Smart Cities

**Welcome to the 23rd edition of Locals Meet Expats!** Come alone, bring a dish and leave with real connections. On Saturday, May 30th, I am hosting a special **potluck dinner**, but this is much more than an ordinary dinner party. We are creating an evening where meaningful conversations come first. **What to expect?** **Share your culture** Bring a delicious dish from your home country and discover flavors and stories from around the world. **Genuine connections** Every 30 minutes, we switch tables, making it easy to meet new people throughout the evening. **Skip the small talk** Thoughtful question cards cards will spark conversations about life, inspiration, dreams, philosophy and personal experiences. **Come as you are** Everyone joins alone, so there is no need to worry you will not be the only one coming by yourself. **A warm and safe atmosphere** I will make sure the evening feels open, respectful and welcoming. Join us at the table, share stories, enjoy good food, and leave with new friendships and unforgettable conversations. **Curious about previous events? Explore the photo albums below (available on desktop view only).** **Practical details** * Doors open at 18:00 * Venue: Boekencafé Libertas, Klarendalseweg 477-1, Arnhem * 20 min walk from Arnhem Central * 7 min walk from Arnhem Velperpoort * Ask the staff where to find us. Bring a smile and join us for an evening where friendships grow, business ideas spark and real-life connections happen. Warm regards, Julia

Hello lovely ladies! Would you like to relax, express yourself creatively without judgement, connect with other like minded women and drink a lil on the side? Then this activity is for you! Come join us on a nice picnic with some paint, laughs and drinks :) This activity is made to: • Connect with other women and make friends • Paint and express yourself however you like. There are no mistakes! • Be yourself in a completely judgement free zone • Laugh • Get yourself out of your comfort zone • Sip 😏🍷 • And to just have fun!! What is provided? • Small canvases 👩🏽‍🎨 • Paint 🎨 • Drinks 🍷 • Good vibes ✨ • Music 💃🏽 Because this is a cost free activity it will be much appreciated if we can all bring a little something for all of us. ( It is definitely not mandatory if you do not have the budget for it!) You can bring: • Drinks (wine, beer, soda, juice, water etc) • Snacks (fruit, chips, crackers, nuts etc) • Blankets! So we can sit on the grass :) • Good vibes • A smile • Leave any judgement at home ;) ‼️THERE ARE LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE‼️ ‼️ IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME ANYMORE PLEASE RSVP BEFORE THE ACTIVITY DATE ‼️

**Hilversum Code & Coffee** A friendly meetup for developers, tech enthusiasts, students, freelancers, founders, and anyone interested in coding. Bring your laptop, grab a coffee, and work on: * coding projects * learning programming * AI experiments * startup ideas * automation tools * open source * career development All levels are welcome — from beginners to experienced engineers.

Let us meet, have a coffee and code together, or just discuss :)! This Meetup is everyone that considers himself "Techie", in the broad sense and wants to socialize :). Join us and chat, ask your questions, or work on your own projects. The choice is yours! There is no agenda, this is simply a gathering of interested folks :). We're meeting at Lebkov right inside the Utrecht Centraal station. We're typically sitting at the large table. Search for the folks with the laptops in the back! You are very welcome to join whether you are an experienced developer, or simply interested and want to chat!

📍 Hilversum Station, 11:00 → Pinetum → back by ~15:00 🚶‍♂️ Short walk (~20–30 min each way) 🎯 Main location: Pinetum Blijdenstein (€4 entry) This time we’re keeping it shorter and focusing on one beautiful spot: the Pinetum — a small botanical garden dedicated to pine trees, full of interesting shapes, textures, and quiet corners to sketch. We’ll meet at Hilversum Station at 11:00, walk together to the garden (arriving around 11:30), and spend about 2 hours sketching. There are some benches, but not many — please bring a foldable chair if you’d like to sit while sketching (blankets won’t work here). Around 13:30, we’ll head back toward the station. If people feel like it, we can grab coffee and maybe lunch at Mout before wrapping up around 15:00. Bring: Sketching materials Water Foldable chair Comfortable clothes + an extra layer No pressure on skill level — quick sketches, detailed studies, or just experimenting are all welcome. Come for the trees, stay for the sketches 🌲✏️

*Since the event will be in Dutch, this description is too.* Ben je benieuwd naar wat het Tibetaans boeddhisme inhoudt en zoek je een plek waar je op een ontspannen en toegankelijke manier kunt kennismaken? Of ben je gewoon op zoek naar een moment van rust, meditatie en reflectie? Dan ben je van harte welkom bij *Heart of Compassion*, een reeks zondagochtendbijeenkomsten waarin compassie het centrale thema vormt. Aan deze activiteit kun je per keer meedoen. Tijdens deze ochtenden beginnen we met een gezamenlijke meditatie. Daarna volgt een korte inleiding op een boeddhistisch thema, zoals de [Vier Edele Waarheden](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vier_edele_waarheden), compassie voor jezelf en voor anderen. We nemen vervolgens de tijd om samen stil te staan bij het onderwerp, in de vorm van een gesprek of een geleide meditatie die uitnodigt tot reflectie. **Voor wie?** Of je nu net begint met het verkennen van boeddhisme of gewoon op zoek bent naar een moment van rust, iedereen is welkom. Ervaar de kracht van compassie in een toegankelijke en rustige sfeer. **Praktische informatie** -Begeleiding: Eline Rinchen Dorjee-Weiman -Ontvangst: vanaf 10:15 uur en na de bijeenkomst is er tijd voor een kopje thee -Plaats: [Jewel Heart, Hatertseveldweg 284, 6532 XX Nijmegen](https://maps.app.goo.gl/D4FzqLbkaqs2JNDG8). Loop de oprit op en dan zit de ingang aan je rechterzijde -Kosten: Aan deze bijeenkomsten zijn geen kosten verbonden -Aanmelding is niet nodig Kijk ook naar onze andere [open activiteiten](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/open-activiteiten/) en [cursussen](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/cursussen-overzicht/)

Join us for a relaxed and friendly matcha tasting meetup. I’ll bring matcha for everyone to try, and you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks, including alcohol if you like. This is a casual event for meeting new people, enjoying Japanese tea culture, and spending a cozy afternoon together. Beginners are very welcome. Free to join.

