Jorg!

Jorg standing at 6'7'' is the head of CES.  The Dutchee, who must duck to enter the CES office, began his career as an intern. In his office, he is busy all day answering emails, calculating numbers for programs, and holding meetings with the CES staff as well as prospective and current partners. in his free time Jorg is a goal keeper for his soccer team. He also stays active and helps raise money for cancer by participating in the annual Roparun, which consists of teams of runners who run non-stop for 2 straight days through different countries; they run to raise money and awareness for those who can't. As Jorg is the lone father in the office, he spends his days off with his charming daughter Anniek.

Aude!

Aude (ode) is our swiss beauty and soon to be bride in the office. She grew up in Switzerland and decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Psychology at Maastricht University. Aude was lucky enough to meet her fiance Martin in Maastricht and now the two are busy planning their wedding this fall. Aude, although not a mother yet, exemplifies motherly traits that help her truly connect with her students. Her patience and positivity really encourages those around her. She follows through with reminders, celebratory messages, and notes of good luck.  Aude is detailed and thorough but in a flowery and dynamic way as she designs and shapes material that is fresh and stylish. Aude is responsible for the CES newsletter that showcases updates at CES, student testimonials, and lots and lots of pictures! Aude also enjoys taking a weekly snapshot that features students or elements of Maastricht that airs on the facebook page on Monday afternoons. The artistic lady loves baking, making earrings, and carving stamps. Her home-made crafts are made with hard work and effort and all of her interactions are fueled by kindness and compasssion.

Seef!

Severine (Save-er-een) is the spirited, fearless and decisive woman of the office. Originally from France, Seef focused her studies in becoming a translator and her knack for English has allowed her to serve the CES office and its students very well. Although a bit camera-shy, the slender gal has short curly hair and adorable dark-rimmed glasses. Severine, who also goes by Seef (Safe), enjoys nature, relaxing at home and all things unique. The animal-lover lives in Belgium with her husband Joe and other cuddly pets. She has dogs, cats, and a horse as well as some stray kittens that frequent her garden. At work, Seef handles a variety of specialized programs that are tailored to fit different students' interests. She also runs the online course advising system called SAP. Seef is content with the simple things in life and feels most at home when she is riding her horse Casper in the neighboring fields and hills by her house.

Maaike!

Maaike (Mike-AH) is a multimedia expert who enjoys Coca Cola lite and Dutch black licorice. She conqures task by task, touching all aspects of CES workload including the Website, brochures, programs, Eleum (blackboard), and student handbooks. Maaike's efficiency and media skills are best highlighted in the creative presentation and organizational improvements found on the CES Website. When work is done for the day, the trendy Dutch native frequents the gym, downtown shopping center, and Roermond (her hometown located 30 mins from Maastricht). With her newly built apartment undergoing final construction, Maaike is busy preparing all the small details of colors, appliances, and furniture. Maaike is articulate, resourceful, and willing to lend a hand for any question a student has. She has truly taken me under her wing and has allowed me to not only understand but to participate and enjoy Dutch culture!

Dario!

Dario is the Belgian man in the office and his combination of friendliness and charisma make him a popular program coordinator at CES.  He is the only guy working in the two adjorning CES offices and with the exception of Jorg, is the only male CES staff member.  Dario is also the youngest co-worker in the office but his reticence and hardwork would convince you he is wiser beyond his years. Dario is very care-free and his patience is perfect for dealing with students and housing concerns as he is responsible for all housing arrangements for CES students. While Dario is quiet at times, he knows when to enjoy a good joke in the office.  Dario recently purchased a blue vespa and so he enjoys his time riding after work and on weekends. He and his fiance, Desiree, just bought an apartment which will fill up their following months with moving in, organzing material, and furnishing their new space!

Laura!

