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Left behind
A hotel room in Almere 8:30 in the evening on Sunday. I lie on my belly on bed with the laptop infront. Thinking about what I have left behind. I have left Greece. Working and living in Greece has a very different impact than a 2 week holiday in Greece. I have merged into Greece…
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Naag
Waldorf and Statler friendships, people who come and people who go. People who disappear and people who always stay. Inga has purchased a mobile after 3 weeks. She has forgotten her previous one somewhere along the way. A German subscription arranged by her parents, a SIM card sent and she was ready for business. At…
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It’s not a farm
Where do I get my inspiration from? It must have been the novelty I ended up in. I can state that I have stepped out of my comfort zone, a piece of mentally wasteland that I need to make liveable and my own. The first days of my stay were days of searching. What could…
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at the farm
Years ago I spoke with an colleague about my plans outside the Netherlands. Maybe I would go farming. (goldfish farm) and that I could possibly go for “Boer zoekt vrouw” international. That was the first thing I thought of with a smile once I arrived in Lagonissi. I’m going to delve into farming! That is…
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Gooseberry season
Gooseberry season. This post is about between two jobs in 4 weeks. So gooseberry season. I chose this title because I don’t expect much news. It is a bit like sitting in a waiting room. A little musing about what was and what could come. Here and there some stress moments caused by faltering of…
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Closing in 5
My work is done. For the last time “closing in 5”. Working for 3 months I have left the camp. In the beginning I took into account a possible extension, but that is not going to happen. Working at the camp, I can go on for a few months. But living in Athens gives me…
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To express
I am more often asked to do jobs inside the houses of the residents. Minor leaks, doors and now also renewing a kitchen. Emily or Andreas check if I have the time and if I can handle the work. Given my experience as a DIY (I have build my own kitchen, bathroom, walls, toilets in…
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Road to nowhere
It is always like a long run or marathon when I am flying. It takes a lot of time to get there where you want to go. To be on time at the airport like 2 hours just for waiting, the overpriced bottled water or a sandwich, always people pressing at the gate afraid of…
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Cookin at Eleonas
36 refugees from 14 different countries, all living at Eleonas Camp in Athens, Greece, have come together to bring not only their food to life but also their life experiences. Those who follow this cookbook will make delicious meals, gain new insights into the refugee crisis and come to understand how migration enriches us; infusing…
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Review
On the eve of my Easter holidays, I look back. Reviewing the details of the past 3 weeks. By the rhythm of work what I have now, it seems the “give to” and “do for” the refugees is as a matter of course. It is a kind of automatism. The talks I have and the…