The Daily Herald -Robbert Adriano Schrijvers

Recap your story: I was born in St. Maarten on August 12, 1989, at St. Rose Hospital in Philipsburg. For my first year I lived on ATh Illidge Road. Later my parents moved to Belair where I lived up until the day I moved to Holland to study.

Living in Belair was a blast! Hanging around with neighbourhood friends playing football, basketball and always keeping ourselves busy with the latest trends (rollerblading, stunt biking) and having our own golf-cart garage in Belair where we fixed a couple of broken down golf-carts from Mullet Bay.

After enjoying my time in primary and secondary schools, I took a year off to figure out what exactly I wanted to study. In that year I had a total of four different jobs: construction work, airport employee and a job in the marine industry. By the time I had to enrol for college, I had decided I wanted to become a gym-teacher.

After a hard farewell from my family, my friends and my island, I made my way to Zwolle in the Netherlands. It isn't a well known city in Holland, but that's what I liked about it. I had the opportunity during the week to peacefully concentrate on my study and in the weekends to visit my friends and family. I'm currently still in Zwolle enjoying my time here in and around school to the fullest!

What St. Maarten district are you from? Belair

Where did you go to school on St. Maarten? Jolly Dwarfs Kindergarten, Sr. Magda School and Milton Peters College.

What is your favourite St. Maarten memory? That’s a good question. I have a whole bunch of good memories from the island but I would say always having something fun to do after school. There was/is hardly ever a dull day on St. Maarten!

What was your biggest surprise when you left the island? How much I missed the island lifestyle; being able to hop in a car and catch up with friends are a lot easier on St. Maarten than in Holland, since everyone is in another city mostly going their own way. I also miss my family a lot! It's always a happy day returning to the island to see my parents waiting at the arrival hall.

What are your accomplishments?

I would say the position I'm in now. After finishing VWO, I took a year off to take the time to see where my career interests were. I stayed in St. Maarten for a year, working to save up some money for a flight to Holland to check out some schools. I wanted to get a first hand impression of the school I was going to attend in Holland as well as the city! In that year, I got a lot of job experience at the airport to see if my calling was in the aviation business, and even though I enjoyed my time at the airport, I didn't see it as my future life. And that's where I am now, happy to have made a good study choice and enjoying my work-field to the fullest!

What are your goals? My goal is to finish my studies and become a good, professional gym teacher and travel as much as possible while I'm in Europe!

What makes you special? A couple of people have told me how happy I always am. I am an optimist and like to have a good time every day. To me a day without laughter is a day not lived!

Where do you get your drive? I get my drive from my parents. They have always encouraged me to think about the decisions I am going to make, do not regret the decisions I've made, do not be afraid to get myself out there and experience what life has to offer me!

How long have you been gone? Two years.

Do you have any advice for the young people of St. Maarten? Choose your career choice wisely and do something you love. And never forget to enjoy life to the fullest!

Are you planning to return to St. Maarten in the future? Certainly! I'd like to get my future St. Maarten students as enthusiastic as I am about sports!