The Middle School Years
At the age of twelve, I started secondary school — what’s called “middelbaar” in Belgium — a place where I hoped I would finally find a sense of belonging, a place to fit in, where I could be myself.
But that hope quickly turned into a depressing reality.
The bullying that had haunted me from a young age became more aggressive and merciless. Sharp words turned into harsh blows, and subtle mockery became open humiliation.

I felt powerless, vulnerable, and completely invisible in a world that seemed blind to my pain.

As the years went by, the spiral of violence escalated.
At sixteen, something happened to me that I wouldn’t wish on anyone: abuse at an all-boys’ school.
The trauma affected not just my body, but my soul. The daily humiliation, the fear, and the deep wounds that undermined my dignity and sense of safety weighed heavily on my young existence.

This experience left scars no one could see — but they would follow me for decades to come, a constant reminder of what I had been forced to endure.

At home, I found no refuge. My mother seemed to measure my worth solely by grades and academic performance.
Feelings, pain, or my mental well-being seemed completely irrelevant.
When I sought comfort, I met judgment; when I needed care, all I felt was pressure and expectations.

I felt lonely — trapped between the harsh walls of school and the emotional emptiness at home.

And yet, in the midst of this darkness, I began to discover an inner strength I hadn’t known before.
I learned to survive, to build resilience, and to find small moments of meaning — like caring for younger children or developing an inner voice that told me: “You’re stronger than you think.”

It was these small, quiet victories that helped me realize that being different is not a weakness, but rather a source of resilience and uniqueness.

These years, painful as they were, shaped me.
They taught me that even in the deepest loneliness and the greatest injustice, a person can find a strength that no one can take away.
And that strength — that resilience — made my journey toward the person I am today possible.