Place and Belonging by V. Alexander https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4 Welcome to Place and Belonging! Let's introduce ourselves! Please make a post (click on the + in the bottom right corner, it works like google docs in that whatever you write gets saved automatically), putting your name in the header, and tell us where you're from and where you would love to be in the real or imagined world. Post a picture or other medium of a happy place! You are welcome to read and <3 the contributions by others! en-us 2022-02-12 12:04:01 UTC 2022-03-01 20:03:08 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f9f3.png Vera Alexander vera_alexander https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2043653509 I'm from Germany but have lived in England, Italy, Denmark and France, before accepting a position here in Groningen. 
If I could travel anywhere, this would not only take me to the Greek beach at which the shenanigans pictured above took place, but also back in time, into pre-pandemic cultural landscapes where dozens of Lindy Hop festivals took place around the world at every weekend. I hope some of the dancers and musicians who have since got other jobs will come back so we can share more events such as those pictured. Meanwhile, if course, literature is my other happy place, and they can't take that away from me!]]> 2022-02-12 12:12:35 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2043653509 Annemarie Herbschleb https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2068473408 I am from the north of the Netherlands and I have lived in this country all my live, although I changed it up a little bit my living in Amsterdam for about 6 months. 
I would love to travel to a warm country right now, in south east Asia for example. But I am still a little on the fence with far away trips right now so I would also settle for Spain. 

My happy place is going to festivals with friends and enjoying live music. On the other side, I also love to be at my parents' place with the 5 family cats I grew up with for a large portion of my life.]]> 2022-02-27 21:09:21 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2068473408 Hilly Ohanian hohanian https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069119524 I'm from the Netherlands and I live in a very small town in Friesland. I have lived here my entire life, but I do think that it is time for me to try something new.
I just came back from my minor abroad in Cork, Ireland but I miss it already so the place where I would love to be right now is my little flat in Cork. Ireland has so much to offer and I'm definitely not done with exploring. Besides, I miss my flatmates like crazy!
My happy place in general is a bookstore, I'm not really picky about what kind. Although if I had to pick one I would pick a small second-hand bookstore that I discovered in Kinsale, Ireland!]]> 2022-02-28 09:01:34 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069119524 Jonathan Schans https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069140101 Hi! I'm from a small place in Drenthe called Hooghalen, which been through a lot despite being such a small town. The deportation camp Kamp Westerbork, used in WW II, is located just 3km outside of Hooghalen, and used to be the home to the Moluccan people, who were displaced after the war. Also, Hooghalen used to be home to an asylum seekers centre. This has specifically sparked my interest in cultural differences and how we can live together while still celebrating that what makes us unique. Also, I love nature, which is another reason why I like Drenthe. The picture shows a Scottish Highlander, beautiful ginger cows that roam throughout Drenthe.

This year will be my last year of study in Groningen. Next year, I will do my Masters in Leiden, and afterwards I have plans with my girlfriend to travel and work in various parts of the world. We will probably start in Asia, and see when/if we want to return to the Netherlands.]]> 2022-02-28 09:19:53 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069140101 Emily Davis https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069165159 I was born and raised in the United States, and it’s still the place that I consider home, because it’s where my family lives. Before I moved abroad – first to Germany in 2017, and then to the Netherlands in 2019, I lived and worked in multiple different states. 
 
The pandemic has made it difficult to travel back home, so while before I might have considered ‘happiness’ to be traveling and exploring new, different places, after nearly two years without seeing my family and friends, it was amazing to return this past August. We visited one of the local orchards for fresh peaches while I was home – so delicious and such happy memories!
]]> 2022-02-28 09:39:44 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069165159 Hans de Jong https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069176434 Hey! Just like Hilly, I (still) live the small-town life in Friesland, in the same village where I was born and lived ever since. With spring setting and nature continuing where it left off during the winter, I am happy to be (t)here. The first migrating birds have come back and started singing; being outside now really feels like home again.

