Three things that makes me happy

... with Mohammad, a driver in Amman, the capital of Jordan.

Few people seem to like Amman, a city perhaps lacking the charm of Beirut or the historic quarters of Damascus. Over the last years Amman has grown a lot and the traffic could be just awful. In order to stay awake while driving around day and night, you need coffee! Of course!

And that is also what makes Mohammad happy, then comes food and maybe the best - a holiday far away from traffic jams and bypasses.

… with Emilio Guzman, guide at the famous Lighthouse in Santo Domingo.

The lighthouse in Santo Domingo was inaugurated in 1992 order to honour the 500 Year Jubilee of Christopher Columbus’s arrival to the Americas.

... with Desulme Junior, street artist, Port-au-Prince.

I meet Desulme Junior just by chance in the area Boutilier, high up in the hills above the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Desulme is one of several local painters, selling their work to the (mostly) development assistance workers that have flooded Haiti after the devastating earthquake in January 2010.

It was more difficult than expected to talk about happiness in Haiti. Often, when the question was put (this in your life that makes you happy), people started to talk about their needs and their poverty. And indeed, the needs are enormous and the sorrows after the earthquake almost incomprehensible for anyone from outside, but does that mean that people in Haiti do not find any happiness in their lives? Or, is it so that poor people, whenever they meet anyone who is white and (presumably) rich they immediately talk about what the need (or lack) in hope of getting aid?

... with Kristina Vardanova, student, Stepanakert.

I meet Kristina in a charming backyard in the old town of Stepanakert, the capital of the de facto independent republic of Mountainous Karbakh (Nagorno is Russian for Mountainous.

... with Symeon, Archibishop of Kotor, Montenegro.

I meet the archbishop of Kotor outside one of the Montenegrian ortodox churches. He is on his way to a wedding in another church in the old town of Kotor in Montenegro. The computer mapping system still believes Serbia and Montenegro is one country, but Montenegro is on its own, even as church relations sometimes are strained, as the bishop has witnessed. So, what does make a bishop happy?

...With Remi Vauchan-Richards, filmmaker, Lagos.

I meet Remi in the office-gallery of African artists’ Foundation in Lagos.

The non-Nigerians that come here are usually quite eccentric, says Remi Vauchan-Richards who herself moved back to Lagos from London five years ago.

Most people would be to scared about Lagos, even neighbours in countries like Ghana or Burkina Faso are to afraid to go to Lagos. What do you say to them?

– That it’s bullshit! London is equally dangerous, Chicago is also dangerous.

... with Natalia Gligor, volunteer and websurfer, Chisinau, Moldova.

I meet Natalia at the park, just besides Chisinaus main street Stefan cel Mare. Natalia does not have Internet at home at the moment, but that's no problem in the Chisinau park where both Internet and electricy is for free. Instead of relying on old prejudices about desperation and poverty she believes that everyone should come to Moldova and check for him/herself what it's really is about. Then, maybe you will find out that Chisinau actually is a great place!

... with Emil Kalderar, copper smith in Brateui, Transylvania, Romania.

I meet Emil in one of the tidiest villages I’ve ever seen. Everybody seams to be working and the houses are gigantic! If you want to make a good palinka (Romanian plum brandy) Emil is the right person to sell you the utensils. His 50 litre copper cauldrons are guaranteed to last 250 years, how many bottles will you be able to make during those years?