Harrie (61) goes again to highschool to be taught to learn and write

Harry. A tall boy with a pleasant face and glowing eyes that carry tears to his eyes infrequently. As a result of he did not count on that at his age he would nonetheless be capable of unlock the mysterious world of letters.

As a baby in main faculty, language classes had been already tough. “I attempted, however there was a unfastened connection someplace upstairs, so I could not get on,” stated Harrie. “I had very candy dad and mom, however they by no means adopted it.”

When he was about sixteen, he was more and more coming throughout his limits. “Then we had agreed with mates to go to a disco, however I could not bear in mind the title, not to mention discover the handle.” It was additionally a problem to get his driver’s license. so much. I handed the primary strive, however the concept was horrible,” he thinks. “Studying these visitors guidelines took for much longer than anybody else.”

Emotion takes over when Harrie talks about retiring from the volunteer fireplace brigade after thirty years. “I used to be a fanatic,” he says. “When the pager went off at night time as a result of there was a fireplace, I had my slippers prepared so I may get to the barracks as quick as I may. As a result of there was no time for my to tie sneakers.”

Harrie had efficiently accomplished all coaching programs. “They solely needed to present me just a few instances methods to maintain the lists on the pc. After some time I managed to do this too. I even labored on my Sunday off. However then got here one other boss and instructed me I wasn’t working correctly. I needed to go.

Harrie was very afraid of making use of for work. As a result of he couldn’t write a letter of request. “In a single dialog I used to be afraid that they’d discover out. I felt that they had been pondering: ‘We should not have that, as a result of there’s something not proper with that boy “Possibly they did not let on, however I felt that.”

It did so much for her self-confidence. “At a sure level I did not belief anybody anymore,” he says softly.

Harrie now works 4 days per week as a cleaner at Amphia Hospital. He commonly fills in for his colleagues and likewise has his personal cleansing firm. With a mop and a vacuum cleaner, he makes certain that the bakery, the soccer membership and the golf course in his city keep clear.

He works eighty to eighty hours per week. “I rise up at half previous 5 every single day. Regularly a standard individual would do some much less, I simply get extra jobs,” he says laughing. “I am filled with power, it drives my girlfriend loopy. Within the night she says: Harrie, simply be quiet for a minute, we’ll sleep.”

His former staff chief, Helma van Olst, seen that Harrie was having hassle finishing the shift lists after an evening shift. The names of every division and clinic had been additionally an impediment. “We made some modifications to the inside in order that Harrie may simply discover his means, however we wished to do extra for him,” says staff co-director Anne-Claire Kautz. “That is why that we despatched him to highschool.”

Harrie now goes to the ROC each Thursday. The prices of the course are paid by Amphia Hospital. “I am studying the letters and the sounds, which phrases you write with a protracted ij and a brief ei. It is getting higher, however you will not be a professor in just a few weeks,” he says.

“Everybody says how a lot they assume it is good that I’ll faculty,” stated Harrie. “No person offers a unfavourable response, that is so particular. I at all times thought they’d decide me.” His girlfriend and two kids are additionally very proud.