Posts by Emma
Here you will find the author’s posts. Musings on the things life brings our way. Together with simple tips for watercolor, writing, and healthy living.
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Travel blog about Lake Balaton
Travel blog about Lake Balaton We spent ten days cycling around Lake Balaton in Hungary. In this travel blog about Lake Balaton, I share our experiences and tips. We also stopped at various places during the journey there and back to go on cycling trips and discover new surroundings. From quiet cycle paths and authentic…
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Tips for Western America
Roadtrip Western America Discover the story of our roadtrip through Western America in june 2026. Discover what we saw, experienced and find lots of helpful tips voor your upcoming trip to America Emma
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Give blood, save lives: but who still gives blood?
Give blood, save lives. But who still donates blood? A lifetime of blood donation Recently we donated blood again. Four times a year, the Red Cross organises local blood collections in municipalities all over Belgium. Something my husband and I have been doing since our young adult lives. Sometimes interrupted by life itself, but always…
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Dutch vs Flemish reality shows: patterns and clichés
Reality shows unraveled: the difference between the Dutch and the Flemish If you, like us, regularly watch Dutch and Flemish reality shows such as B&B Full of Love, Winter Full of Love, First Dates, Meester Visser, Behind Closed Doors or Ik Vertrek, you eventually start to recognize patterns. In fact, you would think you’re doing…
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Together with the cafés and restaurants, the daily special also disappears
Together with the cafés and restaurants, the daily special also disappears Wishful thinking Together with the cafés and the restaurants, the daily special has also disappeared in our village. However, I had always thought that, once we were retired, we would go out for lunch more often. Not having to cook, getting outside, having a…
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The curious logic of bullshit jobs
The curious logic of bullshit jobs When work makes you wonder Lately, I’ve been reflecting on a book I stumbled upon in the library: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. The title struck me because it put words to something many of us have quietly felt but rarely say out loud. So let’s explore the curious logic…
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Customer service a game you can’t win?
I treat customer service like a game of Stratego these days. Not for fun, but out of self-protection. Screenshots, e-mails, file numbers… Every promise, every date: my game pieces. Every employee on the line is a new move. Sometimes you hit something, sometimes you just go back to start. It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. But it…
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If you have to, you have to. Toilet crisis or not.
If you have to, you have to, even if finding a toilet in the city is an undertaking You rarely think about it. Until a simple walk suddenly becomes a calculation and the city no longer invites you, but sets conditions. If you have to, you have to. Toilet crisis or not. This text is…
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Obesity, listening without judgment
Obesity, listening without judgment. Okay. My BMI is slightly above 30. I already talked about it on my previous page. So I have an obese body. The word alone feels heavy. Not that I am an exception. Apparently, 50% of the Belgian population is overweight, and 20% is obese.
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What does slow travel mean? Tips for travelling more consciously and calmer
Slowing down along the way Why doing less can make your travel experience richer How do I actually want to travel? The month of May has begun. Plans are made everywhere: flights are booked, lists are made, destinations are chosen. But we rarely ask ourselves: How do I actually want to travel? Not where to,…
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Watercolor for absolute beginners
Watercolor for absolute beginners Why watercolor is accessible to everyone. I’m convinced that anyone can get started with watercolor. Provided you know the basics a bit, you will soon get something nice on paper. However, that doesn’t mean that everything will be beautiful right away. Like the work above, which is quite nice but not…
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Escapism in religion
Escapism in religion I wanted to write a text about escapism in pilgrimages and religion. Religion as an escape, so to speak. But when does religion become a search for meaning, and when does it become an escape from reality? Mystical experience at the Convento dos Capuchos When you walk around in the Convento dos…
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How to manage time and money after retirement?
How to deal with your time and money after retirement? Many people wonder what they will do with their time and money when they retire. Save more? Or use their saved money? Why does almost no one touch their savings once they retire? An honest conversation. To make this topic tangible, we follow a conversation…
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Make a watercolour
Make a watercolor Painting in peace: your first watercolour step by step Start painting slowly: learn watercolor and urban sketching techniques, create a warm color palette and draw your first creative sketch. Work undisturbed It can be that nice: a place where you can work undisturbed. Clear your table. Take your equipment with you. Put…
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Will I ever be good enough
Will I ever be good enough? Social media, comparison and perfectionism make us insecure. Discover how to let go of the feeling of not being good enough and gain more self-confidence. A personal reflection. Why is there no pill against the feeling that you are not good enough? Why is there no pill like Ozempic…
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Carnival as an escape?
Want to step out of your daily role for a while? Carnival is coming. A few days in which you can escape from your daily self. Cosplay, re-enactment and living history actually do the same thing but in their own ‘quirky’ way. If you could be someone else for a moment, which costume would you…
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I’m leaving… or not?
