Tag: Life Reflections
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🇳🇱 Tussentijd 🇬🇧 The In-Between
I find myself between two worlds. No longer in Singapore, not yet home. On a quiet island, I rediscover what it means to simply be, to drift with the wind and the waves, and to enjoy a moment where nothing needs to begin or end.
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🇳🇱 Ritme of Regels 🇬🇧 Rhythm or Rules
A reflection on rhythm, rules and human nature in Singapore’s MRT, where silence meets salsa and order meets spontaneity.
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🇳🇱 Nog Even 🇬🇧 Now I Still Can
Now I Still Can. So many moments in these last few weeks in Singapore make me say this phrase again and again.
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🇳🇱🇬🇧 Déjà vu
A forgotten notebook sparks déjà vu of old packing lists. Three years on, new treasures and priceless experiences shape the real baggage of expat life.
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🇳🇱 Uit de kast 🇬🇧 Out of the Closet
A closet clean-out turns into more than just piles of clothes – it’s about letting go, laughing at old choices, and wondering which version of yourself still fits.
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🇳🇱 Big Brother, 5 SGD en mijn geweten 🇬🇧 Big Brother, 5 SGD and My Conscience
Found: 5 dollars. Watched: by a camera. Dilemma? Apparently. A small story about integrity, awkward choices, and my personal Big Brother (who never knows where his money went).
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🇳🇱 Een vleugje Europa in Singapore – Tiong Bahru 🇬🇧 A Touch of Europe in Singapore – Tiong Bahru
🇬🇧 Finding a European vibe in Tiong Bahru, Singapore, and uncovering the subtle mental tricks of cognitive dissonance that help us call a new place ‘home’ 🇳🇱 De Europese Vibe in Tiong Bahru, Singapore — en de slimme mentale kunstgrepen van cognitieve dissonantie die me verrassen in mijn nieuwe thuisgevoel.
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🇳🇱 Thuis: Een Gevoel, Geen Plek? 🇬🇧 Home: A Feeling, Not a Place?
What makes a house a home? During a workshop with expats, we explored how home is more than just a place—it’s about people, memories, and familiarity. My own move in Singapore challenged my assumptions, proving that home is a feeling that evolves.
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🇳🇱 Turbulentie 🇬🇧 Turbulence
Breathe in, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Hold, one, two. And calmly exhale, pffffff. Focus on my voice. You’re okay, you’re safe. I’m awkwardly leaning over the empty middle seat, my hand resting on the soft, full belly of a woman I don’t know. Meanwhile, we’re bouncing through the sky at considerable speed.
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🇳🇱 In de pas – 26 jaar moeder en zoon 🇬🇧 Falling into Step – 26 years of Mother and Son
The tall body and I walk in single file, not quite in step yet. I became a mother at 25, almost 26, to this grown man. It’s still extraordinary. Nearly 26 years and three kids later, I’m used to the idea. But being the mother of a grown man is another kind of discovery. Together,…
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🇳🇱 Trump is een hond 🇬🇧 Trump is a Dog – CNY Singapore
🇬🇧 Trump is a dog. And just to be clear, that’s not merely my personal opinion. It’s a fact. On Saturday, January 29, 2025, the new lunar year begins: 2025 is the Year of the Snake. And, serendipity or not, the Snake and the Dog have no natural compatibility. 🇳🇱 Trump is een hond. En…
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🇳🇱🇬🇧Condo Rent in Singapore – Take it or leave it
🇬🇧 With growing disbelief, astonishment, and irritation, I read the response to our proposal to extend the lease of our apartment. Not long ago, I pointed out to a friend his Western perspective on business and his negative judgment of the other’s sense of etiquette. And now, I catch myself falling into the same trap.…
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🇳🇱 Daar zijn we weer 🇬🇧 Here we are again – Leven in Singapore
🇬🇧 Singapore feels so far away, like a different life. Will these two worlds ever merge when I’m back in the Netherlands? Or will it remain a parallel universe that I can only bring to life through photos? 🇳🇱 Singapore voelt ver weg, als een ander leven. Zouden die twee werelden ooit in elkaar kunnen…
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🇳🇱 De impact van verwachtingen 🇬🇧 The impact of expectations
🇬🇧 Expectations, desires… there’s no month in which they play a bigger role than December. Yet, in reality, expectations and desires shape our experiences all year round. Whether they truly influence the outcome one-to-one, I’m increasingly beginning to doubt. 🇳🇱 Verwachtingen, verlangens… er is geen maand waarin ze meer spelen dan in december. Maar eigenlijk…
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🇳🇱 Helperssyndroom – Leven in Singapore 🇬🇧 Helper Syndrome – Life in Singapore
🇬🇧 On Sundays, Singapore transforms into a vibrant festival. I love the energy and hope to see that life is good for those who work so hard here. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if that hope turned into certainty, supported by collective responsibility? I’d happily do a TikTok for that. 🇳🇱 Op zondagen verandert Singapore…
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🇳🇱 Foto’s, kaders en de illusie van perfectie 🇬🇧 Photos, Frames, and the Illusion of Perfection
🇬🇧 I love photos. They take me back to cherished memories and moments. But the magic of the analog photography era has faded. Where we once carefully chose a single moment to capture, we now take hundreds of images, often creating an illusion of perfection. How do we find the balance between living in the…
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🇳🇱 Seizoenen, geuren en kriebels – Expat in Singapore 🇬🇧 Seasons, Scents, and Stirrings: Life in Singapore
🇬🇧 While the first snowflakes are falling in the Netherlands, Singapore’s rainy season brings thunder, downpours, and Sinterklaas. Meanwhile, our condo is being spruced up Singapore-style, and I’m preparing for our return to the Netherlands – about life in Singapore, dreaming, and making plans without jitters or blues. 🇳🇱 Terwijl in Nederland de eerste sneeuwvlokken…
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🇳🇱 Expat in Singapore – #ZwaarLeven 🇬🇧#ToughLife – Expat Life in Singapore
🇬🇧 #ToughLife! In all my blogs, where I dive into the many facets of expat life, I simply can’t leave out this side: the part filled with frequent travel, indulgent foot massages, endless (hawker) dinners, a pool and gym just steps away, and of course, those first-class world problems that are OH SO essential to…
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🇳🇱 🇬🇧 Dependant – Expat in Singapore
🇬🇧 Administration Saturday. Not the most relaxing activity. A lot is at stake, and to top it off: I am as an Expat in Singapore (a) DEPENDANT 🇳🇱 Administratie zaterdag. Niet de meest ontspannen activiteit. Er hangt nogal wat vanaf, en daar komt nog bij: ik ben als Expat in Singapore (een) DEPENDANT oftewel, afhankelijk?!
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🇳🇱 De laatste kampong van Singapore 🇬🇧 Singapore’s last Kampong – Exploring Singapore
🇳🇱 Stap in de tijdcapsule van Kampong Lorong Buangkok, waar één vrouw zich vasthoudt aan haar tradities, terwijl de moderne wereld om haar heen oprukt. Bewonder haar vastberadenheid te midden van de druk om te veranderen: is haar trouw aan het verleden een stille overwinning, of betaalt ze een hoge prijs in het hier en…
SingaporeandMe 