No Filter in Paradise
Two friends, one's straight one's Gay, with different backgrounds, interest, upbringing & outlook in life come together to have a Fun & honest conversation and discuss their opinions on different topics... with no filter.
No Filter in Paradise
Miles Mercera: Dream big because life isn't meant for us to stay small | EP 194
We explore Miles Mercera's journey from a young boy in Bonaire to CEO of tourism organizations across the ABC islands, and his philosophy of living boldly as a global citizen.
• Growing up in Bonaire in a foundation of love that shaped Miles' outlook on life
• Moving alone to Aruba at 16 and overcoming academic challenges through persistence
• The pivotal moment when a school director saw Miles' dedication and gave him a chance
• Becoming a CEO at just 27 years old through hard work and hunger for success
• The importance of reinventing yourself and starting over at different phases of life
• Creating meaningful connections through legendary birthday celebrations
• Challenges faced as an openly gay candidate in island politics
• Passing the torch to others and creating opportunities for the next generation
• Promoting the creative economy and investing in local talent
• Finding peace and balance while continuing to dream big
Being a global citizen means having no borders in your thinking—dream big because life isn't meant for us to stay small.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL: / @nofilterinparadise
INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/nofilterinp...
Nowadays, especially, most of the time, we often avoid these topics because it feels sensitive. But the more we talk, about it it's healing the weird stuff of Aruba, and that made me who I am was Aruba, my little baby. I don't know what to say, so I was introduced.
Speaker 3:I was waiting for you to finish. I was going to say shout out to Mr Green man, because if it wasn't for him, all these crazy things would have not been happening.
Speaker 1:No, friends, I came him yep, all these crazy things would have not been happening. And no friends. I came in and arriving, no, not knowing anyone. Everybody in aruba was very close. You were not like who are you? I didn't, I don't know you.
Speaker 2:Like yeah I'm also in aruba, so hunger wins. The people that are hungry are the ones that win. I don't care how much talent you have. You can be extremely talented but. If somebody is hungry and they really want it and they're like I'll sacrifice it is a knocky pass out the go to the scene.
Speaker 3:A cookie a little my is when it goes contra ball, like that's the data mental.
Speaker 1:A daddy can grill, that's my definite islands are very much machista.
Speaker 2:If you not the tough many man, it's they not ready for that?
Speaker 1:you're touching something very, very sensitive maybe that's me all right.
Speaker 2:Hey yo, what's up guys?
Speaker 3:welcome back to the abc islands favorite. I mean, you already know this, we're the favorite podcast. All right, it's show about anything and everything between two friends.
Speaker 2:One is straight and the other, your favorite melanated homosexual babies I like seeing this reaction through it.
Speaker 3:Where am I come on? But you guys English or Spanish, we're not up on trouble, why?
Speaker 2:do you keep saying Spanish? Oh my god bro, papiamento sorry did you see? No, no, no.
Speaker 3:I don't know why I say Spanish.
Speaker 2:It's like the third or second person you said this. No, second time.
Speaker 3:This is the second time I say this. We can do English, english.
Speaker 1:It's been a long time since I interviewed in English. Okay, let's go.
Speaker 3:We feel comfortable in English, though I feel comfortable. Thank God, let's go. Actually, Sara Torosillo, I'll start with that one oh. Torosillo. She hooked it up. She's like you guys need to interview this person. I'm like who the fuck is this person? And I'm like this is Wadi. You guys enjoy it. He's a bad guy, he's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's our thing. He's literally the mix of all the islands and and holland.
Speaker 1:so today, we got mr mr miles.
Speaker 3:Yes, sir how are you?
Speaker 1:I'm good, alive and well, feeling good, feeling great to be with all of you and talk about life.
Speaker 3:We're talking about you, man we came. We came with the idea of like, okay, all I know is that one picture you posted about leaving bonair and now you're in curacao and that's as much as I know. Oh, wow, okay. So we're gonna dig in your past when I dig in your present. I want to dig and find out what you have for the future of 2025 and curacao, because I assume you just said you off camera. You said you just moved here back just moved to your back just starting a new position as well.
Speaker 3:So okay, all right, so let's, let's, let's go back in the past. Who before? Oh, before, yeah, before we do this for people that don't know, you like myself and Shark and like a bunch of people who is Miles? How do you say?
Speaker 1:Miles, miles, mercera, mercera I'm not so sophisticated.
Speaker 1:Well, miles Mercera, born in the Netherlands from a father with roots from Bonaire, aruba, with a mom from Curacao, raised on the ABC Islands, let's go, and I've lived in Miami, abc Islands and the Netherlands, so I'm a Dutch Kingdom kid, but mixed with as a global citizen. I call myself a global citizen. That's me. I do not want to put a definition on a corridor that ends only living on an island. I can live in the world, I can live anywhere and I feel good and I want I think everybody as well to understand the definition of being a global citizen, because there's no borders and you also feel you can take over the world, and that's the mindset I have. I'm passionate, I'm still young, I have some great beard. Bye-bye, I got more than you, that's 100%.
Speaker 1:I'm 36 now, so it's I'm 35.
Speaker 3:I got more than you, bro. You're good, you're good well.
Speaker 1:I'm still happy, though, but, but I also. I enjoy life and I'm I'm an extrovert, so I enjoy being around people. I get energy off of people.
Speaker 3:If I'm alone, I feel like the world is ending, so oh, thank you, I have someone to understand me I, I have this and he's like, nah, man, like if I, if I'm in the house too long, I'm like it starts affecting my mentally. I'm like, and go ahead, hand me, hand me, sally. And I'm so dreaming, what are you talking about? I'm so energized. I wake up the next morning like I ain't going to four in the morning, wake up at seven like, bro, I'm ready to conquer this fucking world, let's go. So continue.
Speaker 1:Sorry, that's that's me, but also um my. I have a passion for hospitality, and not hospitality only working in tourism, but a passion for um being of service, and I remember when I was a kid, I always wanted to be the one where the bichita llega. Like I want to do that.
Speaker 1:You're a host I'm a host and I want others to feel good and um, in life, one of the things I always learned is um, you need to be surrounded by great people, and that's why I always want everyone around me to be energized, to feel good, and that's that's the model, and it feels cliche no, it doesn't that I live every day.
