Though they're often hard to find, in many places in the Netherlands expats have made a big effort to make cities more internationally friendly for others in the same boat. I recently discovered one of these efforts, in a website called Home in Leiden.

Now most of the Trippist readership may not be interested in family activities (which Home in Leiden specializes in) but the site has so much more. Are you an international student looking for work? Offer your babysitting services. Want to read up on Dutch festivals and traditions? No problem. Interested in getting the inside scoop on the Dutch recycling system? It's here.

There's plenty of other information helpful to any Leiden resident. There are lists of B&Bs and hotels, information on public transport, and interesting options for learning Dutch.

Any expat in Leiden should be aware of this site. Enjoy!

On January 21, 2010, Leiden's expat center officially opened to the public. If you're contemplating a move to Leiden or have just settled here, the dedicated expat officer on staff can answer questions and give advice on topics such as immigration formalities, living issues (like taxes, insurance, working, finding a house and schools), and well as tips for an active social life and information about Leiden as a region.

The expat center is located in the Visitor Centre Leiden, just across from the central station. They are open Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 18.00 hrs.

Everyone gets real excited once the subzero temperatures take hold of the Netherlands. As I ride down the streets I see people carrying brand new or freshly sharpened skates, all in anticipation of a week of below zero which should mean plenty of ice skating!

In an effort to explain what is what in the world of ice skating in Amsterdam and beyond, let's go over some basics that might help you out while you're here.

First lets go over the organized artificial ice skating locations, these are the one's that exist regardless of how cold it gets - in other words; your best bet:

• Leidseplein - from 10am to 11pm, the rink will be there til the 10th of January.
• Museumplein - from 10am to 8pm, til February 28th.
• Bijlmer Arena - since you might be down there shopping anyway, skating is from 9am to 9pm and skates can be rented on site. Free lessons available as well, I hear.

Now for the part you might be wondering about since some old photos of Amsterdam seem to circulate involving people skating on canals. Officially when the weather has been below zero for over 1 week and the city deems the ice thick enough, Keizersgracht is designated as closed to boats and open to skaters. However in the past 8 years I haven't seen this happen once. Some have hinted that this week might do the trick, but that remains to be seen.

If you're real into speed skating or just looking to do some real skating, there is of course a real rink called the Jaap Edenbaan. It is located far out of normal tourism routes in the East of Amsterdam, consult their website for details.

Lastly there are the ponds in Vondelpark which last year attracted tons of skaters young and old. They're looking mightly frozen right now, so if you've got access to skates and you're going to the park, there you'll have several ponds and streams you can skate on. Please skate with caution, my friends at the emergency room say you wouldn't believe the wrist and ankle injuries coming in thanks to skating.

Trying to find ways to stay warm and engaged during the cold winter months? There are plenty of happenings in Leiden. There is the first edition of the Leiden Restaurant Week, an illuminated ice rink on the water of the Nieuwe Rijn, and a film festival.

Head over to winter in Leiden for a huge number of activities and events that will take place between October 2009 and February 2010. For example, there's no need to drive all the way to Germany to find a cozy Christmas market (although that is also highly recommended!). There's a Kerstmarkt planned in Leiden on the 13th & 20th December. It will be held between 11:00 and 17:00 and will be located on near the Nieuwe Rijn and the Vismarkt.

Sure, Germany's Christmas markets are well-known, and not just for the gluhwein, but the Netherlands has quite a few Christmas markets of its own. A handy resource for finding all the various markets, both Christmas and regular, throughout the Netherlands is the Hollandse Markten website (in Dutch, English and other languages). They have a full listing of the times, dates and locations of various Christmas markets throughout the country. The site also includes information about other markets held throughout the year, such as cheese markets, horse markets, book markets and more.

There are a couple of Christmas markets coming up here in Utrecht. This Sunday, December 13, from noon to 8 p.m. is the Kerst in de Twijnstraat, a Christmas market with at least 50 stalls located on Twijnstraat in the city center.

One of the great resources for ideas of what to do in Utrecht is the website Gratis In Utrecht (Free in Utrecht). Every week they post a listing of free events in town, ranging from lectures with free food to free disco nights.

For example, one of the weekly free events is the Vitamin ACU Disco that is held every Friday night at midnight. Entrance is free and drink prices are reasonable. The music covers a range of styles, including hip hop, gothic, punk, '80s, ska and more. The ACU Political and Cultural Center has a range of events and information on a regular basis. Definitely check out their website and program list for all that they offer. ACU is located at Voorstraat 71, Utrecht, not far from the Neude square.

Looking for an online guide to Rotterdam? Check out the Rotterdam page on Wikitravel. Not only does it provide a succinct history of the city, but it also lists a number of options for activities and places to eat.

For instance, it lists 15 popular museums with addresses, opening times and a brief description. You can also find information about windmills, the zoo and botanical gardens, and churches.

Head to Wikitravel for lots of ideas of how to spend time in Rotterdam.

Here on Trippist we like to provide lots of entertainment info, but sometimes - particularly if you're contemplating a move to the Netherlands - it's good to know where to go for the official stuff.

Gemeente Rotterdam offers a great deal of practical information in English on its website. They answer questions like: Where can I learn Dutch? Do I qualify for the 30% tax ruling? Do I need to exchange my driving license?

Rotterdam's Expatdesk provides even more relevant information, and is located at the World Trade Center at Beursplein 37 in Rotterdam (email: expatdesk@rotterdam.nl).

Interested in exploring Rotterdam? The Rotterdam.info site has it al: calendar of city events, hot spots to visit, excursions, and packages to make a day out even more exciting (and cheap!).

They highlight the Rotterdam Welcome Card, which offers savings and lots of great ideas for tourists. For example:

"You will receive for example 25% discount or more at Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam Zoo), Spido, Euromast, the Kijk-Kubus (Show-Cube), Kunsthal Rotterdam, Netherlands Architecture Institute & House Sonneveld, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Pathé cinemas and the trendy restaurants Stroom and Level! Also new attractions like the Rotterdam Port Experience and Splashtours are not missing."

Along with the welcome card you receive a city map and six postcards. You can purchase the welcome card for €5 at the VVV Rotterdam and a large number of other locations, listen at the bottom of this page. Slightly more expensive options include travel on the metro or tram.

Today I'm going to tell you about a little something called IBCoM, or the International Bachelor's programme in Communication and Media. I know there are plenty of people out there who are looking to study abroad and find an English language program outside of North America or the UK.

Well, the opportunity has spread to Rotterdam: Just this fall, the Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam started this international, four-year bachelor's program. It's taught in English and its first class boasts students from scores of countries around the world. All classes are taught in English.

Interested? For more information and to check out the program description see this link.