I’ll be honest and say that I actually missed Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil, enlightening us on the importance of being ill. I spend half my time trying to understand how the Dutch ministry for health manages to convince us that the pandemic is showing signs of stabilising whilst, at the same time, publishing figures […]
Month: March 2020
In Need Of Sense And Responsibility
The situation is scary because the enemy is invisible, and although not everyone is sick, we are all affected. We must all take our responsibility. I have studied enough biology at school and university to know what a virus is and how it acts. The PhD I obtained in 1999, although mainly focusing […]
Le Meilleur Des Mondes
L‘armoire hermétique s’ouvre lorsque le réveil sonne. Sept heures. Mardi – je dois porter le costume trois pièces, couleur bleue, et la cravate verte. La garde-robe le sait et, sans hésiter, me présente les vêtements, le tout soigneusement enveloppé dans du cellophane. Je vérifie l’autocollant vert qui est encore intact. Le costume n’a pas dépassé […]
The Power Of Books
The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village. […]
Heerlijke Nieuwe Wereld
De vacuümverzegelde kledingkast ging open toen de wekker om zeven uur ging. Het was dinsdag – tijd om het blauwe driedelige pak met de groene das te dragen. De kledingkast wist het en presenteerde me zonder aarzelen de kleren, allemaal netjes verpakt in cellofaan. Ik heb de groene sticker gecontroleerd die nog intact was. De […]
Safe New World
My son entered the room, sanitized his hands, rinsed his mouth with chlorhexidine, and jumped on the bed to kiss his mother. It was a safe new world. The vacuum-sealed wardrobe opened when the alarm clock struck seven. It was Tuesday – time to wear the blue three-piece suit with the green tie. […]
Piangendo Per Te, Italia (Pleurant Pour Toi, Italie)
Alors que l’Italie se verrouille un peu plus, il semble que les italiens soient piégés dans un autocuiseur qui est sur le point d’exploser. J’essaie de penser à autre chose en regardant des vieilles émissions, sur YouTube, me rappelant ma jeunesse. Ce n’est pas de la nostalgie, mais cela me fait oublier mon cabinet dentaire […]
Piangendo Per Te, Italia (Crying For You, Italy)
As Italy locks down a little more, it seems that the Italian people are being trapped in a pressure cooker that is about to explode. I try to think of other things by watching videos of old comedians, on YouTube, reminding me of when I was young. It isn’t nostalgia, but it makes me forget […]
Solidarité? Non, C’est La Peur Du Virus
C‘est une scène de la vie quotidienne. Je vais à la station-service et je paie à la caisse. Le caissier ne porte pas de masque mais bien des gants noirs à usage unique. Il me remet le reçu et, sans changer de gants, s’occupe du client suivant. Des études récentes ayant montré que le coronavirus […]
Solidarity? No, It’s The Fear Of A Virus
It’s a scene from everyday life. I go to the tank station and pay at the till. The cashier is not wearing a face mask but both his hands are covered with black gloves that I presume to be disposable. He hands me the receipt and, without changing his gloves, attends to the next customer. […]