An Invitation to Wander

Summary

On February 27th 2026 at 14:00,

I will start walking at Domein Nieuwenhoven. (Provinciaal Domein Nieuwenhoven, Nieuwenhoven 1, 3800 Sint-Truiden, Belgium) No registration, no agenda, no predefined outcome. Just wandering, together or alone. Join if it feels right.

For a few weeks now,

an idea has been quietly but persistently present.

I talked about it with a few people.

I let it rest.

And it kept returning.

So instead of analysing it further, I decided to try it.

On February 27th, I am organising the very first World of Liesbet Wandering.

What is a World of Liesbet Wandering?

A World of Liesbet Wandering is an invitation to slow down and move without a plan.

It is about wandering rather than arriving.

About letting direction emerge instead of deciding it upfront.

About making space for conversation, reflection, silence, and connection.

We walk together, without an agenda and without expectations.

Conversations may stay light or become deep.

Silence is welcome too.

You can walk alongside others,

drift in and out of conversations,

or spend a while in your own thoughts.

The only intention is to walk in a way that feels right in that moment.

Practical details

On February 27th 2026,

I will start walking at 14:00 sharp.

The walk will last somewhere between 1 and 2.5 hours, covering roughly 5 to 10 km,

depending on how we feel and what the weather invites us to do.

The meeting point is Domein Nieuwenhoven

(Provinciaal Domein Nieuwenhoven, Nieuwenhoven 1, 3800 Sint-Truiden, Belgium),

near the visitor centre by the fishing pond,

close to the parking area.

I will be there from around 13:45.

There is no need to register.

You can let me know in the comments if you plan to come, but that is entirely optional.

Why wandering?

There are two reasons why this idea matters to me.

1. A different way of meeting

I regularly receive the question:

“Shall we meet sometime to get to know each other better?”

Often this takes the form of informal online meetings, or coffee or lunch on campus.

I do enjoy those moments.

And at the same time, my introverted and sometimes socially awkward self finds meetings without a clear structure slightly confusing and quite time consuming.

Half an hour here, an hour there, and suddenly certain months feel full.

So I started wondering:

What if I could still say yes to these invitations,

but combine them with something that genuinely gives me energy?

Walking.

By wandering together,

people can get to know me,

and each other,

in a way that feels more natural to me.

Less forced.

More spacious.

2. We wander too little

Wandering has an aimlessness to it.

Moving without a fixed plan.Letting direction emerge instead of deciding it upfront.

It often carries a negative connotation, as if wandering equals being lost.

I see it differently.

For me, wandering is a way to unlock creativity.

A way to create space for reflection.

A way to practice doing nothing, without doing nothing.

Planning time without a predefined outcome is something I wish more people would allow themselves.

Not only for creativity,

but also for connection.

With yourself.

With others.

With the world.

What happens during a wandering?

We are all busy.

Every hour needs to deliver something.

Every action needs to be useful, measurable, meaningful.

The World of Liesbet Wanderings has a very different intention.

The only goal is to walk.

To wander in a direction that feels right in that moment.

For a distance that feels right in that moment.

Along the way, conversations will naturally arise.

They might stay light.

The weather.

Whatever is currently present.

And often, they may go deeper.

What drives us?

What scares us?

What do we long for?

How can we help each other?

How can we contribute, even in small ways, to a better world?

What do we need to feel more connected, with ourselves, with others, with life?

Silence is welcome too.

I’ll be wandering anyway

This matters to say clearly.

I will walk regardless of how many people show up.

I will leave at 14:00 sharp.

If you are there, lovely.

If not, I will still be wandering.

Who is this for?

This wandering may be for you if:

• You have ever thought you would like to talk with me sometime.To get to know me, to share something you are navigating, or simply out of curiosity.

• You enjoy walking and need a gentle sign to actually make space for it.

• Something in this message resonates, even if you cannot fully explain why.

People who know me well are just as welcome as people who do not know me at all.

Hello, Vake 😉

When this might not be the right fit

This wandering is probably not for you if:

• You have a very concrete, operational question you want to discuss. In that case, sending me an email is a better option.

• You want guaranteed one on one time with me and are not open to walking in a group if several people show up.

I will do my best to connect with as many people as possible,

but I cannot promise deep attention for everyone.

What I can promise is that the people who show up will be interesting humans.

You are free to join conversations,

talk with others,

walk in silence for a while,

or simply reflect as we move.

I’ll be wandering anyway.

Join if it feels right.