H​ow it all started!

 

Being born 5 metres from the Caribbean sea, probably that made me feel close connected  with nature.

As an 8 year old, I had organized a group of friends around me, and we put a little booklet together about " How to save the planet" and we sold it on the street. The money we earned we offered to a foundation called "Amigoe di tera".

I was always being busy on how we could make people more aware of living more respectful with the earth. From walking on the street with a homemade protest screen with the text "Save the world "; "Don't throw trash on the ground " , to saving goldfish in a sewer system, making calculations on how many plastic cups are used in each high school break. All to just try to make it a better world...



During my studies in Photography ( In the Netherlands) I became a bit quiet for a while... I became passionated by photography. Still I was seeking for (world) solutions. Searching for what would be best to do and how! 



After those years of quietness I couldn't handle it any more, it was time for action! I was connected with a group of friends. We all were here for different reasons and pathways. We reconstructed an old minesweeper into a sailing boat. Our goal is to transport cargo from A to B emission free. No Engine. Of course we had little money. But thanks to the shareholders who bought shares, all the lovely volunteers we could make it happen! She is still sailing. I can tell you it feels wonderful to cross the ocean, to sail in the Caribbean without an engine. Knowing that you are not harming any sea life, not polluting the ocean and being functional to transport cargo on a proper way! 

During the building of the boat I was one of the main cooks for a while. I wanted to give the volunteers healthy food. Therefore I started to work in 3 veggie gardens in trade for food. One of the gardens was a Permaculture garden. I worked there for 1.5 years once a week.



Allthough I still didn't really know what permaculture was I felt the urge that I had to follow a PDC (Permaculture Design Course). It brought me to Mallorca, where I followed my first PDC given by my great teacher Darren Doherty. Thanks to him, it all changed my life.

This was it! This was what I was looking for. From that moment on I knew one day I would be teaching Permaculture.

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                                            Introducing it into the world.







Next steps!



My next step was Trinidad. An amazing PC farm. Lovely people. I stayed about 3 months, design and build a garden mandala of 18 diameter wide. Everything was edible. I left the mandala planted full of seeds in the dry season she was waiting for the wet season, I left for the boat to transport cargo back to Europe.

Eight months later I came back. It was a big surprise!!! Everything was green, lush, and bearing fruits... unbelievable how thankful it was.

Again I stayed more or less 3 months. To support the PDC which was given. To create an alley cropping system and help out with the start of a foodforest...

After  achieving this goal I went back on the boat. Our mission was to bring in helping goods to Haiti for an orphanage; sailing between the Caribbean islands to transport cargo. During my work on the boat as a shipscook I was observing all the people on the diffrent islands, how the people are living, what is needed what solutions permaculture could give to them. I realized I had to leave the boat. I felt it in my blood and bones... I need to study more permaculture and introduce it in the Caribbean starting with my place of birth. 

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I took a job in the Netherlands, Amsterdam to earn euros. To save money so I would be able to follow my next step. Australia!



A Permaculture Pilgrim.

Following a 10 - week internship with Geoff Lawton, visiting some amazing permaculture places. All with their different characters. Living with them for a several weeks. Learning the permaculture living, technics. Documenting everything, following workshops. It was just a stunning transformation! It gave me strength and energy.

Many thanks to: Permaculture Reasearch Institute; Geoff Lawton, The food forest; Anne-Marie and Graham Brookman, Meilliodora; David Holmgren and Sue Dennet, Darren and Lisa Doherty, The plummery; Kat and Nik, Milkwood; Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar. And off course Robin Cleyfield. Also I would love to thank all the other people I have met!



Back in Europe. I went straight to Portugal to Vale da Lama to follow an amazing Teaching training course from Rosemary Morrow.



Since September I am back on the island. Renting a little amazing place. The start of introducing permaculture.

My dream is to have a permaculture farm/centre, surrounded with lovely family and friends and teaching permaculture in schools and at the farm to everybody! My next step will be the Caribbean!



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