It has been a very very very long time since I posted anything. But I still see people listening to the back catalogue - so should I start with with some new stuff? If you think so let me know [email protected] - I am intrigued. Talking of intrige - one of the things I have been working on in the last few years is a True Crime podcast Codname Badger - that's the logo here - here's the Spotify link It is a cracking story full of twists and turns - made with an ol...
Feb 5
2 min
We live in crazy times - the Corona virus has got us all under its malevolent spell. In this edition I talk to psychologist Vassia Sarantopoulou about tips on keeping sane during this time of fear and social distancing. Vassia is the woman behind Antiloneliness.com There are lots of tips in the podcast and here are some links Vassia wanted to share too. Washington Post tips for couples Tips from an astronaut on isolation from New York Times What if you are stuck with an abusive person...
Mar 30, 2020
26 min
I've been working on a new idea - a podcast all about dog stories. Having recently become a dog owner for the first time it struck me how many stories people start telling you when you are out with your pooch. So, let's do it, I thought, and here is the first ever Shaggy Dog Stories podcast. Please share with anyone you think will like it and if you have a dog story you would like to share with me then please please get in touch. There's email - [email protected] - and there's ev...
Mar 5, 2020
25 min
This a collection of funny stories recorded at the Feel at Home Fair in The Hague. Internationals from around the world share their thoughts on the wonderfully weird world that is The Netherlands. The fair was organised by The Hague Online in February 2020. Thanks to Billy and the team for letting me roam free with my microphone. At the end of the podcast there is a bonus story from a pilot project - Shaggy Dog Stories. I am collecting dog stories so thought I would share one here. Let ...
Feb 3, 2020
28 min
In this episode I'm joined by author Ben Coates. Ben is a Brit and he's been in The Netherlands for about ten years - he previously wrote a book about his experiences here "Why the Dutch are Different" and he featured in an earlier podcast talking about that. This time he talks about his new book - The Rhine. The book starts in The Netherlands and follows the river Rhine all the way to its source in Switzerland. From Ben's site: "For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel ...
Dec 18, 2019
30 min
What to do when things get tough and you start getting into a negative spiral…we all feel down at times but what to do to stop this getting out of control? And how can we develop habits that will keep us happy and in balance? Internationals can often feel disoriented so how best to organize your life to be happy and fulfilled. I’m joined by Psychologist Bjarne Timonen who has written a book – the Life Style Guide Against Somberness – De Leef Stijlgids Tegen Somberheid. It’s full of prac...
Dec 5, 2019
40 min
What's it like being an international mum in The Netherlands? And what's it like as a woman here when trying to combine a career and a family. My guest in the podcast is Steliana van de Rijt-Economu she's originally from Romania and has been bringing up her kids in The Netherlands for the last four years. She is also an Organisational Development Consultant and executive coach. And she has written a book Mothers as Leaders. It presents inspirational real-life stories of twenty women f...
Jul 10, 2019
34 min
There's a famous quote about Dutch politics which says: "if Dutch politics ever gets interesting then something has gone terribly wrong." This is nonsense. Dutch politics is fascinating. This time in the podcast I'm joined by historian and Dutch politics expert and insider Pieter Gerrit Kroeger. We talk about what's hot now in Dutch politics, how the system works, what the Dutch stand for internationally and there's anecdotes to finish off. You can use chapter marks to skip straight ...
Jun 3, 2019
55 min
More than 50% of internationals in the Netherlands have mental health issues according to new research from Healthcare for Internationals, a non-profit focused on improving healthcare for internationals in the Netherlands. These are initial findings and more will follow - but it's an alarming rate. Internationals are suffering anxiety, loneliness and depression. In this episode I talk to psychologist Vassia Sarantopoulou from Antiloneliness.com She mentions two apps as being good startin...
Apr 5, 2019
40 min
This time an interview with Marjan Minnesma the director of Urgenda. The organization achieved international fame after taking the Dutch government to court and winning. The first case in 2015 was a landmark ruling with the court saying the government had a duty of care to tackle climate change an take it seriously. A reduction of 25% CO2 emissions by 2020 was the minimum requirement the court ruled. The government appealed and lost - the next court ruled, in 2018, it was also a human right...
Mar 8, 2019
36 min
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