Nancy Wiltink

Most of the stories I choose for the specific context. These may be rooted in history (for musea and tours), linked to a musical performance, to a specific celebration (wedding; anniversary, birthday) for a company.

My favourite topic is sustainability. What stories help u to connect with the earth and with the world around us?

I started storytelling as soon as I could talk, this must have been at the age of two, in 1963. If possible, I would like to tell my last story on my own funeral.

It took me some years to figure out that this is my calling though. Like others, I thought storytelling could not be a serious occupation. So I studied theater & (dutch) literature and worked as a PR-officer for theater companies, and a teacher. When I was 34 I started a big project to help teachers to do more with stories & books in the classroom. From then on, storytelling started to be part of my work.

Since 2009 it IS my work. I start my own projects, I am hired as a storyteller to perform everywhere around the country: on schools, festivals, living rooms, churches, companies, ships, walking outside as a city guide - you name it. If necessary I bring my own venue, a small caravan that I converted into a miniature mobile theater.

Achter de Bergen, Amsterdam 2005 In this book I tell about the year that we (a family of four) were caretakers of a small backpackers hostel in the Andes, some hours south of Quito. And what happened to us there.