My parents named me 'Maria Cornelia', after my grandmother. They called me "Neeltje".

On January 20, 1976 I was born in Rotterdam, and I was raised in the town of Gouda. As a young woman I returned to the Rotterdam area, and found out what it meant to be completely free and to enjoy life. I loved to go out, to dance and being outside, and I loved to cook nice meals for myself. After a turbulent childhood I taught myself what it meant to "be happy".

I mainly have work experience as a social care worker. I helped children and parents to play at home, with children and parents of several cultural backgrounds. I worked at day care centres for the mentally retarded and as a substitute at a school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. I acquired the Dutch Pabo diploma for school teachers and began teaching young children in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Working as a teacher at a primary school in Rotterdam, I met Pieter Bastiaan. He was the right man for me. All the qualities I was looking for in a man, he had them. We’re very happy together. We have three children: Julian, Lana, and Daniël.

I’m an optimistic woman. Everyone can see that I love to enjoy the simple things in life: watching a robin in the garden, drinking a cup of tea with my dear sister, reading a book to my son Julian, salsa dancing one night, snuggling on the couch with my husband watching a movie another night.
All this and countless other things give me joy and inspiration!