HAPPY QUEEN’S DAY

On April 30 the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their Queen, Queen Beatrix, although it is not her actual birthday but her mother’s, Queen Juliana. Queen Beatrix’s birthday is in fact on January 31, however, when she ascended to the throne in 1980, she decided to keep the previous date so that the people can enjoy the traditional outdoor festivities in the sunny spring instead of cold dreary winter.

On this day, the Dutch play games, listen to various concerts, fairs, etc on every city. The queen and the family sometimes visit one or two town each year and take part in a game if possible. The most splendid and candid celebrations are usually happening in cities like Amsterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht and Rotterdam. However, the long-waited activity during this day is the ‘free-market’, a time when people are allowed to sell anything they want outdoors, as long as it’s not food or alcohol. The market attract enormous crowd and become a sort-of giant flea market.

What’s important, only on Queen’s Day you are allowed yourself to go crazy with dressing up. Apart from the flags and decorations in the traditional national colors of red, white and blue, the whole country turns orange. Everywhere you will see people adorn in something orange marking the joyous occasion. Why orange, you ask. Because orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family, dated back from Willem van Oranje (William of Orange). It also symbolizes the pride of being Dutch.

And how do the Indonesian students there celebrate the iconic day you may ask? Some try their luck by participating in games or showing off their abilities as street performers on the street, some sell their old items/art crafts/secondhand goods in bulks, some even donning something orange and join the throngs of orange-colored-people. This is the moment that you can only find when you are in Holland. It’s fun time. It’s party time!

So, ready to join the oranjegekte now? (Note: oranjegekte means orange craze)

Want to study in Holland?

“Higher education in the Netherlands offers more than 1,400 programmes in English. English proficiency is a key requirement  to enter universities. IELTS is the most widely accepeted language test for institutions in the Netherlands. More than 80% of foreign students in the Netherlands hold an IELTS score which has played a key role in helping students successfully complete their degrees”

Marrik Bellen, Director of Nuffic-Neso Indonesia.

Nuffic-Neso Indonesia bekerja sama dengan IALF Surabaya menyelenggarakan “HOLLAND EDUCATION MONTH”.

Berbagai acara dan lomba akan digelar diantaranya:  Book Review Competition,  Dutch Mini Photo Studio,  Candid Photo Competition,  Clog Race,  Poffertjes Eating Competition,  Dutch Language Class  dan tentunya free Placement Test IELTS di IALF.   Berikut agenda kegiatan:

10 Aug – 1 Sept 2009
Book review competion

• Judul buku : Negeri van Oranje
• Review buku ditulis dalam bahasa Inggris,  500 - 700 kata
• Pengumuman pemenang tanggal 17 September 2009 pada acara “A Night in Holland”
• Hadiah Rp.500.000 dan penerbitan karya di majalah WORD

18 Aug – 16 Sept 2009
Free placement test (syarat dan ketentuan berlaku)

31 Aug – 17 Sept 2009
Pameran foto karya alumni Belanda

2 Sept 2009
IELTS one-day workshop

• Workshop singkat mengenai IELTS dan strategi menghadapinya
• Diselenggarakan jam 13.00 – 17.00
• Biaya workshop Rp.250.000

14 Sept 2009
Dutch language class:  An introduction, part I

15 Sep 2009
Computer Workshop:  Effective Internet Search Strategies
Courtesy of D-Net

16 Sep 2009
Dutch language class:  An introduction, part II
Conversation Night:  Traces of Holland in Surabaya

17 Sep 2009
Book discussion: Negeri van Oranje
A Night in Holland

• Pengumuman pemenang Book Review Competition
• Clog race
• Poffertjes eating competition
• Food & drink
• Dutch mini photo studio
• Candid photo competition

Acara “Holland Education Month” didukung oleh radio prambors sebagai media partner.

Informasi lebih lanjut dapat menghubungi:

Nuffic-Neso Indonesia
Kantor Surabaya:  031 - 298 1328 / nesosurabaya@nesoindonesia.or.id
IALF Surabaya:   031 502 6400 / ieltsadminsby@ialf.edu

Pemilik blog alamanda.blogspot yang bernama lengkap Dian Inawati sudah memulai blogging sejak 2004. Mimpinya untuk berangkat ke Belanda kini akan menjadi kenyataan. Usahanya membuahkan hasil.

Teriak dan melompat-lompat kegirangan adalah ekpresi pertama saat tim Nuffic-Neso Indonesia memberitahukan bahwa Dian adalah pemenang utama kompetisi blog studi di Belanda untuk kategori umum, thanks to Neso kata Dian.

Ide ceritanya yang unik dituturkan mengalir dengan bahasa yang juga enak untuk dibaca. Komentar-komentar pembaca blog Dian mengenai cerita Pak Janggut dan komunitas global juga sangat positif, merespons tulisannya dan tidak keluar dari topik. Tulisannya mendapat nilai tinggi dari para juri.

Semoga cerita pengalaman Dian selama mengikuti summer course di Utrecht Summer  School, di Belanda pada 6 - 17 Juli 2009juga akan seasyik dan bahkan lebih seru dari cerita Pak Janggutnya. Selamat untuk Dian dan enjoy your time in the Netherlands!