“I want to feel just as confident in English as I do in Dutch”

“To give a toast, look each other in the eyes, raise your glass slightly, take a small sip, and then make eye contact again.”

At a beautifully laid table, etiquette expert Tom de Koning explains how to give a toast properly. He is leading a workshop on table etiquette, a subject he knows inside out. Even so, he is a little nervous beforehand. Not because of what he is going to say, but because of the language he will be using for the first time today: English.

The participants leave the restaurant chatting, with new knowledge about napkins, bags and cutlery. Language trainer Cathy has been watching the workshop from the side of the room.

“Well done,” she says as she walks over to him. The participants listened carefully, asked questions and laughed. Of course, Cathy has noted a few language points to work on: phrases that could be more precise and words whose pronunciation still needs some practice. But after more than three days of training, one thing is especially clear: Tom can already do a great deal.

Tom de Koning is an etiquette expert and entrepreneur who runs his own company, Etiquette van de Koning. He first came across etiquette during a training course. He found the subject interesting and decided to learn more about it.

To become more confident in English, Tom travelled from Zeeland to Regina Coeli in Vught for four intensive training days.

When did you realise that your English was holding you back?

“At networking receptions in Amsterdam, almost everyone speaks English. I wasn’t very good at it and found it difficult to join in with conversations. That felt very uncomfortable. I want to feel just as confident in English as I do in Dutch. I also wanted to learn how to use the right professional vocabulary.”

How have you found the training?

“The training has been really intensive for me. It’s so different from other courses I’ve taken. After my first two days, I was completely exhausted in the evening. But this morning, on day four, I thought, ‘Oh, yes…’ Today I can really feel that things are getting better.”

What surprised you most during these four days?

“What really surprised me was just how personalised the programme is. The training is completely tailored to what I need. My trainer Alpona gave me a podcast about etiquette as a study assignment, together with some exercises. Then I found out that she had created it especially for me. Absolutely fantastic!”

You have another training day in December. Will you continue practising on your own in the meantime?

“When I come back in December, I want to see that I’ve also made progress in the meantime. Having that training day planned gives me an extra reason to keep going. During these four days, I’ve received a lot of material that I can use to practise by myself, such as podcasts and websites. My biggest concern is whether I’ll have the discipline to actually do it.”

Tom came to Vught with one goal: to feel just as confident in English as he does in Dutch. He has already completed his first real-life test – the workshop. And it has left him wanting more.