6 January 2014
I open my eyes. It is Monday morning. it is still dark and cold outside. I think: “The time has come”. For the first time, I go to IBM, World Smart College Taal today. I am slightly tense but also curious (at the same time). I stand in front of the reception desk at IBM. There are also other people waiting just like me for what is about to happen. We are offered delicious coffee in the hall. People form small groups and start talking to each other. I stand a little bit apart and watch the people. I can hear Dutch, English, Arabic and Italian. These are going to be my new colleagues, and also friends, I hope. Where do these people come from? What are we going to do here? Questions, questions, questions. At last we enter a big office space and take our seats. Than it begins. Rosanna introduces herself and her team. She speaks energetically and can see straight away how many talents sit in the room. She knows it already. We don’t yet. We try to understand her words well and I feel that I am in the right place. This is it. This is what I want and this is what I am going to do. To show my talent, develop my personality and learn a lot of new things. I’ve got a very good feeling about this. During the break, I too start talking with the people. Monique, Björn and Winston sit next to me. Winston is very quiet. So am I. I don’t know what to tell him. I talk to Monique and Björn. They are more communicative. With Winston, it is not so fast. But after three months, we can talk hours to one another as team colleagues. About the project, classes and colleagues. But not yet on this first day. Some things just need a bit more time. After lunch we go to the canteen. The official part begins there. There are not only other people from IBM, DWI, and ROC there, but also people from the first WSC project. They seem self-confident and they laugh. I can see my new colleagues looking at them with respect and a bit of envy as well. We too want to be as self-confident as them. We too want to be able to speak in public without fear. But all this is yet to come. We need to work a lot to make it happen. And we are ready for it. Delicious cake and more speeches. The afternoon ends with us making new acquaintances. I am very tired but happy. Bianca, thank you for signing me up for this course despite the fact that I thought it was not possible. A lot is going to happen here. I can feel it. This is my chance and I am going to take it, to give it a go. Together with the other fifty people. See you tomorrow!
Written by Janka Novakova
Translated by Dorota Ròg