Speaker 3:I want everybody to feel good I relate so much to you, like I'm the same way, like you're talking about this. Yesterday I'm not a yes man, but like I always want to make sure everybody around me is having a good time. And if one person's not having a good time, the basic agenda like yo, the fuck is going on like bump. I want you to have a good thing. What can I do for you to fix it? Because I I come also from the hospitality. Like I worked for senior frogs and gusto. So say, if I said I was an mc, but like my main job was to be the entertainment of the place, like I was the mc, so my main job is, like everybody needs to be having fun. So if I find a table that's having a horrible fucking time, best believe I'm gonna make sure to have when they leave here, they're gonna be like yo, I had a great fucking time.
Speaker 3:So that's, it's like man we connect on that 100 percent dude like a lot of things you say, I'm like it's not just me, I'm not crazy, so that's me a little bit introduction. That's a good one.
Speaker 2:So let's think about a little bit in the past let's go back to like home base Mbecha, because you kind of lived all over the place. So take me back to six year old Miles. What was death life like? Where did you live? And then we'll continue going on from there six year old Miles.
Speaker 1:I just moved from the netherlands um with my parents and my brother I have one brother to the island of bonair, so that's where I grew up. Um, so, uh, moving back, I I remember when I was very, very young I came to bonair and I fell in love with just being in bonair. You remember we had, I think back then, 11 000 people living 10 000. What was this? That was uh 1993 I was born 93.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, so you can imagine so. And I grew up in a space where we did not lock our doors. We were outside every day, we were sleeping in maybe an hockey paddler, so we were having fun outside. Doesn't mean that we didn't have air in the room, but we were enjoying outside and our parents allowed it because it was a safe environment. We were playing outside the whole day. I had friends in my neighborhood, so I grew up as well, um, in belnem belnem is a famous neighborhood on the island of bonair as well and, and until today, um, one of my longest and and and let's say, best bonds is with my group of friends from belnem. We called ourselves the belnem squad we were gangsters back then.
Speaker 3:Oh wow, we were gangsters in our way.
Speaker 1:We were, we were rapping, we were singing is there a video audio about this somewhere? I do not want to go back to that you don't have to go back spit some bars do you want the softer version of the rap or do you want like? This is no filter baby, this is the raw thing. No, like I was like in a group with a lot of boys and I was like the soft guy that was singing the R&B.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, yeah, you need those in the group. He's probably thinking like you need the Mario in the group, right?
Speaker 3:Of course, yes, he's like Rocio, keep calling me.
Speaker 1:Okay, let me challenge myself.
Speaker 3:Think about it.
Speaker 1:Mi promi amore sei vota. Something like that. How old were you when you sang it? The?
Speaker 3:first time when I was singing that song, I was about 17.
Speaker 1:Wow, and I felt like I was singing that song, I was about 17. Wow, and I felt like I was a Beyonce. Nobody can tell you that, right.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I mentioned Beyonce because Beyonce, since I was eight or nine, I'm a diehard fan. It's.
Speaker 2:Queen B baby.
Speaker 1:Queen.
Speaker 3:B respect.
Speaker 1:So in my mind I was on stage and it was like maybe for 40 people somewhere in the cafe.
Speaker 2:But then I was like Wait, y'all really performed, yeah, we were performing.
Speaker 1:I had like an album and everything back then. Not anymore, so most people don't know, so don't Google it On YouTube. You will find some snippets of some video clips.
Speaker 2:Oh, we definitely look at the stuff.
Speaker 1:So I had my share of of, let's say, the creative economy as well, and it was really really fun. Um, but and that also speaks to who who I am I'm I'm very outgoing, um, I'm I. If I go back to bonair as well, that's how I grew up, with great friends and a great neighborhood, living on an island paradise. We were walking to the beach petro beach almost every week. We were enjoying so. For me, my childhood is one of the best moments and experiences of my life that really gave me a foundation, and that foundation is what I call the foundation of love, and that is the foundation that is inspired by my father, and my father passed away a few years ago. Sorry, um, but his legacy to me is always talks about the foundation of love, and so, um, anything in life, do not more. Even when you're mad, even when something isn't doesn't feel right, just give love back, because love always wins. And I did not understand that.
Speaker 1:That, that that wording at least 40 years ago or 30 years ago, but now I understand how, what it means, and to me that's the foundation, how I'm built um and in everything that I do as you should.
Speaker 3:I want to just dive real quick into this. But like, how did it affect you? I lost my mom when I was 18. So how did it affect you losing your dad? Because I was close to my?
Speaker 1:mom, yes, I usually. I don't talk about it often.
Speaker 3:I'm sorry, no, no, no.
Speaker 1:But in the sense of in the public way. Everyone around me knows that my father is the biggest foundation of my life and the funny thing is and we're going to talk about different things, I think, but it happened two weeks before I announced my political party- oh shit, back then four years ago.
Speaker 1:So I was in a whole different vibe, focusing of what I have to do and like a whole baggage of politics on me. And then that happened like spontan Until today, if I reflect back was I wasn't in in the moment. So it happened so fast and so quick that after elections, when everything passed over and I lost that's a different uh discussion I got to really feel, oh, that he's not here anymore. Yeah, um, and it hit then harder. It was maybe four or five months later that it really really hit me like, oh, this person, this foundation, isn't there anymore in my life. Um, but subtilmente, and the talk after off cuisine, he has been preparing me for that moment for years. Yeah, I'm talking about things. Um, I remember when I was 12 or 13, like you lose friends when you grow up, and my father used to tell me life is full of hellos and goodbyes.
Speaker 3:I'm like, what does that mean? What does it mean Like?
Speaker 1:okay, hellos and goodbyes. And I was like hellos and goodbyes Until that happened. And then I understand that means goodbyes are also part of life and that is okay, and to let go. And but also one of the things that he always talked about. He said it in in dutch exactly this too shall pass yeah I did not understand that until the moment that happened, and so this, too, shall pass.
Speaker 1:It's all for by hand means as well how you deal with, how you react, how, what, what happens afterwards, and how you deal with it and how you react to it. But, um, that everything is a phase in the moment and it doesn't define your next chapter or your future, even how killing it may seem today. Yeah, this too shall pass, and that word became something that I really really hold on really tight in everything in life the moment that happened, and when I go back I always understand how open he was talking about that, how open he was talking about going to a funeral.
Speaker 2:And no, it's okay.
Speaker 1:Stand here. It's okay to cry.