If it was not for the weather and busy schedules, I would travel Europe by train. Ideally, I would go to someplace outside of the busy, tourist-trodden hotspots and instead go to more culturally and naturally rich areas, and speak different languages.  Corona complicated that last two summers, hopefully we can also continue where we left off and really find our happy places!]]> 2022-02-28 09:48:28 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069176434 Manon Brugmans https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069184123 I am from the Netherlands and I live in a village in Drenthe. I have not lived here my entire life. I grew up in the Western part of the country until i was 5. Then i moved to Curaçao, where i lived for 4 years. I must say that i do not want to live here (Drenthe) for the rest of my life. I would love to go the South because that is were my father was born and i always loved it there when we were on family visits. I am not sure why, maybe the openness and kindness of the people? When i was younger i always had the dream of moving to England. While i love being on holiday there, i do not think that England is my future home anymore. I think i did learn to appreciate the Netherlands more.
My happy place is not one particular place at the moment, as long as it is warm! I would love to go on a nice summer holiday to enjoy the warmth because i feel like we had so many rainy and dark days here. But honestly, having a great, chill summer with my friends is something that i really look forward to
]]> 2022-02-28 09:53:46 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069184123 Julia Kausemann https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069197148 I am also from Germany, and after finishing my high school diploma I took a two year break to travel around the world for a bit. In one place, I met a Dutch couple from Groningen who told me about it being a great place to study, so that's part of the reason why I applied to the RUG.
If I could travel anywhere, I would like to go back to the year 2017, when I traveled to Nepal and Puerto Rico to volunteer with a Natural Disaster Relief Program. Of all places, I felt the happiest there since I met a lot of people from all kinds of places and backgrounds who came together with the same goal in mind. I hope that I can participate in another project after completing the Bachelor, since I would describe it as my happy place(s). ]]> 2022-02-28 10:03:24 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069197148 Jaidy Tanck https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069204152 Hi! I'm from Enschede, The Netherlands, but have been living in Groningen for almost 6 years now. I feel like I have seen and experienced everything Groningen has to offer, and I am really excited to move somewhere else; preferably abroad. 

When I was 11 years old I went on my first trip abroad. I very clearly remember driving through Germany on our way to Slovenia and seeing mountains for the first time in my life. I was amazed by their beauty and size, as I was of course only used to seeing the flat landscapes we know in the Netherlands. This experience, as well as my love for the film Brother Bear, made me dream of one day living in a mountainous area with lots of green. I imagine this to be my happy place!]]> 2022-02-28 10:08:16 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069204152 Anne Marieke Feunekes https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069210911 Hii, I live in the best student-city of the Netherlands, Groningen! Born and raised as a real Groningse "stadjer", with a short break of 1,5 years living in a small village 20km above Groningen called Stedum. 

To be honest, I don't really have a specific place I'd like to be at the moment, but I would really enjoy making a world-trip especially through South-America and Africa. I'd love to go to the places and the people that others would walk past. To give attention and love to those who miss it and are not seen in their society. ]]> 2022-02-28 10:13:03 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069210911 JP Seebauer https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069227801 I am from Germany and was born in the city of Frankfurt. But from a young age, I move around a lot also living in Hungary for while and living the majority of my life in London. 
The pandemic had made it hard to travel and every time I had booked something there were always setbacks so I would love to just be at a beach somewhere with warm sunny weather nothing to worry about. ]]> 2022-02-28 10:25:49 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069227801 Lea Wittemöller https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069250109 Hi! I'm from a very small village in Germany but have lived in Groningen for almost four years now. I have lived in the small village for almost my whole life and although I loved growing up there, I now prefer to live in a place that is more lively. Before moving to Groningen I lived in Melboure for a while and loved having a big city and also the beach so close to my house. 

If I could go anywhere I would love to go back to Melbourne. It is summer there now, so the weather is really nice everyday and I could just sit on the beach everyday and not worry about a thing. Ideally, I would love to take my best friends with me to enjoy the good weather together. ]]> 2022-02-28 10:45:26 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069250109 Iris Welles https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069276483 Hi, I'm Iris and I have lived in Groningen for 3 years now. I just moved places within the city though :) Originally I'm from Westerbork, which is quite a famous town in The Netherlands for its rich history. In Groningen I'm also a member of the student tennis club T.C. Veracket and I'm planning to do a board year there as well. I love to be around my friends and family an would consider anywhere with them my happy place.]]> 2022-02-28 11:10:22 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2069276483 Stefan Melein https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2072233941 Hello! My name is Stefan, I'm from a town in Friesland called Heerenveen, and I've been studying in Groningen for quite a while now. Even though I do love studying in this city, I really do hope to be done with it soon!  

I'm currently trying to get very active in politics, and I've been doing a "board year" for a youth political organisation in my province. 
I'm also very drawn to history and historical places, and my biggest dream is to visit every major historical European city one day, from Berlin to Prague and Vienna, and London to Venice and Rome. 
My personal happy space however, remains my bedroom, where I can interact with the world from the safety of my own home behind my computer, where I maintain contact with people from all over the world, mostly in the US but also some spread over Europe, and I would also love to visit them one day. Coming back to college in Groningen after a long day of studying at home makes me very happy as well.]]> 2022-03-01 20:03:08 UTC https://padlet.com/vera_alexander/aond0slkllfia7k4/wish/2072233941