Who are you without a diploma, a title, or approval from others? This piece explores the gap between who we are and who we dare to say we are. A personal reflection on identity, belief, and becoming.

Five boats sank this week, two capsized. Under the blazing sun, travel photographer Evi Goossens and seasoned backpacker Nina Wind wait their turn for this floating coffin. A random Thai man hands them a small yellow travel pill. It looks like an ecstasy pill from a techno festival. Ready for a crazy trip, I guess?

5,200 meters. Almost the same altitude as Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Growing increasingly sad, I fall behind the group, slowly trailing at the very back. I look up at what still lies ahead. I glance at Manon from Quebec and shout, “I just want a horse!”

“No, this isn’t looking good for you,” my guide said just five minutes after picking me up. I laughed nervously and thought to myself, “Well, I can’t control the weather, so let’s make it a good day anyway.”

Travel journalist Evi Goossens takes a leap into the unknown. These are the raw hours before the start of a long journey—the honest thoughts that surface when everything is about to change. What happens when dreams actually come true? What do you feel in the very moment your life shifts into something new?

A reflection on how we often feel stuck in rules and expectations, while in reality we have more choice than we think. This piece explores how fear, social pressure, and “you can’t just do that” thinking influence our decisions, and how stepping back can help you see that you’re always choosing more than you realize.