This is the world we live in

Days of heavy shootings or uncertain silences. In addition, Frank takes care for his children and provides assistance as a nurse in the Elisabeth Hospital or wherever he can. This is the daily reality for Frank living in the Voltstraat. If conditions permit, he takes his children to the parking lot behind the apartment complex where he lives. If only for 5 minutes, breathe some fresh (er) air, before they have to go inside again. From the window in their apartment they can see the smoke from several locations. Different every day.

"Since the beginning of the war, life is a chaotic existence. We’re still lucky that on the ground floor there is a valve where water still comes out. In the morning you’ll stand in line, maybe you can trade some food between residents, and you go back up to bake a loaf of bread of the little flour that’s have left. The only constant thing in our lives, is the news we hear on the radio (http://the-siege-of-tilburg-english.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-will-remain-dry-today.html?spref=bl). "

During the fighting in Zuid (South), his apartment was taken and occupied by Burgertroepen, and later after the they had left it was taken by The Military. These are the many problems that everyone in Tilburg has. Large-scale destruction and blockades, not enough material to do repairs, and not even speaking about looting.

Destruction in the Voltstraat after the battles in Zuid

"They really didn’t left anything undamaged! I acquired two doors via smugglers. And for the broken windows, I improvised that with various materials. In any case if you trade with smugglers, anything is horribly expensive. And for what you ordered, you have to wait weeks, if not months. The cold is mostly uncomfortable for my children. The only thing I really want and nothing more is a bed for my kids, but there is no way you can get one so they have a mattress to sleep on the floor. The UN handed out blankets, but a blanket is not enough! And so, I am worried about their health. "

For two weeks he had left his apartment because of fighting and the occupation by Burgertroepen and later by The Military. Because of Frank’s job as a nurse, they could get shelter in a room in the Elisabeth Hospital, and in the meantime do his job.

"During those battles it was like a madhouse. At a certain point the hospital was over capacity and we had to go to friends. Sometimes you just don’t go out. On the streets you feel constantly threatened, as well in Zuid, the center or West, it doesn’t matter! You're just not sure of your life! But ’it's the world we live in’, we live from day to day."