Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade
In March of 2016, I meet my old primary school teacher for the first time in 28 years. I wrote her a letter of gratitude telling her exactly how much she meant to me all those years ago and I read it to her in person. The only thing I regret was not doing it sooner. A friend sent me her memorial from the local newspaper this May. Reading her memorial I realized just how many children and young people she touched. How many lives she influenced. She was one of three teachers that inspired me to become a teacher. She was an amazing soul. Inger Marie you will always be my Star.
My Inger Marie
Below is the letter I wrote to her in 2015 and had the chance to read to her in 2016. The English translation of the letter follows the original version in Danish.
Christianshavn den 30. november 2015
Kære Inger Marie,
Jeg har ville skrive det her brev i meget lang tid. Nu får jeg det endelig gjort. Jeg har tænkt på dig i mange, mange år. Rigtig rigtig ofte da jeg havde mange andre lærer og senere også da jeg selv blev folkeskolelærer og undervist i 13 år. Rigtig tit er du i mine tanker Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade.
Jeg er Ilolo Ajufo, jeg ved ikke om du kan huske mig, jeg havde dig som klasselærer i 10. Klasse sammen med Rasmus, Stephen (Depeche Mode drengene), Solvej, Dorte, Louise, Lisselotte, Michael og Lisbeth (det er dem jeg kan huske lige nu). Jeg var lige flyttet til Danmark fra Nigeria og startede i 10. klasse i august 1987 hos dig.
I dag bor jeg på Christianshavn i København med min 2 piger, Mille og Julie på snart 17 og 15. Mille går nu i 1.G – det er nogle gange svært at fatte at mine børn er så store. Jeg har arbejdet som pædagogisk konsulent i en periode og som kreativ lærings konsulent. Lige nu arbejder jeg for mig selv på nogle personlige projekter i nogle måneder.
Jeg vil bare sige tak, tak af hele mit hjerte, tak for den du var, for den du er, som lærer og som menneske. Du var/er en af det mest fantastiske lærer jeg har haft og det vil jeg give dig på skrift. Din imødekommenhed og rumlighed havde meget stor betydning for mig, meget større end jeg egentlig var bevidst om på det tidspunkt.
Tak fordi vi altid kunne lokke dig til at grine, tak fordi vi ku overtale dig til at købe onsdagssnegle så tit, tak fordi du tog med til Berlin, tak fordi vi måtte høre musik højt, tak fordi du lyttede, tak fordi du dansede, tak fordi du var Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade parlez vous (jeg forstod aldrig helt hvad det var drengene sang men jeg ku godt regne ud at det ik var helt stuerent).
Du rummede os med alle vores forskelligheder, vores forskellige behov, du udfordrede os der hvor vi var. Du var sød, omsorgsfuld samtidig med at være bestemt og havde forventninger til os. Du gav mig tryghed i en meget omvæltende tid, Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade, du genskabt mig tillid til voksne, Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade. Dit grin, dit smil i vores lokale vil jeg aldrig glemme, din varme altomfattende, Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade. Tusind tusind tak.
Jeg er stadig bedste veninder med Merete K. (hun gik i parallelklassen – rødhåret med fregner) jeg skulle hilse dig rigtig rigtig mange gange fra hende.
Tusind tak Inger Marie fra Smedelundsgade, du er en stjerne i mit liv.
Stort stort kram
ilolo
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Christianshavn, November 30, 2015
Dear Inger Marie,
I have wanted to write this letter for a very long time. Now I finally get to do it. I have thought about you for many, many years. Very, very often when I had many other teachers and later also when I myself became a primary school teacher and taught for 13 years. Very often you are in my thoughts Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade.
I am Ilolo Ajufo, I don't know if you remember me, I had you as a class teacher in 10th grade together with Rasmus, Stephen (the Depeche Mode boys), Solvej, Dorte, Louise, Lisselotte, Michael and Lisbeth (those are the ones I can remember right now). I had just moved to Denmark from Nigeria and started 10th grade in August 1987 with you.
Today I live in Christianshavn in Copenhagen with my 2 girls, Mille and Julie, who are almost 17 and 15. Mille is now in 1.G – it is sometimes hard to believe that my children are so big. I have worked as an educational consultant for a period and as a creative learning consultant. Right now I am working for myself on some personal projects for a few months.
I just want to say thank you, thank you with all my heart, thank you for who you were, for who you are, as a teacher and as a person. You were/are one of the most fantastic teachers I have ever had and I want to give you that in writing. Your kindness and empathy meant a lot to me, much more than I was actually aware of at the time.
Thank you for always being able to make you laugh, thank you for convincing you to buy Wednesday Danish so often, thank you for taking us to Berlin, thank you for letting us listen to music loudly, thank you for listening, thank you for dancing, thank you for being Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade parlez vous (I never quite understood what the boys were singing, but I could tell it was a bit cheeky).
You accommodated us with all our differences, our different needs, you challenged us where we were. You were sweet, caring, yet determined and had expectations for us. You gave me a feeling of safety during a very upsetting time, Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade, you restored my trust in adults, Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade. I will never forget your laugh, your smile in our room, your warmth all-encompassing, Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade. Thank you so much.
I am still best friends with Merete K. (she was in the parallel class – redhead with freckles) I should say hello to you many, many times from her.
Thank you so much Inger Marie from Smedelundsgade, you are a star in my life.
Big big hugs
ilolo