Somewhere, deep down, we’ve all thought about leaving. Not for a holiday, but really emigrating. For good. Away from the life you know, from routines, obligations and familiar faces. For me, that thought fits within what I call escapism: the desire to escape from what pinches, sometimes temporarily, in this case radically. This piece is…
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Emily or Koba? Who says anything about you?
Emily or Koba? Who says anything about you? Emily or Koba? Which of the two do you want to surrender to? Emily’s drawn-out romance series, with cliffhangers, serial lovers and new twists that sometimes slide into superficial dramas? Or Koba’s love story that is compact and unique, with an apotheosis that brings everything together? Actually,…
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That one big love or several short ones?
That one big love or several short ones? Escapism is so deeply intertwined in our daily lives that we hardly recognize it. For those who don’t know it: escapism means temporarily escaping from everyday life by losing yourself in other worlds, ideas or emotions. Every week I take you to a different facet of this…
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Baking Your Own Grandma Waffles for Three Kings Day
Why you should bake waffles yourself on this day. Epiphany. Time for waffles. It’s just part of it. No big hassle, no perfect table. Simply: baking your own waffles, the smell of waffles in the house and eating together. And honestly? That can be simple. That’s why I’m sharing a reliable waffle recipe today. One…
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Go to the market more often
Epiphany. Baking traditional waffles Why I like to go to the market About stories at the stall, our waffle stalls, and the history of waffles and market stalls. That is what ‘Epiphany. Baking traditional waffles’ is about. Tomorrow is epiphany, or three kings day, or waffle day. Baking traditional waffles that day is part of…
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Travel blog about Lake Balaton
Travel blog about Lake Balaton We spent ten days cycling around Lake Balaton in Hungary. In this travel blog about Lake Balaton, I share our experiences and tips. We also stopped at various places during the journey there and back to go on cycling trips and discover new surroundings. From quiet cycle paths and authentic…
-
Tips for Western America
Roadtrip Western America Discover the story of our roadtrip through Western America in june 2026. Discover what we saw, experienced and find lots of helpful tips voor your upcoming trip to America Emma
-
What does slow travel mean? Tips for travelling more consciously and calmer
Slowing down along the way Why doing less can make your travel experience richer How do I actually want to travel? The month of May has begun. Plans are made everywhere: flights are booked, lists are made, destinations are chosen. But we rarely ask ourselves: How do I actually want to travel? Not where to,…
-
Give blood, save lives: but who still gives blood?
Give blood, save lives. But who still donates blood? A lifetime of blood donation Recently we donated blood again. Four times a year, the Red Cross organises local blood collections in municipalities all over Belgium. Something my husband and I have been doing since our young adult lives. Sometimes interrupted by life itself, but always…
-
Watercolor for absolute beginners
Watercolor for absolute beginners Why watercolor is accessible to everyone. I’m convinced that anyone can get started with watercolor. Provided you know the basics a bit, you will soon get something nice on paper. However, that doesn’t mean that everything will be beautiful right away. Like the work above, which is quite nice but not…
-
Escapism in religion
Escapism in religion I wanted to write a text about escapism in pilgrimages and religion. Religion as an escape, so to speak. But when does religion become a search for meaning, and when does it become an escape from reality? Mystical experience at the Convento dos Capuchos When you walk around in the Convento dos…
-
Dutch vs Flemish reality shows: patterns and clichés
Reality shows unraveled: the difference between the Dutch and the Flemish If you, like us, regularly watch Dutch and Flemish reality shows such as B&B Full of Love, Winter Full of Love, First Dates, Meester Visser, Behind Closed Doors or Ik Vertrek, you eventually start to recognize patterns. In fact, you would think you’re doing…
-
Together with the cafés and restaurants, the daily special also disappears
Together with the cafés and restaurants, the daily special also disappears Wishful thinking Together with the cafés and the restaurants, the daily special has also disappeared in our village. However, I had always thought that, once we were retired, we would go out for lunch more often. Not having to cook, getting outside, having a…
-
How to manage time and money after retirement?
How to deal with your time and money after retirement? Many people wonder what they will do with their time and money when they retire. Save more? Or use their saved money? Why does almost no one touch their savings once they retire? An honest conversation. To make this topic tangible, we follow a conversation…
-
The curious logic of bullshit jobs
The curious logic of bullshit jobs When work makes you wonder Lately, I’ve been reflecting on a book I stumbled upon in the library: Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. The title struck me because it put words to something many of us have quietly felt but rarely say out loud. So let’s explore the curious logic…