While Simon and his construction crew were busy building the Discovery Centre in the backyard, Patrick, Bea, Rosalie and Ineke met regularly. To get everything right on the centre's website, they decided to go through their notes again and rephrase them.

As for their vision, their goal, they were short and clear:

Our desire is to give people from the age of 4 to 18 the opportunity to develop within a community of people into the person they are in essence, in their soul. We want to give these young people the opportunity to discover their own possibilities, talents, desires from within and to develop the associated skills. In addition, we want to give these people the opportunity to learn basic skills, assuming that everyone will achieve this at their own age and in their own way.

Our job as 'companions' is mainly to live with our young people. If they ask for it, we offer them help and materials. If we ourselves receive impressions from our souls for them, we will present these to them and decide together whether we can proceed with them.

Together with our young people, we will be responsible for the ins and outs of our centre. We as 'companions' take them, the 'discoverers' in this as seriously as we take ourselves.

Our centre therefore does not use headmasters or boards. Those who run and govern the school are the 'discoverers' and the 'companions' together. Together, we ensure decision-making and compliance, and solve potential problems.

We see the greatest benefits of this in that everyone will find their own way, discover themselves, and learn to live together in the broadest sense of the word.

.

"So, that's quite a story," Rosalie said.

"Do you also understand what we wrote down?" asked Patrick.

"Yes, because you had explained it. I didn't know what directors were, and what a board does, but now I think I get it. Together we are going to figure out what is good for all of us. And that's what we're doing now. I'm only five, but so that doesn't matter, we do it together. By the way, will the discovery centre also get a name?"

Bea nodded: "Yes, we had already thought of something, but I started to think about it later. It feels like it's very close, but it's just not what it should be. We had thought of 'I discover it myself'. How do you think that sounds, Rosalie?"

Rosalie pondered with a frown on her forehead, feeling and tasting the name: "It looks like it, but it's not, that's what you mean, isn't it?" And when Bea nodded, she continued, "It's deeper... 'I discover myself'... it's not just about the things we learn, reading, writing, arithmetic and so on, but mainly about discovering myself, who am I, what do I want, what do I like to do, what can I do. Yes... 'I discover myself'... that's all that belongs to me, it's more and deeper."

"You've got it, Rosalie!" exclaimed Ineke, "you've really understood what it's all about. I feel very much for the name Rosalie came up with."

Patrick and Bea nodded and smiled, giving each other a wink. "So do we, you see, even a five-year-old can join boards just fine if you listen to your insides."

Rosalie nodded: "That's right, I listened by watching, I saw those words in front of me, and saw that 'it' faded away, so it became only 'myself'. So simple! And it felt good, I also understand why this is better."

"Indeed, and you could tell that well too! Can you still change that on the computer, Patrick?"

"I think so, and if not, I'll just make a new one!"

"What had you made on the computer?" asked Rosalie curiously.

"Some kind of nameplate for above or next to the front door, and for above the e-mails, maybe in leaflets, and on the website of course!"

"Let's see!"

"He's coming, ah, there's the photo editing programme already, and the right file... yes, I had made this one."

Patrick clicked on the text, and could simply delete 'it'. "How do you guys like it this way?"

"Nice," said Ineke, remembering why Patrick had chosen those undulations.

"Yes, really beautiful," replied Rosalie, "waves of the sea, different every day, some days it's easy, some days difficult, but that doesn't matter, the water does keep flowing..."

"That was exactly what we had in mind," Bea responded.

"Yes, and another thing," Rosalie interjected, "some discoverers will take more the low waves, and others the higher ones. Some may learn more than others. Or, which is also possible, they just learn different things than other explorers. I myself want more of reading and writing, because I love that! Other people might prefer to do something with paint, painting... Gloria is going to paint... maybe she's going to do a little less reading and writing than me. But that's not a bad thing, as long as she can do what suits her. So yes, those waves are great, suits everything! Who's going to make that sign for the front door? Huib?"

