We know him primarily as the US correspondent for VRT NWS but Björn Soenens has built an impressive track record. From journalist to news editor and finally editor-in-chief of Het Journaal. His professional career began with a degree in English and French from the Provincial College for Translators and Interpreters (PHVT) in Ghent, which is now Applied Linguistics at Ghent University.
We asked him to write a letter addressed to his 18-year-old self. What advice would he give young adult Björn as he pursued his big journalist’s dream?
Hi Björn,
you are faced with the decision of what to study. Although your teachers at St. Joseph’s College in Izegem try to nudge you towards physics, you’ve known ever since you turned fifteen that your future lies in journalism. Trust that instinct. Your curiosity and passion for language are essential for what is to follow.
You opt for English and French at the Provincial College for Translators and Interpreters (PHVT) in Ghent (now Applied Linguistics at UGent). You’ve been passionate about the English language for a long time, especially since you last visited gran’s relatives in the US. And French seems like the logical choice in Belgium.
You will study hard, as you were taught from an early age. Father sets the bar high, however good his intentions. He wants to give you the opportunities in life he never had as a young man. So for the first two years of your studies, you are glued to your desk. It isn’t until you realise you’ve got this that you venture out into the city more often.
Still, you work hard to achieve your goals. Your big dream is to work for the BRT (the Flemish public service broadcaster). Let me lift a tip of the veil: your dream will come true. What’s more, you’ll work your way up to editor-in-chief of Het Journaal, the daily news broadcast.
And as long as we’re on the subject of realising dreams: I’m writing this letter in New York while working here as US correspondent. One day you’ll get to interview the Speaker of the House of Representatives and even shove your microphone under the president’s nose. It’s a fantastic episode in your life that is now gradually making way for new challenges.
So, young Björn, go for it all guns blazing. It won’t always be plain sailing but your experiences and the people you meet will mould you into the person you’re supposed to be. As long as you stay true to yourself and your ambitions, everything will be fine.
Also cherish that touch of craziness, like that enthusiastic, high-spirited but humble little boy from Ingelmunster. Life is short, like a firefly in the night, an exhaled breath in the winter air. Take what you do seriously but do it with joy. Father was right: do it well or not at all. And yes, life will come with its challenges, such as a disease that catches you completely off-guard. But I know from experience that beating that disease will offer fresh opportunities to come back stronger.
It’s a funny thought to send your eighteen-year-old self a letter when, 38 years later, you don’t feel a day older. But believe me when I say you are about to embark on an incredible journey.
Björn
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