In our city, there are special and often long-lasting friendships between Zoetermeerders. Originated at primary school, in your residential street or through the sports club. We are looking for those stories about beautiful friendships!
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This week we speak to the six cheerful ladies Wil, Kitty, Sylvia, Marjan, Ineke and Patty. They met thirty-six years ago at the mother’s secondary school in Zoetermeer and they still see each other regularly. “We only do fun things.”
Mother secondary school at Delta College
Children used to have to get used to when their mothers were suddenly not always home anymore, and went to the mother’s secondary school. Television choir Children for children even sang a song about it: Mama does the mother mavo† So are the children of the six Zoetermeer friends. “We wanted to collect our knowledge about the Dutch language,” says Kitty. “I wanted to help my kids with homework.” And “I needed a refresher course because of the tutoring I was giving,” says Sylvia. Marjan: “I wanted to brush up on my languages.” All six enrolled at the Zoetermeer Delta College.
Exam in the PWA hall in the Stadshart
There the women got to know each other. Twice a week they took classes in Dutch, English and Mathematics. “Not only did we learn, it was also a social activity,” says Patty. “We drank coffee and shared our stories about the children and our troubles.” All passed their exams in the PWA hall in the Stadshart, and a few found a job. Marjan started as a saleswoman at Prenatal in the Zoetermeerse Passage. Ineke went to study maternity care and Wil went to work for a jeweler. They no longer needed their studies to continue seeing each other regularly.
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running men
Every six weeks, the friends meet for coffee and a chat. Day trips to Rotterdam, museums and the Libelle Summer Week are alternated with city trips to Berlin, Sluis and Seville. “We had a hilarious weekend in Almelo”, says Ineke. “We danced on the dance floor in the hotel with a drink. A couple of eager German men wanted to join the dance and pushed themselves forward. After a while we got tired of it and fled to our rooms. So those men ran after us. We didn’t come around anymore.”
Boat trips
Marjan has a boat and lived in Scheveningen for a long time. A perfect opportunity for a cozy girlfriend’s day. “Then we made it a fun day with eel sandwiches and a city walk with a guide.” Ineke adds: “And when you were at Rotterdam by boat, you picked us up from the quay with a small boat. We then stayed on her boat for a day and made trips to Alkmaar.”
All still alive
The strength of their many years of friendship lies in a number of things. “It’s not just fun, we tolerate and respect each other,” says Wil. “We are all different but we share a certain course of life. It extends from our studies, to our lives with children, aging parents and the problems we all have. We share each other’s suffering and listen to each other.” Ineke adds: “Like the time I lost a dear friend. That was horrible but then you were there for me.” Kitty: “It’s also special that we are all still alive and so are our men.”
Do you want to share your story about your special friendship? Then send an email to [email protected] and we will contact you.