Category: Lifestyle

Wil je vloeiend Nederlands leren? Dat kan eenvoudig zonder boeken! Er zijn talloze manieren om de Nederlandse taal te beheersen. Een goede start is om gebruik te maken van online bronnen zoals bijvoorbeeld https://www.ste.nl/ voor interactieve oefeningen. Je hoeft niet per se dikke studieboeken door te ploegen om resultaten te boeken. Met de juiste aanpak kun je op een leuke, speelse en informele manier de taal leren. Door consequent en actief bezig te zijn, kun je veel sneller vooruitgang boeken dan je misschien denkt. En het mooie is: je kunt leren op een manier die bij jou past.

Maak gebruik van digitale platforms

Digitale platforms bieden vaak een breed scala aan gratis cursussen en video’s die de leerervaring kunnen verrijken. Met de juiste tools kun je snel vooruitgang boeken. Denk aan apps en websites waar je ook andere Nederlandse taal leren methoden vindt. Deze platforms zijn vaak toegankelijk op verschillende apparaten, waardoor je altijd en overal kunt oefenen. Het is eenvoudig om een cursus te vinden die aansluit bij jouw niveau en leerstijl. Dit maakt het ook makkelijker om je voortgang bij te houden. Zeker als je toewijding toont om regelmatig te oefenen, zul je binnen korte tijd verschillen opmerken. Veel platforms bieden ook quizzen, spraakherkenning en speelse challenges aan, die het leren leuk en effectief maken.

Oefen met native speakers

Een van de meest effectieve manieren om de taal te leren, is door te spreken met native speakers. Dit kan via taaluitwisselingsprogramma’s, die je vaak online kunt vinden. Deze programma’s brengen je in contact met Nederlanders die leren jouw taal willen oefenen. Door een gesprek te voeren, krijg je niet alleen inzicht in de woorden en grammatica, maar ook in de culturele context van de taal. Dit aspect is cruciaal, omdat taal niet alleen uit woorden bestaat. Neem de tijd om jouw uitspraak en intonatie te verbeteren. Soms is het zelfs heel verfrissend om jezelf te laten corrigeren door iemand die de taal van jongs af aan spreekt. De nuances van de Nederlandse taal zullen je sneller duidelijk worden naarmate je meer oefent. Dus, ga de uitdaging aan en spreek met iemand die deze taal perfect beheerst!

Luister en kijk naar Nederlandstalige media

Luisteren naar muziek of kijken naar films in het Nederlands helpt bij de uitspraak en het begrip. Dit maakt de taal levendig en relevant. Door jezelf onder te dompelen in Nederlandstalige media, verkrijg je niet alleen inzicht in de taal, maar ook in de Nederlandse cultuur. Probeer regelmatig naar Nederlandstalige podcasts of radio te luisteren, dit kan helpen om je luistervaardigheid te verbeteren. Films en series met ondertiteling zijn ook een fantastische manier om je vocabulaire uit te breiden. Blijf jezelf onderdompelen in de taal voor het beste resultaat. Het gaat erom dat het leren van de taal een natuurlijke en leuke ervaring wordt. Neem de tijd en geniet van de reis van het leren, en ontdek hoe rijk en veelzijdig de Nederlandse taal is. Je zult versteld staan van hoe snel je vorderingen maakt als je plezier hebt in het leerproces.

Outdoor succulents are a nice addition to your garden. They give your garden an exotic look and you do not have to look after them much. After all, succulents require very little care. Ideal for people who do not have such green fingers or who are going on vacation for a few weeks. Yet not all succulents do equally well outdoors. This is because some originate from a much warmer country. These will have difficulty surviving especially in the winter. A number of succulents are suitable for the garden, because they originate from the Netherlands or a country with a climate similar to that of the Netherlands. Which ones they are, and how to take care of them, you can read here!

Sedum

A first succulent that is very suitable for outdoors is Sedum, also known as succulents. Sedum is a collective name for a family of succulents that consists of some 400 to 500 species. Because the choice is so large, you can choose to place a mix of different Sedum succulents in your garden. This species of succulent is found throughout the northern hemisphere. A number of species also occur in the Benelux in the wild. So the Sedum succulent goes well with the Dutch climate. This species is hardy, can survive in both shade and sun and needs very little water. Therefore, these plants are very suitable as outdoor succulents. In the garden, this plant is often used as ground cover. 

