“My dear let me tell you a secret. Take it from someone who is 90 years old. There is nothing scary about getting older. It’s only scary when you try to fight it.”

(2/2)“When I heard I was HIV-positive I didn’t cry. Neither did my world collapse. The first thing that went through my mind was, now I have this label attached to me and I’m never getting rid of it. I will always be the one who is HIV-positive. The second thing that went through my mind was the concern that I might infected someone else. The first person I called after I found out was a friend who is also a colleague of mine. Her first reaction was: ’‘I will be here for you! No matter what, I still love you.” Those words hit me hard and I started to cry for the first time. Three months have passed I feel really good. Of course I’m devastated that I have this virus but at the same time I’m not an unhappy person. Finding happiness is something I have fought for my entire life. When I found out I was HIV-positive it hit me hard. The first weeks I cried a lot but now I’m getting my life back on the road. I have a wonderful job, great friends and supportive parents. I’m open about it because I find it important to be honest and I hate lying. I have decided to take matters into my own hands and I won’t let the HIV define me or determine my happiness.“

(½) “In a previous relationship I made the mistake of having unprotected sex. I met a really nice guy a few months ago and because our relationship started to get more serious I wanted to make sure I didn’t have an STD. I made a doctors appointment to get tested on a Friday. Wednesday morning after I got tested I received a phone call from the doctor’s assistant. She asked if I could come over that same day. Because I work on Wednesdays I asked her if I could come over on Friday, which is my day off. I kept having this terrible anxiety so I decided to leave work early that day to go and get my test results. I was sitting in the doctor’s office and I felt something was wrong. I kept thinking I might be pregnant. Then the doctor asked: ’‘Do you have any idea why you are here?” I told her I was expecting the worst. Then the doctor said: There is no good way to tell you this but you are HIV-positive.“

I realize that last week’s stories were different from the regular Humans of Amsterdam stories. I also understand it’s hard to “like” a story that is so emotionally charged. I really appreciate you all for sticking around and taking the time to read these charged stories. For those who missed it, since October, 300 kilometers from Amsterdam about 3000 refugees have settled in to an illegal camp in Dunkirk, known as “The forgotten Jungle”. The fact that these kinds of camps even exist in Europe is madness to me. Besides Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) there are no humanitarian organizations or governments involved. Conditions in the camp are inhumane. Due to the weather conditions the entire camp side has turned into one big mud bath. Access to drinking water and proper sanitary provisions are scarce. Refugees in the camp are fully depending on the goodwill of volunteers who operate individually. To me these volunteers are a ray of hope within these circumstances. Again thank you all for supporting and spreading the word.
– Debra Barraud

“We are a rap band! Except for my little brother. His name is Mels. He is our band’s mascotte.”
“What does a mascotte do?”
“One of our raps is against fur. Whenever we perform, Mels runs from one side of the stage to the other in a fake fur coat and everybody laughs.”

“Would you mind if I delivered a message to your followers?”
“Not at all..”
“I just want them to know that a mental disorder can happen to anyone and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I have learned that’s okay to feel sad and anxious but please make sure to ask for help because if you don’t.. it might be too late.” (3/3)