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 …
Category: Realist idealist
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 Animal Day!
Today is World Stray Animal 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 …
The traveller’s guide to dealing with street children
It’s International Street Children’s Day today. The situation of children and young people living and working on the street is horrendous. As a traveller, you often see street children or other vulnerable children, especially in poorer and …
Read More "The traveller’s guide to dealing with street children"
