By Douwe van den Berg Staff Writer On the market square in Middelburg you can find a small stand with exotic goods. The name of the business is Djenghis, and the things that are sold are as exotic as its name, ranging from faux fur hats to all different kinds of bracelets and even penis…
The Political Side of Sport: The Olympic Games in Sochi
By Hanna van Leent Staff Writer Ice Skating has always been part of my family: my grandmother, my mother and I all can ice skate, and we watch various competitions every year during those cold and dark winter days. As a Dutch native, I have cheered for most professional Ice Skaters from the Netherlands for…
Is Uhuru Kenyatta Denying Kenya’s Reality?
By Lisa Rückwardt Staff Writer During the elections in June 2013, the new president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta promised the provision of laptops for each primary school student. He was highly criticized by various newspapers and by the Kenyan population for such a costly and unreasonable project. But what exactly does Kenya and its inhabitants…
Does Bilingualism Equal Fluency: A Canadian Exchange Student’s Struggle
By Rachel McLean When I first arrived in Middelburg around the last week of August 2013, I found that most people started to identify me as “the Canadian exchange student” after I’d introduce myself. I learned that to most people, being Canadian meant that I was bilingual, that I spoke English and French. Often that…
Kosovo and Serbia: Looking Forward to A Euro-Atlantic Future
By Erisa Nuku Staff Writer Fourteen years have passed since NATO bombed Serbia in response to the ethnic cleansing of the Albanian population in Kosovo by Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević. In April of 2013, both countries reached a landmark agreement, which will make it possible for them to pursue their Euro-Atlantic dream.
The Muffled Beats of the War Drum
Vincent de Ruiter Staff Writer On Saturday, 31 August, President Barack Obama announced his support of “military involvement” in the Syrian civil war. Citing State Department reports of evidence that the regime of Basher al-Assad had used chemical weapons against its own citizens, Obama called for military action against the Syrian regime, with congressional approval….
Slow Food: I Love It.
By Lisanne Cheizoo Staff Writer The semester has started, and for most of us it is time to leave our lovely home-cooked meals behind and start cooking for ourselves again. Cooking is always a challenge because not only do we want to have cheap food, it also has to be easy to make and within…
Coming Soon: the 100
By Hilde van den Berg School and university have started again, eliciting groans from everyone who isn’t in their first year. But fear not, for autumn always brings something sweet to go along with the bitter taste of living up to expectations. No, not Winter; TV season is coming up again.
Review: Where Does this Door Go? To the Top of the Charts!
By Daniel Janssen Staff Writer Mayer who? Mayer Hawthorne, one of the “rising stars” of the past years in the world of soul. Although the man is a late bloomer, with his biggest success album How Do You Do seeing its release after his 32nd birthday, Hawthorne is finally making his way to the big…
Short Story: Atropa Belladonna
By D Visser He took a deep breath and the scent of fresh leaves filled his lungs. That forest was still surprising him after all those days. He was surrounded by trees frozen in an ancient dance, and the red sun rays were filtering through the fronds; berries were peeking from the bushes. Even the…
Letter from the Editor
Dear all, On behalf of the Editorial Board I would like to welcome you to our new website! This summer we conducted a survey to hear directly from the UCR community. We were eager to find out your opinions on Tabula Rasa. We were pleased with the feedback overall, and we have used it to…
IntRoweek 2013: Through the Lens
Photos were taken by the staff of Tabula Rasa, as well as Eva Jousset on behalf of Phora.
Editorial Feature: Welcome to UCR
By Sebastian Meyjes UCR Editor IntRoweek is over, and the beginning of term is here. For a lot of people, especially first years, it’s a very exciting, and slightly stressful few days. The second and third years are back in town, and catching up with one another. First years are recovering from their IntRoweek, and…
IntRoweek 2013: Mission Accomplished
By Lisa Rückwardt Staff Writer After having given them the time to rest this weekend, I got the chance to meet the new RASA board and talk to them about their experiences during this year’s introduction week. Occasional yawning was the only sign of tiredness after the exhausting, but very successful week of meeting a…
IntRoweek 2013: What the First Years Have to Say
By Lonneke de Klerk Staff Writer Last week, it was that special time of year again when new students in uni-colored t-shirts march through the city centre, led by two parents who have the crucial task of introducing these new students to their new reality: student life at UCR.
An Opportunity to Grow: An Interview with Mayor Bergmann
By Peter Williamson Opinion Editor In 2012 Harald Bergmann became mayor of Middelburg, and true to tradition he honored our college this year by giving a speech at the beginning of IntRoweek. I had the chance to ask him some questions before the event.
The Shoulders of Giants: Advice for First Years
By Vincent de Ruiter Staff Writer Sir Isaac Newton, alchemist and pioneer of physics, once said that, “If I have seen further [scientific discoveries] it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” By that, Newton meant that we are always learning from others. In the next few weeks, first years will find themselves…