After my first year at university I decided to take a gap year. I had quickly realized I had chosen the wrong studies, only to switch to another subject that did not suit me either. I needed the time to find out what I wanted to do with my life.
As it had been a longstanding dream of mine to become an actress
Photo: Wim Sonius
Dusk is falling as we walk onto the gangway. Above us the first stars slowly start to show as white specks in a progressively darker sky. Carefully we make our path through palm trees and carnivorous plants, when suddenly we hear a familiar tune. In the depths below us a string quartet has just started playing the main title of Game of Thrones.
Diversity is a hot topic. Should we take in more or less refugees? Do we want more or less international cooperation? And should borders that have been opened in recent decades be closed again? Interestingly enough, religion is often mentioned as a big theme in the debate surrounding diversity. ‘Islam is a violent and hateful religion.’ ‘Our Judeo-Christian tradition is under threat.’
In light of me wanting to put more focus on my writing, even though an actual book might not be in the works just yet, I have decided to bring a new column to the blog: Tales on Tuesday. Because a little explanation might be in order, here goes:
With the big 3-0 nearing, I found myself pondering all the ‘to do before 30’ lists. I once read a quote saying that if you haven’t achieved anything before 30, you never will. It always stuck with me, enticing me to do things and to try to become the best version of me as soon as possible. Before 30, anyways.
Having only just started this new blog of mine, I was adamant that I should keep up posting once a day, even if I was going away on a short holiday. I had written a few posts that just needed a little bit of touching up, which I would do while waiting at the airport and during my layover, and then of course I would post some photos and tidbits of the holiday while I was on it. It felt good having a game plan.
Of course – and obviously – it didn’t work out like that. Wifi at the airport was shitty to say the least. There was no free wifi, but if I sat at the right place I had access to some luxury club’s internet. It barely worked on my phone though, and not at all on the laptop. Then when I arrived at the over-the-top deluxe all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic that was my destination, it turned out
