About Zeeland

Zeeland is a province in the south-west of the Netherlands, with a population around 386.000 people. This makes Zeeland the least densely populated province in the Netherlands but with a lot of possibilities for sports and leisure. You can even ski here! Zeeland also has lots of sights to visit, starting with its capital Middelburg.

Middelburg once was one of the trading cities of the VOC. Walking through the city center makes you feel like you traveled back in time. The alleys, streets and canals lead to different parts of Middelburg’s rich history. The Koepoort is a city gate in Middelburg, built in 1735 and it is the only one of eight left standing. In today’s date, the Koepoort houses a B&B. To get a view of the city of Middelburg you should visit abbey tower ‘Lange Jan’. Aside of the history, Middelburg is known for the number of shops and the restaurants in the city.

Zeeland has one of the largest chemical clusters in north-west Europe. In the entire industrial sector almost 25.000 people work in Zeeland, with many of them in the chemical industry. Not only at the chemical companies themselves, but also at maintenance companies. The port and industrial areas in Vlissingen and the Kanaalzone in Zeeuws Vlaanderen between Ghent and Terneuzen are the driving force behind Zeeland's economy. Major world players such as Dow, Yara, Elopak, Cargill and ICL-IP benefit from the strategic location, the excellent logistics infrastructure and the many synergies that are created here.

Terneuzen is the largest city in Zeeuws Vlaanderen. Because of its location, Terneuzen has been related to shipping since its origins. Where the marketplace is now, goods used to be transshipped to be transported to Ghent. 70,000 ships pass through the lock complex every year, which is being enlarged currently. The Nieuwe Sluis project should be done in 2023. The aim of this project is to improve access from the Western Scheldt to the Ghent Canal and so on. The Nieuwe Sluis will be as large as the locks in the Panama Canal: 427 meters long, 55 meters wide and 16.44 meters deep.

In addition, Terneuzen is known for several things. Theatre, stage, shopping streets, restaurants and swimming pools, you name it. But not only that: in Terneuzen you can get your skis or snowboard all year round and have fun in the snow at Skidome. Besides the snow, there are swimming pools and other water facilities in the Otheense Kreek, the Braakman and of course the Westerschelde. Plenty of room for water recreation due to the number of creeks in Terneuzen.

Next to the history and industry, Zeeland has lots more to offer. Because Zeeland is surrounded by water, it has large stretches of beach all over the province. In total, Zeeland has 650km of beach. There are numerous seaside resorts along these stretches of beach, perfect to visit if you love the sun, sea and the beach. In cities like Vlissingen, Cadzand and Domburg you can find clean beaches and numerous restaurants to indulge in food after tanning on the beach. If you want to be more active, there’s multiple possibilities for aquatics.

Furthermore, Deltapark Neeltje Jans is also worth paying a visit to. The ‘Deltawerken’ were built to protect Zeeland from flooding as in the ‘Waternoodsramp’ in 1953. You get insights in how things work when visiting Deltapark Neeltje Jans. But not only that; Deltapark Neeltje Jans has multiple water attractions, a seal show, various exhibitions are held and on board of a tour boat you can see how the Deltawerken work from up close.

In conclusion, there are lots of things to do and sights to visit. But it’s too much to write. If you want to know more about Zeeland and what it’s like to be here, you should visit and learn more from being here.

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Culture in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has one of the best economies in the European Union. It’s the transportation hub of the EU and a big exporter of agri-food products with the Rotterdam harbor as its head piece. Rotterdam together with Amsterdam are key cities, as they’re renowned centers of international commerce. The Netherlands also houses the Legal Capital of the World, as The Hague is home to the International Court of Justice and Interpol. But what advantages does taking an internship in the Netherlands bring for Spanish students?

Work-Life balance

For some people it’s hard to find a good balance between their work life and their personal life, but not for the Dutch. In 2018 the Dutch ranked first for work-life balance. Their relaxed approach and the happy people are big contributors to this. During your internship you’ll learn how Dutch people work 40 hours per week and still manage to be efficient at their work, without overtime. You’ll be surprised at the amount of people that work part-time jobs. Also, by Dutch law, you’re not allowed to work more than 60 hours per week. All this together leaves you enough time to schedule your own things that you enjoy!

The ‘Language Barrier’

The Netherlands in one of the best non-native English-speaking countries in the world. About 75% of the Dutch population speaks English almost fluently, or at least enough to help you out. Especially the younger generation speak English very well, and in bigger cities everyone speaks English. This makes the Netherlands one of the easiest countries to go around and connect with people. The Dutch are keen to help you learn some words in Dutch as well, making small talk easier. Also, if you’re watching TV instead of Netflix, a lot of the TV programs are in English with Dutch subtitles.

Commuter system

The Netherlands is known for the number of bikes and its extensive bike lanes. Of course, traffic will always exist, but in the Netherlands it’s normal to go around on bikes. Save money by taking your bike to work and stay in shape at the same time. With lots of rules and bike lanes, cyclists are protected in the Netherlands. So forget getting stuck in a bus on a sunny day, take your bike to work!

Overall safety

The Netherlands ranks high among the safest countries in the world, with its very low crime rate. Prisons in the Netherlands are closing and crime rates are falling. Of course, you should still be wary of things like pickpocketing, especially in crowded tourist areas in big cities. Also, nothing is really weird in the Netherlands. Things like coffeeshops are completely normal and you can see lots of people visiting.

Traveling opportunities

If you look at the map of the Netherlands, you notice that it’s a small country, giving you lots of opportunities to travel around on weekends or days off. Exploring different cities within an hour, while the scenery and accents change, make it seem like you’re in a different country sometimes. Speaking of different countries, Germany, Belgium, France and Luxembourg are close by. Opportunities are endless, giving you countless options for a getaway weekend.

Internship opportunities

The Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the EU, with lots of work to offer for all kinds of education. This means there are lots of internship opportunities for students that want to grow and learn from experts in a different country.

Culture and lifestyle

The Dutch live up to a very high standard, with a life expectancy rate among the longest in the world. The Netherlands has one of the highest quality of water and air in the world, and they pride themselves for it. Drinking straight from the tap is completely normal, so you don’t have to worry about buying large amounts of water bottles. Furthermore, the Dutch are very open and direct, but not in a rude way. For some this might need some getting used to, but in the Netherlands it’s considered normal and you should never take things too personal around the Dutch, since they probably didn’t mean it like that.

And not to forget: the Dutch culinary culture! Bitterballen, stroopwafel, frikadel, raw herring, oliebollen, endless variations of cheese and delicious beers. These are things you need to experience for yourself by visiting the Netherlands, maybe even through an internship.

Career opportunities

After completing your internship or education, there are lots of career opportunities to grow and develop yourself as a professional. Dutch businesses are keen on developing people with little experience into true professionals, allowing them to grow along the business. They are open to talk about future plans, salaries and what they need to do to keep professionals within the business. Especially in places towards the outskirts of the Netherlands, where young professionals are wanted in the industrial sector. Salaries in places like these are way more than other countries or even some parts of the Netherlands.