Blogpost 40, take 54.

Hey guys!

So there was no blog on Thursday.... I owe you an explanation for that and I promise I will give you one once I figure out how. The blog that was supposed to go up on last Thursday will come, I've been trying to write it for a couple of weeks now but something is keeping me from finishing it. As soon as I finish it I will post it so keep your eyes open for that one. For now you'll have to put up with my writers block and I.

Blogpost 40, take 54. Here we go again. Another attempt at writing a blogpost that is funny, holds a secret message or teaches you one of the important lessons of life. Another attempt that will probably fail and end in me holding the backspace button until every last letter is gone. A new chance, a new beginning, a new river of words waiting to flow out of my mind through my fingers onto paper. A river that keeps flowing, sometimes longer then others yet it always stops too soon. There's no way I seem to be able to finish a blog this week. It's like something is stopping me. My brain isn't working the way I want it to and it's utterly annoying. It drives me insane even though it shouldn't. Why isn't it working the way I want it to? Am I not the person in control of my life and therefore also in in control of my brain and the stream of thoughts moving through it.

No, no I'm not, my brain is an extraordinary thing. It does as it pleases, helps me escape from the dark and grey reality, lets me wander through the darkest forest accompanied by nothing but my biggest fears and worst enemies. The brain is an odd thing. A thing doctors and scientist have been trying to get a grip on for decades, they think they're getting closer yet some mysteries remain unsolved and I believe they'll stay that way forever. The brain is such a strange organ. The most interesting organ in our body, the one with the most unsolved mysteries left but also the most underrated organ we own. Underrated in a way that only a small percentages of the diseases that are brain related are being acknowledged. The rest is called imagination. As if they're not real, as if the you're making them up, your brain is making them up and having you believe in them.  One of the brain's finest works. Creating diseases in such a way other brain's don't believe in them. Someone please explain this to me.

And cut! What was I talking about again? Brain? No not specifically. Oh wait I remember (just kidding I scrolled back up) I was talking about how I kept failing to write a complete blogpost from start to finish because my brain(?) wouldn't let me. Well I believe I finally did it, sort of at least. I'll leave it at this anyway, now I'm still in control, now I'm still able to keep my finger of that backspace button and start deleting every single letter I have typed so far. And you know what? Maybe it's good, maybe it's just good that there are so many brain related mysteries that remain unsolved. Nowadays society is so focused on solving mysteries and getting control of everything whilst a bit of the unknown is all we need some times. A bit of the unknown, not knowing what will happen tomorrow is exactly what I need right now. 

For tomorrow, the biggest part is already known to me but who knows. Maybe life has a lovely surprise to me by tomorrow and there's only one way to find out. 
See you all next week.

Lots of love,
ThatDutchGirl96

Renée Reviews: Face.

Hey guys!

I have just finished a book. Yes, there's nothing special about finishing a book I know that although there's something about this book I would like to share with the world. The time has come, the time of my first ever book review here on this blog. First some basic info about it. The book is called 'Face' a debut novel from Benjamin Zephaniah and it first came out in 1999 so it's not a very recent book. When I was out to buy a book for passing my first year of university this one quickly caught my attention. Not because the cover was full of pictures or anything, no, it caught my attention due to its simplicity as shown in the picture below. Another intriguing part of the cover is the fact that there is no face where there should be one, all that is shown are the ears and a bit of the boy's hair.

Dedicated to Changing Faces.

So I bought the book and started reading it. The story is written from a perspective I'm not so much used to in books. Most books are written from one of the character's perspective however this one wasn't. The writer didn't write as if he WAS the main character yet he did a splendid job on expressing the thoughts and feelings of the main character and making me feel for the guy. A short summary. The story is about Martin, your mainstream popular high school kid. However he isn't so much of a douche bag you might have come to believe due to all the stereotypes going around about the popular guys. Martin is pretty much leading the perfect life until this one night that literally changes his life and himself.  His life gets turned upside down and the most challenging task he's facing is himself and the physical changes that he has to learn to live with.