Speaker 1:The person is going, but it doesn't mean anything. Cherish the memories and talk about it. And that afterwards I said, okay, memories and talk about it, so and and and that. Afterwards I said, okay, inconscientemente, I felt that he was too young, he was 60 something, just with pension. And then he has a dancer, and then he's like somebody that has so much love to give in the world. That doesn't mean that he can't do it, it's really like me. And then he's like it's fine. And then another guy who doesn't have anything in the world.
Speaker 3:No offense to no one, I understand so that's what I felt, like of all people, why he's such a loving, caring guy.
Speaker 2:That's really what I felt, but he served his purpose like he had a purpose in life and he was supposed to share a certain love and give a certain thing to a certain type of people in a demograph and in order for that to take full effect, he had to be like hey, this is my time, I have to remove myself from the situation so you can learn and grow and pass on these seeds and this knowledge.
Speaker 1:So that's true, he did his big one. Yep, that's when I'm very grateful, um, to still say that I'm his son, um, and that I can carry on his legacy with more pride generation to come in yep, as you should as you should.
Speaker 3:I'm just like I'm like damn, they look like me, I mean, but I've lived it like majority of my young life. She had it like three times, so I think I was 10 when it first came around. So like 10 to like no, like eight, nine years. My deal couldn't fully be this Like. For me it felt like a normal thing, like it's just part of life. And when she passed away I was like people were like you know, like I become like dude, like you didn't see the shit I saw, like this is actually the umbilical cord. I'll leave you like I didn't want to see her the way I, you know, saw her when I saw her last. So anyway, it's my switch topic.
Speaker 1:I don't talk about my mom, at least we talk about it yeah, of course nowadays, especially most of the time, we often avoid these topics Because it feels sensitive. But yes, the more we talk about it, it's healing.
Speaker 3:It seems like your dad Is like the opposite Of like 95% of fathers In terms of Expression and caring, and Especially for island, men I grew up, I never had that, never had it.
Speaker 1:It's always I love you.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Welcome A hug.
Speaker 3:This is the result of good parenting, guys. I'm really really grateful.
Speaker 1:And then you came from a house that you don't know the real world. But I want that because that's my level.
Speaker 2:That's what I want, that's your real world, correct, and that's the real world.
Speaker 1:That's what I want, that's your real world and I do not need to change because now the world is harsh, and no, no, this is what I want.
Speaker 2:And the world can also be this the world should be this Y'all have it bad Stop normalizing that. That's not normal actually. So no, okay.
Speaker 3:So let's talk real quick after 17,'re in the band rapper miles, eight miles yes, you moved eventually, so you can study tourism, correct?
Speaker 2:okay, this is when you moved to aruba, correct? So what was that like?
Speaker 1:like it transitioned a, it was hard so, um, I I had to move when I was 16 from bonaire to aruba. I had to had to because in back then we didn't have further education opportunities in bonaire. Okay, as it is now, back then as well, I have a Mavo. Mavo is now what I have a different name for it. Back then I wanted to go to Havo, because everybody said Havo is going to be successful If you don't go to Havo, you're not going to be successful.
Speaker 1:Fine, not a stereotyping type, but when I arrived I had to move to Aruba on my own when I was 16. So I finished my Mavo when I was 15 and then, over the summer, masi Aya, and then I was 16, so to leave my foundation, that was beautiful and love and to go to Aruba and to be on my own was one of the biggest and hardest and most.
Speaker 1:Go to aruba and to be on my own was one of the biggest and hardest and most confronting moments of my life, and so I remember who, who. I had to do it because there was no other option, correct, because I wanted to go to hava, but they, they did not accept me because my points grades were in that yeah, that on that level for whatever reason, and so I had to go to what they call then in the aruba associate's degree, mbo, ap, and so tourism, I what I did know was that tourism is my passion.
Speaker 1:I wanted to be in tourism, hospitality, that's what I want. Um, so um, I I moved to aruba, um, and I remember my father went with me and then we looked for an apartment. So I, you, I went to. Of course I was alone. So father said you need to live somewhere close to ap that you can walk you can walk to school.
Speaker 1:Okay, where I know, I know. So we found an apartment. So my father drove, drove a few days to find the apartment. Somehow she managed to talk to a lady called um evelyn and she had an apartment small apartment like a studio apartment in her backyard, right in front of ape, so it was like meant to be and then the lady, like it was an older lady and she was alone and she was happy.
Speaker 1:There was like someone, a younger person to come around so she cooked for me every day, and she was taking care of my my clothes.
Speaker 1:So I lived in an apartment separately, but still I had like a little bit of a home feeling so and it was a person that I just met based on we just bumped into her my father then. So then I moved to aruba and then be there, and then my first confrontation of life was it was summer of whatever year 2004, whatever that was, and I met my strife in. Back then it was Mr Green was the dean or the director.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, he was from Old.
Speaker 1:Bushiri went to AP. No, and you need to make like a test, like an English proficiency test. So I did a test to be able to be qualified to be entering the english academy in the room or whatever you're gonna say like that no, because I like, because I like english.
Speaker 3:So my I went to that school specifically because it was english.
Speaker 1:I didn't want to deal with dutch but back then my english wasn't on that level.
Speaker 1:I was more in the dutch oriented yeah, true, so I was there and I had like maybe 50% of the things right and the rest was all gone. So the guy said you know what? Your English is not on that level, so you're not allowed to enter the school. I'm just here this summer, I just graduated with a MAVO, fine. I just moved, Correct, like what do I have to do? He's like you need to go to summer school. Um, to go. And so he said in september, when we're going to start, you have to do a test again. If you get a better result, if you pass a test we are, you will able to enter. So I did almost three months of summer school, almost every day, studying english, managing and doing things in english, whatever they have to do in the summer on my own, where everybody was having fun. I was going to school when I was 16, walking through the thing, and past september I did the test and I failed again.
Speaker 1:I thought you guys were happy ending like I passed it I failed again, I, I was missing maybe some happy ending like I passed it. I failed again, I, I was missing maybe about five points to get to the 80 mark that they wanted. And I still remember and I'm still very um honored by mr green back then. He, he, he told me, standing right at the valley at ap. He said to me I saw your commitment for the past three months, coming to school every day in the summer trying to learn this thing. Yeah, and be be good, good at it. I'm going to give you a chance on probation for the first three months for you to enter, and on probation means if you do not meet the requirements you will be kicked out by december.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, this is the reality. Check again. First, no, then no again. And now, on probation, I said, okay, that was my moment that my mind shifted into going for excellence and to stop the cada pretend a connoisseur chiquito, damn, within two years, I was the best gesl. The, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the the, the, the, the, the the the the, the, the, the, the the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the.
