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I forgot how to speak Dutch
What has your career cost you that you didn't notice until it was gone?
Leo Judkins, Founder, The iGaming LeaderI forgot how to speak Dutch. Not entirely. But enough to embarrass myself.
Frank Op de Woerd from CasinoNieuws.nl was the journalist I obsessively followed when I first entered iGaming.
Every article. Every piece of content.
A few months ago, I'd had him on my podcast. That was in English. Easy. Comfortable. My turf.
Then he interviewed me. In Dutch. His turf.
We talked about redundancy rounds. About the black market.
I knew exactly what I wanted to say. But I couldn't say it in Dutch.
I was listening in Dutch, translating into English in my head, then trying to speak back in Dutch. Mid-sentence my brain locked. The words just weren't there.
So I switched to English, apologised, tried again.
Then gave up and stayed in English.
I felt embarrassed. I didn't want Frank to think I was some snob who'd forgotten where he came from.
Ten years will do that.
Dutch stayed at home. With my wife and kids.
What has your career cost you that you didn't notice until it was gone?