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Perfecting Imperfection
When I picked up my first Jane Austen book, I was unsuspecting of what I was getting myself into. To set the scene, I was a clueless eighth-grader that discovered English 19th century literature after picking up “Jane Eyre” by chance in the children’s library two years prior. So, little did I understand of the…
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(Finding solace) Betwixt the peaks and troughs
I have become accustomed to a rather mundane paysage. Green and yellow fields stretch as far as the eye can see, trying to fight against the monochromatic, alabaster clouds on the horizon that dominate the sky for most of the year. This is what characterises the East Midlands – a stretch of flat land with…
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Weaved in tradition
The idea for this article came to my mind while I was doing the design for my previous article titled “A Linguistic Tapestry of the Balkans”. I have always been drawn to traditional clothing from different countries, especially to the often colorful and intricate designs embroidered on them. So, this was the perfect occasion to…
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Do you have our app?
He was walking through the dull streets of his hometown. Early spring. The remnants of the snow were slowly disappearing, creating a muddy mess everywhere the eyes could reach. Earphones connected, a random song becoming a soundtrack of the day. Going for another interview seemed pointless. How many has he been to at this point?…
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So… why are you still single?
After debating with myself for an hour, I pressed “send” and threw my phone across the bed. I immediately panicked and went to clean the whole flat, do the laundry, and maybe take my fish on a walk. Why on earth texting a person you like is so nerve-racking? An hour later, I gathered the…
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The train of life
When I started my studies three years ago, I couldn’t predict all the things that would happen during those years, but losing someone was the most unpredictable. One week before starting my studies in Bordeaux, I enjoyed my time in my new flat with my best friends. We were here for a few days. I…
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When lost means found
Have you ever felt this strong longing for the people and places you call “home” when they are too far away and seem out of reach? Have you ever experienced this deep yearning to explore the far-away and unknown when you feel stuck in your routines and a change of scenery seems like the only…
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Good things (don’t) last
Have you ever wondered why we hold on so tightly to the things and people in our lives? We tend to think that if something is good, it’s supposed to last forever. But what if that’s just a story we tell ourselves? Our society magically puts an equal sign between quality and longevity, but I’m…
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Thinking in shortcuts
It’s late at night. Rain is pouring. You know you have to catch the next bus, or else you’ll be standing soaking wet for the next hour. You see two ways: one that goes through a dark alley and another along a busy street. Without thinking much, you choose the busy street because it feels…
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ESC for beginners: pickles in one hand, life lessons in the other
Chapter 1 Even before I finally finished packing for one year abroad (which felt like cramming a circus into a shoebox), I was already imagining what I’d write in this first report. I had been reading all the other articles from volunteers, thinking of what I’d say when it was finally my turn. Now that…
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The zoology of festivals
Going to Dojran’s D-Festival for the first time is a life-long memory that one cannot forget easily. Amongst all the activities that you can enjoy during a festival, I wonder if you ever tried one of our favourites. If your secret wish was to become a wildlife reporter, you here have a chance to realise…
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