ALL ANTWERP: “I stopped everything and returned to Nepal, my homeland, for six months” (Antwerp)
Every weekday our reporter and photographer pick a casual passer-by off the street for a nice conversation. Want everyone has a story. And certainly in Antwerp. Today: Tamang Jog (53).
“I haven’t been in this store very long. I just took over the business. April 1st to be exact. I used to have a night shop on the Grotesteenweg in Berchem. I did that for a long time, but in 2020 I stopped because of that. I surrendered the shop and then did nothing for 18 months. I returned to my native country, Nepal, for six months. All my family lives there. Here I have no one, on behalf of my wife and my two daughters.
I came to Antwerp in 2006. Why? It was civil war in Nepal with the Maoists. I fled from this. mostly i live here. In the meantime I also speak Dutch. So I don’t want to move anymore. I do like Antwerp. It is a beautiful, large city and you have many options here.”
“When I came back from Nepal in February, I wanted to do something again. But what? I have experience in running a shop, so I chose the same job as before. Only this is a day and not a night shop. That last one, I don’t do that anymore. I’m a little tired. My wife sometimes helps me, but most of the time I do everything alone.”