I was the first student from the special school to be allowed to continue my studies in general education.

At the end of the 1998 school year, my teachers in the special education program concluded that I was capable of beginning studies in regular education. They considered that my level of Dutch, along with my determination, was sufficient to continue the journey and reach the end. I personally wanted to pursue secondary studies in general education because back home, I was in the final year of the French system (the fifth year in the Belgian system) when I had to travel. I wished to obtain a general baccalaureate, then continue to university and earn a degree.

However, the management of the Antwerp high school believed it was not possible for a student from the special school to pursue studies in ordinary general education due to the high language demands. The school’s management was convinced that the literary subjects of general education required an excellent command of the language to be understood, and this level of mastery could not be achieved in just a few months of language learning.

Typically, students like me who had followed this special training were required to enroll in vocational education, except for the brightest, who were allowed to continue in technical education. My case was going to be different because my destiny was already charted by God. My special school teachers had faith in my intellectual abilities, and they were all unanimous in saying it would be a waste if I were forced to follow a vocational or technical training program.

My teachers wanted me to succeed in life in an extraordinary way. They had wonderful dreams for me, which went beyond my understanding. It was as if God had told them that my place was at the top. On the last day of class before the summer holidays, my teachers gathered as a committee under the leadership of Madame Spijckaert and went to see the school principal to talk about my case and try to convince him to allow me to enroll in general education.

The high school principal, Mr. Coppens, was very surprised by the teachers’ mobilization and especially by the nature of their request. Mr. Coppens listened attentively to my teachers, then responded that he was sorry, but he could not enroll me in general education because I would not be able to keep up with the pace, which would be of no use to me. The teachers replied by highlighting my academic results, my character, and my attitude. They tried their best to defend me, without success.

Before ending the meeting with the principal, Madame Spijckaert asked if he could let me attend classes in general education for a trimester before deciding whether to keep me there or orient me elsewhere. According to Madame Spijckaert’s proposal, my academic results at the end of these three trial months would allow the high school principal to make an objective decision. Mr. Coppens accepted the proposal and ordered that I be enrolled in the fifth year in the humanities and modern languages track.

My teachers then came to find me in the playground and shared the excellent news with me. I burst into tears of joy; not only because of this miracle but because of my teachers’ disposition towards me. I couldn’t understand why these teachers were doing all this for me. What motivated them? And above all, why didn’t they do this for all students?

These were so many unanswered questions that came to my mind. Surely, God was inclining the hearts of everyone I met in my favor. It was as if the Lord borrowed each of their bodies to act Himself on my behalf. I was very grateful to this God who watches over orphans.

The Banker of My Liberian Friends.

After leaving the Kapellen asylum seekers center, I moved in with my friend Sheriff in a room in a house occupied exclusively by Liberians. There were about ten men whose ages ranged from eighteen to thirty-eight. They all came from the same region and were all Muslims. My friend Sheriff was the youngest in their community but the most influential due to his father’s notoriety in their home region in Liberia. When Sheriff told them he wanted me to live with them, they opposed it because I was neither Liberian nor Muslim. Fortunately, Sheriff insisted and his influence made the difference. Being there against their will, they did not welcome me enthusiastically.

But their attitude towards me improved very quickly when I started solving some of their problems. The first problem I solved was translating their mail. They did not master the Dutch language, which caused them serious problems in understanding the content of important letters they received daily in their mailbox. They all came to me in turn for translation of their mail.

After the translation phase, they also asked me to help them follow up. I found myself regularly advising them on the steps to take. They were so grateful to have me among them that they decided to reduce my rent further. In addition to my roles as translator and advisor, I quickly became a moneylender. Living a very modest life allowed me to save at least half of my monthly social benefits.

When I received the benefits, I automatically set aside half, about four hundred euros. I did not spend my money because I chose to always limit myself to the essentials. Moreover, the essential things in life were also accessible at a low cost. Water, for example, is essential and accessible from the tap. Clothing is essential as it covers nudity and protects from the elements. This means that it is sufficient to have two or three outfits that one washes and maintains.

Food is essential insofar as one limits oneself to the nutrients and quantities that the body needs to function well. Knowledge is essential and accessible for free in libraries. Good friends are essential and accessible everywhere, depending on how we treat them, because the quality of friendship will always depend on what we sow into it. Dreams of a better future are essential and accessible to everyone. Just close your eyes…

My Liberian friends had higher monthly incomes than I did because, except for Sheriff, they all worked. However, they could not save due to their relatively high standard of living. Whenever they ran out of money, they turned to me because everyone knew I always had a lot of money. That’s how I regularly lent them money. I encouraged them to plan and live for the essentials in order to save. Unfortunately, they were not inclined to follow my advice.

Many had no other ambition in life than to reach Belgium. Now that they were there, everything was accomplished. It was no longer a question for them of planning and saving. They had chosen the kind of life they wanted to lead. I did not have the right to judge them and I refrained from doing so. They had made a choice that I respected without claiming that mine was better.

Everyone knew I was different but that I did not judge them for it. They knew my respect and consideration for them were unconditional. I lent them money and, very often, they repaid it on time. So my money was not only in the bank…

This text is an excerpt from the book “FROM THE GHETTO TO THE BAR” written by Dominique MBOG.

We invite you to read the following article “My First Day at University.”

The Studies. The Studies. The Studies.