Hello readers! I'm excited to share a bit of myself with you.
I was born and raised in a small West German town named Aachen, located on the border with Belgium. However, I am Belgian, just like my parents. French is our mother language, and the city of Liège in Belgium is what we call home. Growing up, life was very sweet. I was a quiet boy, a dreamer who didn't understand much about life but mostly felt it. I was used to observing my surroundings and people, which led me to have very creative thoughts about people's secret lives and personalities. I was already a very imaginative boy.
I entered the Military Academy at 17 years old and obtained a degree in Airplane Mechanics. It didn't take long for me to leave the Army and move to Spain, where I started a career in a German tools company. I was always one step ahead when it came to languages, which opened up opportunities for me to travel. Nowadays, I am in Shanghai, China, where my wife and I live.
In my free time, I'm an avid Chess teacher, educator and pedagogue in search of new ways to transmit knowledge to kids and young adults. I also love new technologies, People, Nature and Music
One of the most unforgettable experiences in my life was attending the World Chess Championship in Manhattan, New York, in 2015, and meeting many chess stars. It taught me valuable life lessons about dedication, hard work, and achievement. All of these are inseparable, and when reached, society praises and celebrates them. This is a wonderful aspect of our humanity, even if not all societies cultivate it, which I strive to transmit to my chess students: we celebrate all achievements and reflect on our failures. This back and forth, in and out practice, could become a routine that shapes the best of ourselves - a belief I try to convey through the game of chess; this wonderful allegory of life on a board.
In the coming years, I aspire to transmit more of my findings and working methods with the publication of more Chess manuals for kids, and especialy for those unfortunate by life's hardship or without the means to acquire them. It's an exciting but also a meaningful journey I hope I could lead to significance and as I said before, we could celebrate together when achieved. So here is my first step, 'The Chess Ladder'.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better. I'm eager to hear your stories, thoughts, and ideas, so please feel free to connect with me. Let's embark on this journey together!
