What does it mean to be a 21st Renaissance woman? Of all the labels, in all the world, this one seems to fit me best, at present. But it doesn’t mean I have it all figured out just yet. The notion of the Renaissance man, a la, Leonardo da Vinci, (no not Di Caprio) is rooted in a passion for learning about anything and everything. A desire to gain a glimpse of the vast complexity of the world in all its breath-taking, bewildering bounty.
I have struggled with this natural tendency to generalism all my adult life. It has lead me to work in fields as diverse as neuroscience research; IT recruitment, teaching and now journalism, across three continents, in five different countries. The path of a generalist is not an easy one – the ideal of the ’rounded man’, like so many other things, is a relic of days gone by. But it does provide those of us who stubbornly persist on such a path with a richness of experience and wealth of insights for which few substitutes suffice.
With this in mind, let me tell you a bit about my blog, Souwie on… I draw my inspiration from people – real, amazing, diverse, funny, brave, difficult people. Activists, politicians, entrepreneurs and academics – as a freelance journalist I am inspired by the diversity and dynamism, the power and the progress of Life, with a capital ‘L’. All those I interview and write about here inspire me with their knowledge, passion and compassion. I think of these people as real experts in the sense that they have unique, first-hand knowledge and experience of issues that affect all of us. They have ‘skin in the game’.
Near and far
As a student of politics, literature, economy, psychology and almost everything else under the sun, my interests and writing also include questions of Capital Markets Union for the EU; digitization in Estonia; Humanist weddings and rule of law in Poland and Hungary. I draw on events here in the City of Peace and Justice where I live and, since online is the new real life, on virtual events from further afield. In short, I am a Renaissance woman of the first degree, absolutely and without apology.
Stay with me for the journey. I promise to keep you informed on all manner of subject, often current, sometimes profound, always interesting. Souwie on … aims to both enlighten and inspire – one out of two is good too! Ask questions, comment on what you like and what you don’t like too. Debate and discussion are the spice of life and Souwie on… thrives on them!