Humans of MST: Vincent Valdmann, A Warrior with Heart

Big-hearted Vincent Valdmann cares. The Willow and Ginkgo parent has been involved in many ways to nourish our community and sharpen our vision on making the world a better place for our children. 

He has been a vital member of the parent sustainability group, been an important voice in community discussions on the effects of screen time and social media on children through SHIELD (Social Health Initiative for Early Life Development), and has been a vital bridge between MST and Bidii Yetu for Change.

Origins

Where are you from and how would you describe your hometown(s)?

I was born in the suburbs of Paris and lived there until I was 16. The town was quiet and our street was a dead end so we could play outside a lot with friends.

What did you want to be when you were a kid and why?

I wanted to operate a construction crane. I thought it would be amazing to be sitting on this incredible machine and move stuff to construct buildings

What were your favorite toys and games as a kid?

I always loved playing football, tennis, volleyball, and sports in general. And I have always loved reading books and comics.

What’s your biggest passion these days?

I don't have a specific passion but I cherish learning and I am looking forward to developing farming skills for the last part of my life.

What’s your secret superpower?

My tenacity.

What is one thing you love and one thing you hate about your job?

My 30 years of corporate life has ended recently and I hated it at the end. My new life allows me to practice various jobs at the same time and I get to decide which projects will get my attention and I really love the feeling of freedom it gives me.

Tokyo

What brought you to Tokyo?

My former company brought me here together with my wife. We had made long-term plans to come live in Japan and we were grateful it came to fruition.

What do you most miss about your France?

I miss people the most.

What do you enjoy the most about living in Japan?

The way the society functions with a clear emphasis on the group instead of the individual. The kindness and respect you get in your everyday life.

What’s your favorite place in Tokyo and why?

Our home is my favorite place here.

Montessori

Why did you choose a Montessori education for your child/children?

Because I fell in love with Montessori philosophy the first time I encountered it. I remember vividly how I felt after getting the one hour briefing from James. And I still feel the same about it: it is simply amazing.

What do you most enjoy about the MST community?

The open mind most members have, the ability to run activities and projects that allow the community to develop rich relationships, the partnership spirit between faculty, management and parents.

Bidii Yetu

How did you get involved with Bidii Yetu?

I met Martin (Bidii Yetu founder) when I joined a group working on Solidarity and Decolonisation. I am from European descent and as such, I feel I have to do something about undoing or repairing some of the harm my ancestors are responsible for

What has been the most impactful thing that the MST community has done for Bidii Yetu?

Engaging in a partnership with Bidii Yetu is an amazing undertaking that the MST Community has embraced and I am still in awe we were willing and able to take this path.

What are some insights you have had while helping them out?

It is possible to feel closely in kinship with people who do not have the same social, cultural and educational background. It is amazing to be able to feel part of a family without having blood in common. And I feel privileged to be able to learn from them as much as they learn from me.

What have been some challenges of supporting them from so far away?

The need to be patient and understand the reality they live in. The difficulty to not impose your way of looking at the world and let something new emerge front the relationship even though it takes time and follows a complex process.

When you visited the refugee camp, what were your impressions of the conditions and the people?

Their resilience and energy was an extraordinary life lesson for me. I felt like I was not equipped to live as well as they were. And a sense of feeling truly human, able to connect with other humans even though their history and living conditions are harsh. Can you realize that most people there speak at least 3 languages? They have so much talent and ingenuity. I felt humbled and it energised me to do more.

Recommendations

What are you reading right?

I am reading a lot, especially as I have started a not-for-profit publishing company a few months ago. It aims to publish books that tell inspiring stories about an alternative future, away from current dystopian narratives we hear and read too much about.

I feel inspired when reading such books and I'd like to recommend a couple that have helped shape my way of understanding the world we inhabit.

• The End of the Megamachine by Fabian Scheidler https://www.megamaschine.org/en/

• Everything for Everyone, https://www.commonnotions.org/everything-for-everyone from M. E. O’Brien and Eman Abdelhadi

What are you listening to these days?

I have been listening to electronic music (trans, techno, house, ambient,...) for the last 30 years of my life and I intend to continue as long as I live. I enjoy the beat and the energy it gives me and it brings back great memories of a time of spending hours dancing.

How do you spend your weekends?

Reading, studying Japanese, exercising, going out with family, cooking and enjoying family time in general. Some of our weekends are dedicated to farming and searching for land to buy in the future.

What is the secret of life?

Happiness comes from inside and the more (love) you give the more you receive.