to the first floor. Once there, turn left to reach the gallery, right to walk along it and left again.

MORNING SESSIONS

Inspiring your success abroad: A presentation for expat women

by ExpatWomen.com – Andrea Martins
10:45 – 11:15 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Andrea Martins is the Director and Co-Founder of ExpatWomen.com – a global website helping women of all nationalities living abroad. Andrea´s expertise comes from living the expat life (in Indonesia, Mexico and now Malaysia), liaising with expatriate women from all around the world on a daily basis and interviewing many successful expat business women and authors. She writes for The Telegraph UK's online Expat Living section and Worldwide ERC's Mobility Magazine and has been included in More Magazine (US) and Pink Magazine (US). Her professional background includes coordinating large national networks in two of Australia´s largest government departments, plus work as an Executive Headhunter in an international consulting firm in Indonesia. She holds a BA from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Electronic Commerce from La Trobe University, Australia.

Communicating through Art

by Atelier Werkplaats Molenpad - Daniella Rubinovitz
10:45 – 11:15 in the Roland Holst Kamer

Daniella Rubinovitz, fine artist and art therapist, runs Atelier Werkplaats Molenpad, an atelier offering painting courses in the heart of Amsterdam. Daniella also lectures and makes painting diagnostics for MBA programs for personal development. Through the usage of colours, lines, shapes, structures, proportions, space, light and darkness, subconscious feelings can be expressed. Dreams, inner images and nature are linked to these feelings, which can act as a source of inspiration when drawing and painting. We can thus create without any preconceived concepts or visualisations in mind. This process of working offers a non-judgmental way for both beginners and experienced artists to enjoy painting both figuratively and abstractly. Have a go at communicating as a subconscious mind! Experience firsthand what occurs when fine artist, Daniella Rubinovitz listens and paints from her subconscious mind (i.e. you, the audience in this presentation). You will have a chance to participate in the creation of a live painting formed by the audience. As in the process of intuitive painting, layers will be built up to uncover a final image.

ABN AMRO Expat Banking

by ABN AMRO – Sanjay Baidjoe
10:45 – 11:15 in the Verweij Kamer

Sanjay Baidjoe (Account Manager at ABN AMRO Expat Clients) has been a well respected co-worker at ABN AMRO since 2005. His International ambitions have encouraged him to become an Account Manager at ABN AMRO Expat Clients, where he works within an International environment, as a Financial Advisor for over 500 Expat clients. Together with his assistent Mark Staal, he pro-actively approaches his clients to find solutions for their specific financial needs and services. Sometimes this process already starts before the expat sets foot in the Netherlands, making sure that when the client arrives, he or she gets tailor-made advice and service for his or her financial needs. Sanjay is specialised in payments, savings, insurances, mortgages, credit possibilities and investments.

The Miracle of Amsterdam and other choice morsels concerning the Dutch capital

by Amsterdam Historic Museum - Björn Stenvers
11:30 – 12:00 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Björn Stenvers is a Dutch male and head marketing of the Amsterdam Historical Museum, based in the centre of the capital city of Amsterdam. He is a real builder of business. Reaching the unthinkable is what he loves. From 2002 until 2007, he reshaped the Amsterdam Public Libraries (30 branches incl. 1 Central Library) into a more market operating institute. You no longer just think ‘books’ at a library in Amsterdam; now, it is ‘a cultural update in an environment of leisure and inspiration.´ At the moment, the museum gets his energy and attention. Besides sitting on several boards such as ACMC, MOAM, MAG, he is also chairman of the board of the Volksuniversiteit Amsterdam.

Writing your life story

by Jo Parfitt
11:30 – 12:00 in the Roland Holst Kamer

Jo Parfitt has written 26 books, the most well known of which is called Career in Your Suitcase; recent titles include Expat Entrepreneur, Find Your Passion and Expat Writer - Release the Book Within, a cook book called Dates and her memoir, A Moving Landscape. She is a prolific journalist, who specialises in expatriate and career issues, a keynote speaker and workshop leader, committed to helping others to find their passion and create the perfect portable career. She loves to teach and mentor those who want a career as a writer, which is how she has, herself, managed to stay employed despite five international moves in 20 years. Since she first ran a workshop at the Women on the Move conference in Paris in 1998, she has become a regular at expatriate, HR and international networking conferences. Since 2008 she has focused on teaching others to write life story, believing that most pieces of writing require this skill, with non-fiction, blogs and newsletters top of the list. Find out more at www.joparfitt.com and pick up a copy of ’50 Steps to a Book in Your Hand’ at the same time.

