- We ask that you be a paid-up member of the NATO International Club when participating in any of our Activities.
In some NIC Activities, there may be a small fee to cover the cost of materials. - NIC Health Statement:
While the Covid virus is still active, we ask all NIC members to be considerate of each other’s health by staying home if you are ill.
— If you have a cough, fever, or cold symptoms stay home, rest and please come back when you are better.
— If you, a guest, or a child participating in any NIC activities are exhibiting any of these symptoms of illness, you may be asked to leave by a member of the Committee or by the activity leader.
COFFEE MORNINGS
Coffee Mornings are informal gatherings, held once each month, starting at 10:00 and finishing around 12:00. We ask for a contribution of 5 Euros per adult to cover the costs.
Each month, we try to present a seasonal theme and speaker. There is also a Tombola (raffle) at every Coffee Morning! Please see our GALLERY for a sample of themes we have had.
More information about upcoming NIC Coffee Mornings is provided directly to members.
Navigating the Heart of Expat Life – *NEW*
This group is *NEW* for 2024-2025!
A monthly workshop group focused on learning new skills and sharing personal
experiences in a supportive and friendly
environment. The leader is a NIC member who has experience in both personal coaching and also frequent moves! Each workshop will have a different topic, chosen by the group.
NIC Playgroup
NIC Playgroup – *new leaders* for 2024-2025!
You are invited to join our newly reactivated NIC Playgroup organized by two members of the NIC who each have a young baby.
We would like to start by meeting in a child friendly café. If there is enough interest we could also offer more activities, in the future, such as walks, swims, craft time, story telling or farm trips.
ARTS & CRAFTS THEMED ACTIVITIES
Jewelry Classes – *new* for 2024-2025!
This group is led by an Italian jewelry artisan who shares her sparkling, magical world while teaching you how to create your own jewels.
Creative Circle: The Creative Circle is a casual gathering of embroiderers, knitters, crafters, stitchers, textile artists and people who love to create. The group meets weekly for a relaxing few hours of creative needle arts, good conversation and a cup of tea (and cake). We share tips and techniques, information on local yarn stores, and other crafting sources. Members work on projects of their choice; beginners to seasoned crafters are welcome!
Craft with Me: is an online group for all NIC members who enjoy DIY crafting of all kinds: everything from beading to painting & paper arts, ceramics & clay, sewing, fiber textile art and more. .
BOOKS & GAMES THEMED ACTIVITIES
Book Club: The Book Club meets monthly to discuss a selected book. We generally meet for about two hours and usually have coffee and light refreshments. We order our own books in whatever language we choose but our discussions are held in English. A list of what we are reading can be found under the Book Club Titles section on the menu bar HERE.
Burraco: This is a very popular Italian card game! It comes from the “pinnacola” (pinochle) family and it is quite similar to “canasta.” Burraco is easy to learn and great fun!
If you love playing cards, are curious about how to play, or simply enjoy good company, join us!
LANGUAGE CONVERSATION
English Conversation for Beginners – *new leader* for 2024-2025!
Join an easy and fun English course for beginners, or elementary learners. Here we are going to use different topics for developing speaking skills with a sprinkle of grammar, though adding vocabulary is also important. The classes could be once/ twice a month.
Intermediate English Conversation – *new leader* for 2024-2025!
This group is led by a native English speaker from the UK. The design is fun, with a focus on gaining confidence and improving pronunciation of tricky English words!
Some topics are prepared in advance, but the overall structure of the group is based on the broad ability of the group.
Come along and be prepared to chat, drink tea and have a laugh!
Advanced English Conversation – *new leader* for 2024-2025!
In this group you will have the opportunity to practise your English and find answers to your questions about pronunciation, grammar or even the differences in spelling between US and UK English!
The main aim of our sessions will be to practise conversation in a relaxed environment (with cups of tea, of course!) but we will also read newspaper articles or extracts from books in order to provoke questions about the English language and further discussion.
French Conversation
This group is led by a native French speaker and focuses on improving confidence in speaking, while practicing together in a friendly setting.
Spanish Conversation – NEW!
Hola! We have a NEW Spanish Conversation activity for anyone interested in / or who has some knowledge of Spanish, offered by two members of the NIC. They have chosen to co-lead the activity to be able to assist different goals or levels of ability.
CULINARY THEMED ACTIVITIES
Bake with Me: This is a *new* Activity Group for 2024!
This group will meet once a month in the leader’s home. Participants will learn how to bake traditional Slovak cakes and breads, including Christmas pastries.
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Cook with Me: In this awesome group, we’re all about sharing our passion for cooking and indulging in delicious food. While we do have cooking classes lined up, the real heart of this Club lies in sharing our unique culinary traditions and the recipes we adore from different cultures.
Get ready to dive into a world of flavors and techniques as we come together to exchange our cooking secrets and cherished dishes. So, roll up your sleeves, bring your appetite, and let’s create a melting pot of culinary delights!
To ensure the smooth continuity of our meetings, since only some of us have a big kitchen to participate in, I would like each member to cooperate in providing their home for various activities. Depending on the size of the kitchen, these activities may include:
— cooking your recipes alongside the group in your kitchen
— allowing someone else to cook in your kitchen
— cooking for the members hosting the sessions (with reimbursement for expenses)
— or hosting a lunch where each person brings a dish from their culinary tradition.
