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, where we put 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 "Amigu di terra".

I was always being busy on how we could make people more aware. From walking on the street with a home made 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 a high school each break, till putting glass in a coconut and put in the street in the hope a car will drive over it and get a flat tire; so it will stop driving for a while....(luckely it never worked). 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 any more it was time for action! I was connected with a group of friends. We all were here for different reasons and pathways. But we did all together. We reconstructed an old minesweeper into a sailing boat. Our goal is to transport cargo from A to B emission free. No Engine. Offcourse 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. Therefor 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.



All though 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. While the mandala full of seeds 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, wearing 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, the start of a foodforest...

Back on the boat; to help bringing in helping good to Haiti for an orphanage; sail between the caribbean islands. Observing on the islands how they live, 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 in the caribbean starting with my place of birth. So left.

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I took a job in the Netherlands, Amsterdam to earn euros ( the euro was still in good shape) 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: Darren Doherty,  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've 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 island. Renting a little amazing place. The start of introducing permaculture.

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



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