Speaker 1:Because remember, if people tell you that you're not smart enough to be able to do this, you're gonna start thinking, gonna start doubting but, because I really understood the value of it, of using that energy that's maybe negative in a positive way. I said, no, let me prove this and not for them, for myself that I can do it. And I'm still very grateful until today for that foundation because that ape graduation opened so many doors for me.
Speaker 3:Then, until today is really really um paying off, you know it's crazy, because if he didn't give you that chance, I'm pretty sure you won't be this person you are today. That's true, definitely. You know. If it's kind of you look back like what was that tipping? Like, sitting here right now, you kind of like reflect and start thinking about what was the tipping point in my life that led me to do what I am doing today, you know.
Speaker 2:But also these remarkable people that sometimes you think nobody is seeing what you're going through. But then here comes Mr Green. Being like yo, I see your dedication, yep.
Speaker 1:And that's why I also believe in life that the whole pensamento que me so por I can do everything on my own is bullshit.
Speaker 2:Sorry to say it. No, this is no fact. I already cursed like five times since we started.
Speaker 1:So you need to be surrounding yourself with people that can help you grow and that see the value in you and that can guide you. And sometimes you need that extra push to open a door or that extra support to believe in you. And oftentimes we close off doors because we have a mentality that let me say you in there, we support and nobody can tell me anything.
Speaker 1:No, we need to learn from each other and we need, as well, people to have that energy, because, believe me, that is the coalition that we need in life for everything that we do. That's facts, so that was Aruba a little bit in the short version.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's facts, so that was Aruba Libet in the short version yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I wanted to knock him the most positive, but it's okay.
Speaker 1:The weird stuff of Aruba and the main me, who I am, was Naruba Masiña Bebe. So I was introduced with alcohol very, very young in Aruba and so I remember tasting glasses with Richard Butingupurba. I was like, hmm, alcohol, I've never had it.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, the wine.
Speaker 1:And in Aruba I was like okay, I can have a wine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's how it always starts.
Speaker 1:That's true, and in Aruba as well. I got exposed to like carnival on the big sands. I got exposed to work I worked at back then it was the Wyndham. I worked at the Westin I worked at the. Renaissance. So I was introduced to the level of tourism and understanding of it in Aruba.
Speaker 2:And the perfect place to do it In Aruba.
Speaker 1:I say I'm going to be respectful Like the, the, the the knitting green and understanding of how to do.
Speaker 3:it was really, really in Aruba. What was, what was like your, your your go-to kind of Aruban food when you were there Um pan bati, hey, your go-to kind of Aruban food when you're there Pambati Weird enough pambati, it doesn't taste anything but it was good. I'll just dip it in tartar sauce.
Speaker 2:Dip it in tartar sauce.
Speaker 1:yeah, it's a type of thing we go to. Coming from an island Florida Bonaire back then until now doesn't have really any fast food.
Speaker 3:They don't have, they have KFC. That's pretty much it Correct, so I went to Wendy's at least.
Speaker 1:No, we haven't.
Speaker 3:I went to that. We love Wendy's, don't worry about it.
Speaker 1:This was awesome and I remember going I don't know. I was exposed to a world that wasn't known to me back then when I was 16.
Speaker 3:Nor in Bonaire, nor going to Holland Like yo shit. I only got out of Naruba.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, ando També, an amazing group of friends that until today, that we talk and that we support each other. I really really have a lot of friends and family as well in Naruba, so I'm really grateful for that. Do you go back often to Naruba? I try to. I try to. I try to go at least twice a year, at least for a day or two, for weekends, but hopefully at the end of them partying. And they say but like last year, I switched it up and I went for the KLM marathon in Aruba so I did something sporty nice, but then after that, let's end up drinking tough stuff.
Speaker 3:Hello, I got a metal thing. We should celebrate Rubiano.
Speaker 2:Every excuse to celebrate.
Speaker 3:Did you do like the 5k 10k.
Speaker 1:I did 10k, Nice walk to run.
Speaker 3:Oh no.
Speaker 2:Mr Miles, miles, running miles, let's go.
Speaker 3:He's got to be his new slogan in the future. Go crazy, I did the 5k only one time. Okay, um, it's fun. Yeah, I love some 5ks and 6ks but no more than that.
Speaker 2:That's yeah and I'm like, all right, that's fun I'm, where's the bar? Yeah, no, that's wild, that's wild so after aruba what happened?
Speaker 3:what was it?
Speaker 1:so after aruba, my graduate until um remember masalikas when I was 6 16. So I was very, very, very young and I always had the feeling that I missed a part of being in the home with my brother, because my brother also left the home when he was 16 to go to the Netherlands, and so then I was then 11 or 12, so I wanted to always have an experience, live with him as well, because after 18, 19, you're not gonna live with a child again for years of your life, so I missed that part of being with my brother.
Speaker 1:So, and he just then moved to curacao, and then I decided from aruba to come to curacao to do the university of the netherlands until he's back then now eos, I did the hospitality pro program, which is a mix with the miami and the netherlands as well. So then, just for me to live a year and a half with my brother in Curacao and for us to be brothers again.
Speaker 2:And what was that feeling, that like reconnecting feeling? It was a beautiful reconnecting feeling.
Speaker 1:It was a feeling as well that you are brothers. So a lot of like okay, he's a bukoanang, hello, like authority level. We were all grownups, we were all nos ading, rebweis, nos dozoza, so it was a different vibe, but it was a beautiful moment, cool. Until today I was I'm very grateful, cool. I did it because it's something that you will never get. You can never get back in your life.
Speaker 2:yeah, it's not gonna happen again.
Speaker 1:So so, and only my bima I came to curacao.
Speaker 1:I finished my uh university pro program bachelors salibeske slagde again so I was like, yeah, that's a ruba bye and so, um, after that, um, I was in netherlands for my end stage at the starwood hotels and that I was like 21 years old and I started position in bonair at the tourism board and the position was called online marketing, something like that, and back then social media was new, so, like it was new, so, and I did my thesis in social media for marketing for businesses, um, and I was the first one with that topic in in on the university and, um, I had the opportunity to do an interview and I was 21 I didn't even finish the, the bachelor yet and I got a job in Bonaire and I just applied as a let's see bong wap.
