Thank you for visiting my website and showing interest in who I am and what I do.

I was born and raised in The Netherlands and studied political science at the University of Leiden. In 2003 I got my PhD at the University of Amsterdam and published my first book, Tussen ideaal en illusie, about the history of the Dutch political party D66. In 2012 I published its sequel, Langs de afgrond. You can read more about my books here (Dutch only).

These days, I am more into philosophy, psychology and the big existential questions of life. Life, death, happiness, meaning, hope, truth, loneliness, values, and so on. I have written a few articles on these topics, which you can read here. Maybe they will inspire you and help you navigate through life.

Never having left my home country as a kid, I have been traveling the world my whole adult life. I have set up a dedicated website about my travels: Check out Traveling Dutchie for captivating travelogues, the best travel tips, travel inspiration and helpful advice.

Also on this website is the story of my Frisian ancestors, a story spanning 500 years and 15 generations. Click here if you want to learn more (Dutch only).

Do you have a question? Or a comment? Or do you just want to say ‘hi’? Please feel free to contact me.

“Life is an existential road trip. You are free to drive where you want. There are no reasons for taking one road over another. You may crash, and you have to take responsibility for that. But whatever you do, don’t hand the wheel over to someone else.”