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I am interviewing my mom.

And my name is Daisy Deckmyn.

So, tell me about your childhood, did you enjoy school when you were a kid?

I actually did. I liked school and the subjects I liked most were math and science and I always put a lot of time and effort in it when I was a kid.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always kinda wanted to be an Engineer in a scientific field, chemistry related and I did not really know that till I was in high school.

Tell me how you got into your line of work.

I went to college for Biochemical Engineering and after I graduated from college I started working as an environmental and safety consultant. I worked for about eight years in this job function in Belgium, then moved to Singapore and I was also a consultant in Singapore for 2 years, then I had my own business in Singapore for two years.  Then we moved to the United States and the first couple years I was not allowed to work. So I became the stay-at-home parent with three young children. I did start a small home based business when my youngest child was in Kindergarten. Because of my passion for chemistry though, the last four years I have been tutoring high school chemistry.

So that was basically a description of your career.

Yes

Was there an event or person that helped lead you into your calling?

No, not really. Like I said I always liked chemistry and science and that’s how I decided to go into this line of work.

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced?

One of the biggest challenges was to get back into the work force after being a stay-at-home parent for so long.

What is one of the biggest lessons you learned over your life.

One of the biggest lessons learned is to follow your heart as to what you want to do and what kind of career you want. And know also  that there are options along the way if things don’t turn out the way you planned it.  You just have to stay positive and work hard.

Describe one of your greatest accomplishments.

My greatest accomplishment is not in my career, I feel most accomplished as a ‘mom’. Being a stay-at-home parent with a small business on the side, allowed me to give my children the best guidance I could and be there whenever they needed me. Our job as a parent is to get them ready to fly out on their own once they turn 18. It brings you so much joy when they do well and they are able to ‘handle life’ on their own after they turn 18.

How is your career fulfilling?

My current career as a tutor is actually the most fulfilling of all the jobs I had in my lifetime. I love to see the students I tutor improve over time and also see how happy and proud they are when they actually how to do the work and get the grades that they were hoping for. That’s the most fulfilling part or the most fulfilling job that I ever had in my life I think.

How do you want to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as a caring, loving individual, that was always positive and that also tries to bring out the best in other people.

What wisdom do you have for future generations?

Follow your heart and work hard I would say. Don’t expect that things go as planned all the time, because they will not.  Keep your eyes open for opportunities and always do your best. So become the best person you can be and also find a balance between work and family/friends/relaxation.

What are your hopes for the future?

My hopes for the future are that I stay cancer-free.

What dreams do you have for yourself?

I don’t really have a lot of dreams. I do want to continue to tutor students for many years to come and I also want to travel both in the United States and in the world, to just enjoy being around other people and learning about new cultures.

Well, it was great talking to you. I learned a lot about you.

Thank you.

Thank you.