Handling Holland.. (and now aidan too!)

I have just found out about a week ago that it is the law for all migrants, all newcomer to the Netherlands should require to take up a Dutch Language Course, followed by 2 exams. it is compulsory. the reason to this is because they want all migrants to be "integrated", learn the dutch language, culture and society and not feel isolated thus might lead to some strange behaviour or violence. i dont know, the last part, i just made it up.. but anyway…

I went for an interview with one of the officer in charge, and betold of this situation. a moroccon migrant himself, Karim, now settled down here. he spoke to me in dutch almost all the way! it is difficult to grasp, understand what he was saying since the 20 lessons i had was such a basic one, and we almost didnt practice it after our course ended. thus, i stood there with a somewhat blur face, trying to catch a few familiar words. the reason why he spoke to me in dutch is because he claimed his english wasnt that good, but i told him, lets try, and i’m sure his english’s way better than my dutch, so lets just both give it a shot. it became a rojak conversation and both trying to understand one another. after almost an hour, i almost got the picture, and he almost got what i was trying to tell him.

Under the old law (up to 2006), the language course is provided by the Gemeente (like majlis perbandaran back home) GRATIS (free). everyone should attend the course for 600 hours Mandag tot Vridag (monday to friday) 9am - 12pm, followed by 2 examinations. i have to start the course as early as possible. course will be for a year.

Begining 2007, the new law applies, the Gemeente no longer provide the language course, but expect us to pay on our own, which i’m sure will cost a bomb and we should find our own language schools ourselves. (which isnt a problem for us since we have gone for 20 lessons before i had Aidan, however, paying is). we could start this anytime, the number of hours might be different, there will still examinations, and were told we should check this with the language school.

But anyway, Karim then showed me a letter, stating that the letter was stamped on the 27th December 2006 and therefore i have a choice. to choose which one - free or pay.

I would love to go with the old law, where i dont have to pay a single cent. but then, i must attend the class every weekday. it doenst allow any examptions. he was implying that i could not delay or postpone it. not even if you have a 4 month old baby. and his advise is to take them privately.

I wanted to cry out and say "bloody hell!"

Dont get me wrong. it is a good thing but it requires SO much of my time! 600 hours? a year, its ridiculous!

Thanks to the Dutch Integration, Youth, Prevention and Probation Minister, Rita Verdonk, i now have this problem.

Rita, or as they call her here ‘Iron Lady’ is well known for her toughness, outspokenness and her very strict policies. she is the most criticised minister here in the netherlands and i would think a controversial one too.

What i would like to say to dear Iron Rita is, how on earth is it possible for me, who had just moved to your country dear Holland almost a year ago, who endured a painful 24 hour labour with 2 failed epidurals due to some inconsiderate and plain sick-o doctors in the hospital in your dear country Holland, who just had a baby 4 months ago and now experiencing motherhood for the first time away from my family, who had experienced a ‘mishap’, big mistake at one of your dear holland’s consultasi bureau due to carelessness of your dear dutch workers, could attend a 3 hour class monday to fridays for a year when my husband goes to work on those days? who then should look after my baby? I still need to hold my him, i still want to! i want to enjoy my child. i havent even pass that post-natal thing (and dont let me start on that topic!). now tell me how is it possible at this stage to be integrated even more with your dear holland country and dear dutch people?

I would understand why people from the EU countries are excluded but what about the Americans, Canadians, Japaneese, Australians and the Kiwis? is there some sort of bias against us, the rest?

Now-now Rita, i’m sure you have a solution my problem. i’m sure there’s some way for us to at least put the free course on hold for a bit. i’m sure you’re a mum yourself and wouldnt want to miss out on your child growing and his hundreds of ‘firsts’.

Funny Hardy does not need to go tho. not even for an hour!

I’m going to write to them, seek help and assistance from our friend Sheila at the Gemeente. *sigh*  wish me luck.

I’m gonna start voting in the next elections.

Anyone wants to move to holland?

This entry was posted on Friday, January 26th, 2007 at 3:26 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.