I want to do something

One thing that hasn’t gone unnoticed for everyone I think,  is the increasing number of refugees who are trying to enter Europe. An infinite number of discussions are going on at the moment and it makes me sad to see that people use Facebook and other social media to post anonymous comments that testify absolute disrespect for refugees. Some newssites disabled the ability to respond to articles about refugees immediately.

Of course I understand the problem that there are too many of them but I think it’s not human to send them out of the country. Especially not if they have nowhere else to go. I mean, If I would be born there and this happened to me, I would also try to leave the country.

But I do believe that we need to be more secure or strict. For instance after haveing once or twice commited a crime or when we find out that they are affiliated with a terroristic movement, we have the ability to expel refugees more quickly.

Luckily there are people that are looking for a solution, both big and small, and I believe every bit can help.

Universal Unconditional 

”Today people move around the world more than ever. Our citizenship defines our status and rights in a foreign country, but it often can bring struggles and limitations in exercising the universal rights we all are entitled to” (Vulpi, S). 

Italian artist Stefania Vulpi realized that we share a lot with each other: Cars (snapcar), household appliances (peerby), apartments (airbnb), but a citizenship of a particular country is not possible to exchange. How nice would it be if you have certain rights that you do not use and that you can temporarily can lend it to someone who can make better use of it?  For example, the right tf education or health care?

In addition to an online window as an art project where you can register your civil rights, Universal Unconditional offers a network of professionals who want to offer a free services. Across Europe, Stefania is seeking for example for doctors, teachers and lawyers.

 

In Limbo Embassy

Asylum seekers who are not allowed to stay in the Netherlands and also can not return to their country of origin, are without a home. Minimum accomodation of asylum seekers (bed, bath, bread) is an issue of discussion in the Netherlands for instance. Initiator, Manon van Hoeckel wants a place for these people – an Embassy – where they can tell their story and can engage in conversation with local residents. Trough development of activities under the flag of freedom of the press (like selling offical state portraits) the ambassadors find loopholes in the law to be able to start working for these refugees.

 

Alexander Popelier

I love Bali!

Hi!

In April and May I went to Bali to volunteer. I lived for 7 weeks in Penestanan, a little village near Ubud. Ubud is a city with a lot of art surrounded by rice fields and nice people!
I teached English in the 3th grade. The kids would only have English for two weeks so we had to learn them a lot of new words in English. We teached them with pictures, games and songs.
The last day, when we had to say goodbye, the girls had been crying. I really miss them!

I met great people from all over the world and lived between the Balinese people. They learned me a lot about Bali and their culture.

We went to loads of great places on the Island in the weekends.

I saw beautiful beaches, clear water and I went snorkeling. During the snorkeling I saw a Manta Ray. The man on the boat told us that they didn’t see the Manta for a few months so we were very lucky. 3 pictures from this collage were made on the Gili Islands (three small islands next to Lombok), and one at Lombok. 

I saw beautiful sunsets
I made the left picture in Lovina, a place at the North of Bali. The right one were made at Gili Trawagan. 

I drank the most expensive coffee (Kopi Loewak), went into the holy water..

I also hiked a vulkano and went rafting.
I hiked at the mount Batur, that’s the second highest vulkano in Bali. 

I spotted dolphins!!
The three little black spots at the picture in the middle are three fishermen.

I’ve been showed a lot of beautiful temples!!

And went to the Island next to Bali, Lombok.
For 4 days I traveled alone at Lombok, the nature on this Island is beautiful but I still prefer the culture of Bali. 

I had a really fantastic time overthere and learned a lot.
It was the first time that I went on my own outside Holland and to Bali.

I would really recommend it to volunteer abroad!

I hope you enjoyed this post!