I know it might sound as your stereotypical story and maybe it is but I don't care. This story spoke to me on a personal level. In the book you read about the struggles Martin faces (oh the irony) due to the way his physical appearance has changed after the accident (spoiler). Most of these struggles I recognised as I faced them as well a bit over four years ago. I got diagnosed with diabetes, which changed my life and my way of living forever. Most people call diabetes an illness however I like to disagree with that. Diabetes isn't so much an illness as it is something can't be cured. So it's a chronic illness?! Officially yes but not to me. I don't see it as an illness, I am not sick yet I'm not completely healthy either. Something is wrong with me, not normal. My pancreas doesn't work the way it has to do and yes it does influence my everyday life and yes it is visible on the outside as I have to check my blood sugars every so often and I wear an insulin pump on my body but I am not sick. 

Now you might think this book is about a boy trying to live life after a life changing accident, the main character becoming depressed and blah blah blah but this book is so much more. It's about something that is widely known yet very unknown at the same time. This book brings a great deal of positivity and shows that you need to learn to accept yourself and just be happy with who you are as a person. It shows that there is more to life then just looking good. It tells you that inner peace, knowing and accepting yourself and knowing what your strong points are can be the key to success. This story tells you that you can do whatever you want to do, be whoever you want to be. It holds such a positive message and raises awareness for such a great cause (which I won't name as it will spoil the entire plot).

So if you have some money to spare, if you want to buy yourself a new book or if you want to read a new book and use your library card some more then I highly recommend this book. A lot of people will recognize themselves in the main character and even when you don't you will learn a new lesson in body positivity which is always a good thing. Faces by Benjamin Zephaniah, go read it!

Well that's all I have to say about this book. First review, check! If you liked this review and maybe want me to write more reviews in the future then please let me know. Feedback of any kind is more than welcome.

Lots of love,

ThatDutchGirl96 

The refugee crisis.

Hey there,

For the last couple of months a crisis has been developing. When it just started people didn't think too much of it. 'It happens all the time' they said. A lot of bad comments were made on the subject and even the media tried to ignore it whenever they could because hey, there is more news to talk about like the economy which is still bad but has been bad for years. However over the last couple of weeks more and more attention has been given to this problem that has become an European crisis and now a worldwide crisis. Governments are starting to see and acknowledge the problem and are taking action on solving it. Slowly but surely the world is opening their eyes and hearts. No more turning off the TV, no more 'it's so far away it won't bother us', no more let other countries handle this we have enough problems of our own. Just no more of the ignorant attitude.

The worst eye opener came a little over a week ago. A little Syrian boy, no more than three years old, lying on the beach. The waves slowly caressing the little boys face as if they held his mothers soul trying to tell her child it would all be okay. Telling him they are in a better place now. Telling him they made it, the whole family made it only daddy went to a different better place. A place that should have been the better place to go to but a place that has now become his prison. His entire family lost in the sea, the heartbreaking picture of his youngest son lying dead on the beach. The last thing he got to see of his family.

Now try to tell me we are not in a crisis. Try to convince me this isn't a serious problem and they are all just looking for an economically better country. Tell me they are all here for the money, to stay at home doing nothing whilst getting more money from the government then some of the people from our own country. Tell me one of these things and I will punch you in the face because no, they are not all heading for Europe, some try to go to family in America, Canada, Asia or Australia. There is one thing they have in common, all those life risking refugees, they are running, running to safety. To a country where suicide bombings aren't a daily activity. All they want is safety, a place for their children to grow up safe and sound. A place where children can play on the beach instead of lying there lifeless. 

