Werner was born in 1966 in Brasschaat in Belgium and grew up in Prinsenbeek in the Netherlands. Werner was a seaman for four years, but then changed his job and was in charge of equipment maintenance for a Dutch company in Etten Leur. When he met Marion, he moved to Gouda and got a job as a metal worker and welder.

In 2006 he moved to Ringebu in Norway. After four months, his wife and daughter joined him. They had wanted to move to Scandinavia for many years, but they were not sure which Scandinavian country to choose. For Werner, it was important to have enough space, so he would not be too close to the neighbours. In the Netherlands, most people live in blocks of flats, while in Norway he could live in a detached house with a big garden.

Werner is now a metal worker in a manufacturing firm in Ringebu. He got the job as soon as he moved there. The job involved different challenges from what he was used to. There was no training for the job and he mostly had to rely on himself and his experience. He is very fond of outdoor activities and greatly appreciates the year-round opportunities for walking or skiing in the Ringebu area. What he lacks is a social life and cultural activities similar to those he had in the Netherlands, such as meeting friends in the pub and watching football with them, and going to concerts and the cinema.