Ineke laughed: "You are proof, that children can participate fully! Good idea too to ask Huib. Can't we ask him to make something in 3D, thickening the wood so it really looks like waves? And then burn the name into it or something?"

"Seems wonderful," Patrick said, looking around their little circle, and as everyone nodded enthusiastically, "Shall I call him right away?"

"Jaaaaaaa and ask him to give Gloria a hug for me later!"

"Will do!" Patrick called Huib, relayed their request and got an enthusiastic response. "And another thing Huib, if you see Gloria again in a minute, will you give her a hug on behalf of Rosalie..... Fantastic, thanks!"

"He's very happy to do that for you Rosalie! And he's going to make the plate too, quite a challenge, but he likes that. So, another thing settled! And now, what else? Oh yes, the finances, the money. Karel has already transferred a 'start-up capital', which we can use to pay for the construction and furnishings. I looked up at other private schools to see how much parents pay per child. That comes to about four hundred euros a month. For the primary school years, even about double that. That will be fine for some parents, but if you have several children or have to live on a low salary or benefits, it becomes more difficult. I called the education inspector's department yesterday and got Anita on the phone. She told me that parents who choose our centre but can prove that they have too low a salary for that, that they can apply for a parental allowance or contribution. That would mean that parents would also have to pay around four hundred euros a month for the primary school years instead of around eight hundred euros. And further, she knew from other private schools, that if parents opted for it, they often also decided not to go on holidays, for instance, to save them money for their children's school. By the way, she thought the amount I mentioned, four hundred euros a month, was not that bad. She wondered if we would make do with that. I told her, the fact that we would run and manage the school together with the youngsters ourselves will also save a lot of money. She confirmed that that would indeed be the case. And I liked her final conclusion: 'you will become a kind of society within the society'. And she would like to keep in touch, come and visit every now and then. Doesn't seem wrong to me!"

"Do the parents then have to pay four hundred euros every month, or do they do it all at once, per year?" asked Ineke.

"I think every month, otherwise the amount in one go becomes quite a lot," thought Rosalie.

"I think you're right, Rosalie, otherwise it's almost five thousand euros in one go. Then parents would have to save very consciously. Then they might as well pay per month, then it's more manageable for them."

"And who will check whether they do that every month?" asked Rosalie.

"I had thought of paying by automatic debit. Then the parents would give the bank permission to take that money from their account every month and deposit it in our centre's account. But I think, I will check it myself once every month. Still handy that I have always worked in financial administration!"

Patrick saw that Rosalie nodded understandingly. "All agree to have the payment made monthly?"

Bea and Ineke also nodded. Patrick described it briefly so it could be on the website later.

"Do you have any other general things or financial matters that should be mentioned?"

Rosalie jumped up, "Is it true that we are going to buy the stuff for the centre from Karel's money?"

"That's right yes, we should be able to do that easily from that!"

"Then can I come along to sort out too?"

"You certainly may! We can already start on the internet, though. What will we put on the floor, what will we do with the walls, what kind of furniture."

"Nice furniture, just a bit homely, like here," Rosalie thought.

"That for sure, but also practical. Anyone who wants to write needs a table with a good chair. But reading a book is just fine on a sofa or an easy chair."

They pushed their chairs around the computer, and started looking for ideas together. For the furniture, they decided to look around the thrift shop a few times first, and then continue buying new stuff.

"Per room," Ineke thought of, "each room just a different style, so that the rooms match but are still slightly different."

"And light wood, like Huib's, I like that, it's never gloomy!" complemented Rosalie.

After their search on the internet, they agreed that the next day they would start with a drive along businesses in the area, and if they still had the energy after that, they would visit the thrift shop to have a good browse.

Rosalie concluded the meeting with a happy note: "I'm totally belonging, I'm small in my body, but just as big inside as you guys, and I'm happy about that!"

To chapter 53. The decorating can begin!

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