All of a sudden it was pitch dark. What the hell? I was relaxing on the couch, child to bed, husband out of town so I had the whole evening for me, myself and Netflix. Cup of tea and chocolate within reach. How wonderful life can be! The only thing you need is electricity… I’m
It has been three years since we exchanged Rotterdam for Johannesburg, South Africa. I do remember those earlier days really well. So many new impressions, so many new experiences and especially so many things to be amazed by and to marvel at. But I also started to find some things completely normally… So how do
Coming from Holland and used to a 4G network and Wifi spots everywhere it is quite an adjustment to get used to the ‘almost none existing’ infrastructure here in South Africa. Coverage is certainly not 100%. So, often I would go outside, waving my phone in the air, hoping it would pick up a signal.
‘I’m moving this weekend’. I look at Sinnah with astonishment. ‘What a surprise!’ I didn’t know that Sinnah wanted to move. The house she currently lives in is her property so I don’t quite understand this ‘move’. It turns out that she has the opportunity to buy a piece of land where she can build
The District Hillbrow is notorious and infamous, and not just In Johannesburg. Just read any travel guide and it was strongly advised not to walk around as a white person. But what makes Hillbrow so distinct? And what makes the Ponte Tower so special? This cylinder-shaped tower was built in 1975, 173 meters high and
As an expat, you can live your life in a bubble. It’s a peculiar experience. You’re living in another country, but most of your friends are Dutch, your kids are sent to the Dutch school and you can buy your Dutch sprinkles and candy at the Dutch store. The biggest difference with the Netherlands is
I was shot in Johannesburg. BAM! Yes, yes, the tone has been set! Nothing sweet like: I love New York or I Amsterdam. In Johannesburg they opt for a different marketing strategy. What’s so nice about Johannesburg? High crime figures, corrupt government, poor people in townships and power cuts … The question people often ask:
Like we had a ‘Day at the Park’ in the Netherlands, Johannesburg also has his own version under the same name. I therefore assumed that it would be sort of the same thing as the festival in Amsterdam. ‘Same, same, but different’ we like to say… To start off with the similarities: both festivals are
‘A group of 36 Dutch tourists have been raided in Johannesburg ‘. These headlines won’t help the reputation of Johannesburg. To be honest, if something happens here, it is accompanied by a certain degree of violence that is unknown to the Netherlands. Armed robbery, carjack, murder, an ordinary theft seems to be very rare here.
‘This December Katiso is getting circumcised’. What a cheerful topic when you’re just enjoying your cup of tea in the morning. Sinnah, our nanny, looks at me with a serious face. ‘Seriously?’ Somehow I associate circumcision with the Jewish culture so I was quite surprised. It says more about my ignorance, just read Wikipedia (and