Dear Dave... 'How are you and how is Swansea these days?' was one of my favorite phrases for the last couple of years. Next to emails, we had many chats. Most of them on issues related to my PhD, but never without a nice personal chat and always with a brilliant sense of humor. You talked about your lovely family and questioned about my little girl. She was only 8 months old when she first met you, after I had traveled by car from Brussels and had to propose my research topic to you, whom I had never met before, Rick and the head of department. I was so nervous, alongside Rick, you made me feel comfortable and you were highly interested in my research topic, but you sure made it clear that you expected high research standards. As I was not a typical student, but someone from abroad, non English native speaker and I had to combine my work with research and being a mum, things weren't always easy. Besides the fact that I was more than overwhelmingly impressed with your work, you never forgot to take time to give your advice on mine, to get me back on track, when things were a bit hard or to push forward my thoughts. You were the one who believed in my work and progress, I do feel lost now...
I want to give you my sincere thanks for all of the opportunities you have given me and for all of the knowledge I have gained, for believing that I could make it and for introducing me to very important people, in such a pleasant way. Not many people have the capacity to make you feel proud, at moments where you in fact feel humble. Not many academics, with such a repertoire, can make you feel like you make an important contribution, when you actually feel small. 'A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself': I think this brings it to the point.
To Dave's beautiful family: I am so sorry about your loss! My thoughts are with you.
The last time I saw Dave, in Vienna this year, he apologized for not staying the entire week. While drinking a coffee and chatting about life he said 'you know, there is no better place like home, I just wanna be with my wife, kids and dog.'
'slaapwel', as we say in Flemish! Take care and enjoy your walks, Dave.
Dear Dave... 'How are you and how is Swansea these days?' was one of my favorite phrases for the last couple of years. Next to emails, we had many chats. Most of them on issues related to my PhD, but never without a nice personal chat and always with a brilliant sense of humor. You talked about your lovely family and questioned about my little girl. She was only 8 months old when she first met you, after I had traveled by car from Brussels and had to propose my research topic to you, whom I had never met before, Rick and the head of department. I was so nervous, alongside Rick, you made me feel comfortable and you were highly interested in my research topic, but you sure made it clear that you expected high research standards. As I was not a typical student, but someone from abroad, non English native speaker and I had to combine my work with research and being a mum, things weren't always easy. Besides the fact that I was more than overwhelmingly impressed with your work, you never forgot to take time to give your advice on mine, to get me back on track, when things were a bit hard or to push forward my thoughts. You were the one who believed in my work and progress, I do feel lost now...
I want to give you my sincere thanks for all of the opportunities you have given me and for all of the knowledge I have gained, for believing that I could make it and for introducing me to very important people, in such a pleasant way. Not many people have the capacity to make you feel proud, at moments where you in fact feel humble. Not many academics, with such a repertoire, can make you feel like you make an important contribution, when you actually feel small. 'A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself': I think this brings it to the point.
To Dave's beautiful family: I am so sorry about your loss! My thoughts are with you.
The last time I saw Dave, in Vienna this year, he apologized for not staying the entire week. While drinking a coffee and chatting about life he said 'you know, there is no better place like home, I just wanna be with my wife, kids and dog.'
'slaapwel', as we say in Flemish! Take care and enjoy your walks, Dave.