Speaker 1:And I went to an interview and then a center, and who was in that interview? Ronella from Aruba. Ronella.
Speaker 2:Cruz Stop.
Speaker 1:Shout out to Ronella so another big player that I'm very grateful for that. She gave me my first job on that level was Ronella Stop Serious, and I learned the ropes from her, so she hired me back then, when she was in Bonaire, as a tourism board leader?
Speaker 3:No way, wait, she worked in Bonaire. Yeah, she was the CEO of the tourism board. No, it's funny, and she was very young.
Speaker 1:She was, I think, maybe 27, 28. And she hired me and I was 21, 22.
Speaker 3:Oh, this is great, this is great to know. Interview her next week, yep.
Speaker 1:And I learned like business ethics from her. Like she's fast in writing emails and answering emails 4 am, I'm like why do you do it at 4 am? So I learned like ethics of business from her back then and I'm very grateful for the university level. And then when she moved to Aruba to become the CEO in Aruba, she gave me the opportunity to do my master's in the Netherlands.
Speaker 1:So I then moved from Bonaire to the Netherlands to do my master's, because she saw then talented me and she told me go for your studies, go do your master's and then come back. So that was the deal and then. But she had to move to Aruba and then we split up and then I went to the Netherlands to do my master's at Erasmus University and Rotterdam Business School and then I did that and then afterwards, after that, I had to go back to Bonaire, but I did not do that. I went to Curacao and then I started work at Chateau. That's my introduction to the professional world in Curacao, at Chateau, when I was 23 years old, by the way, I was expecting you to say 25 to me, it's like at Chateau when I was 23 years old.
Speaker 3:There you go. By the way, I was expecting 25 to 26 at Chateau. But I was like damn, what was I doing?
Speaker 2:at 23?
Speaker 3:What were we doing in life? I'm like shit. I was looking at senior frogs drinking. We were not mouthing for sure.
Speaker 1:I was very, very focused, committed I had a dream. I had a dream that I wanted to be a professional in the tourism industry and I started working when I was 23 years old as a marketing manager at the Chata in Curacao. And back then there was also a different leader, lisanne Dindial which is a very great before, who gave me the opportunity without the baggage of having five years of management experience to become a manager, and that's where everything started.
Speaker 3:Did you climb the ranks in Chata? Yeah?
Speaker 1:So within I was 23 when I started and when I was 26 to 27, I became CEO of Chata Damn.
Speaker 3:I was not expecting that.
Speaker 1:So then the previous CEO went with pension and then, a year before she was going with pension, she then talked to me and said I think you will be the next. I'm like, okay, I'm only 25, 26 I'm like what?
Speaker 3:no pressure whatsoever we have a year to prepare.
Speaker 1:We're going to prepare you, but then you will become the ceo when you were 27 by the time you're 27, so that's really what happened. So then I was the youngest ceo in the region yeah, for the hotel association, and that was like a whole new game changer of life for me and it really, really, really gave me back the, let's say the the foundation of, of, of realizing how important the no was. When I was 16 in aruba, when I had to do the test.
Speaker 3:I was literally. I was waiting for you to finish.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say shout out to mr green man because if it wasn't for him all these crazy things would have not been happening. And so I really understood what sacrifice means, how to really really dive in and to work hard to be able to reach to something. And that moment was to me like a strict gift. Everything was worth it. The crying being alone when I was 17 in my room in the room having no friends I came in and arriving, no, not knowing anyone, everybody in aruba was very close.
Speaker 1:You were not like who are you? I didn't know. Like, so I don't know you. Like, yeah, I'm also in aruba.
Speaker 2:So it was really to me a moment of okay, life is okay if, if I may, I feel like your dad passed really happy because the amount of accomplishments he got to see while he was alive. That you did because 23, 26 doing all these type of things, like you've accomplished, things that people do in their 40s, through and you know later in life, and the fact that your father got to see all you do all these things, true, true, that man was rich in life, I love that no, for real true, I haven't really thought about it in that way, but definitely now that you say it, it's like a circle moment because you're talking about, like he passed away, like right before, like launching a political party
Speaker 3:but, then and I'm like I'm like, bro, I'm listening. Now I'm here, all these like things you've accomplished before you're even 30, like I'm like what shark just said? Like most people reach these things after 35 I'm 35 right now I'm like I'm listening to you. I'm like what did I do with my life, man? I should have said noticing your frog, go, keep my education, jesus.
Speaker 1:I also as you grew older and I I really, really value the comments that you, that you've made. I also understand that everyone's timing is different and to and to never really look into. Oh, because it's been a size of 80, 30, 40, 50, maybe you're 65. Everyone's timing is God's timing, which is a perfect timing, and to also. I got to understand in the process patience, because I've also sacrificed things in my childhood, because you know I don't want to talk about senior frogs and chill maybe it's this that, so I offered up things that are also valuable.
Speaker 1:no matter how long I had the OV, it was free I don't know, I even graduated, I came back to work. I came back to work. I was like no, I don't want to go with a child.
Speaker 3:I was about to ask you because, like all this, excellent, excellent, did you sacrifice, like friends going out?
Speaker 1:I sacrificed trips of going to Barcelona having fun for the weekend. I sacrificed not being in the moment because I was so caught up into not examine the being. No, I need to look this, I need to do that, I need to be in that happy hour with all these folks because this is part of my job, but all of my friends were still having fun 're that guy and that's me that you're not having fun now, yeah, but the definition of that back then was, in that moment, correct, because I immediately but I'll be a grown-up hoping mostly I started paying my bills when I was 16.
Speaker 1:When I was 16, going to the supermarket, walking because we need auto, like why, why do you want to do that on a 16 year old?
Speaker 2:Like you robbed. You got robbed of your childhood.
Speaker 1:That's. That's why, when the moment happened when I was 27, that I became CEO for an organization which was beautiful to me, was okay, then the sacrifices was worth it yes, full circle moment. But also I realized that not everything is about the position, not everything is about that, because you have other things in life that can give you value and also let you feel good. And it's not only the position, because, as a professional, you think the next, the position, you do this, it's okay being the present it's okay being be in a moment.
Speaker 1:Build up memories, because you never know when is your final date of life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you are the next person and it's facts, it's facts. But like it's one thing that you said and I feel like it comes up consistently and it's something I always tell a lot of people is hunger wins. The people that are hungry are the ones that win. I don't care how much talent you have, you can be extremely talented, but if somebody is hungry and they really want it and they're like I'll sacrifice going. I'll go to summer school and learn english. I'll do the. I, I will. What's that?