For a moment I just want you to take a look around you. Look how safe it is, how we take going to school and having a part time job for granted. Now take a look in the mirror, you are clean, maybe you've just taken a shower, your clothes are yours, you bought them with your own money and wow you are wearing shoes and even make up. All those little things we have gotten so used to that we take them for granted. Those people that are on the run from their home, who have left everything behind and probably won't ever see their home again. Most don't even have shoes and now they are coming to us, running to us for safety for help. All they want is peace in their own country so that one day they might return there, to their home. But winter is coming and they have nothing and what are we doing, complaining about how crowded our countries already are and how bad our economy already is. Not looking at all the boxes stacked up in the attic, filled with old shoes, clothes, toys and coats. 

Thankfully, now the crisis is more known and people talk about it everyday, things are getting better. We are starting to accept what is happening. The governments are arranging places to stay for the refugees. Closed refugee centres are opened up again. Bags with old clothes, shoes and toys are being collected and sent to those refugee centres. People are coming together to help these poor refugees in every way possible. There are charities that sent tents and other camping gear to refugee camps in France. People are willing to take in refugees in their own homes. We are all becoming one and that is the only way we can help others. So if you are able to do something no matter how small the act, please do so. Help those who lost their family, home and everything they once had.

Oh and yes, I'm not just blogging about this hoping to inspire others. Of course I hope some people will start collecting clothes or helping refugees speak the language of the country they are now living in. To achieve something like that would be great! Last week my mum and I went up the attic and collected some of those boxes filled with old clothes, shoes and coats and delivered these to one of the refugee centres. For me personally, I'm also still waiting on a reply if I can start volunteering at a local refugee centre. So if you can help please help!

www.rescue.org/crisis-syria

Lots of love,

ThatDutchGirl96

School has started.

Hey guys!

So it's September, summer is officially a memory, Halloween is almost there, the year is coming to an end and of course worst of all, school has started again. 

Schools all over the world have started again which means that new memories, friends and maybe enemies are about to be made but it also means a lot of new knowledge will be taught to and studied by the students. For most people the start of a new year of school equals the start of a period full of stress, crying, being bullied, having to sit alone during lunchtime and being afraid to fail. I hate it that school has become so known for all the negative things that happen there. You might not believe it and call me a hopeless optimist for still believing this but you have no idea how many great things happen at schools. Yes, I do know that the good things don't make up for the bad and that the educational system that most countries have has the original idea of what education should be about. Education should be available to EVERY SINGLE PERSON on earth whether they live in the USA, the Netherlands or the town ships in South-Africa. We should all be able to go to school, to learn, to go to college and finally get a job. Education should be about teaching kids knowledge they can use in their further lives not about a men who buys 60 watermelons because god knows why? Education should teach kids how to function in nowadays society and not having students work their ass of and still be unable to pay for their students loans and go to school at the same time. 

However, despite all the bad things happening in school and how incredibly stupid our educational system and most governments are for still using it there are some good sides to going to school. Yes, there are so many amazing things that happen only in school. Maybe one day you'll even learn how right your parents were when they said high school or college would be the best part of your life. 

But look around and put on those pink glasses for once. Be that hopeless optimist you never allow yourself to be and look at all the amazing things happening in the halls of your school. Friends are reuniting. People are becoming friends. Even though the weather may say so, summer isn't over yet, everyone is reliving the summer over and over every time they get to talk about it to their friends or in class.

A new year has started which allows you to start over as well. Get yourself some stationary you like, wear your favourite clothes, hug your friends, put all those judgemental thoughts aside and meet new people with an open mind. This new year has so many possibilities, you just have to look around you and sometimes when things seem to go bad again put on those pink glasses. The world has so much to offer all you need to do are the things that make you feel good and make you feel happy. When you are feeling happy make sure to show that to the rest of the world so the world can enjoy your happiness with you.

So, how is your first week of school going? Do you have any back to school advice? If you like it please leave your experiences and/or survival tips in the comments below! Like that we can help each other get through this year together.

Lots of love,
ThatDutchGirl96

Source: http://www.lifehack.org/