Every week the retired school principal gives Ruud van der Veldt gives language lessons to people who want to learn Dutch in the library in Heerhugowaard. He clearly does this with great pleasure: “I also learn from it every time,” says Ruud enthusiastically.
For four years now, Ruud can be found every Thursday afternoon in the library at the Parelhof. He coordinates the weekly language lessons, which he puts together himself and gives together with other volunteers.
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During corona it was quiet, but before the pandemic, sometimes almost thirty people took part in the classes. Ruud: “Luckily we are now on the rise again; last time there were thirteen people.”
“Everyone helps each other, regardless of background or religion. If only it were that way in the real world”
And those people come from everywhere. “Spain, Morocco, China, Thailand, Germany, Syria, Mexico… the whole world is sitting around the table. And everyone helps each other, I’ve never seen people not want to sit together because of, for example, their background or religion.” He sighs, “If only it were that way in the real world!”
With such a variety of participants, it is inevitable that they master the language at a different level, says de Ruud, who has worked in education for a total of 45 years. “That’s no problem at all,” he continues, “I often have an extra assignment ready for people who are already very proficient in the language.”
The lessons often consist of fixed components such as dealing with a newspaper article and learning grammar. But there is also room for improvisation: “Sometimes we end up discussing a completely different subject than I had in mind beforehand. I really like that; dealing with things that come up spontaneously.”
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Ruud himself also learns every week during the lessons: “For example, how difficult it is to learn Dutch for someone who does not speak English. Or how universal proverbs actually are, we recently found out.”
One of the most special experiences that has stayed with him is the story of a Syrian lady. “We were talking about boats and ships and halfway through the lesson a lady suddenly told herself about how she had fled to the Netherlands. After crossing the sea, she and her young children walked through Europe for three months – barefoot. .”
“You have to like dealing with people; a background in education is not necessary”
“That made a big impression,” says Ruud. “I myself only ask participants for their name and the country where they were born. Nothing else.” He doesn’t want to “be too private” because he doesn’t know what people have been through. “I thought it was very nice that this lady told this by herself. Apparently she felt comfortable enough with us for that.”
Anyone who would like to join the language lessons as a volunteer or participant is ‘very welcome’, says Ruud. “As a volunteer it is especially important to have a feeling for language and you must of course enjoy dealing with people. A background in education or something like that is not necessary.”
The language lessons are held every Thursday between 13.00 and 15.00 and ‘the coffee is ready’.
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