About Bourgmeisterin
Hi, I'm Julia
My name is Julia, and I love history. Not only do I love it, but I also have a fancy degree to prove it. Well, kinda-sorta. My first degree was actually in International Relations, and then second – in Public Policy & Governance at the University of Queensland down in Australia, but they threw in a hefty dose of… the history of wars upon wars upon wars😒 My biggest takeaway was that this is NOT how you’re supposed to teach it.
Having lived in Luxembourg for a bit over 2 years now, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the place... unlike a lot of people around me. From listening to what they say, I’ve figured that the problem is the lack of connection to all of this – life here. Most of them are expats, like myself, but, surprisingly, Luxembourgers have similar feelings.
What I also realised was that neither really know the place they complain about. Financial capital, one of the founding countries of the EU – yeah, sure, but is that it?
I came up with the idea of Bourgmeisterin because I’m convinced that learning about the place you live in creates a massive connection to it – just like with people. Especially if you resonate with the experiences they’ve been through: imagine reading that something amazing/horrible/curious that happened to you in your previous life also happened – to someone, here, in Luxembourg? Boom – bond🙂
What is “Bourgmeisterin”?
Thanks to its location, Luxembourg boasts 3 official languages: Luxembourgish, French, and German – talk about language diversity on steroids🤪
Here's my brilliant plan: I wanted to do justice to all languages that dominate the daily chatter of this place. It's something we - expats - tend to be pretty darn ignorant about. The idea came from the German word "burgermeister", which means "mayor": most of the stories are based on the history of buildings, landmarks or people who lived in the city, hence the reference to this character.
But I thought, hey, why not spice things up and mix it in the way that everyone’s interests are taken into account?
So, here's the kicker: the word "bourg" is a fancy talk for "city". It's so versatile, it's practically universal: you've got it in Luxembourgish, French, and even English. And then “meisterin” is a feminine version of the German word “meister”, which means “master”.
Why?
I inherently believe that ventures without a purpose are a waste of people: on both sides of the front line – the ones doing them, and the ones they are channeled at.
Bourgmeisterin mission statement
Bourgmeisterin’s mission is to help people rediscover their sense of self by sharing captivating stories from and about Luxembourg that forge a deep emotional connection with the places they call home: regardless whether it’s always been the case, or they moved here recently.
Bourgmeisterin’s goal is to ignite a renewed appreciation for the places that shape us, making us feel more connected to ourselves and our communities.
Bourgmeisterin’s vision is to transform lives by bridging the gap between the past and the present, fostering a profound sense of self-awareness, belonging, and emotional connection.
We envision a world where individuals effortlessly (re)align with their sense of self, where the stories of the past become a vivid and essential part of the
Bourgmeisterin’s vision is to transform lives by bridging the gap between the past and the present, fostering a profound sense of self-awareness, belonging, and emotional connection.
We envision a world where individuals effortlessly (re)align with their sense of self, where the stories of the past become a vivid and essential part of their present, and where the places they live are not just locations but cherished homes imbued with meaning and memories.
As I was a researcher in my previous life, I apply the standard research practices to the process of finding, refining & analysing, and producing the final result for Bourgmeisterin.
The first step is researching the topics, the second is establishing connections between them, and the third - digging in the actual data.