Bea Kerek

Leisurely passing the time in a bamboo hut on a remote island just off of the coast of Myanmar seems like a dream to me now. I loved to travel. Now the world has changed and as for so many people during the last year my movements have been restricted. For me this has meant to a small area around my home in France. At first being in one place was difficult but gradually I have learned to travel in different ways.

During this time I have discovered that I have aphantasia: i.e. I do not have the ability to see pictures in my mind’s eye. This is a rare condition affecting possibly only two per cent of people. It can be likened to having the computer on but the screen not working. Having this realization has made me reevaluate many aspects of my life.

If I were to describe myself in ten words these would be:
practical, initiator, sincere, critical, impetuous, serious, agile, socialist, thoughtful, listener

If I were to describe myself as a colour it would be blue with its many shades of grey and sometimes a touch of orange.

If I were to describe myself as an animal it would be a giraffe, wild and untamed.

If I were to describe myself as a meal it would be a hearty salad with many ingredients both cooked and raw.