Radio 4 Brainport:
The international sound on your radio dial.

When internationals come to the Netherlands, they face a number of challenges. Many of these can be solved with the help of employers or by the university. Still, we often hear that it helps to share experiences, not only to get professional advice and support. In fact, many websites explain the formalities of getting a driver’s license or of filling out tax returns. However, these miss the personal experiences and personal stories that are important to see whether your struggles are typical ones or that others have found effective ways to handle these.

How did others find appropriate housing? Will you join a sports club with mainly other internationals, or do you intentionally choose for one with mainly Dutch participants. Would it help you to know how to cheer in Dutch? Sometimes listeners give very consistent answers, but sometimes their opinions differ wildly: Radio 4 Brainport asked dozens of people whether they speak a little Dutch. As not only the internationals but also the locals here seem to speak English well, learning Dutch may not be a priority. A particularly interesting personal story was from a person for whom mastering the local language was essential to really feel at home. He
even made it his daily exercise to try to keep a waitress, or a person behind the counter to continue to talk in Dutch as long as possible and not to switch to English after hearing him struggle in Dutch. For every extra sentence a local would stay talking in Dutch, he gave himself one point for improving his non-native Dutch. Others confirm that English works perfectly at work to discuss professional topics, but that you may miss subtleties and emotions among non-native English speakers.

A “whistle of one cent”
Radio 4 Brainport gives the floor to experiences in expat life and likes to present a variety of styles of living. Programs are in English. The station does not feature Dutch courses like many excellent organizations do that by teaching in a personalized way. But hearing firsthand how other internationals handle the local language adds another dimension. Nonetheless, language expert Bart Bruijnen presents recurring items explaining Dutch expressions. It might help to know a little Dutch when you hear a colleague admit that it was a “whistle of one cent”. Don’t be misled if your buddy in a contest throws the hat at it. Beware of the false friends, as there are many words that sound the same in English and in Dutch, but have a different meaning. In Dutch, a smartlap does not mean a smart laboratory. Brand  slang does not refer to a buss word from corporate marketing, but can be Dutch for a water hose. In fact, Bart has an amazingly long list of examples that are insightful and often are funny as well. On the radio you hear these one by one.

Radio 4 Brainport is a station for internationals and by internationals. In fact, the station welcomes internationals to join in making programs or in helping with the technical aspects.

The programs can be heard on DAB+, via 747 AM and as an Internet stream via radio4brainport.org. Yet, many of the interviews are also put online as podcasts. In fact, program manager Jean-Paul Linnartz likes a way of working in which a radio interview, a podcast and a short news clip are recorded all at the same time. Feell free to contact Jean-Paul Linnartz at info@radio4brainport.org if you are a podcaster, a DJ, a musician, a storyteller or a language expert who likes to go on air.

Listen to Radio 4 Brainport on DAB+ digital radio , AM.