In my last blog I mentioned Sophie and I were going to visit friends and family in the Netherlands. That was a month ago and we’ve since returned to Davao where—post-jet lag—life is back to ‘normal.’ Or is it…? Yes, sort of. Although it’s more hot and humid than before we left. Summer’s kicked in…
Category: Expat in Davao
Dutch in Davao
Not too long ago I belonged to the majority of people in this world who had never heard of Davao City, the third largest city in the Philippines. End of 2017 I emigrated there to join my partner Sophie who found employment there with an international NGO. Blogging as an expat in Davao, I wrote about the people I met and my extraordinary experiences going around the Philippines until I returned to the Netherlands in August of 2019. I captured these stories from the inside out, but with an outsider’s perspective.
In writing the subject matter(s)
Before I went to sleep last night, I heard the terrible news of a shooting in a tram in Utrecht, a popular student city in the heart of the Netherlands. Three people died and five were wounded, some seriously. The attacker has been apprehended, but police is still speculating about the motive. It’s yet another…
Poems of Appreciation: Home
Living as a Dutch expat in the Philippines, I’ve found renewed appreciation for all things larger than life. In this Poem of Appreciation I pay tribute to: home. Home The sweet hellos, the sad goodbyes, the renewed appreciation for the left behind. It’s not easy leaving home, but never ventured, never tried. The family, the…
Do nothing, nothing happens
Remember, remember, the thirty-first of December! Yes, 2018 is drawing to a real close now. Let’s recap, shall we? I can truly say that Davao, Mindanao, and other places in the Philippines I’ve visited have been kind hosts to Sophie and me. A key lesson, though, has been: “If you do nothing, nothing happens.” A…
MPG template for peace through sports budding in Marawi
“I never thought I would go to Marawi and love it as my own.” Born in Balilihan, Bohol, Joseph Gieward “Ondoy” Layao, a 40-year old coach and sports leader of Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City, has planted his roots firmly upon the shores of Lake Lanao. His passion for basketball helped to ease…
Not just for boys: Building a sports culture in Maguindanao
This article was first published on MindaNews, the news service arm of the Mindanao Institute of Journalism. Just 2 years ago, Datu Ibrahim Paglas Memorial College (DIPMC) in Maguindanao had a single sports team. This year, they started the academic year with 10. DIPMC’s sports director, 26-year old Al Rashid Sendad, points to the influence…
Empowering women in karate: Observing proper form in sports—and life
This article was first published on MindaNews, the news service arm of the Mindanao Institute of Journalism. A black belt in Shotokan karate, 48-year old Jessica Hojas Esparrago, coach and sports leader at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, is one of few women coaches in Philippine karate. The self-proclaimed “mama bear coach” is determined to…
Poems of Appreciation: Darkness
Living as a Dutch expat in the Philippines, I’ve found renewed appreciation for all things larger than life. In this Poem of Appreciation I pay tribute to: darkness. Darkness Nights and days of equal length, are part and parcel of the flow. Rising and sleeping both take strength, but neither deliver the final blow. The…