Mind the bike!
We all know that Netherlands is the most bike friendly country in the world.
So, how many of you know the real “power” of bikes in Netherlands?
I just discovered some important tips and tricks regarding biking in this beautiful country. I thought it would be a pity not to share this with all of you, so here we go.
Netherlands has an amazing infrastructure. And I am not talking only about highways and airports.
Since the spring in here a bike trip sounds like a good idea for escaping the rush of the city.
On this website: http://www.nederlandfietsland.nl/fietsrouteplanner you can plan your bike trip using the magic tool provided. You can actually travel across Netherlands using just bike paths.
http://www.bikemap.net is another website that provides bike routes that you can enjoy with your friends.
Here is a short movie about the bike paths and their use in Netherlands.
Grocery Shopping
There are of course several ways of doing grocery shopping in Groningen. In the following we will provide you with some tips on where to do your grocery shopping in general, and where you will find cheaper alternatives.
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Getting a job in Groningen
Since I first arrived in Groningen (19 months ago) I heard many stories about part-time jobs for students. Mostly of these stories were pretty extreme: “It is impossible to find a part-time job as a student” or “Oh… is very easy to get a job in Groningen. I found a job in just 2 days”.
Like in most of the cases, the truth is in the middle. It might be pretty hard to get a part-time job in Groningen, but it is not impossible. So, here are some tips and tricks:
1. Learn Dutch
The most important think probably is the language barrier. Although in Netherlands almost anyone can speak English, when it comes to a position in a company, suddenly you are asked to speak Dutch.
2. Be motivated!
Just staying in front of the computer google-ing “jobs in groningen” will not get you a job. Take advantage of one of the biggest asset of Groningen: over 100 bars/pubs/clubs. Most of the time one of them will look for a dishwasher, waiter, bodyguard, delivery etc. But, they are not going to come and offer you a job. You have to go in person and tell them a beautiful story and they might offer you a job.
3. Newspapers
If you really need some money, you might consider working for one of the newspapers delivery company. The salary is low (100-200 euros/month), but at least you will have an income. Here are some links of the companies who constantly looking for employees (use google chrome for automatic translation of the webpages):
http://www.worddagbladbezorger.nl/
http://www.santibri.nl/bezorgers.html
4. Facebook
There is a group on Facebook for job seekers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158770247529417/ but of course, because of the high number of students, jobs are not posted very often. You might consider keeping an eye on this group.
5. Study hard!!!
Getting good grades will also give you an advantage of having a job. Let me explain what do I mean. If you plan to stay in Groningen for more than one year, having very good grades gives you the opportunity to get a job from the university. So, if you take an 8-9 or 10 at (for example) statistics, you can try to talk with your professor for a part-time job as a teaching assistant for next academic year.
P.S. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WORK MORE THAN 8-10 HOURS PER WEEK AS A STUDENT!
P.S.S the new rule that in order to get Dutch studyfinanciering; in the future students will need to work a minimum of 14 hours (used to be 8): More details here: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/03/eu_students_face_tougher_rules.php
Fell free to leave your comments in the section below. By doing this, we can improve this articles for the future students.
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Travel low cost!
The exam session is almost over!!! YES!!!
So now, let’s talk fun! If you are student, most likely you are having a low cost life. So, I would like to recommend to all students a website for low cost traveling.
The website is http://www.carpooling.co.uk/
The basic idea is that you can share the gas costs with people who are traveling by car and have a free seat. So, for example, you can find a ride sharing from Groningen to Amsterdam even with 10 euros. But the most important aspect is that you can search for international rides. For example, there are a lot of rides from Maastricht to Paris for 30-45 euros.
Happy traveling!
Read MoreExam Period
“It is Sunday morning, 10 o’clock. Streets are deserted and the city experiences a silence like rarely on other moments. No one seems to be up yet when you cycle alone with your bike through the abandoned streets. Then you turn to the Broerstraat and it seems as if the whole student population has been gathered for a party, and as if it is the only street with life”. If that happens to you, you can be sure of one thing: You haven’t missed the greatest event of the year, no, its Exam period, and students are fighting to get a spot in the university library. The exam period takes place four times a year and even students who like to procrastinate, can’t escape. Its those times of the year, where books and articles need to be explored, and you complain about teachers wanting you to study hard, even though you would prefer going out and chilling with your friends.
Read MoreFly around Europe cheap
Groningen is a beautiful city, and a really fun place to be for students, but what about the ones who love to travel? You can easily take the train and go for a weekend in Amsterdam or Utrecht, but why stop there?
To make the best of your stay in Groningen, it is a good idea to check out all the flight destinations that are available from close-by airports. Groningen is ‘strategically’ situated at about equal distance (180-250km) from two Ryanair destinations – Eindhoven and Bremen. From there you can get really nice offers for cheap flights around Europe. This is a perfect option for a weekend away or a short holiday that many students in Groningen make use of. It is a good idea to subscribe to Ryanair’s newsletter, so they can send you emails about the latest offers from Eindhoven and Bremen. This can help you get a really hot deal, such as tickets for as little as 7 Euros!
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Weather in Groningen
Current conditions for Groningen as of Sun, 20 May 2012 11:24 pm CEST
16°
High: 23° Low: 15°
Fair
Feels like: 16 °C
Barometer: 982.05 mb and steady
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: 9.99 km
Dewpoint: 15 °C
Wind: 8.05 km/h
Sunrise: 5:25 am
Sunset: 9:33 pm
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