Marking my first year in Kosovo I thought of sharing a personal story about myself and about my work. I am a mother of two children who are grown-ups and work and live in the Netherlands. The benefit of living closer to the Netherlands is that family and friends can also come and visit more often; our children, my brother, my family in law, a 93 year old included, and some old friends all came to Kosovo in the past year. It feels rewarding to be able to show them around and share with them the beauty of our new second home and the hospitality of the people. I have a background in cultural anthropology and therefore I am very interested in cultures, languages and peoples. Kosovo so I now know, offers a lot to explore. 

 As an ambassador a lot of hours are spent in in meetings behind closed doors, discussing the way forward, assessing a certain situation. All important in order to be able to keep headquarters informed and form well balanced decisions or advise a minister. But these activities are not so photogenetic. The other part of my work is more outgoing, meeting our partners and stakeholders, in their offices, or the projects that we are supporting in their hometowns, factories, companies or organizations. By interacting directly, listening to the people, learning about a specific context by being there, getting a better understanding of a situation, and learning about the needs and the challenges or opportunities, makes my work all the more meaningful and can lead to better results of our interventions and a more sustainable impact. Yes, this is more photogenetic part, it is what we as an Embassy are sharing on our social media channels as much as possible. To let the public know why we as the Netherlands are here in Kosovo, and what we are focusing on. I really enjoy those visits, travelling around, visiting the country side, small towns and interacting with the people of Kosovo. I like the diversity of my work; not a single day is the same. 
 Being in Kosovo is very special to me since my brother served in Kosovo during the 1999 war, as part of NATO troops. He arrived in Kosovo during the summer of 1999 and was based in Xërxë for 6 months. I never really realized what he did in those years - now 26 years ago -, until he came to visit me in March this year. Together we explored the region around Rahovec and Xërxë, a region that he still knew very well. It was a very rewarding, valuable visit for him and for me; it deepened my relation with Kosovo and its people and for my brother it was great to see how Kosovo has developed since then. 

 We as an Embassy are a small, but very active team. You can check us out on social media channels like Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram. I really appreciate the dynamic, spirited work atmosphere: we work hard to achieve our Embassy goals, but we also celebrate our work together. Our team outings, social gatherings, yoga lessons and the competitive table football matches are all part of that! We focus on topics in the field of Rule of Law, Security and Stability, Human Rights (including non-majority and women rights), Economic diplomacy, Migration and Culture. We support several programs with a financial contribution, like for instance through our MATRA funds. Furthermore we attend and host events that are meant to bring people and ideas together or to share information. Being a women ambassador I invested some extra time and energy in a topic close to my heart namely women empowerment. Just like during previous postings I have a keen interest in supporting women entrepreneurs, women leadership and providing space to young women. 
 The bilateral relations between our two countries are strong, we engage with each other in a constructive way. For the years to come I truly look forward to experiencing the beauty and richness of Kosovo, not only through its landscapes and culture but also through the warmth of its people. At the same time, I am excited about and grateful for the opportunity as a representative of my country to Kosovo, to contribute to the ongoing efforts of strengthening institutions and building a brighter future for the youth and the country itself.