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My name is Christal Willems and I’m 21 years old. I’m studying Financial Management at the University of the Nederlands Antilles. As part of the study all students have to do community work. I chose to do it for Fundashon Christopher Middelhof.
I had received classes before of Mr. Middelhof. When I saw that he had a non-profit organization, I decided to approach him to get to know more about this organization. I like the vision of the organization and at that point I decided to join them to do the community work.
Mr. Middelhof gave me an assignment; this was to find four people who finished their training and are currently working in a company. I had to interview them about the things they went through during the years they were students. The goal of this interview was to obtain information that will inspire others to reach their goal of finishing their schooling or to inspire people to go to school.
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Fadil Fabiass
I’m 27 years old, and I’m currently living with my parents. I finished the University of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, were I studied electro technique – energy technique.
During my study not always everything went smooth. In one collage year for example a very close relative died; the girlfriend I had, had to go to study abroad; I worked as part-timer; I had a subject (Object oriented Programming) that gave me a lot of headache. I had to finish this course successfully, in order to proceed with internship. I tried very hard, but still I got an insufficient grade. Every chance I had to make the exam, I tried. I tried like 10 times. |
I was following a Teaching certificate course (PG). I putted a lot of effort in this evening course, but the exams fell in the same period as the exams of my study. So I had to choose and I decided to stop with the PG-course.
For school we had to do a very important group assignment. I got the lowest grade in the group even though I know I worked very hard. I felt really disappointed. I had other subjects that demanded a lot of input, time and energy. At that moment, I had to deal with a lot of pressure and emotions.
Finally after I successfully passed the course Programming and came back from my internship, I had to do a final project at a big company here in Curacao, so I could make my thesis and graduate. I got a very interesting yet complicated and challenging assignment. During this process I learned a lot. It was not easy, I went through hard times. I realized how many bad habits I had. I needed to improve in order to succeed. I had to change my attitude towards the people I worked with, I had to become more assertive when I needed to get information, I had to structure my thoughts and my work, I had to prepare for meetings, have a more professional attitude and learn to take responsibility. I really learned a lot.
There were days I felt demotivated, angry, and sad; sometimes I felt like all my strength had gone, etc. I had to deal with all these bad feelings; otherwise they would have consumed me. I am glad I went through all this.
I‘m currently working at RSA as a risk engineer. I like my job, I like the working environment, helping people become more aware of the risks around them and the fact that you build a network with people within the company you work.
I think that as long as you have the opportunity to study, you don’t have to quit studying. It's always easier to quit, but the consequences are sad. Don't be a conformist through life. Don't be satisfied with anything. Be passionate about education. Enjoy it! Aspire for more formation, for more knowledge.
Always be both perseverant and realistic. Surround yourself with supportive people and discipline your life. You have a whole life in front of you, sacrifice now and enjoy later. For this sacrifice won't last forever and your brains won’t explode.
Thanks to this experience I am a better person, more professional, more human, I have a more structured mindset, more mature, I have more knowledge, I am a better planner, and I am more prepared when facing challenges in life.
Golden tip: Always believe God for everything and know that He will accompany you through every challenge in live, giving you a lot of inner strength to face them. He will always make a way. With Jesus in the boat, we can smile in the storms, as we are sailing home.
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Aisha Dickens
I‘m 24 years and I’m currently living with my parents. I finished IFE (HBO-level) in 2011 after 3 years of studying Operation Room Assistant. Before this I finished Nursing (SBO-level), a study of 4 years. I never failed to pass a college year. As a student I encountered some obstacles. In the Operation room they were very severe and also I had a lot of pressure of the internship coach. But although I had some obstacles, I persevered so I could successfully finish my school. I was one of the four students who finished the study. At the beginning we were a group consisting of twelve students. I was inspired by the goals I had. To own a car, house, form a family. I set a goal of finishing the study in 3 years and I accomplished my goal. |
I‘m currently working at the Advent Hospital and my function is Operation Room Assistant. And this was my dream job! I like working with doctors and helping them think, so I like my job. My net salary is between 2500 and 3000 guilders.
A message to both students and those who are not studying is that you have to persevere. Don’t let anyone impede you. Show them that you won’t fail. Do your utmost and show them that you can! If you can study than keep on studying as long as you can. If you are pregnant, don’t stop school, persevere and think about the child who is coming.
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Stevan Richardson.
I’m 24 years old and currently living with my parents. Just like Aisha Dickens, I finished IFE (HBO-level) in 2011 after 3 years of studying Operation Room Assistant. Before this I finished a SBO-level study of 4 years.