Speaker 1:saying. There's a saying on my left. I have it, I see it every day. It says never act thirsty, always stay hungry, amen.
Speaker 3:There's a saying as well that says hard work beats talent when talent isn't working hard, something like that.
Speaker 1:There's also a short.
Speaker 3:You can be the most talented dude out there.
Speaker 2:A girl out there, but there is some kid somewhere in a bedroom just keep being, though, like learning everything they're willing at some point you're so comfortable and what just passed me you know, true, I tell my nephew all the time I'm like listen, you can play all the sports you want, but if you don't go practice, yeah the next kid that is gonna be like listen coach. I don't know how to do it, but I'm willing to learn.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm taking on that kid because he's he wants to.
Speaker 2:You're just feeling cocky with it.
Speaker 3:So my nephews are here right now from aruba. I didn't know my dad's here, I didn't even know because they're playing the some baseball teams on river playing here right now and my dad was telling me like there are two brothers, my two nephews, one team one.
Speaker 3:So he's like, yeah, and then my the bigger brother, their team lost. And he's like, yeah, and then my the bigger brother, their team lost. And he's like super like, upset Cause, like, but the mentality is like I'm trying to get across this, yeah it uh, pensando, like I gotta do better, like now, strike me those. Because my dad's telling me like he's already thinking about these mistakes. Why did he strike out like what's? What is he holding wrong? The bat is only wrong. So, true, sam man, like I, I, this is the kind of episodes I like I, we come in like blindly, you walk through this door. I'm like this is the first time I'm seeing this guy. We exchange messages like maybe like 10 times, like hey, and we're just having a conversation. I'm learning I can relate to you on certain things. I think they're we have some similarities and I'm just dude, I'm just, I'm just feeling inspired, right now like legit, beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2:I gotta ask because clearly I'm friends with Chio, so I we hang out a lot, we do a lot of like good conversation, all this good stuff. So shout out to Chio and Jill. But there were a few times you kind of like took my friend, I was like like Miles, there were a few times you kind of like took my friend. I was like what's up, what's your name? Miles' birthday.
Speaker 3:I've heard about these.
Speaker 2:It's that time of the year again she told me 8.3 over to your birthday.
Speaker 3:I was like, okay, good, that's a legend. Okay good, I remember this one specific birthday. She was like no, I don't know. She said book a ticket for me.
Speaker 2:I remember this one specific birthday she was like no, I don't know, I don't know I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 2:So why? Or like now, listening to you, I can understand why you go so all out for your birthdays, but I would still like you to explain why, and please talk about some birthday experiences.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, okay, let's talk about that.
Speaker 1:This is the first I'm being asked on camera about the birthday party, but so, as a human being, of course I will to be surrounded by people and I cherish friendships. I really, really invest time in my friends. If I can do something social, invite them over to be together. I always do it. Since I was studying in the Netherlands, I always used to plan group trips with 40 people, 30 people, 22 students, and we were going to Brussels. We rented a car. We rented like a caravan with like 15, all propped in a caravan, driving to Barcelona. It took us 24 hours, but we drove together and I love those experiences Until today.
Speaker 1:Those are moments where you really connect and you remember them. It's really, really most beautiful memory. So those are things that always have been part of me. Birthdays are also something that I remember, since when I was very, very young, I used to wake up, and I still wake up on my birthdays and I'm always, I feel, the most sexy person in the room. I feel good, I feel happy, I'm always like this is my birthday and I want to celebrate it because I want to celebrate life. And then my father happened and that's where I realized that even stronger urge of celebrating life, because you postpone things, you say you want to do things and you're pending on that group chat that never goes out on the trip that we want to book. And I said I want to take marriage in my own hands. And on your birthdays you always have the, let's say, the the rule visa that my birthday, so you have to come?
Speaker 1:yeah, and you can you can make sure that all your friends come, and I have friends in aruba and bonair, in curacao, in netherlands, and they're all always there, um, and always say, once a year, I want to see all of you together, and that became like a whole tribe thing and that's how the birthday celebration started. And if I want to talk about one of them, there's a few. There's a few, let's talk about the one when I turned 35, which was to me a signature moment. 35 was a special occasion.
Speaker 1:Don't know why, but it was to me 35, like a reason to celebrate and I told it started with I'm going to invite 35 friends to go on a trip, and then it became 45, and then a little bit more fine because. And then the thing is that, like in life, I enjoy surprises, I enjoy being surprised. I want to come home and you say I cook dinner. Oh, I want to come home and you say I cooked dinner. Ooh, surprise. I want to go out and you say, hey, I have something special. I love surprises. Don't tell me anything in advance, I just want to be surprised.
Speaker 3:Rocio come on.
Speaker 1:That Oprah moment, talk about that. So that that to me I said what can I do in in a birthday celebration that gives the same element of surprise? So I just sent an invite out to all my friends that maybe a month or two months before I said make sure on the 26th of april that back back back then, because birthday is 27th, you're all at the airport at 10 am that's it that's it, don't worry about anything, just come with your passport, make sure you're there.
Speaker 1:So everybody showed up and like, showed up and like in glam and full glam, like we were there, like I have no idea what's happening and that moment was to me like if I look at the group pictures and we, and then in, and then we know something by a click at the end meeting. But the flight went via Panama with Copa. So in that moment I remember that in the plane, when there was halfway to Panama, I said yes, we're going to Panama. You guys are thinking but we have a change of destination. But the real destination is this is your boarding pass, new boarding pass.
Speaker 1:Once we arrive, we have an hour to run to the next gate because the destination is medellin and everybody started like screaming and partying and we had like music and we were dancing in the plane and the plane wasn't out, it wasn't chartered and it was a moment of life you can't buy those moments, and so you can't say yes. But how much is it? Who?
Speaker 1:cares money comes back and so if I invest in moments and I can say, if I have a party, for example in the car, and I have to invite 100 people, because 200 people I have to invite, if I have 35 close friends, the same budget, it's the same budget, this is the same. But I hope you understand and also I think friends can also take care of you and I think, hey, I got this, I'm going to put it here. Hey, I don't know, I'm going to pay a taxi here. It's the way you deal with with your friends and also be open it's a quality group of people and it's not really about money, it's all.