Sempervivum

Another suitable succulent for outdoors is Sempervivum, also called house garlic, thunderleaf or thunderbeard. The translation of this Latin name is "Always Alive," a perfect description for this plant. In fact, Sempervivum plants are evergreen and very easy to maintain. The plant is found in European mountainous areas, among others. Again, Sempervivum is a collective name for many different species. The plants come in all kinds of different shapes and colors. Most plants even change color seasonally! The Sempervivum plants can stand full sun very well and hardly need any maintenance. That is why you often see these succulents as patio or balcony plants. They are also widely used in rock gardens or on green roofs. Finally, Sempervivum are also very nice to combine with other plants in the garden.

Jovibarba Sobolifera

Another option is the Jovibarba Sobolifera. These succulents can withstand temperatures as low as -25°C and remain green all winter. Jovibarba plants are therefore also very suitable as outdoor succulents. The advantage of this plant is that it can survive in any climate, hot and cold as well as frost and drought. Jovibarba can adapt well to the environment they are placed in. However, naturally this succulent is found in the mountains. This makes this plant very suitable as a rock garden or, for example, between stones. Jovibarba prefer a slightly moist, sunny spot with stony soil. The plant combines well with other plants and will not overgrow. In spring, this plant will begin to bloom with greenish-yellow flowers that remain on the plant until early fall. 

This is how to keep your succulents beautiful

There are a few things you can pay attention to in order to keep your succulents as beautiful as possible throughout the year. For starters, it is recommended that you use potting soil specifically for succulents. This potting soil consists of a combination of 70% universal potting soil and 30% gravel or sharp sand. Then you can cover this potting soil with mulch layer of decorative gravel to prevent rotting of the leaves. Furthermore, keep in mind that succulents do not like humidity. They may even die from it. Therefore, it is advisable to place the plants in a greenhouse or under an eaves during the winter, for example, to protect them from the rain. 

Tips for succulents outdoors

Furthermore, handle succulents with care as well. This is because the leaves of succulents can be damaged if you handle them carelessly. Therefore, make sure that you never hold the plants by the leaves, but rather by the root ball. In addition, plant the succulents so that the leaves stick out above the ground. Finally, keep in mind that potting soil can easily get stuck between the leaves of the succulents. To prevent fungal diseases, it is therefore wise to regularly remove this potting soil using, for example, a brush. This will keep your succulents beautiful all year long!

Marianne Rosenberg is a German singer known to many people. She sang the popular song ich bin wie du. She doesn't have this vocation from a stranger because her father was also a musician. She started at a young age of only 15 when she was discovered during a talent show. She is also one of the few women to have created a song together with Paul McCartney. She also participated in the Eurovision song contest of '76 with Lieder der nacht. In the gay scene her songs are still very popular. She has participated in the preliminaries of the Eurovision song contest several times. From 1993 she disappeared from the spotlight for a while. In 2009 and 2014 she made a comeback with her songs from the old days.

How is Marianne Rosenberg now?

The German Marianne Rosenberg was hit hard by the virus at the beginning of the corona crisis. Fortunately the 65 year old singer noticed the symptoms in an early stage. She not only tested positive but also had severe flu symptoms. After three weeks of quarantine, she has almost completely recovered. Fortunately, during this difficult period, her friends and family were there for her. They took good care of the famous singer. Meanwhile, the singer is getting better. Fortunately, she doesn't have any heavy after-effects of the corona contamination. Whether we'll be able to see her on stage any time soon remains to be seen. Nothing has been announced yet, but maybe this will happen when everything is open again.

How was her career?

The career of pop singer Marianne Rosenberg started early at the age of 15. It wasn't something she didn't know because her father was a musician too. She recorded several singles and was regularly in the top 50 of the Dutch and Flemish music charts. She even stayed at number 1 for a week and then at number 2 for a few weeks. This was quite unique for that time because the top positions changed almost every week. She was known for her disco hits. She also participated a few times in the preliminaries of the Eurovision song contest. This did not have the success that was expected. In the years that followed she recorded a few more songs, but eventually decided to stop. Her big comeback in 2014 was also unfortunately not as successful as expected. However, she remains a great icon especially for the gay world and gay top 100.

Which languages did Marianne Rosenberg sing?

In the beginning Marianne Rosenberg only sang German schlager. These were not as popular in her own country as in the surrounding countries. Especially in Holland and Belgium she was an icon for the society. Here she performed regularly for about ten years. In 1989 she tried to change tack. She then chose to make an English song. However, the results were disappointing and she decided to take it easy for a while. In 2004 she also made new productions of her old songs. These were very popular for a short time, especially in the Netherlands. She got help from the big names of the time who made sure things went very differently for her. She ended up in the top 100 in her own country with this. In 2019 she released a new single that again ended up in the top 100 of the German charts. The expectation is that we will see her again when the pandemic is over. Meanwhile, she is already 65, but she certainly has no desire to stop singing.

Why is she so popular in the gay world?