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NIC for Foodies: This is an electronic recipe exchange group, sharing all kinds of Belgian grocery store finds, as well as “what’s for dinner” in various homes.
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NIC Out to Lunch: In this very popular activity group, we each take turns choosing a restaurant and making the reservations.
The organizer for each lunch also brings a small wrapped gift (~10 euros) as a Tombola prize. The person who receives the prize chooses the next restaurant, time and date and makes the reservation.
PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP
The goal of the group is to share an interest in photography. Which camera you use is up to you: smart phone, point and shoot, mirrorless or DSLR. There is a saying in photography that “the camera in your hands is the best one”. We go on photo walks depending on the interest of the members.
DOGGIE WALKS
🐾 Are you looking for new friends for you & your dog?
🐾 Would you like to meet other dog owners for nice walks in different places in & around Brussels? We may end up for a coffee somewhere!
🐾 Do you want to share your best dog places with other dog owners & have fun together?
Don’t hesitate — join the group!
NIC EXERCISE – *new* for 2024!
NIC Exercise is a *new* activity group, offered by a NIC member who is a physiotherapist, and who is also certified as a Pilates, Hatha and Power Yoga instructor.
Workshops will be offered once a month, with a focus on physiotherapy and exercise. During these workshops the group will learn proper body posture, how to sit properly, how to get up properly and sleep in the correct position, as well as learning facial gymnastics and facial massage!
NIC RUNNING CLUB – *new* for 2024!
The NIC Running Club welcomes runners of all levels! Join fellow NIC community members for a casual run in one of the city’s beautiful parks. Runs are approximately 5 km rain or shine, with coffee afterwards for anyone who is interested.
HIKE WITH ME
Hike with Me is a very active group with many participants enjoying time outdoors together in the Belgian countryside. The routes are chosen with the occasional historic or architectural site alongside beautiful trails of varying length and difficulty.
WALK WITH ME IN BRUSSELS
Walking is the most natural and healthy kind of travel.
We will travel the city that is hosting us by foot, with an active pace but without stress, to have fun, take pictures and share information about hidden gems to visit, restaurants to try and experiences to live.
Brussels has beautiful corners that deserve to be explored and lived. Be prepared to get to know the city contrasts: the elegance of its architectural facades and the colors of its ethnic markets. The aim of the walking group is to share the enthusiasm for this city, to show hidden corners to the newcomers and last but not least to stay fit in a fun way.
We will walk main boulevards passing by places of interest as well as secondary streets far from the crowd, looking for new spots and inspirations.
CULTURAL TOURS
Welcome to the NIC Cultural Activities. We enjoy guided visits in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia. Would you like to know more about history, architecture, the arts? Do you like specialty Belgian food and beverages such as chocolates, beer and cheese pairings and wines? Would you like to attend one of the permanent or temporary museum exhibits? Belgium has so much to offer. We look forward to discovering it, together.
Previous Activity groups in the NATO International Club
The NIC membership has always been full of talent, which has given the club a rich history of Activity Groups. There is room for new Activity Leaders in the NIC – either to revive a previous group or to begin a new one!
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BEGINNER’S FRENCH CONVERSATION – available to a new Activity Leader
Beginner’s French Conversation was a group dedicated to those members who are at a zero level and cannot attend classes yet.
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BIKE WITH ME – available to a new Activity Leader
Bike with Me was a group of NIC members who loved to cycle together – on both paved bike paths, as well as paths through woods and fields.
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BUNCO – available to a new Activity Leader
Bunco is a game involving dice and is very social.
The previous NIC Bunco group was organized circa once a month and took place during the day, with a communal lunch for the participants.
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COLLECTORS CLUB – available to a new Activity Leader
Collectors Club was for those who enjoy collecting – from badges or postage stamps to typewriters, clocks or Christmas ornaments, vintage or new. In this group we shared our stories, experiences, places to look for collectibles, advice and tips on how to arrange the collection.
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DRAWING/SKETCHING – available to a new Activity Leader
Drawing/Sketching was offered by a NIC member who taught others how to begin the process of drawing and sketching the world around us.
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MAH JONG – available to a new Activity Leader
Maj Jong is a game of strategy using Chinese character tiles.
This NIC Activity Group group met to learn more about the game and enjoy playing together.
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NIC CHOIR – available to a new Activity Leader
The NIC Choir was a vibrant group of NIC members who love music and singing. If you play the piano, enjoy arranging music or leading a choir with periodic opportunities to perform, please consider reviving the NIC Choir.
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NORDIC WALKING – available to a new Activity Leader
Nordic Walking was available to those NIC members who enjoyed a brisk and social walk (with or without poles!) through the many wooded paths available to us in the Brussels region.
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TREASURE HUNTING – available to a new Activity Leader
Treasure Hunting was an online group, sharing ideas and locations for where to discover Brocantes and Vintage Markets all around Belgium.
Occasionally, “field trips” were organized for shopping in different locations. In the words of the founding Coordinator for Treasure Hunting: “We live in antique heaven! Belgium and our surrounding countries have incredible treasure hunting opportunities!”
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SCRIPT READING – available to a new Activity Leader
Script Reading was a group led by a NIC member with experience in theater and the stage. This group was very popular among the NIC members, as the scripts chosen (poetry, text, dramatic scenes) offered a chance to focus on pronunciation of the words and rhythm of the sentences in that language. The Script Reading group performed from time to time at NIC Coffee Mornings to show what they had been practicing.
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