What comes to mind when you think about LGBTQ issues? The gay pride in Amsterdam perhaps, the supreme court granting same-sex marriage to everyone in the US last year, or perhaps just a same-sex couple happily in love? But what about those who spent the greatest part of their lives fighting for same-sex marriage and…
An Hour or Two for Raymond Carver
Days that have you short on inspiration are days when nothing seems so worthwhile as sauntering over to the Zeeuwse Bibliotheek and hiding between the pages of a book. If, by chance, you are a reader who finds solace in sinister fiction, you would do good in picking up a book by American short fiction…
Transcending Assumptions – A Transgender Guy’s Experience with Gender Expectations
Yes, I have a vagina. No, I am not a woman. As crazy as it sounds, this is something I feel like I should explain every time I meet someone new. When I introduce myself as Niels, people tend to frown at me. Why do I introduce myself as Niels even though I obviously have…
Sex Work in Middelburg
Being born and raised in the rather shady town of Almere, located in the humble shadows of brothel-packed Amsterdam, I was surprised to find a complete lack of sex clubs (or perhaps, night life in general…) upon arrival in Middelburg. Even though I always make it my business to know which side of town to…
Why I Am Betting My Future On AI
Coming to UCR, I knew I had a passion for physics and mathematics, but also a general interest in computer science. If anything, my second choice was to study applied physics at Delft University of Technology. During my time at UCR, this sure has changed. While I still have a passion for physics and mathematics,…
A Black Ring – How my asexuality made me wear jewelry every day
When I went to my first self-defense class (shout-out to Silvano and his merciless pushup regime), I knew I had to take off my ring. Deliberately taking it off, putting it on my nightstand, and walking out the door to go to a public place was one of the strangest things I have done in…
City Guide: Rotterdam Revealed
Only one and a half hours from Middelburg by train, and you are in the raw and vivid city of Rotterdam. A city known by many, but left undiscovered except for the Markthal and the Cube houses. Through this Tabula Rasa city guide, we unravel the treasures that hide in the crooks and creases of…
Camera In Love – Ed van der Elsken in Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
You might have already seen it if you went on the CultureCo Amsterdam trip in February, but if you haven’t already, make sure you get to Amsterdam as soon as possible. Stedelijk Museum, a museum for contemporary art, is hosting an exhibition on Ed van der Elsken, a Dutch street photographer. Ed van der Elsken…
Why We Need To Stop And Listen
The Dutch elections have been over for a couple of weeks, and many were relieved about the result. It seems that the populist tide from the United States did not carry over, in the sense that the PVV did not do as well as many had anticipated. But in some ways, this might not be…