Lotuk

Something with doors opening and closing

Brother

don't decide to follow

Poor and poor

If there's poor and there's poor, I walked into the last kind last summer in Uganda.

While on a boat trip on Lake Victoria in Jinja, the boat was moored on Kikondo. Isolation has put the island in a position where it is strongly dependent on it's own capabilities. The sparse and thus almost unpayable medical help that is available, even led in 2009 to a situation where almost all inhabitants were critically sick. Children clamping to our arms, all eyes on us: it felt like we were tourists looking at a disaster.

The village meant a direct confrontation with the waste problem, which is the main reason for my stay in Africa. Plastic acting like earth layers and smouldering fires which were lightened by waste: reality stroke me again.

Processing the situation was not on the agenda. A couple of minutes later we arrive at a nice maintained piece of lawn. Welcome at a luxe resort. The shock almost couldn't be bigger and it felt very unpleasant to  after all we just saw, walk in between the well organised garden en the exotic pool.

Thinking I had seen it all back then, the portion of malaise on my birthday wasn't complete yet. Arriving back at the very little haven, the difference between poor and rich was once again confirmed. A wall ànd barbed wire seemed necessary to protect all the rich inhabitant from the poor, wild plebs of the fisher's village. 

Us people, we can be so blunt and thoughtless.

Is it fear?

Green garden

and I’ll fly on the wings of a butterfly

turns on the relative aspect of things

Morning

Your eyes see the better day

Let it all go

if we're strong enough to let it in,

we're strong enough to let it go

what now

attraction and repulsion

hoping I can keep up

what if memories fade, and the only person I can keep them alive with is distracting me too much, just by living

what then

but

what now

Je suis

and what is it that divided us?

Walking with elephants

Late night overthinkings

Wishing I cared less

*Ugandan lady walks towards me*

"What are you doing?"

I'm writing down my thoughts, so I won't forget them when I'm back in another environment.

"What are you thinking about then?"

Who I am, who I want to be and what I'll do in my later life; and if thinking about it is not just postponing the present.

"And who is that?"

Well, even my mind cannot find out what to feel. But what I know is that I want to spread things, make people aware of situations.

"What kind of situations?"

You, here, talking to me.
was what I should have answered, but the presence and kindness of this woman distracted me too much

Little Wave

Can I Kick It?

Kandaiki

and then it hurts you

but you gave it the power to

you yourself

and that

might be where the hope lurks

Come my way

hey

in my life,

you're quite new

but I love it with all my heart

happy Valentine's Day dear dreadlock

yes, I got a dreadlock woopwoop

0:56

About random conversations. And how much I love them.

I adore talking to strange people on the train. I adore being asked how to get to the nearest busstop. I adore being told about someone's history. I adore getting different perspectives on life. I even adore the small talk about the weather that precedes these conversations.

Talking to others can be such a relief. I met a woman on the train last week who declared her whole life and felt so grateful afterwards, being able to let it all out. She had been through a lot but her positive mindset spread all over our cabin.

It also makes you feel connected. Why should we life next to each other? We often neglect people but this results in such a rude environment. A simple smile can really make my day.

The lady at the coffee bar today asked me how I liked the book I read while I was in there, 'since she read the same one. She was really enthusiast and sweet and the small conversation made me feel good and bad. Good because I felt connected. I was in some way remembered that we are all in this together. Bad because last time I was over there, she acted a bit rude and I judged her while entering the bar. I get real mad when I catch myself having prejudices. 

I'm aware of the fact that we cannot talk to every single person we meet. Just try by talking to at least one stranger each day. Just try.

Freedom

unexpected

Coely, known for her awesome rap skills, amazed everyone a while ago with her Beyoncé cover. Replay.

Let's go surfing

Oh momma

I don't care about nothing

I feel whole. More than ever.

I see you

- when you saw me leaving, did you think I had a place to go?

Rustig, Martha, Het is allemaal voorbij. Er is geen enkel gevaar meer.

<3

Ghost nets

Sit back and listen

Try to acknowledge the power you have

Climate change isn't fiction

We must unite

Soon