Hi! My name is Ilse. Thank you for reading, or at least beginning to read, this page. I have an eternal fascination with people and how they relate to themselves, to each other and to the world. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, experiencing cultures and learning new ways of thinking and new ways of living. My two studies perfectly match my interests: I study Philosophy and Cultural Anthropology, but I prefer to say that I study philosophies – plural.
In Luang Prabang, Laos I first learned that the word philosophy does not have a universal meaning. I was in Luang Prabang for an internship for about five weeks. During this time I regularly visited a center where travelers, expats and English-speakers can go to speak with young
people from Laos. The purpose of the center was for these young people to practice their English for free and at the same time for everyone to engage in a cultural exchange through conversations. Every time I went to this center I learned new things – both about the people I was speaking with, the culture I was immersing myself in and about myself.
During my first few visits I learned about the different possible interpretations of the word philosophy. When asked what I studied I always answered Philosophy and Anthropology. Most people that I spoke with immediately passed me the question ‘What is your philosophy of life?’. And every time I would stare at them blankly. I sort of grasped what they were asking, but I did not understand it completely. I asked them several times, but it was only through hearing other people’s philosophy of life that I came to understand – over time – what it entailed. And I came to learn what was mine.
A philosophy of life, as I interpret it right now, is a way of viewing life and a way of living life. To this day I find it difficult for myself to answer this question in one comprehensive sentence. How do I describe my experience of the world, my understanding of what life and its meaning is, and my core values that I try to adhere while living? Trying to describe my philosophy of life in words already seems counterintuitive for me because it is so complex, dynamic and all-compassing that it cannot be accurately described with mere words. To me a philosophy of life can only be experienced – through art, music, dance, poetry and through stories.
This is what I aim to do with this blog series. I hope that by documenting my conversations with people, by sharing different forms of art, and by posting new things I learned or places where to learn, I will come to understand better what a philosophy of life is or can be. I believe it will help me to better understand and articulate mine. And I hope that it will help you to find, understand and articulate yours.
That being said, everything that will be uploaded on here will always be partly through my eyes and ears. When I write down stories, they will always be filtered through the sentences that I found captured the stories best. When I post conversations, they will always be influenced by what questions I may have asked during it. When I upload art, they will always be my selections or may include my interpretations. Although I will of course always verify with the people I am speaking with or learning from, I want you to keep that in mind while being on here. If there ever is anything that I have misunderstood, misinterpreted or that I have misspoken on, please let me know. I am here to learn and I think learning is best done together.
Thank you for being here!
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