Job Hunting Advice

by Undutchables
11:30 - 12:00 in the Verweij Kamer (& 14:30 – 15:00 on the Main Stage)

MID-DAY SESSIONS

Starting a Business in the Netherlands

by Women´s Business Initiative International - Suzy Ogé
12:15 – 12:45 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Suzy Ogé is an American business woman and the Founder and Director of the Women´s Business Initiative International, based in The Hague. The WBII is an incubator and business centre for entrepreneurial women. Through Etcetera Consulting, Suzy specialises in coaching small business owners and start ups. She is an Adjunct Professor at Webster University in Leiden, the Netherlands, and teaches business development and mentors student-run start-ups at the New Business School Amsterdam. Suzy is a frequent speaker at other universities, organisations and corporations on the topics of Entrepreneurship, Success, Women in Business, Communication, Cross-cultural issues, etc.

Food & Mood

by Body & Mind Dynamic Balance - Barbara Reale
12:15 – 12:45 in the Roland Holstkamer

Barbara Reale is a certified alternative medicine therapist in The Netherlands and her services are refunded by Dutch insurance companies. She is an enthusiastic holistic practitioner who has been working in Italian and Indonesian holistic centres for several years, where she also lectured and organised seminars and healthy cooking workshops. She uses Flower Therapy, personalised nutritional supplementation or detoxification programs, recognised phytotherapic remedies and promoting life style changes to meet client's goals and expectations. Barbara has specialised in holistic medicine because the causes of disease often have a misunderstood origin. So many of our health problems can be fatigue, allergy or intolerance related.
Are you dealing with an ailment you have not solved yet? Use this ad for a 10% discount on Barbara´s professional consultation. Meet Barbara at stand 71 or during her presentation.

Immigration and employment law for expats

by Everaert Advocaten Immigration Lawyers- Jelle Kroes & Pallas Attorneys at Law - Alain Camonier
12:15 – 13:00 in the Verweij Kamer

Finding inner peace through meditation

by Kadampa Meditation Center Holland - Joe Gaulthier
13:00 – 13:30 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Everyone wants to be happy and no one wants to suffer, but very few people understand the real causes of happiness and suffering. We tend to look for happiness outside our self, thinking that if we had the right house, the right car, the right job, and the right friends we would find it. We spend almost all our time adjusting the external world, trying to make it conform to our wishes. Despite all of our effort, we still are dissatisfied and experience many problems. Why is this? The reason is that happiness is a state of mind, so the real source of happiness must lie within the mind, not in external conditions. If our mind is pure and peaceful, we shall be happy, regardless of our external circumstances; but if it is impure and not at peace, we can never be truly happy, no matter how hard we try to change our external conditions. Meditation is the most powerful tool we can use to cultivate the inner peace that is essential for a deep and stable experience of happiness.

How to buy a house in Holland

by Expat Mortgages – Henk Jansen
13:00 – 13:30 in the Roland Holst Kamer

In response to the increasing number of expats asking for advice on home financing issues, Henk Jansen and Chris van Maasdijk decided to set up Expat Mortgages, an independent company, devoted entirely to providing expats with mortgage advice in the language they understand. Henk Jansen was born and raised in Amsterdam by a Dutch father and an Irish mother. As a mortgage consultant and manager, he built several companies for others since 1988. Together with partners, Henk started the Herenvest Groep in 1999, where he specialised in expat services since 2002. He is an accredited mortgage consultant.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Communicating with the Dutch

by WorldWise Coaching & Training – Erika Berkhof
13:45 – 14:15 in the Derkinderen Kamer

What does it take to communicate effectively with the Dutch? What are the communication styles in daily life and work? Why are the Dutch so direct in their communication and what are the do’s and don’ts. Come and learn about the way Dutch people communicate and receive some valuable tools that will help you communicate with the Dutch more effectively. Erika Berkhof is a passionate coach and trainer. Her mission is to help expats have great adventures in their career & life while they live abroad. Erika’s company WorldWise offers coaching and training solutions for expats and international professionals.

Public Speaking Workshop

by Toastmasters of the Netherlands
13:45 – 14:15 in the Roland Holst Kamer

Got a big mouth? Love to talk? Or, would you rather eat arsenic than give a presentation in front of a group? A Toastmasters speaking club is for you!!! It´s fun and we help everyone improve and build their confidence. It´s also not-for-profit and really great people. Toastmasters – 12,000 small workshop groups the world over, leader in speaking and organisation skills training. You practice by giving speeches and improvising little talks all year long, two or more times a month. Come visit a club near you today, in English or Dutch! You can also check out Toastmasters.nl or .org for the whole picture.

