Sven Hazenbosch

“Inspired by Gyro Gearloose, I wanted to become an inventor when I was younger. At home in Velden, I built enormous structures out of LEGO and came up with all kinds of technical constructions, such as a lamp that turned on when my bedroom door opened. After completing pre-vocational secondary education at Valuascollege, I pursued a vocational training in Mechanical Engineering at Gilde Opleidingen in Venlo. Then I went to Fontys University of Applied Sciences, also in Venlo. I studied for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and during that time I started a relationship with a German fellow student. We are now married and parents of two children."

"In my final year of study, I was ready for a different environment. I found a graduation internship in Amsterdam and moved to the capital. I am naturally curious and eager to see, learn, and understand everything. In my field but also regarding the people around me. Everything was new in Amsterdam, and I met people from all parts of the world. That was already the case at school in Venlo, but even more so in Amsterdam. I thought it was fantastic!"

"Once I graduated, I went to work in Utrecht at a company that builds 3D printers. At that time, 3D printing was still in its infancy, and I loved being among the technical pioneers. After 2 years in Utrecht, I wanted to see more of the world. I was ready for an adventure, so I traveled to Iran, where I did a lot of hiking and hitchhiking. Then I went backpacking in Madagascar and, together with my wife, ended the trip in Costa Rica. In total, I was away for about six months."

"Back in Amsterdam, my wife and I moved in together. When we became parents, we quickly noticed that we lacked a social safety net. We had many friends around us, but they were all our age and also busy building their own lives. We didn't want to send our children to daycare 4 or 5 days a week, and we missed the close-knit feeling we knew from Venlo. Eventually, we decided to come back. We first lived in the city center of Venlo and now have a house in Velden."

"My wife still works for a company in Amsterdam, and for me, it was quite easy to find a new job in Venlo. There has been a long-standing demand for technically skilled people, so there were plenty of options. Since May 2020, I have been working at a company that develops machines for processing vegetables, and I am now the lead engineer there. Additionally, I work as a freelance engineer."

"I find it important that my home is a place of peace and calm. A place where we can retreat as a family. I want to be able to seek out social activities, but I also want there to be peace when I close the front door behind me. In my parental home, that was the most normal thing in the world, but I only later learned that it is not a given. In Amsterdam, peace and space were even impossible. Even though Venlo is relatively small: it has a very big heart. That's why coming back felt like coming home for us. For now, we're happily staying here."