Dealing with loneliness in the Netherlands

1. Join a voluntary organisation ie Regenboog Groep in Amsterdam - many other people are in compromised social situations, dealing with loss, or have some illness, addiction or dealing with hardship in one way or another need someone just to listen - you can listen to them - just sit next to them - your presence is more than you think it is.  You also meet many other volunteers who are english speaking from other countries who I have found to have an agreeable nature, that are caring and giving.   You meet up every so often with these volunteers to share your stories of being a 'buddy'.  You can learn more about human nature, how deeply flawed we all are and how to accept people as they are.  You receive training (free) and attend some nice gatherings organised by the whoever wants to do it.  Being of help, company and offering just your time to someone in need can help take the edge off being lonely yourself;
2. Look around in your area for some light yoga classes.  Working with the breath, and giving yourself some good attention to bring your physical body into a healthy state can assist warding off the clouds of feeling disconnected - you will understand that you are in fact very very much connected to everything else - nature - trees have the other part of your lungs hanging on them; you are able to deal with social situations better as you come from centre - a more balanced place; and if you learn some meditational techniques, being alone is not such a big deal;
3. stand up straight - evolution takes place along the spine -  shoulders back - look the world straight in the eye, stand your ground, don't go round anything/avoid anything - go through and learn what it is that you are to learn from that situation - observe what it is that you are in/looking at/experiencing.  Listen to others - really look them in the eyes and listen to them = try not to interrupt or formulate your next sentence - listen to them and what they are trying to share with you. learn something really worth while.  if you really suck at social interactions, learn some social techniques - we have the worlds wisdom and much more on the world wide web, learn something on you-tube.  we stand on the shoulders of giants - great artists, poets, writers, philosophers, mathematicians etc have walked this earth - we don't have to re-invent the wheel we can learn from them, and carry on their works and do our duty to bring humanity to it's highest expression - whatever that can be - skies the limit;
4. change your favourite playlist that you have running in your head from eg 'i suck, i have ugly toes, why do i still look like the village idiot after spending... etc..., change it to something that you want others to say about you - change the tune ie i can love, i have achieved..., i care well for my mum, dad, brother or sister, i am a good neighbour etc. etc.  find out what it is that you do well and do it;
5. remember that you are like the sky, the clouds of despair and disconnection come and they go, but you are like the sky unlimited, unbounded and immeasurable... and most of all be grateful - your ancestors didn't go through what they went through for thousands to years to get you here today so you can sit on your own and feel alone.  Make a family tree, try to understand who they were, what they did - and give them thanks.