'Change' is a factor in life that we all have to face. The sooner we accept it, the easier life becomes. In today's world, change is constantly in our faces and when we look at the state of the world, politically and economically, we'll only be more & more confronted with our 'normals' disappearing and constantly being replaced.
Wim De Pauw is a man whose life celebrates constant change. His career was on a set path. He grew up in Asse, near Brussels, and after studying Adult Education and then doing a Ph.D. in the VUB (Vrij Universitie Brussel), he got a job as a professor at the same university. He himself is surprised not only at his own academic achievements but also that he even ended up going to university in the first place. In school, he had seen himself working in the fields of electricity or woodwork and had specialised in technical & hands-on studies. What changed his course was when he visited an exhibition while still in school that was showcasing Modern Art. The man who was guiding the class said things during the tour that made Wim think of Art & Culture and the way these domains can be explored to act as a vehicle while working with people.
So, Wim changed his route early on and moved to Academics. While still working at the VUB University as a Professor & Manager of Cultural Services, Wim had an opportunity to work with Suriname, a country that had been a colony of the Netherlands for a long period. He even had the opportunity to go visit the University of Paramaribo in Suriname and teach Culture, Art & Development. Wim fell in love with the country, the weather and the happiness of the Surinamese people. He was fascinated by how people who had so little versus the comforts of a life in Europe could seem so much happier. As he had occasions to go twice a year for 3-4 years, he decided to stay in Suriname for a year. He lived there in a town called Moengo, where he participated in a socio-artistic project in which music was used as a vehicle for change. This wasn’t really a successful mission and circumstances had him come back to Belgium earlier. There were things that he experienced that left him traumatised for a very long time.
Over the years Wim took to writing a book about his time in Suriname. The book called 'Djoegoe Djoegoe', or 'unrest' acted as therapy for him and today he's made peace with that past. He also gave up his work at the University in 2022 because he needed to start life with a clean slate.
Once again, Wim was forced to find a new direction to his career. He has now been working as a Dutch teacher for Adults as a second language. He finds a lot of purpose in this role. More recently he has got an opportunity to teach the basic alphabet to illiterate adults as part of the same job. He learned that if you pay enough attention to people, everyone can grow. And that’s mainly what gives him satisfaction in his job.
The fun part of this job is that he can use a bit of all his skills in the service of the people he encounters. He points out how during his Ph.D., the intellectual stimulation was overwhelming. So, when he finished his studies, he studied to be a chef by taking evening classes. And today, he teaches cooking as a small part of his job. He enjoys the change from always working behind a screen to now dealing with people up close & personal. On top of that, many of his students have a difficult past that they have had to deal with before reaching Belgium and have had to deal with several levels of constant instability & change. All this gives Wim teachings that probably wouldn't have happened had he not accepted change himself first.
Recently, Wim has written a Children's book called 'Wij tweetjes ' which is available in local bookstores. He worked with his cousin Emma De Pauw who handles the illustrations and got it published by a renowned Flemish publishing company called 'Clavis'. At the publishing company, they believe that the world of tomorrow will look like the dreams of children today. Their mission is therefore to make children’s lives as beautiful as possible every day. Will is proud to make a small contribution to this beautiful statement. The book is a story of friendship, trust & support between a bear & a tiger.
Here's the link to the book https://www.clavisbooks.com/
Wim lives near my home & regularly takes a walk in our local park. He rides his bicycle to work and loves living in the open mindedness & multi-cultured environment of Brussels. He represents someone who chose peace of mind & rode on the wave of change rather than being crushed by it. I hope his example encourages you & gives you hope, however hard life may be right now.
Read here to discover Suriname through the eyes of a Surinamese Dutch person I interviewed last year.
From Calcutta to Suriname- A journey of Indian Roots
Here's the Link to Wim's novel about his experience in Suriname https://boeken.cafe/boek/
#surinamebhojpuri #surinamimusic #surinamefood #dutchcolonysuriname
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