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **Join the Utrecht Coffee Club and make new friends!** Each meetup brings together 4–6 people for casual conversations over coffee. We use the Groupvibe platform to facilitate the meetup and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) We’ll share the exact location of the upcoming meetup the night before only if you have bought a ticket or membership plan. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier. \* Discover new cafes in your city, together. \* Curated cafes with good coffee and vibe. \* If you hit it off with your group, there’s plenty of time to hang out afterwards. **Note:** RSVPs on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. The event on [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) is only a placeholder. This meetup is organized by Groupvibe, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

🎉**Welkom! 欢迎光临!** 🎉 We’re thrilled to welcome you to our **Dutch-Chinese Language Exchange Event** – a fun and interactive gathering where language, culture, and new friendships come together! Whether you’re learning **Dutch**, exploring **Chinese**, or just love meeting people from around the world, today is all about **sharing, speaking, and having fun**. And this time, we’re adding an extra twist — **hiking!** Practice your language skills through relaxed conversation, pick up new vocabulary while playing games, and enjoy the mix of cultures in a casual, friendly setting. Whether you're a beginner or fluent speaker, there's something here for everyone. So say “你好” or “Hallo”, join a game, and let the exchange begin! As a side note, this time we will hold the event together with the Talking in Japanese MeetUp group. So we will also have Japanese speaking people in our group. You can see the full route of the hike from the link below : https://www.alltrails.com/trail/netherlands/utrecht/stadswandeling-utrecht?u=m&sh=darx53 **The event itinerary will roughly be as follows**: \- We gather at Utrecht Centraal train station\. \- We start our hike from the Centraal station\. \- We will do our hike/walk of 8\.5 km\. \- We will finish our hike/walk back at the Utrecht Centraal station\. PS: Original route was cancelled because of the disruptions on the train lines. We try the original route again in a future event. This time we will be doing a Utrecht City walk. We will pay attention to walk in the shade but still it's recommended to bring suncreen, water and a hat. Some notes about the event: \- We will check attendance at the beginning of the event\, so make sure to sign up if you're joining\. \- We will collect 2 € contribution to cover the expenses on MeetUp\. \- Some pictures may be taken during the event\, if you prefer your photos not to be taken or shared please reach out to the organizer\. \- Please behave in a kind manner\. In case anyone causes trouble or bothers others they will receive a permanent ban to all the future events of this group\.

Please purchase your comedy ticket in advance [here](https://shop.weeztix.com/7644a480-d5a7-4264-a27a-ed697bb17fc9/tickets?shop_code=3qjd24qv&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FExpats_Utr_Comedy). **PRIDE EDITION – INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOWCASE 🌈** Looking to meet new people, have a laugh and celebrate Pride Month? Join us for a very special Mad Cow Comedy Sunday Laughternoon; our SEASON FINALE before the summer break! This colourful international comedy showcase features an amazing lineup of LGBTQ+ comedians and allies from across Europe, performing in English in the heart of Utrecht. Expect big laughs, gezelligheid and a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Hosted by Utrecht favourite Soula Notos, with: ✨ Adi Parmar ✨ Alex Mitchell ✨ Marina Orsag ✨ Marlies Verschueren Whether you come alone or with friends, our friendly Meetup host Gisele will be there to welcome everybody before the show. Meetup: from 2pm, showtime: 3pm. 🎟 Meetup ticket link: https://bit.ly/Expats_Utr_Comedy Come join us for one last Sunday comedy party before summer begins! 🌈🎤

Hey people! 👋🏻 Today we'll have a pick-nick at the Lepelenburg Park ([https://maps.app.goo.gl/yRcr1nXDAvcRAnjJ8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yRcr1nXDAvcRAnjJ8)) while we enjoy the good weather and relax. Feel free to bring your own food and/or bites to share 😀 Also bring your own towel so more people can join comfortably. This Meetup will start at 17:30 and will end at 20:30. Please check the guidelines in the group description before joining us 😊: [https://www.meetup.com/utrecht-lgbt](https://www.meetup.com/utrecht-lgbt) See you there! ❤️🌈

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

Click Here For More Videos: [https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17vTa7EuwG/](https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17vTa7EuwG/) The Biggest Salsa Night to hit your mid-week is happening at Latin City Wednesdays. Get the feel of the Latin Beat as your hips and feet groove the right way. Viva Dance Columbus (2809 Festival Lane Dublin, OH 43017) 830pm-930pm Cuban Salsa Lessons 930pm-Midnight Open Latin Dance Party 15 With Lesson 10 Just Open Dance Free Parking, No Need to Bring a dance partner, No Sandals Please and Plenty of Space to Move Around.

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

CONNECTED – Grove City A casual, people-first networking gathering. CONNECTED – Grove City is a casual, people-first networking gathering. Join us for a relaxed, low-pressure space to meet new people, build real relationships, and have meaningful conversations — no sales pitches required. From 7:30–8:30 AM every 3rd Wednesday of the month at the Grove City Business Center. Coffee & baked goods available for purchase at Pick ’Em Up Joe's. Free street & public lot parking behind the building. Free to attend & open to all!

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)