If you watched the news during the summer you’ve probably heard report after report of all these natural disasters: floods, forest fires, extreme temperatures, you name it. In the media, reports start piling up: global warming is real, and we have to face this issue.

Even as a Dutchie there is so much left to see in The Netherlands. When I walk through the city, I can be amazed by all the gorgeous things I see. I became curious: are there beautiful places in the Netherlands still to be seen? (The answer to that question is probably always “yes”). There is power in exploring the beauty in your own country instead of always wanting to travel (during the pandemic it was not even possible to travel by plane). It is something that can get you excited and a it’s nice to look forward to fun plans with friends, partner or family. Do you want to know what we’ve done and where we’ve been? Read on!

Most of us are familiar with social media. Some of us spend more time on it than others, and that’s fine. However, lately I –Kirstin- have been noticing I tend to grab my phone all the time – even if it’s not what I really want. More like a thoughtless action that’s become an automatic response to stress or boredom. Somehow, I expect my phone to help me relax, but often it does the exact opposite and I end up with a hasty, distracted feeling. Could it be different? How can we use our phones without being too immersed in them?

“Because when I shop, the world gets better.”

A quote by Rebecca from “Confessions Of A Shopaholic”: a well-known romantic comedy about a woman struggling with shopping addiction. When I watched this cheerful movie last week, her statement got me thinking. In recent years, the invisible side of the fashion industry, pollution and poor working conditions, has been increasingly highlighted. Although I recognize myself in Rebecca’s statement, I am starting to question it more and more. Does the world get better when I buy?

When was the last time you visited a new country? Since the pandemic, the opportunities for travel have been quite restricted. Luckily, we have our imagination to take us back to fond memories or envision a future trip. Flashback to February two years ago, me and my big sis traveled to Denmark and Sweden by train (interrail). As you probably know, traveling by train is a ecofriendly way to visit other countries. It’s a lot of fun too! As I’m writing this, it has been full-on snowing in the Netherlands. It reminds me of the views we saw from the train. Let’s look at our memories from the places we visited and what we advise you to do there!

This week is the National Week Without Meat here in the Netherlands! From March 8th to March 14th more than twenty thousand Dutch people commit to eating a week without any meat. Why? Because it is a small effort with an enormously positive impact on people, animals and the environment. By not consuming meat during the National Week Without Meat, the environmental impact of your diet is lower. For example, you save on greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and water use. Any eater of meat who can manage not to eat meat for one week saves a whopping 101 liters of water, 79 kilometers by car and 770 grams of animal meat.

Here in the Netherlands we are currently not allowed to go outside in the evening. Due to the current situation, lots of people are curious how they can have fun at home. If we are all in this situation together we better make the best of it. In this blog I wanted to share some ideas to creating the ‘feel’ of a night out, at home. The fun thing about nights out is always the elements of having a new experience and breaking out of daily routines.

Procrastination, is there anyone who doesn’t get to deal with it? According to Tim Urban: no. As he explains in his TED-talk (also the most amusing TED-talk I’ve seen), we all procrastinate on something, even the most disciplined planners among us. Why? Because there’s a lot of important stuff in life that doesn’t come with a deadline. Think about adopting healthy habits or spending more time with family and friends. Most of us fail to follow through on our ideals in our everyday lives, here and now instead of the ever tomorrow.

On a rainy day around two years ago, I spontaneously started watching the Chinese series Meteor Garden on Netflix. It was different, but fun. Since then, I’ve watched Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese series. They’re really something! So hear me out while I explain to you why you should give them a try.

December is the month of many contradictions. This time may feel a little dark because of the short days, but this season is full of light at the same time. Christmas is the time to come close to each other, after a year of mostly being cut off from each other. In a time where there is a lot of division between people and groups in society, we can look back on the past year, but we also continue to look ahead to a new year, and savor the hope of Christmas. To help you celebrate Christmas, I’ve listed some activities for you to enjoy!