Freedom to speak Dutch

by Talencoach - Albert Both
14:30 – 15:00 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Sure… you can lead a happy life in the Netherlands without speaking Dutch. At the same time, wouldn´t it be great if you could make your own choice about it? You already know that you can speak English, but wouldn´t it be fun if you can speak Dutch and get involved in all the other conversations around you? It doesn´t matter if you have discovered that Dutch is hard. Or if it seems to be impossible for you to learn it. Nothing can really stop you, if you are bent on learning Dutch. Also, you can achieve your desired goals relatively fast, while having a really good time! Albert Both - a very passionate language coach - will reveal some important secrets of leaning Dutch in this special workshop. Just decide which of them you would like to apply to your own learning and you will realise it will make a lot of difference in how you experience many aspects of your life in the Netherlands.

The favourable Dutch 30% regulation explained

by TaXpat - Eric Jansen & Gerald Lemson
14:30 – 15:00 in the Roland Holst Kamer

For certain expatriate employees hired from outside the Netherlands, there is a special tax regime called the "30% regulation”. The 30% ruling allows an employer to provide the employee a tax-free allowance of up to 30% of his wages, which makes it the #1 tax facility for expats working in the Netherlands. To find out if you qualify, Gerald and Eric will lead you through the conditions, formalities and main benefits of the regulation. Gerald and Eric are expatriate tax consultant of Taxpat in Amsterdam and they hold a masters decree in tax law from the Universities of respectively Maastricht and Tilburg. To discuss your personal tax situation and possibilities, please visit TaXpat at the fair (stand #58) or see the Q&A section on www.taxpat.com.

easylaughs Improv Workshop

by easylaughs
15:15 – 15:45 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Take an improvisation workshop at "i am not a tourist". This half-hour workshop will teach you the basics of improvisation and you'll even learn a performance game! Improvisation is a theatre form originally used to rehearse theatre pieces and then became an art form in its own right. Improvisation is fun and is good for learning communication skills and team building. The workshops will be taught by easylaughs, an international group of actors, performing every Friday night in Amsterdam.

Expat Finances – Highs, lows and planning ahead

by WorldWideBroker – Paul Brown
15:15 – 15:45 in the Roland Holst Kamer

This time last year, the world was in financial meltdown and the phrase “Credit Crunch” was born. Banks were collapsing or being nationalised. Stock markets and interest rates were in freefall. The housing market froze. No-one knew where it was safe to invest. But, what a difference a year makes! Markets have recovered to pre-crunch levels, companies are back in profit. Economies are officially out of recession, sentiment and outlook are positive. So, was that it? Is it over? Could it happen again? What have we learned? Challenging times should stimulate creativity and a change of mindset. Is your financial strategy geared towards what may happen in the future? As Chairman of WorldWideBroker, the leading expat financial advisory firm in the Netherlands (as well as host of the West International Expat TV Show), Paul Brown looks back on a fairly dramatic year of highs and lows and provides some useful tips on expat finances for those planning ahead.

Inspire2Live - the fight against cancer and Voerman's International policy on social involvement

by Voerman International - Sander Askamp
16:00 – 16:30 in the Derkinderen Kamer

Voerman International and Inspire2Live share a policy of serving others. They are working together in an ongoing effort to succeed in the mission of Inspire2Live, which is: To facilitate and inspire people to lead Happy and Healthy lives in Harmony with cancer. In the fight against cancer, both patients and their loved ones feel a huge sense of helplessness. Cancer is everywhere. Fighting seems pointless. One in three Dutch people develop cancer. Voerman International supports Inspire2Live’s philosophy and is helping them to succeed in their mission. Sander Askamp is ambassador for Voerman International to support policy on social involvement. In his presentation, he will show that the principle of servant leadership (a deep inner drive and motivation) has a link with his experience to empower people to convert the sense of powerlessness, caused by cancer, into one of strength: "Have the belief that you can attain the greatest possible satisfaction in putting your heart and soul into helping others.

The Dutch Culture Game

by WorldWise Coaching & Training – Erika Berkhof
16:00 – 16:30 in the Roland Holst Kamer

How well do you know the Dutch culture? What is hidden behind the surface that drives the behaviour of Dutch people? Join us for a Dutch culture game and learn lots of new things. You might even win a prize!
Erika Berkhof is a passionate coach and trainer. Her mission is to help expats have great adventures in their career & life while they live abroad. Erika’s company WorldWise offers coaching and training solutions for expats and international professionals.

Workshops & SpeedDate

The workshop rooms are located on the first-floor gallery. To reach them, please go via the art exhibition in the hallway between stands 50 and 90 and take the stairs (or lift) up to the first floor. Once there, turn left to reach the gallery, right to walk along it and left again to reach to the rooms.

