Usha
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Bertine wrote me a personal message after she learned that I photographed her best friend and neighbor Leontien for &Bloom:
Tell Us About Yourself?
I am an Indian-rooted female born in South America. My ancestors migrated from India to Suriname, or as they believed, ‘the land of SriRam’. The migration started in 1872 and turned into an adventurous journey that, for many of the offspring, ended in the Netherlands. My story is the same.
I am a single parent to Dani (16). We live without three cats: Zorro, Kimmie, and Doerak.
What’s the Biggest Risk You’ve Ever Taken?
The biggest risk (one of them) is to stop looking for happiness in material things, competing, and adjusting to the demands of others and/or external visions of the ideal and successful person that I thought I wanted to be. Despite success and failure, I was not happy. So I chose a different path. It was not easy, very tough, and a hard struggle, but worthy at every step in the process. I stood up and became my savior.
What Do You Do for Work?
A few years back, I changed jobs from personal assistant to passenger assistant to ‘ground stewardess’. I love my job and the interaction with people from all over the world. Language is never an obstacle if one has compassion.
What would you say is the strangest thing about becoming an older woman?
The strangest thing is that when I saw my age, I started giggling. I was so consumed by life that I never realized that I had aged. Actually, I like myself more than ever before. The inner me has more importance now.
What would you say if you could tweet something to your younger self?
Do not make the same mistake of trusting everyone, if anyone, but yourself. Believe in yourself and be proud.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
It is becoming a strong woman.
What’s the one thing you most hope for personally in the coming year?
I wish to promote and spend more time in my Sarees, which I own. I love ethnic clothing and accessories. My website is undergoing some upgrades and is, therefore, temporarily ‘under construction.’ Moreover, I attend special markets where I sell my single pieces.
What Scares You?
The growing influence of negative ideas on people results from their self-destructing mission and terroristic behavior.
What are you most excited about this fall?
Fall is not my favorite season, so I have nothing planned yet.
How old are you?
54.
Photography: Denise Boomkens
Make-up & hair: Esther van Maanen
Shirt by See by Chlo
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