Blog: Robert and Marcin

"Working and living in the Netherlands means... a stable future with a smile!"

This time, we are highlighting the story of Robert and Marcin. Their stories are part of the campaign 'Working Together for Tomorrow.' More information about this campaign can be found at www.terneuzen.nl/samenwerkenaanmorgen.

At the sustainable waste processor Heros Sluiskil, a quarter of the employees are labor migrants, mostly from Poland. "The employment of labor migrants is very important for Heros. They fill positions that are difficult to fill due to the labor shortage in this region. Without them, our production could not take place", says Agata. Within Heros, she is the contact person for Polish-speaking temporary workers and acts as an intermediary between them and Heros, and between Heros and the employment agencies. Robert and Marcin are labor migrants at Heros. Both came from Poland to the Netherlands to build a new and better life. They left everything behind to (literally) work here for a better life. It's hard work, but well worth it. As they say themselves.

Working Together for Tomorrow
Robert and Marcin have now lived in the Netherlands for about 10 years, Robert in Sluiskil and Marcin in Terneuzen. For the past year, they have been working at Heros. Robert can operate various machines and mainly works with the crane and the mini-loader. Marcin is a water truck operator and now has a contract directly with Heros. From the very first moment they set foot in the company, opportunities were offered. Various trainings in skills, safety, and interaction, as well as Dutch language lessons, contribute to their development. For Marcin, his position was even so life-changing and defining that he had the water truck tattooed on his arm. "This job changed my life. From this point on, things only got better. It gave me security, a future. I will always remember that. Especially with this tattoo!" Marcin explains.

Calling Mom
Although coming to the Netherlands was the best decision of their lives, they had to get used to it a lot, and they still miss home. Both Robert and Marcin are in daily contact with family members. Their mothers are called at least once a day. That doesn't change the fact that they have also built a nice network in the Netherlands—a wife, children, nice neighbors, and even good friends. "The people here are super friendly. People smile at you, even someone you don't know", says Robert. "Polish people don't smile so quickly; you would hardly recognize a Polish smile as a smile", Marcin adds cheerfully. The pleasant way of interacting provided a great foundation. By now, they are fully integrated. The language can still be difficult at times, but children going to school and chats in the playground or simply at the doorstep help improve it. When the men are not working or fulfilling their family roles, Robert enjoys fishing—a passion that took shape in the Netherlands and a way for him to relax. Marcin prefers to find a moment of reflection in his vegetable garden. He has a nice story—and a tattoo—about growing tomatoes. Feel free to ask him about it if you meet him!