New (Years) Expat in Town event hit the spot
On January 26th, at Amsterdam Bright City some 50 expats were entertained in a fun-filled evening that did some good in more ways than one.
The New (Years) Expat in Town event was meant to help expats meet and greet other expats who have (recently) moved to the Netherlands.
All proceeds were donated to the foundation Caring Unites, to support children and women in need in Nepal. More than 1000 euro was collected, a significant part of it from selling lottery tickets.
Great entertainment
Greg Shapiro acted as moderator and got everyone cracking up at his jokes. “This is a nice country, pity about the language”, was just one of his many humorous quips. This American Dutchmen, famous from Boom Chicago, currently has a show “How to be Orange”. His next performance is in Rotterdam, on the 7th of April.
Professional story-teller Lisa Lipkin believes it is the hardest thing to do: negotiating an expat life while doing business with a culture that is not your own. But she offered some tips: “Regardless of our cultural differences, we all have stories to tell.” She got everyone talking about the story of their name. Another tip from Lisa: ask someone where they played as a child.
What expats need
A freelance journalist was commissioned by t&a relocation to conduct short interviews during the event. Organizers just want to know why expats attend events and what their experience moving to the Netherlands was like. The responses, gathered from eleven guests, will go a long way to improving services and events in the future. In summary, the responses come down to this:
Expats want first and foremost to connect socially with other expats. Events should provide networking opportunities and offer interactive ways to get expats to talk to others from other countries than their own. It is not so much the practical issues surrounding moving to a new country that worries expats. These are generally easily taken care of, according to most. In contrast, psychological, spiritual and emotional issues are a much harder nut to crack. It seems what expats really need is personal guidance, to make them feel at home and help them integrate in a foreign society.
Thanks to our sponsors!
The New Years Expat in Town event was hosted by Vesteda, Interdean, t & a relocation, The Expat Company and TopTaal. After the sale of lottery tickets, a raffle took place. The first price, a language course at TopTaal, was well-received by one lucky expat. The second price was met with cheers too: a stay over at Rotterdam’s tallest building, offered by Vesteda. There were over 30 prizes to be won, kindly donated by Umbra in Almere. This worldwide manufacturer of home design and gifts has made Oprah Winfrey’s list of favourite things.
Definitely worth repeating
There is no doubt: The New Years Expat in Town event was well-organized and enjoyed by all. Being able to draw on your feedback, the organizers are all set to make the next one even better. You will be hearing from us and receiving a personal invite!
“I really like the absence of commercial predation. The interactive elements in the programme forced us to talk to each other and that's a good thing.”
"It is very important for the international community to come together. The more we feel supported, the more integrated we feel. Events like this open up new possibilities."
Links
