Fellow
Current Country
Japan 🇯🇵
Current City
Tokushima (Shikoku)
What have you been going through and experiencing?
I've been staying in my host family mostly - connecting to them more deeply, joining community projects and have been exploring how to protect intrinsic creativity & connect to my inner child. I've spent this month together with another fellow (Tristan). We connected so deeply!
March 31, 2026
Intuition
Cultivating inner knowing
A question currently animating me about the inner life/spirit is:
How to stay/become animated in an environment that isn't?
March 31, 2026
A question currently animating me about the outer world/universe/multiverse is:
How do we protect intrinsic creativity in this age of time?
March 31, 2026
The practices I’m finding most helpful at the moment are:
Journaling,Creating Music/Art
March 31, 2026
A moment I noticed my inner light kindled this month was:
Realising that Tristan and I are so much more similar than I originally thought, and being able to connect on a very deep level and show parts of myself I often hide. So thankful!
+ Feeling truly animated by my creativity course!
March 31, 2026
A moment I noticed my inner light dwindled this month was:
Realising how much my environment has shaped me over the years and being frustrated about it. Not knowing if the university I wanted to go to will offer me a more animated environment nor challenge me enough.
March 31, 2026
Courage
Aligning action
Assumptions I'm examining right now are:
Other
March 31, 2026
I originally assumed:
I used to think I was pretty good at staying myself in an environment that feels different from me
March 31, 2026
These assumptions are changing:
Now I sense I have adapted to it way more than I thought and it takes a lot of courage to actually be my full self
March 31, 2026
A moment I stepped out of my comfort zone this month was:
Being very vulnerable and sharing about how I grew up and how that has shaped me to the person I am
March 31, 2026
Compassion
Engaged Empathy
Something that is helping me build trusting relationships here is:
The encouragement within TFS community for fellows to meetup!
March 31, 2026
Digital Detox Retreat
7
Being intentionally away from technology and distractions has taught me:
To be so much more connected to myself, through realising how certain experiences in the past have shaped me to who I am now. To feel detached from technology without this restless feeling of boredom. To, for the first time, feel fully content with just myself and nothing else.
December 29, 2025
Gratitude
Peers I'm grateful for:
Tristan Herrero Picard
Tristan, I can't thank you enough for everything. I've learned so much from you and you helped me understand parts of myself better. Thank you for supporting me so strongly and offering a listening ear whenever needed & for taking the courage to open up & really get to know me.
March 31, 2026
Kashimani Simasiku
Thank you so much for helping me through my crisis during the first days in Japan, and regularly checking up on me afterwards!!!
February 26, 2026
Asmaa Drawat
Asmaa! Thank you so much for helping me with my food allergy translation for my trip to Morocco, you might have saved my life!! <333 You're so sweet and I would love to connect with you more!!
January 28, 2026
Douglas Teixeira de Queiroz Santos
Another thanks to you because you deserve it Doug!! I want to thank you for being immediately so excited when I asked you to plan a meeting together and look forward to planning it further!!
December 29, 2025
Lexi Bennett-Williams
Lexiii! I loved the times we were put in a breakout room together and I can’t wait to have more time to talk over a call! Thanks for being such a good conversation partner and I’m excited to get to know you better!
November 30, 2025
Douglas Teixeira de Queiroz Santos
Doug, thanks for being amazing to talk to! Some time ago we had a few meetings which I loved, and recently you took the initiative again to plan another. Although we still need to have this one, I've loved chatting with you in breakouts! Thanksthanksthanks <3
October 31, 2025
Kashimani Simasiku
Thanks for reaching out to me to have a call that turned out to be way greater than I could’ve anticipated!! You’ve not only helped me with my current struggles but also made me laugh with tears, can’t wait to catch up again! :)
September 27, 2025
John Makuei Bath Madut
I want to thank you for your insights you’ve shared in the meetings, because I think your point of view is so interesting and your words have really put me to think! You were the one to stand out for me with the things you said, I remember such interesting thoughts you shared
August 31, 2025
Lizzy Leone
Thank you so much for reminding everyone about every meeting and also reminding me personally about lists of things I still need to do in Circle - this has helped me a lot because otherwise I fear I would definitely have forgotten some important things!! Thanks Liz!
