Women from three different cultures give candid insights into how they feel about ageing and their perception of beauty as they get older. Story by Chloe McDermott Antoinette Roovers (53) Dutch/Turkish Social work How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up? Quite comfortable. When I go to work or something where I have to make an appearance then I really would like … Continue reading Beauty Past Forty
The bond between Scotland and France has been recognised since the Middle Ages and formed in the bloody battlefields of both countries fighting a common enemy: the English. Nowadays this relationship is forged in shared interests and political alignment. by Chloe McDermott Since Brexit and the renewed effort by the Scottish government to reinstate a relationship with Europe the ties to France have never been … Continue reading Paris and Scotland: An old tie that does not die
Besides being the city of love, Paris is also the home of literature lovers. With more than 700 bookshops spread throughout the city centre, a row of 900 green wooden stalls and 230 booksellers stretching across three kilometres along the Seine, Parisian booksellers proudly show their love for the art of writing through books. But in the age of the smartphone, this book culture is … Continue reading The Bouquinistes of Paris
Although originally from the Canary Islands, Daniel Palmes (20) lives in the French capital, Paris, a city he moved to in order to study at the Ballet School of the Opéra national de Paris. After being a student there for five years, Daniel graduated with a Higher professional Diploma for Dancers and has performed in numerous shows, such as Le Corsaire. During a sit-down interview … Continue reading Dream of Dance: Moving to Paris to pursue ballet
True beauty comes from within. That’s not exactly what you would associate with beauty contests, where it seems to be all about appearances. But to win, you don’t just have to look perfect. Saartje Langstraat (21), the Miss Beauty Netherlands from 2021 gives insight into the world of pageants and how participating has changed her perspective on beauty. Story by Jana Prochazka How do you … Continue reading “It’s all about confidence”
Text and audio y Christiaan Broersma – Istanbul is the city of a thousand noises, but despite that five times a day the inhabitants will hear a sound that outclasses all the others. The Azan is a call to prayer that can be heard from each mosque in Istanbul. Because of the diversity regarding religion, not everyone enjoys the sound. I dived into the world … Continue reading The Azan in Istanbul: love it or hate it
Isabella Balanchi – Studies show that many poured a few extra drinks during the Covid-19 lockdowns. But now that the world is open again, a counter-movement is trending. It is called mindful drinking and invites people to explore why they drink – with the goal to cut down or quit completely. I met Laura Willoughby from Club Soda for a talk about the drinking culture … Continue reading Putting down the beer
Karel Budde was born March 1935 in Amsterdam. He lived through the Second World War from when he was 5 until he was 10 years old. The memories of the war still trouble him to this day. “In 1940 I went to the first class at the Montessori school. Classes consisted of about 40 to 50 children, of which half were Jewish. Anne Frank used … Continue reading “I don’t remember anything nice about that time”
On 10 May 1940, war broke out in Belgium. The men had to go to the army and the women and children had to stay at home and flee if necessary. Lea Adams was born in 1929 and can still tell a lot about those five years of war. “I was 10 years old when it all started. I made my solemn communion and had … Continue reading “I did not understand why they were so afraid”
Elisabeth Epple was born on 25th January 1932 in Steinbronnen, a small village near Bad Saulgau in the southwest of Germany. Born into a farming family, she was the youngest of six children. Just one year after her birth, the Nazis took over Germany under Hitler’s leadership. In 1938, when she was only six years old, World War II started, and she experienced seven years … Continue reading “With every airplane I prayed that our small village would be spared from the attacks”
