Meeting and Mingling
Welcome to Ruth's Corner, a monthly column curated by our helpdesk professional Ruth to share with you her experience and expertise! This month it's all about our Meet&Mingles.
Welcome to February, we made it through January!
Did you enjoy the snow? I must admit, it was quite a surprise. Snow usually doesn’t stay long in Leiden due to being so close to the coast.
This month, I want to tell you a bit more about our monthly Meet & Mingle evenings and if you’ve never heard of them before, keep reading. Meet & Mingles are our monthly social events for internationals. Once a month we choose a local café or bar somewhere in the Leiden region. Leiden International Centre also supports internationals living in Leiderdorp, Voorschoten, and Zoeterwoude, which is why we make sure to host evenings in these areas too. It’s a great way for you to discover the wider region. At each Meet & Mingle, you’ll find a friendly, relaxed atmosphere where you can meet others who, just like you, have moved here from elsewhere. Your first drink is on us, and we provide some snacks as well. After that, any extra drinks or snacks are at your own cost. Sometimes we organise a small game to help people mingle and make it easier to interact. It’s always completely optional, but there might even be a prize to win!
Meet&Mingle with Partners
On some of our evenings we introduce you to organisations we work with. For example, in September we invite the 3 October Committee (3 October Vereeniging) to tell you why Leiden celebrates this special local holiday. On another occasion, we worked with Op STEP and went on a scooter tour around Leiden, ending the evening with a drink and snacks in a local bar. Last year my colleague Sibilla launched a new campaign called Praat Nederlands met Me (you may have noticed the badges at our Meet & Mingles). It was a full day dedicated to practising Dutch in a friendly and supportive environment. We hosted a range of activities for all levels, not just beginners. The day ended with a special Meet & Mingle where everyone could try out their Dutch, no matter their level. It was a fantastic day, and many people told us how much they appreciated it. We’re planning to organise it again this year, so keep an eye out for more information about when, where, and what we’ll be doing.
What I Like about Meet&Mingles
What I love most about these evenings is the warmth and friendliness of the people who come along. I didn’t attend Meet & Mingles when they first started, I felt a bit nervous (and I didn’t work for the International Centre yet). After joining my first one as a staff member, I was amazed by how welcoming everyone was and what a supportive atmosphere it created. It was such a relief to meet others like me who had moved to the Leiden region for all sorts of reasons. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Dutch people coming along, as their presence made the evenings feel more rooted in local life. If you’ve never been to a Meet & Mingle, I really encourage you to give it a try. Bring a friend if you want a bit of moral support, but I think you’ll be surprised by how much you enjoy yourself. And if you’re feeling unsure on the evening, come talk to any one of us we’re here to help, and we’d be happy to introduce you to others.
How Can I Find Out About These Events?
This part is easy: visit our website and check the Events page. You can sign up there. We ask you to register because some venues have limited space, and it also helps us greet you properly on the evening. I hope you’ll consider joining the next Meet&Mingle or the one after that.
If you have just arrived in Leiden, we want to welcome you and if you need anything reach out to us, we would love to help.