Speaker 3:Hey, I got this one, hey, I got it, it doesn't matter what.
Speaker 1:The price is correct, we got I got this and those moments are just beautiful and I really, really value that. And people make time. So today they're busy. Everybody is in their own world, they have their problems you, kiko but on those two days of the year they make time and they ask me keep it easy. Because I'm there, even though if it's somewhere in the back room or if it's somewhere in China, because I'm there, even though if it's somewhere in the back room or if it's somewhere in China, we are there and so, and that's that's what, what, what I love, and to call me to act, I get energized from that moment of being together.
Speaker 2:I'm like is there a way to enter this tribe?
Speaker 3:like I want to be part of this tribe. You know I'm thinking about as well. It's, it's in my mind, like even if one day far away from now, if you ever pass away, people will always look back at those parties, be like damn man, miles. You know. So. It's like, even even if you're not here physically, the memory of all those fun trips, all those, all the birthday parties. They will always forever and tell Durkis hey, I have this one crazy friend named Miles.
Speaker 2:Yep, it's a legacy.
Speaker 1:It's a legacy, even if it doesn't continue anymore the fact that it even happened for a period is something you raise the bar, you have you you did what beyonce does, let's go and I, I, and that's why, like I always want to inspire people and, if you're around me, if you don't know me, dream big. Life is not meant for us to pretend to be small and to stay small, dream big. The dream big doesn't cost you anything. So, yeah, imagination doesn't cost you anything. And so the more we imagine and that goes back to a lesson of my father law of attraction. Law of attraction is real. Attract it, talk about it and don't think, oh, but so maybe say the part of me, they are not.
Speaker 1:If it's yours, it's yours, it will come for you believe in your ideas correcto and so and so, the more we, we, we, we talk about our ideas, the more we share about our ideas and the where we want to be. People understand and people will guide you to it under the right people will will write them down.
Speaker 2:People write them down?
Speaker 3:yep, definitely this is an inspirational podcast. Dude like legit I'm, but we were talking about it yesterday. We've had already two, three episodes. That, like with anushka kev, they may says like these guys, they, they started making me like rethink some things. Now you, I'm like, now I'm really rethinking some shit. Definitely my birthday. That's. That's number one thing I'm gonna start changing. Remember to invite me, though, hey I got you october 14th, Wherever it is make sure it's your birthday.
Speaker 3:I'm legit Going back, me and Shark. We talked about this. We're going to have a dinner meeting or whatever before we go back and we're going to go back as changing a lot of things about the podcast, about how we're going to move forward. Nice, nah, man, like revamping dude re-energizing 100% dude like you guys really made me realize some things.
Speaker 3:And there's always like a silver lining, like what you just said, like just, dude, dream what you want to dream and just fucking do it. True, and that's pretty much what everybody else had. I'm sorry I curse a lot, but like fuck to handy, like exactly that, though.
Speaker 1:We're in an environment, especially on the islands, like when you're living in a big city you're a number and the people don't care who you are you do your thing, whatever. Oh, it's pocket, yeah, but on the islands, we have a sense of no kiko. Be authentic, be yourself and to dream and to focus on what you want to do. Even if you don't like your job, switch it up yeah don't think about no, pero. Yeah, that means it, but it's okay.
Speaker 1:It's okay to fail or a lesson learned, for example, it's not a failure, but it's okay. In politics, we started a new movement. We're not in the parliament, it's fine, and we're outside, and it's okay. And it's okay because we've learned, we've tried, we put our energy in something good and we believe in it, and so even that is part of life, it's part of growth, and so you're in the moment and you're in the same charge. So you have to look at, for example oh, you were CEO there. You were that Only the mountain climbs.
Speaker 1:But most of the things on the bottoms that happened and the sacrifices you did, and the confrontation that you did and the confrontation that you had, and how people perceive you, those are things that the general public never knows and those are the things that we have to hold on to. But the big dreams we have to hold on to, because when we have big dreams, it's a big dream, and as a Jew, as an Arab, as a Bonairean, we have to have a different mentality, because we have big dreams. The world is our playground. We're not confined by politics. We're not confined by the light that we know, that we pay, that we save or whatever. We are human beings that can live up to the expectations of ourselves and to change the world. And so the moment you understand that you're really living into your now, in your moment, and so be you and so have fun. And living into your now, in your moment, be you, have fun. It's like your show. I see you guys being really authentic, you.
Speaker 2:I could never live for people, that's beautiful.
Speaker 1:It's you and you, you and you, you and you.
Speaker 3:Have you ever heard the crab in the cage theory? Have you heard of it?
Speaker 1:I've heard of it, but remind me.
Speaker 3:It's basically like a fisherman throws a cage in a crab cage to catch crabs and then, once all the crab starts coming in, and one crab comes in, and the crab tries to seize the exit, tries to climb out, but all the other crabs are like, oh, you're not climbing, they grab him and bring him down because they don't want him to leave. And another crab comes in oh shit, let me go up and again. So it's like. It's basically like the crab cage is the island, like he tried, like I want to go, and he said no what happened.
Speaker 1:That's my definition and if you care that we're all in that box and we know sort of and to look beyond the horizon, exactly.
Speaker 2:Now I do want to talk. Oh my God shark a little bit more on politics, especially because I know it didn't work out clearly.
Speaker 2:You mentioned that they weren't ready for the group of you were a group of 30 professionals and all this good stuff, do you feel like part of it might've also been the fact that you are a black gay man trying to do this Like? That is the fact that it's already young professionals is a hard pill to swallow. That is the fact that it's already young professionals, it's a hard pill to swallow. But the fact that you're openly gay and also doing this is another card where our islands are very much machista. If you're not the tough manly man it's, they're not ready for that you're touching something very, very sensitive maybe, maybe, that's me.
Speaker 1:And so you're exactly right. I'm going to give you a few examples. In that moment when that happened, and remember, I came from a foundation of love where I never felt like I was different and I never felt that I was minder I would say like less than anyone else I was like equal.
Speaker 1:We're good, I'm focused, I'm working, working hard. I'm doing this in the tourism industry in afo, naruba, everywhere. The moment I entered politics, I realized that my bubble isn't the reality of what the world, or maybe the island things. That's not the island things, how the island perceives you or how the island looks at you. Because in every profession, your sexual preference or who you love was never discussed, was never something that could astrobot me and so a factor I've always watched politics from obama to locally to aruba.
