Two Unwanted Rebels

This is the story of two rebels. Two courageous rebels who decided to take a risk for their dreams. Two unwanted rebels who stood against society. This is the story of a mom and her daughter.

Her Story

She grew up in East Germany, imprisoned behind a 155-kilometre long wall. Her father was a highly ranked officer in one of the most socialistic governments the world had ever seen. He adored his red-flagged party because they had saved his life. My grandfather came to this country as an orphan. The members of the socialistic party gave him a home, made him feel part of something. But my mother didn’t know that. She grew up thinking her father was making deals with the devil, helping to take the most precious thing from a human being - its freedom.

When my mother was a teenager, she cut out the photos of the forbidden shiny West magazine, which she hid under her bed. The photos showed faces of distant places and exotic cultures she graved to be able to see one day. As she grew older, she started to rebel against her dad and the system she lived in. Trading her little money for a leather jacket from the other side of the wall, painting her hair black with shoe polish, listening to forbidden music of insubordinate bands - she showed her rebellion in all ways possible.

One day, she fell in love. The only problem was that the love of her life was on the other side of a large stone wall, protected by furious dogs and gunned men. Her heart filled with anger for her father, supporting the same men that wouldn’t let her be with the man she loved. They wrote each other letters every day, but half of them never arrived. With each secret and with each lie, the anger inside of her grew, and the distance took their love. Then one day, she met my dad. During tough times, he was a strong shoulder she could lean onto. And they shared the same goal - freedom.

It was a cold rainy day in September 1989 in Dresden, Germany. Like every Monday, my mom and dad came home from a “Montagsdemo”. These protests for freedom happened weekly all over Germany. There was a special feeling in the air that September night. They heated some spaghetti, poured a glass of wine and lit some candles. Their rebellious spirits unified in love. Nine months later I was born, a free spirit longing for the same my mother always fought for.

Her Daughter’s Story

Although I grew up in a free Germany, I always felt the urge to go against the system I lived in. From an early age on I felt that there has to be more to life than the pre-shaped path everyone wants to put me on. School - university - job - marriage - kids - a house (and dog) - retirement - ciao … that could not be all. In my head, there existed millions of paths and ways you can choose to live your life - and all were acceptable. With that rebellious thinking in the back of my mind, I soon started to travel. In foreign places, I got to know different viewpoints and collected inspiration for a life I always knew was out there for me.

I started exploring Asia - from Thailand to China over Japan and Vietnam. Then decide to work and travel to Australia, where I lived for 6 months. I came back after almost 2 years of travelling. With my adventurous spirit more alive than ever, I knew that there exist endless possibilities. Everyone wanted to force me into a “normal life”, with a 9 to 5 job and a stable salary. But my heart screamed “no!”. I decided to give it a try, found a job in Vienna and entered into the system. It killed me, slowly. I wasn’t happy, all I could think of were the days when I was travelling the world without boundaries or fear.

But my family didn’t understand me. At that moment I looked into my mother's eyes and asked her one question “Mommy when you were younger - what would you have done?” She just smiled at me and said “I would have done what everyone told me not to do because deep down I know which path my heart chooses”. Shedding tears of joy, I hugged her knowing she would always understand my longing for freedom.

That was the point I decided to follow the call of my adventurous heart. And you know what? Right now I am sitting at the beach on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, looking at palm trees and listening to the crashing waves of the ocean. This is my reality now. I travelled to more than 44 countries, found love in Colombia and started my own business. Now I do remote work from everywhere I choose. The rebellious spirit my mother gifted me with brought me to colour my own life in the brightest shades I see fit.

Thank you for teaching me how to be a rebel, mommy.

Thank you for appreciating my art!

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