Interview Miss Dees-Weesie

About the stories you told us we found out that you have lived in France.

Why did you live in France?

My parents went to France from the Netherlands when my father got an early retirement

How old were you when you went to France? And did you speak the language?

I was 17 years old and I did not speak French that well.

Did you like the country from the beginning or did you get used to later on?

I had a double feeling, at the other side I missed my friends (especially my boyfriend), my sailboat and my live back in Holland very much. But at the other side I thought it would be a big adventure. I also liked the environment and the nature very much. There was taken good care of me by the people from my school and neighborhood. But I was very excited about my future and school career. But suddenly my father was diagnosed with a terminal disease.

Did the French language change over time?

No ,not tot that much but there is a “new” language which is called Franglais. A mix between English and French. The language is spoken by the youth, in the music category R&B and in the Rap-scene (Paris).

-              What made you decide to become a teacher?

I helped my neighbor children, Johann and Murielle, with their homework and explained the grammar. I always liked to do this and the children learned fast. At high school we, my best friend Magali and I, dreamed about becoming a teacher. We didn’t realize that it really a possibility was for us.

-              You have studied in France. Why did you study in France to be a teacher, why not in the Netherlands?

In France I studied for my pre-university education and my BTS(Brevet Techniecien Superieur-HES). After that I worked in the business world. In the Netherlands I studied for my 2nd stage capacity when I were 30 years old.

Did you have any problems with your study because of the language?

-              Thanks to my neighbor, who would be my mentor, I was well able to  follow my study. Heeft u problemen gehad met uw studie door de taal?

I had it hard the first 3 months and came back home tired. Especially philosophy was a difficult subject (with those tests of 4 hours)but it was really interesting. I found it very strange to have a lot of languages; France-English, Enlish-France, France-German, German-France, France-Spanish, Spanish-France, France-Dutch, Dutch-France(was actually Flemish). I was constantly shifting. Anyway, you get used to everything.

I’m so sorry that y mentor, Jeanne-Marie, has died so young. We were really different but still, I learned a lot from her. She still has experienced that I were a teacher.

-              What is your most precious memory?

I have a lot of precious memories. Can I name three?

•             The real marriage(with lots of folklore) of my twin sister Claudia when she were 19.

•             My trip with the Concorde from Paris to New-York, San Francisco, Florida, Las Vegas and France Polynesia (Tahiti and Bora-Bora) on my 18th.

•             My own marriage in Saint Andeol vals in 2001

Can you give an example from a cultural habit in France?

When a girl in Ardeche (South-France) turns 18 (and so be able to marry) every single boy from the village comes by (with a tree trunk tied behind their car, as a welcomes present) to make a deal with the parents. This with a lot of Pastis (Anise-liquor). When they got at the last door (I was a foreigner but still a good contestant in their eyes) they were drunk blind drunk. My parents (who couldn’t speak French that good) didn’t understood a thing of what the boys were saying. I behold all this with my secret love Patrick (who already had informed me) From the La Tour de Mirabel (a high tower on a hill/cliff) Where I had a nice view on the whole happening. We almost peed our pants of laughing. Meanwhile my parents were saddled with some drunk boys without knowing what it was about, very funny.

When and why did you come back to the Netherlands?

End 1996 I went back to the Netherlands. I just had a horrible time behind me (Long relation broken, moving to the Netherlands, my father deceased, no fun at work anymore, my own health and suicide from a good acquaintance, …) and all this in a couple of months. Everything went wrong and I wanted to live another live. In that period of time I met my current husband Robert (couldn’t be just coincidence) who was staying at his uncle and aunt’s during his holiday. I first lived in Brielle on my own for three years before went living together with Robert in Hoogvliet.

Are you considering to go live in France again?

Yes, when my husband retires (He is almost 49) we will maybe go live in France again, of course if it's reachable financially. I do need to say that we also do really like it here in Hoogvliet. Only the weather is sometimes a little problem.... although at the moment it does look like an “été Indien”.

This was the interview with miss Dees-Weesie from the Einstein lyceum

Hope you enjoyed !

Special thanks to Rianne Bloemendal  and Danny Kamman

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