Life Stories

'Downshifting'— the perspective on a simpler, more meaningful life often involves moving to sun-drenched locations— but in Part 3 of our New Life Road Movie, we follow our Dutch protagonists who question: can we create that dream life without relocating and leaving everything behind?

We’re revisiting the unpredictable, sensory travel of the 1980s. In Part 1, we follow Harry van Iperen’s Far East notebook as he and his wife Ursula explore packed markets, 'Superdeluxe' buses, roadside banana leaf meals, and awe-inspiring temples. This isn't nostalgia for its own sake, but a reminder of how slow, attentive travel reshapes our worldview.

There are people who age, there are people who age positively, and then there are people who have their own unique way of aging gracefully. Mary Contrary met such a person—her remarkable neighbor Rosie, an 'old' lady who saw right through you—yes, you, with all your stereotypes about life and the elderly! This is the story of Rosie, based on a real-life event.

Do you avoid wearing purple when you hit the theatre? Ever stress about picking the wrong flowers for a friend? Does the number 17 give you the creeps? It all boils down to your perspective in life! Ingrid Everts-van Wouderberg, a Dutch writer and painter living in Rome, dives into how superstition plays a part in daily Italian life.

Ever feel just that bit too sensitive, complex, creative, intense, curious, or misunderstood? Psychotherapist Paula Prober tells us about the "Rainforest Mind." If we are all unique ecosystems, this one feels both too much and not enough. And it might just be you or someone you know. Meet the Rainforest Mind.

My Time In Ghana: During her filming trip to Ghana in the nineties, Mary Contrary, a perspectivator at heart, discovered aspects of African life which are so incredibly rich, they contrast sharply with the poverty and hardship often seen by Western visitors. This is her story.

Carmen Rucci, an Italian expert on Japan culture, gives us a peek into her time in Japan. She talks about how important it is to embrace the Japanese take on happiness. It's all about being lighthearted, joyful, simple, and restorative, while also being open to everyone's beliefs. Here's Carmen's story.

What do you get when you take a group of single adults, or "solo lifers," who are each at a crossroads in life and ready to create new ways of living, leaving behind old places and old perspectives? Ideally... a story with a happy new beginning! Let yourself be inspired!