Building Community, One Conversation at a Time: The Story Behind Bezuidenhout Social Club
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
Life in The Hague can be vibrant, international and full of opportunity. Yet for many English-speaking residents — whether newly arrived or long settled — there’s often a quieter reality beneath the surface: feeling truly connected isn’t always easy.
You can be surrounded by colleagues, neighbours and activity, and still miss a deeper sense of belonging. Bezuidenhout Social Club (BHSC) was created to gently bridge that gap.
From Living Here to Belonging Here
Founded in Bezuidenhout, BHSC is a welcoming, internationally oriented community initiative supporting English-speaking residents in The Hague and surrounding areas. Its aim is simple but meaningful: helping people feel more grounded, connected and at home locally.
The idea grew from personal experience.
When founder Zeyda Erol moved from Istanbul to The Hague, she left behind a lifetime of familiar relationships and had to rebuild her sense of connection from the ground up.
Over the years, she realised something essential: finding your people, “your own tribe”, rarely happens by accident.
It’s partly a numbers game, and yes, it requires intention as well as the right kind of opportunities to be present. That insight became the foundation for Bezuidenhout Social Club.
Now, after more than 20 years of living in the Netherlands, she draws on her lived experience, professional background and community building expertise to help others create that same sense of belonging and feel more at home.
A Small Connection Laboratory
BHSC acts as a kind of “connection laboratory,” intentionally designing conditions that make it easier for everyone to move beyond small talk into meaningful conversations.
Rather than traditional networking, our gatherings focus on shared experience and authentic conversations.
All our events are accessible and inclusive. Professionals, parents, singles, newcomers, long-time residents and students are equally welcome.
Events include:
• Coffee & Connection meetups
• Workshops, discussion groups, hobby clubs and cultural outings
• Community Circle mornings with guest facilitators • Business Owners’ Meet & Mingles for self-employed professionals
• Community Table dinners (supper club)
Why Community Matters
Research consistently shows that strong relationships are among the biggest predictors of long-term health and happiness. Yet in modern urban life, building those relationships can be surprisingly difficult.
BHSC focuses on creating spaces where we feel safe enough to be ourselves.
Conversations move naturally from hobbies to leadership, from career transitions to parenting, from culture to science. Strangers often arrive at the start of the evening and leave as familiar faces.
The magic lies not in the theme, but in what happens between people.
Rooted in Bezuidenhout, Open to Everyone
While rooted in Bezuidenhout, BHSC welcomes anyone internationally minded (yes, Dutchies included) who is looking for intentional opportunities to connect: more meaningful than casual socialising and more human than traditional networking.
As Zeyda puts it: “It’s about learning, growing, and sharing, one connection at a time, until your new community starts to feel like home again.”
BHSC’s long-term vision is to keep strengthening local ties and nurturing a supportive, internationally minded network: helping people shift from simply living in the city to truly belonging in their local community.
Learn more about our upcoming events:
Original article is published on thehagueonline.com on Feb 24, 2026 https://thehagueonline.com/building-community-one-conversation-at-a-time-the-story-behind-bezuidenhout-social-club/
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