July 31, 2025
Peers who have expressed gratitude for me:
Lauren Nietschke
Your circle posts fill me with such joy. I love your honesty and deep introspection.
April 2, 2026
John Makuei Bath Madut
I wanted to truly appreciate you for finding time to connect with me and learn about your experiences in Japan. I am grateful I also learnt a few about the diversity in the Netherlands which I had less knowledge about.
April 1, 2026
Kashimani Simasiku
Thank you for being enthusiastic and energetic during our meetings and contributions. You always have a way of making our conversations exciting and funny.
March 7, 2026
Tristan Herrero Picard
Thank you so much for hooking me up to your crazy host family. You've been a great support when dealing with Japan as a country and I'm very excited for these 3 weeks together. Thank you for helping me shape my plans and being so kind.
March 4, 2026
Ruan Vitor Cordeiro da Silva
I'm so grateful for the fact that I'm getting to know more about you during those past days and how we have been supporting each other, sharing dreams, planning things together, and so much more!
March 2, 2026
Kashimani Simasiku
Thank you for always making time to have funny conversations about meat, parties, and Halloween. I really appreciate the time we have to get to know each other.
November 1, 2025
Lexi Bennett-Williams
Thank you for sharing in the group sessions and for a couple conversations we’ve had!
July 30, 2025
Magical Moments
Japanese hospitality surprised me ONCE AGAIN
Wakayama
•
Mar 31, 2026
As Tristan and I were waiting in the ferry terminal because the one we wanted to take got cancelled, an old lady (78) started a conversation with us. Her English was really good because she and her husband (86) had lived abroad when they were younger. She asked us where in Wakayama (where they live) we were staying, and even called our hostel to explain it to her. She and her husband then insisted on driving us there, so we wouldn’t have to take a train! We ended up staying with them the entire ferry ride and it felt like they took us in as their own grandchildren. I was once again deeply impressed by Japanese hospitality and felt so grateful to encounter such a genuine connection!!
On our way to the rice fields!
Osaka
•
Feb 22, 2026
Although this entire volunteering weekend in the nature of Osaka was magical in itself, this moment stood out to me! Me and this boy I didn’t know and didn’t share any languages with, laughing together as we were walking like little smurfs to the ricefields. A reminder that language is not at all necessary to connect!✨
Snowy days!
Rotterdam
•
Jan 5, 2026
A few days with an abundance of snow ended up to be so meaningful. Closed schools, cancelled flights. Many kids playing on the streets, strangers building snowmen together, everyone slowing down and taking a moment to enjoy the weather. A strong feeling of community in such an individualistic country. Beautiful!
Feeling at home in Granada
Granada
•
Dec 8, 2025
When I found a guy playing the guitar for his friends in the most beautiful sunset spot and talked to them for a while. He asked me what kind of songs I listen to (for him to play) and when I told him about the song my brother always plays - that always makes me feel at home - and he happened to know it completely + lyrics (see video)!!
Sunset walk
Palma de Mallorca
•
Sep 18, 2025
Nothing crazy, just connecting to my host family mom on a beautiful sunset walk with the dog :)
Connecting with locals over another beautiful hike!
Palma de Mallorca
•
Nov 26, 2025
After the first hike I did with the 3 spanish people, we immediately planned another one for a week later. At the end, we went to a bit of a secret viewpoint for the sunset and it was absolutely stunning. I felt so deeply happy and really connected with people I only saw twice!! So so thankful!!
Facing the storm!
Palma de Mallorca
•
Oct 26, 2025
Although the weather is lovely here 90% of the time, it was absolutely terrible yesterday. It was raining a looott, the coldest since I’ve been here and even very windy. However, to celebrate my host family mom’s birthday, we still went out to explore a beautiful place of the island I hadn’t seen yet. We took some umbrellas and had a walk through the city in pouring rain, and somehow (even though I hate rain), I felt so happy! A small reminder not to let external forces determine how I feel too much :)