Mylène Remezond: ‘I sometimes feel like the mother of the sports centre’

Spinning and body shape: Mylène Remezond has been keeping Tilburg students fit for almost thirty years. She is a familiar face to visitors to the sports center. High time to get to know her better.

1. What did you want to be when you were a child?

‘I have long thought about doing something with the military. That used to be promoted a lot in the magazines. It was the uniform, I think. And the travelling that goes with it, that has always appealed to me. In the end, that idea of ​​the army was lost, but the desire to travel, the adventurousness has certainly remained.’

2. What are you most proud of?

‘To my children and my grandson. Raising them as a single mother, you just make it up as you go along when you’re so young. I’m just really proud of what they do and where they are. They all have really nice jobs – a house, a tree, a pet – and they’ve ended up in good places. So I’ve done something right.’

3. What music can’t you get enough of?

‘Hardstyle. That makes me very happy. Last week I went to a festival in Oisterwijk with my daughter-in-law, Intents. I forget my fatigue there. I also use it in my lessons. Students also ask me: can I have your playlist? And how do you find it? Yes, I do my homework, I listen a lot.’

4. You have an unexpected afternoon off, how do you spend the time?

‘My first thought is: just doing nothing. My students sometimes ask: do you ever sit still? Yes, I really do. I love reading, or being in nature, or just at home. It depends on the weather. And not saying anything for a while. Because I normally talk to a lot of students. Foreign students in particular are keen to share their stories. I sometimes feel like the mother of the sports centre.’

5. Your house is on fire and you can only save one possession. What do you take with you?

‘My phone, everything is on it these days. I’m not very sentimental, you can see that in my house. I always make sure that my phone is charged before I go to sleep.’

6. What should you actually do more?

‘I think I am good about looking after myself, to be honest. Because I’ve been alone for a long time, I can organize my time well. Doing the things I like, eating what I feel like and being where I think it’s okay.

‘I have been renting a house in the south of Andalusia the last ten years, I am furnishing it. In the village where I am located, it is as if time has stood still. There are donkeys and horses walking through the streets. I go there regularly. No Wi-Fi for a while, just disconnecting myself.’

7. What wise lesson would you give to your younger self?

‘Don’t be too impulsive. I often act first and only then think about it. It has brought me to places. It’s also part of being young, right? Just: boom, jump in. Over the years I have become a bit more thoughtful, but it is still there. Actually, I have a nice balance now.’

8. What do few people know about you?

‘I was in men’s magazines when I was younger. Not as a centerfold, with staples in my belly. But I was in a calendar, I think it was January. I was 25 and it happened because of an impulsive act. I submitted photos for a beauty contest. A little later I was contacted by a photographer.

‘Of course I got paid and there were nice trips to the Canary Islands and Crete. Very exotic, very beautiful. That was for Aktueel. Later I was asked for a Playboy feature ’10 exotic beauties’. It was very special. I learned a lot from that time and also met some really nice girls.’

9. What series do you watch to relax?

‘During the corona period, one of my colleagues introduced me to Japanese and Korean series. Especially the Korean romcoms have stuck around, I find them very relaxing. I like how respectful Koreans are with each other. And how they prepare food and enjoy it. At the moment I’m watching The Potato Lab, it’s very funny.’

10. What gives you a short fuse?

‘People who really push themselves to the forefront. When you’re talking to someone, for example at a party, and people push against you and just stand right in front of you. So disrespectful, there’s plenty of space.’

11. What do you do during the holidays?

‘Then I’ll go to my house in Spain. I usually go alone, although they also know my children and grandson. You have to eat and drink with everyone there. There is also a super beautiful nature reserve.

‘If you want to travel on your own, it’s hard. I was tired of reserving chairs with towels at swimming pools. Now I just take the key to the house and book a flight. It’s like coming home.’

12. Netflix or reading?

‘I’m leaning just a little more towards Netflix, unfortunately. Sometimes you have to get back into the swing of things when you read a book. In Spain I don’t have Wi-Fi, but then I download a some movies and episodes of series. I’m thinking about whether I’m going to buy an e-reader. The books I read are not very heavy, but they do take up space.’

13. Never work again or never go on holiday again?

‘Never work again, then. Not on holiday, that’s not an option, right?’