In the gay world, we see a lot of people listening to German Schlagers, including Marianne Rosenberg. It is cheerful, but also a little bit wrong music for this time. The wrong songs are well appreciated by the men and the women in this target group. Marianne has no trouble with this at all. This was precisely the motivation for her to release a new song in 2019. Because she herself had a corona infection in 2020, she is still very careful at the moment. However, we still expect her to tour with the new song through countries like the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium when the pandemic is stable. She has built a great career in these countries and she certainly doesn't feel too old for this.

What did Marianne Rosenberg mean to us?

Marianne Rosenberg was a true pop idol, especially for the Dutch and Flemish youth and adults. With her self-willed German Schlagers, which also contained a touch of disco, she reached the top of the charts several times. However, this did not always go down well in Germany where she actually sings for. In 2004 she tried a different approach with an English song. This was no success at all. Fortunately, this woman doesn't give up easily and 2 years ago she released a world hit in Germany. Especially in Germany and the Dutch gay culture this song is played completely grey. Also the old songs of her are getting more and more popular.

What can we expect next from Marianne Rosenberg?

We expect Marianne Rosenberg to perform again when the corona crisis has subsided a bit. The German singer was infected herself at the beginning of this pandemic so she knows exactly what kind of consequences it can have. However, she's nowhere near ready for retirement, even though she's almost the age for it. This woman is still far too lively and energetic for her age. The fans can't wait for her to get back on stage.

Camping with the forester is the way to completely unwind. The ranger can lead you through nature and tell you all about it. Studies have shown that walking in nature reduces stress levels and increases the happiness hormone. Besides that you can not only go there in high season but also in winter. Several nature reserves are then transformed into camping grounds. You can get delicious hot chocolate and mulled wine. There are also pop up campsites. For example, only during the high or low season tents are set up for visitors. The possibilities in summer often include breakfast and you can sometimes also book a lunch or dinner.

Why camp with the forester in winter?

Winter camping is a new way of camping with the forester. During the winter camps the enjoyment of camping is even more. This is because there is fraternization and you can drink delicious hot drinks with each other. It is also better to admire the starry sky because it is much darker. But also the winter sun is an experience never to forget. So you also get a better resistance because you bivouac in the cold. So it is not only cozy but also healthy. In the winter there are unfortunately no options for pole camping. This because of the dangers of hypothermia and that there is less supervision.

Where can you camp with the forester?

If you go camping with a forester, you do this of course on nature grounds. In the Netherlands there are more than 22 nature parks run by Staatsbosbeheer. Take your own original tent and place it literally in the middle of nature. This is an experience you have never had before. You will be able to relax completely and enjoy the many species of animals that can be found there. Most nature campsites have a toilet block and electricity.
But there are some where you don't have this.

Back to the old normal

So you can go back in time and enjoy the silence without a phone. With some regularity pop up campsites are also set up. These are only temporary because nature also needs to be able to breed and live. The nice thing about this is that you get breakfast every morning and coffee and tea all day.

What makes this a unique experience?

Because you come to the ranger and he knows the terrain you have a unique place to camp. He or she will also guide you through nature so you can get to know more animals and plants. But it also contributes to the general development and gives a lot of rest. You actually go back thousands of years in time. Many generations before us lived the way we do now. In this way, you learn to realize what kind of preferred position we are in. It teaches us to take a moment to be grateful for what we already have.

On which campsites can you camp with the forest ranger?

In the Netherlands you can camp with a forester at 22 nature reserves. Some of these places even have wild animals in the vicinity. Of course this happens under controlled supervision but it is a unique experience. Sometimes there are even nature pools or swimming pools nearby where you can go with the children. Or how about enjoying the peace and quiet between the Wadden Sea and North Sea. Enough possibilities and there is something for both young and old to experience.

Pop up camping with the forest ranger

Some nature reserves are not suitable for year-round camping with a forest ranger. That's why there are several pop up campsites to find. As an example the pop up campsite in Terschelling. Here you can enjoy the nature with pop up tents during the summer months. They even put up a tarp tent where you can get beer, wine and soda. You can also reserve a lunch or dinner in advance. And of course the terrain is equipped with sanitary facilities and electricity. You also get 2 bikes which you can use to explore the area. And every morning a delicious breakfast is included.

What is pole camping and can it be done by the forester?

Pole camping was an option with the forester. However, there is the corona crisis for chosen to stop this indefinitely. This form of camping is done within 10 meters of a pole. However, the enforcement of this is an intensive task for the forester so it is not feasible to make this possible everywhere. Usually there is a limit of maximum 72 hours of camping. This is to give others the chance to camp on the most beautiful place in nature. Never forget to take a garbage bag with you because there are high fines for leaving garbage behind.