It’s been two weeks since I left Namibia. I spent about three weeks there and, just like before, I did not want to leave. But, I had to. Because I was going to …
Category: Realist idealist
Volunteering: when doing good does harm
Volunteering has conventionally been linked to good people with good intentions. When done well, volunteering can benefit many people, communities, professionals and governments as well as raise awareness on social issues beyond the …
Africans (can) do it better
This morning, I woke up to headlines reading ‘Nederland m/v doet het slechter dan Burundi, hoe kan dat?‘ (The Netherlands m/f are doing worse than Burundi, how is this possible?) The article indignantly …
Us vs. Them
“The root of all human rights violations, including crimes against humanity (genocide, torture, slavery, etc.), is seeing and thinking of a group of people as less human, undeserving of respect and dignity. Separating …
World Stray Animals Day!
Today is World Stray Animals Day! We humans are capable of domesticating animals and subsequently abandoning them on the streets, leading to an ever-growing population of stray and feral animals. We can’t undo …
Holidays and animal welfare
Where is the link, you may think? Well, there are several. Holidays bring with them an influx of abandoned pets. They are left at the shelter as they can’t find someone to look …
You may say I’m a dreamer…
“Imagine no possessions…” When I was still a serial expat, I longed to have a place where I could settle a bit. I was moving to new places every six to eighteen months …
Be true to nature
Recently, I have a new-found joy in being in nature. And with that comes the questioning within me: is this something I’ve always enjoyed or is it something truly new-found? Is loving nature …
Where to draw the line?
Recently, several people have crossed my path who are challenging the way I think or the way I choose to live or be. It may start with a conversation on veganism and soon …
On being positive and changing your mindset
I’ve been told I’m an eternal optimist. But I’ve also been told I’m too negative. Perhaps it’s like how some people tend to think I’m an extrovert, while others think I’m in introvert. Many …
