Browse guides
Choose a country, section, topic or stage of your journey.
Guides in this section
386 matching guides
Practical Dutch for everyday life
Survival Dutch for six high-frequency situations: municipality, doctor, housing, shopping, public transport and work, with reusable phrases and follow-up questions.
Read guide →GuidePractise Dutch in real life: libraries, Taalcafés, clubs and volunteering
How Dutch public libraries and Taalcafés help newcomers practise speaking, plus ways to build recurring Dutch contact through clubs, volunteering and daily routines.
Read guide →GuidePregnancy and giving birth in the Netherlands: midwives, hospital and home birth
How Dutch pregnancy care works, including verloskundige care, hospital referral, birth settings, insurance and practical first steps.
Read guide →GuidePregnancy, maternity and children’s healthcare in Portugal
Pregnancy and children’s healthcare in Portugal, from pregnancy tests and preventive/preconception care to SNS maternity care, postpartum follow-up, child development, vaccinations and 116 111 support.
Read guide →GuidePrimary and basic education in Portugal
How Portuguese primary/basic school works from Years 1–9: the three ensino básico cycles, enrolment, school placement, PLNM support, assessment and practical advice for foreign families.
Read guide →GuidePrivate healthcare and health insurance in Portugal
How to use private hospitals and clinics in Portugal, choose health insurance, understand networks, reimbursement, exclusions and waiting periods, and combine private care with the SNS.
Read guide →GuideProbation, notice periods and dismissal in the Netherlands
How proeftijd, resignation, fixed-term contracts, employer notice and settlement agreements fit together.
Read guide →GuideProblems at work in the Netherlands: where to get help
Route contract/pay/dismissal, underpayment, discrimination, CAO and benefit problems to the appropriate union, legal, Labour Authority or UWV help.
Read guide →GuideProfessional sport in the Netherlands: football, hockey, skating and cycling
A practical distinction between Dutch elite/professional sport and the amateur club system, including attending events.
Read guide →GuideProperty-buying process in Portugal: offer → CPCV → escritura
A step-by-step Portuguese property purchase timeline from offer and reservation through due diligence, CPCV and sinal, mortgage, taxes, escritura/Casa Pronta, registration and key handover.
Read guide →GuidePublic transport delays, refunds and complaints in the Netherlands
NS delay compensation, EU rail passenger rights, rerouting/last-train assistance, payment corrections and escalation through the Public Transport Disputes Committee.
Read guide →GuidePublic transport in Portugal: trains, buses, metros and cards
A practical guide to Portuguese public transport: CP trains, the €20 Green Rail Pass, Lisbon Navegante, Porto Andante, metros, local buses, Rede Expressos, FlixBus and choosing the right ticket or card.
Read guide →