My study as Operation Room Assistant things got more difficult for me because I was getting older. And my priorities changed, because as student you want to socialize, you want money, you have to work part-time jobs. When you work, your study turns out to be harder. You won’t have enough time for your study. But you always have to remember your vision of finishing your study. I had a lot of support of my parents; this helped me to finish my study in 3 years. Since I was in the second grade of the primary school till fourth grade of the secondary school I followed extra lessons, because I had difficulties with learning and I had concentration problems. When I went to SBO, I got the drive and since than I didn't need to go to extra lessons anymore. |
I'm now working at Taams Clinic as Operation Room Assistant and I like my job. I like the fact that my work is challenging; every day I assist at an operation, help a patient, and assist the doctor. The live of a patient is in your hands and in the hands of the doctor. You don't see the patients again but you know you saved them. At the end of the month I get a salary between 2500 and 3000 guilders gross.
A message to students and those who are not studying is that in order to achieve something you have to work for it, but if you have a good back-up, you can achieve things faster and easier. As a child you don't see the importance of school, but when you grow up your going to see that you want to live in a certain way. You can get everything you want as long as you set a vision of the things you want achieve. You won't get anything easily, nothing falls down from heaven. Many of us as young students don't want to go to school and study. You want to enjoy live, but you have to start thinking and analyzing how do you want to see you’re self in a couple of years. How do you want your future to be? Don't think only about yourself but think about your family and the future. What for life do you want to give them? You want to give them the same life that you had or do you want to give them a better life? Always think about that, when you prepare for a family, how you get them to prosper. Your child has to live a better life than you had, achieve more than you achieved.
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Edverlyn Francisco
I have finished the University of the Netherlands Antilles in 2009 after studying 4 and a half year of General Management which later became Financial Management. I am 27 years old and have worked at Het StartBureau as Junior Advisor, Nieuwe Post Nederlandse Antillen as Human Resource Officer and I also did different research projects for different companies. Currently I’m working at Refinery Isla as Cash and Banking Analyst. I feel at ease at my job, because this company offers growing opportunities in career development and attractive benefits. My job is interesting because every day there is something new and it is a challenge to think of solutions for the obstacles. I am very proud of my progress and achievements during my live. |
. I have finalized my studies with success and besides this I gained a lot of experiences and also earn money honestly to acquire my own car. The most important goal for me right now is to have my own house in the near future.
I have been receiving study allowance from IBG to pay my study; unfortunately they stopped sending me this allowance, because they thought I had changed the study. This was a very though period for me since that my parents were not in a good financial state to cover my study. I had to work to cover all the expenses that a study brings with it. At that time I searched for a job at an airline and I had to go to trainings abroad in order to be hired. One of the requirements was that I had to pass all the exams with 100% in order to stay in the training. If you failed one of the exams they sent you immediately back to Curacao and consequently you will not be hired. So I had an enormous pressure during these trainings abroad. Finally I completed the course with success and got hired. When I got the job I had another challenge, because of the variable hours I had to work. It was a hard time for me because I had to manage both things: my work and school.
I am goal oriented person, so when I have a goal, I am determine to reach it. I always wanted to excel in my life and be a successful business woman. I want to have my own house, my own car and to be in a strong position for my family. This means that I had to keep on struggling to get far in life. I know what it’s like to work for the things you want; I got this as an example from my mother.
In my last college year I did a lot of self study and dedicated a lot of time on my thesis. There were times I even stayed at school till about 2:00 a.m. and I had to combine that with a work project. I think that sometimes you have to sacrifice a lot of things to get what you want in life.
I do not know the reason why people quit school or drop out. But I really want to know what inspire them to quit. If you are feeling right now to quit school or did it already, I just want to ask; what do you want to become in this world? Where want you to be? I am convinced that you cannot live without a goal. I am aware that not everyone is born with a high Intelligence Quotient, but if you don’t have that, try to do manual labor or use the potential that you have to get a positive output. This way you can stand on your own. You have to be proud of yourself and let your family and people around you be proud of you. Be motivated and get productive every day! Set your goals to get somewhere. Stop depending on other people. Don’t take everything for granted and keep on living in your parents’ house. Become a responsible person in our community. If you want to have a partner and form a family, start working! Don’t get a girl pregnant and let her live in her or your parent’s house and see what live is going to bring for you today.
When you get an opportunity to study, make good use of it. In Curacao we get financial support to study from SSC. The government gives you the opportunity. Be intelligent and use it wisely. Don’t fail to pass a class; don’t stop investing time in school. You can have a high IQ, but if you don’t have motivation and a good performance, you won’t reach far. When you reach in the phase of thesis you will realize how important it is to be focused on your goal. |
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