Laura is our Brittish gal who loves her coffee, i-phone, and daughter Elsa! Laura is full of sunshine and smiles throughout the day and her experience at CES is unparallel. Whether she is spending hours talking with students, sending helpful emails, or working with course regulations, Laura is throughouly invested in CES. Because of her background in languages, she is a great communicator. She is a very talented writer and editor and the perfectionist in her helps make all CES publications a success! Her focus is always on the students first, and as a mom herself, she adds a concerned and caring figurehead in the office. Her daughter Elsa is a curious and happy child who enjoys dancing, crawling, and exploring! Elsa, like her mother, is always wearing a smile and is up for doing anything! Our lifetime vegeterian Laura is very active as she practices yoga in the morning  followed by a 25 minute bike ride to work! However,  Laura is currently on the brink of passing her drivers license test; I wish her the best of luck!

Nathalie!

Nathalie is a ball of energy in constant motion. She is smiling, celebrating, jumping, and laughing. Her mind is always moving as she is thinking, creating, suggesting, questioning, revising, editing.... etc! Nathalie is devoted to making CES as beneficial for students as possible and is endlessly tyring to create and implement new programs, new technologies, and new ways of attracting students. Nathalie is responsible for academic courses and creating new programs for students. She truly engages everyone she meets and is a very compassionate person with a penchant for listening. She is the proud mother of her three year old daughter Indigo!

Kyra!

She is a very organized and hard working lady. Kyra is the CES secretary and is responsible for organizing cell phones, textbooks, and study trips for students. She helps the office run smoothly by taking care of all the small details that surround all the student programs. Kyra was recently hired last year and her work has kept CES happy of their hire! She is bubbly, smiling, and very enthusiastic. The morning person in her brings positivity and comfort that lasts throughout the entire day of work! In her free time she likes to shop for all sorts of stylish accessories but what she enjoys most is spending time with her niece Danche (Danielle).

This is long overdue. This has been a blog I have wanted to complete since my first entry, but I guess it is better late than never. Here is a list of random facts about my co-workers, well more accurately, my friends!

The Center for European Studies Staff consists of 8 people: 1) Jorg 2) Laura 3) Kyra 4) Nathalie 5) Dario 6) Maaike 7) Severine 8) Aude

Jorg, Kyra, Maaike and Nathalie are the true Dutchees.

Dario is our lone Belgian and Laura is our only Brit. 

Aude is from Switzerland and Severine is from France so the two of them can communicate in French.

Laura and Nathalie are the moms of the office. Nathalie has a 3 year old brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty named Indigo. Laura's baby Elsa has blonde-hair and is constantly smiling, laughing, and MOVING!

Nathalie, Aude, Maaike, Dario, and Severine all attended Maastricht University at some point in their academic careers.

Severine has a toffee-colored horse named Casper. The horse is built more like a pony, but a muscular pony!

Aude is engaged to be married to an Austrailan named Martin, who she met on her exchange in Maastricht while they both studied Psychology.

Jorg is a father to Annek (I think I spelled that wrong), who is a cute and tiny creature compared to her 6'7'' father!

Laura is a lifetime vegetarian and our recent vegee is Nathalie!

Kyra enjoys spending her time with her niece Danche (Danielle).

Maaike recently bought a new apartment in her hometown of Roermond (30 mins by train from Maastricht).

Dario and Jorg are both soccer goalies.

Laura has lived in England, Scotland, and now the Netherlands. She also has a twin sister!

Nathalie lived in Vermont for 2 years. She met her American husband Atticus backpacking in Poland, and the couple eventually returned to Maastricht to start a family.

Aude is a creative and crafty lady who makes things from earrings and stamps to garlands and party decorations.

Jorg and Dario both began their careers at CES as interns.

The entire group are fluent in at least 2 languages but that number is closer to 3 or 4. Many of them speak Dutch, English, and the Dutch Dialect of the Limburg area. Also others speak German, French, Spanish, and even Italian. This group of individuals are key at communicating!!!

In the next few blogs I will post individual write-ups about each of them and photos of course!!!