Hi y'all,
Another week in marathon training and in my life has come and gone. Some weeks pass by hardly noticed and uneventful and others slap you in the face like a hailstorm in August. This week my world got rocked once again as I learned that after three years of hard and loyal work, there is still not a change on me getting tenure. In the Netherlands we don't have a tenure track but we have this system that allows companies (or universities) to hire people on temporary jobs for a maximum of two years. It used to be three. Tenure in higher education here should be given to you after those years but cost effiency dictates otherwise... Even though I have been in this game for nine years and even though I can wordly predict what will be said, it hurts. It is not about how good you are at your job, it is not about competence or being loyal. It is a game of numbers and quite honestly? I am done being a number. I am so much more than that and I am worth taking a change for. I have proven my worth and if that is not enough than maybe, just maybe, it will never be enough and for that...I thank you.
It took me one night of heartfelt anger and disappointment and than I was done, you see...I am more than just what I do for a living. My work brings me financial priviliges, emotional satisfaction and honestly? A lot of good laughs but it is not all of me. It is part of me. A part I have learned to reinvent over and over again in these past nine years fighting for a spot. I went from just a language teacher to a sincere and registered teacher trainer to a confident student advisor and teacher in many subjects. I have learned that I am capable of far more than I initially gave myself credit for. If anything I have learned that what you studied is just a starting point and how far you are willing to go is up to you. And I am aiming for the moon at least. If reinventing yourself and finding hapiness in each change is a job requirement, than I can assure you this: I've got it down. So here's to endings and new beginnings once again. I am not just good at what I do, I am the person you wish you had. I am smart, capable, a fast learner and above all: I am a runner.
Why would I say that? Being a runner means that I keep going even when the going get's tough, it means I can see each and every day as just that one day and judge it on it's own merrits. It means I can see the beauty in long term goals and the rewards of achieving even the smallest steps along the way. It means that giving up is not an option for me and it means that I can ask for help when I need it. It means I can see freedom in solutide and joy in groups. It means that I can see through words and value results for what they are. It means that I can breathe through hardships untold and dangers unnumbered. That's what it means. That is why being a runner makes me someone to not let go off. And it means that I have enough selfworth to see that and think that all the most beautiful words in the world are empty, hollow and meaningless if at the end of the road you are still a number. I am not a number. My name is Marlies van Eunen - de Boer. I am a runner, I am a bloody good lecturer, I am one hell of a motivational coach, I am a competent study advisor, I am an amazing cook, a loving wife and a caring daughter, I am a history geek, a singer, a guitar player and a doctor to be. I am the person you should hold on to. I matter!
Those were my thoughts on today's Irish easter rising centenary long runday and for what it is worth: today I celebrate my freedom. You can cage a person in a system but you can never capture their mind. I am a runner. I am free. Happy easter y'all!!
As always, until we read again,
Love, Marlies
Another week in marathon training and in my life has come and gone. Some weeks pass by hardly noticed and uneventful and others slap you in the face like a hailstorm in August. This week my world got rocked once again as I learned that after three years of hard and loyal work, there is still not a change on me getting tenure. In the Netherlands we don't have a tenure track but we have this system that allows companies (or universities) to hire people on temporary jobs for a maximum of two years. It used to be three. Tenure in higher education here should be given to you after those years but cost effiency dictates otherwise... Even though I have been in this game for nine years and even though I can wordly predict what will be said, it hurts. It is not about how good you are at your job, it is not about competence or being loyal. It is a game of numbers and quite honestly? I am done being a number. I am so much more than that and I am worth taking a change for. I have proven my worth and if that is not enough than maybe, just maybe, it will never be enough and for that...I thank you.
It took me one night of heartfelt anger and disappointment and than I was done, you see...I am more than just what I do for a living. My work brings me financial priviliges, emotional satisfaction and honestly? A lot of good laughs but it is not all of me. It is part of me. A part I have learned to reinvent over and over again in these past nine years fighting for a spot. I went from just a language teacher to a sincere and registered teacher trainer to a confident student advisor and teacher in many subjects. I have learned that I am capable of far more than I initially gave myself credit for. If anything I have learned that what you studied is just a starting point and how far you are willing to go is up to you. And I am aiming for the moon at least. If reinventing yourself and finding hapiness in each change is a job requirement, than I can assure you this: I've got it down. So here's to endings and new beginnings once again. I am not just good at what I do, I am the person you wish you had. I am smart, capable, a fast learner and above all: I am a runner.
Why would I say that? Being a runner means that I keep going even when the going get's tough, it means I can see each and every day as just that one day and judge it on it's own merrits. It means I can see the beauty in long term goals and the rewards of achieving even the smallest steps along the way. It means that giving up is not an option for me and it means that I can ask for help when I need it. It means I can see freedom in solutide and joy in groups. It means that I can see through words and value results for what they are. It means that I can breathe through hardships untold and dangers unnumbered. That's what it means. That is why being a runner makes me someone to not let go off. And it means that I have enough selfworth to see that and think that all the most beautiful words in the world are empty, hollow and meaningless if at the end of the road you are still a number. I am not a number. My name is Marlies van Eunen - de Boer. I am a runner, I am a bloody good lecturer, I am one hell of a motivational coach, I am a competent study advisor, I am an amazing cook, a loving wife and a caring daughter, I am a history geek, a singer, a guitar player and a doctor to be. I am the person you should hold on to. I matter!
Those were my thoughts on today's Irish easter rising centenary long runday and for what it is worth: today I celebrate my freedom. You can cage a person in a system but you can never capture their mind. I am a runner. I am free. Happy easter y'all!!
As always, until we read again,
Love, Marlies
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