By Otti Thomas
The Netherlands has more than 150,000 residents with roots in Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba. Thousands of these residents are successful in their own way. During 2018, Foundation Ocan, originating from the Consultative Body for Dutch Caribbean persons, will put one of these persons in the spotlight every week. In the spotlight this week is Tishelle Daniel from St. Maarten, a junior doctor on her way to her specialisation in ophthalmology.
In her own words:
I wanted to become a doctor since childhood. I have asthma and have been admitted to the hospital a number of times, once with a lung infection. That made an impression of the doctor that made me better, but also of the experience of what it is like to be sick as a child. I therefore wanted to become a paediatrician or lung specialist.
Through a “ministersplaats”, I started with the general medicine course at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The first three years chiefly comprised classes, and the last three years residencies (medical internships) – two of which were at the hospital on St. Maarten.
Last year, I obtained my diploma as “basisarts” (junior doctor). While studying, I discovered that I had a keen interest in ophthalmology. I love working with medical apparatus. I love operations, such as the placement of new lens or an eyelid correction. Most importantly, I can really help people because everyone considers it important to have good vision.
Ophthalmology has that combination of a practical approach and helping people. It is a factor that eye specialists are needed on St. Maarten. Currently, I work one day per week at the Haags Medisch Centrum’s ophthalmology department, and four days a week in senior health care. Next year, I will start working fulltime as a junior doctor at an ophthalmology clinic in Utrecht and specialize, so I am almost where I want to be.
Obstacle
I am very critical of myself. There were many moments of reflection during my studies. I was one of the brightest in the class on St. Maarten. In the Netherlands, I found myself in a group of 300 that were all the brightest of their secondary schools. I had to suddenly adjust to getting average grades or even below average at times, because I had to get accustomed to living on my own in a new country, with another culture and language. Many Dutch students had the advantage that their parents were doctors as well.
I came to the Netherlands as a perfectionist, but I would not have completed my course had I remained that way. I had to accept that I had to do my best, but not that I necessarily had to be the best.
Grateful
I get my perseverance from my mother and my focus from my father. They saw to it that I could go to study, and they have always supported me in doing so. If I did not pass an exam right away, then I would succeed with the resit.
My parents saw to it that I could travel to St. Maarten yearly. At the end of my first year even twice; I had two resits, and needed to pass one in order to be admitted to my second year. I also had a plane ticket that I could not cancel or rebook. After I passed the resit, my parents bought a new ticket.
I am also grateful to my boyfriend. We came to the Netherlands together eight years ago and we have since gotten engaged and live together. He supports me with his positive demeanour at times when I am critical of myself.
Help
After Hurricane Irma, I felt guilty that I could not help out on St. Maarten, where I had just been on vacation in August. There was no need for junior doctors, and as a regular volunteer, I would have been just an extra person that needed food, water and shelter most of all.
In the end, I decided to help out from the Netherlands. I was one of the persons that people could send survival goods to for the “Make St. Maarten Great Again” campaign. We packed and shipped the goods to St. Maarten. It was inspiring to see how much we could organise within a short time.
For that matter, I never want to experience anything like that happening on St. Maarten again while I am in the Netherlands... I know that that sounds strange, but I would rather be there.
Inspiration
If you receive a lot, you should give a lot. I was given the chance to study and gain life experiences outside of St. Maarten. Therefore, I need to help others with fewer opportunities. I see myself teaching at schools, not only about optical care, but more generally about health and prevention.
It is 100 percent definite that I will return to St. Maarten. I miss the atmosphere and culture. Granted, everything is not going smoothly on St. Maarten, but that makes us stronger in the end. We are resilient.
Everything seems to revolve around work and the plans for next month and next year in the Netherlands. I try to be mindful, to live more consciously in the present. That happens naturally on St. Maarten. People focus on the now and on family.
At the same time, people on St. Maarten are afraid of change. Contrarily, that is a positive thing in the Netherlands. I hope to take that outlook back with me.
Advice
Growth doesn't happen in a straight line. That is my current motto and my advice for others. It is normal that there will be setbacks. The only thing you can do is not lose sight of your goal, and go for it. Even if you find it daunting or if things do not go well the first few times; push forward.
Foundation Ocan supports Dutch Caribbean persons in the achieving of their individual and shared ambitions and objectives. Visit www.ocan.nl and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