Children’s Mosaic Workshop

by Living Mosaic
10:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 17:00 in the Rode Kamer

Living Mosaic is a family run business. Suzy Wright has attended Mosaic courses in Alkmaar, Amsterdam and Ravenna, Italy. She now holds Children’s Mosaic parties and workshops privately and for schools and adult workshops for beginners.

Living Mosaic are holding workshops from 10:00 through 13:00 and from 14:00 through 17:00. Children will be given the opportunity to attend at a cost of EUR 5 per hour and make a piece using either ceramic or colourful glass tiles. For safety and hygiene reasons, no cutting will be involved and no grout will be used.

The Chocolate Experience

Van Velze's chocolaterie & Patisserie by Van Velze´s chocolaterie & Patisserie
10:30 – 11:15 in the Mendes da Costa Kamer

Come and enjoy a chocolate workshop, where you can learn how to make your own classic Dutch truffles.

Your professional chocolatier Robbert will briefly outline the truffle making process before you are shown how to expertly create your own delicious chocolates. You will then pack them in boxes to take home to impress and share with family and friends (if they make it that far!).

Van Velzes is proud to be part of the Rainforest Alliance ensuring that all their cocoa products are sourced responsibility.

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.

Do-it-yourself Sushi Workshop

by Sushi Time
11:45 – 12:30 & 13:00 – 13:45 in the Mendes da Costa Kamer

DO YOU LOVE SUSHI?

Impress your guests or spoil yourself! Learn how to make sushi at home! During this condensed version of the famous Sushi Workshop, you will learn how to make several different types of sushi.

Once you have prepared your sushi, you can enjoy it with green tea or sake!

To make delicious sushi, a wide variety of fresh ingredients is used. Vegetarians are welcome to join!

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.

Strictly Come Dancing SALSA

by eXtremoS
14:00 - 15:00 in the Verweij Kamer

Ready to start your salsa addiction? Sign up for the workshop! A beginner salsa dance workshop is the perfect way to get introduced to the basics steps and get your hips moving in the right direction! Impress your friends on your next tropical holiday!

eXtremoS has given workshops and performed for a diverse range of companies, organisations, and festivals such as Gay Pride Canal Parade, BNN, RTL5, UIT Markt, Latin Village, Vondel Park Summer Breeze, Rotterdam Summer Carnival, Roots Festival, ContraBanda, and Dansen Op Het Leidseplein. With over 800 students a week, eXtremoS is one of the hottest dance schools in Holland.

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.

Discover Italy - Wine Tasting

by Art Vine Gallery
Mendes da Costa Kamer - 14h15 – 15h15

Join the creative pleasure-seeking team behind Art Vine, Fine Art & Wine Gallery and share in the enjoyment of their favourite, top Italian wines. Known in ancient times as the 'land of wine' and boasting over 1,000 native grape varieties, Italy produces the world's finest wines in its vastly diverse regions today. Experience wines made from grape varieties you may have never known existed and won't want to forget. Let Art Vine surprise you with the incredible quality of their wines selected from the best regions and wine-makers in Italy and sold in Amsterdam exclusively at Art Vine.

Art Vine is an expat-owned art & wine gallery in a beautiful space on the Keizersgracht hosting a wide array of public and private events. Art Vine doesn't tolerate less than great wine and neither should you. Join them on a discovery of Italy and the road to a better wine future.

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.

Expatica ‘Mini’ SpeedDate

Expatica SpeedDate 15:30 - 17:00 in the Verweij Kamer

Meet the most eligible expats in The Netherlands at the Expatica ‘Mini’ SpeedDate!

Whether you are looking for love or just want to meet new people, this unique event is for you. It gives you up to 15 dates in one hour... an attractive, safe and efficient alternative to the superficial bar scene and torturous three-hour blind date.

Upon arrival, you will receive a welcome drink and a list of the singles you will meet. Once the dating starts, you will have three minutes to find a click with each single of the opposite sex. After each session, the ladies move on for the next dating round. You can then indicate whether you´d like to stay in touch with your date by marking them on your list.

... Monday Morning.... we sort out the paper work and with any luck, you´ll find a match in your mailbox.

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.

Nosing & Tasting of Scotch Whisky

Expatica SpeedDate by North End English Pub
15:45 – 16:45 in the Mendes da Costa Kamer

Have you always wanted to know more about whisky?! This is your chance.

At the Nosing & Tasting of Scotch Whisky by "North End" whisky bar, you will get all the information you need to become a real whisky lover!

We will introduce you to the world of whisky with 5 drams of whisky, appetizers and knowledge.

The events took place on 25 October, so tickets can no longer be ordered.