Speaker 1:I've always watched politics from Obama to locally to Aruba. I've always watched. I was amazed by it. In Curacao, let's say, the topic of gay marriage, of her being gay, was never a topic in discussions, in debates, in the past 40 years. But what about today? Is it more accepting?
Speaker 1:The moment I stepped into it, the first question in every interview talks about oh, what about legacy gay marriage? Oh, but like, why don't we talk about education? Why don't we talk about the things that need to happen? Why don't we talk about the structural reforms, about things that actually matter, correct? Like, yeah, this is something beyond, like, this is my personal preference, but yeah, that's a different topic. So the moment I got confronted with it, I said, oh, the ballgame is going to change now, this topic is going to be the campaign, but keep it, or whatever.
Speaker 1:And so I got confronted and I understood the reality, did not accept it. I understood the reality that, hey, it's going to be very, very challenging. If I'm going to be very open of who I am, to the point that I even discussed with my strategy team back then I'm going to be a girl. I'm going to be a girl. No, that's not you, no, but we need. This is the bigger cause than me. I'm going to play with Leo, my boy? No, then you're going to lose your authenticity for the bigger cause.
Speaker 2:And you're going to find yourself to it.
Speaker 1:And so own up to it. Yes, you are, and be proud of it. So I don't know, own up to it. I really had to confirm myself, to own up, like accepting again for myself that hey this is okay, this is it who I am. And so, even though, how hard it was, he said no, own up to it, because maybe it's not you, but you're opening doors for the next generation, because if you're also going to be in the hideaway.
Speaker 1:You're closing doors for others, and it means that we're not living our truth and we're not standing in the sun and we need to stand in the sun, and so that moment was in game, chair to me, to confrontation and acceptance and understanding of it, and so hopefully we come and I think you guys as well come from a generation where power and politics we see it completely different, and so we're not there for a long time, we're here for a good time. That means that we're there, we're for four years and it's good and we move on.
Speaker 1:It's not my life dream to be six years old and be in that, so that means we're here to do change and we move on, and so I want to keep what I mean like a political note. Asina també. We're very progressive. We talk about, uh, maybe having a digital currency. We talk about closing the, the, the refinery, which was a topic four years ago which we knew until now will not be open. We talked about things that that is very, very sensitive.
Speaker 1:So we're just very real, data-driven, unreal of what really matters, and so those moments you don't have to be completely honest. I mean like I was too honest and so, but I want to remain honest, I want to be honest, and so, yes, to your question. It played a role, and so it played a role as well on to have the draft lock that people respect a person to be able to run for office on that term four years ago. Fast forward now you see things have changed. Back then it was a discussion and now it's okay, it wasn't me, but it happened, yeah, so it didn't take a gay guy to be in office to build the past it happened because we knew it was coming.
Speaker 1:Guys, it's the world, it's acceptance, it's you already saw it was coming.
Speaker 3:They just couldn't see it yet. Correct, because you guys were driven by facts and data correct.
Speaker 1:So, um so, fast forward now. I think the landscape has changed. That's good, good, but are we fully, fully ready? I don't think so. Yet. We pretend, we say yes, we walk with a flag and we do the pride in it, but we're not there yet. We still have the stigma, we still have the discussions and hopefully, in the next decade to come, we will really really make a change and even though I find it very slow, I need to accept as well, really really make a change. And even though I I find it very slow, I need to accept as well.
Speaker 3:It's a process in life would you find yourself going back to politics or no?
Speaker 1:very good question. I got a question, a lot um, and I always say very politically correct. I mean the visa, I'm busy with it. I mean the business is on my agenda. No, it's not my priority.
Speaker 3:I guess you could say but there are other goals you want to hit Definitely and then, when you feel like you've accomplished all those goals, but they see the I want to give back to the country. How can I do it at the highest level?
Speaker 1:And that's it. And so con que bien. What politics is a beautiful vehicle? It's a beautiful vehicle, no se si es negativo.
Speaker 3:It's negative, it's nasty and it's also very let's see low managed.
Speaker 1:It's a circus, it's like circus because we we are letting it allowing it to be like that and even as voters, we're not very critical. We accept it as is and we need to be, more critical of who we want us to be represented by and who, etc. But that's a different story.
Speaker 2:Um, but um, and I lost my track of my, my, my yeah, but yeah, but that's but I had another question in in regards to this as well, because you played a very big role mentally. Where were you and how did it affect you? Not just knowing that all of this is also happening, but the fact that there's a full partido of young professionals also depending on you and your mental state, and you're the leader, okay I was gonna ask were you the leader of the party?
Speaker 1:yeah, okay so, and that was the hardest thing as well, um, especially starting new. I didn't have any experience in it. I was never in the other political party in the past. Um, I remember I've lived in aruba and curacao, so I didn't understand everything from the essence essence of it and I really, really I own up to that as well.
Speaker 1:The the biggest hit for me after elections was shit, it wasn't about me, but I've put, I've placed so many people but means that their trust that they had in me on the line. They've had to switch their jobs, they need to stop working because, oh, you're on political party, they had to sacrifice certain stuff and they have families. They have to own their ambitions. I'm like, okay, we did all of this and now I'm letting my group down, and so that was the moment for me. There was, there was a big hit that night. Um, but afterwards, and we just had like drinks yesterday at the friend's house together with most of the group, and we're still together and we all understood the assignment and we all understood the risk and we're okay with it. And there's no like, hey, until we get back to our family, until we get back to our family, until we get back to our family, it's okay until we move forward and our values are stronger than whatever happened based on the election.
Speaker 1:It was for a bigger cause For a bigger cause, and so we've built friendships. We've came together not as friends, because the majority of people I had selected based on professions that I saw what he did in the past. I said let's do this together. And we became friends. They're also part of the tribe.
Speaker 2:They're also part of the tribe group.
Speaker 2:So it's beautiful to see as well that, even though maybe you lost something, but you've gained so much in the process, yeah, and you've also gained for other people that look like you to be like oh wow, like even though he didn't make it, but look how far he came he was actually a leader of a party and all these other types of things, but you also, or your partido also, put a sample on conversations and topics that were not brought to the to light or to the table at all. So even if you didn't win to sit, you did win by bringing up pushing the agenda for correct?
Speaker 1:hey, y'all need to have these conversations regardless if we're here or not, and if it's one thing that we have done is bring up the agendas that are of importance, to make sure that at least it's a topic of discussion. Whatever do with it it's up to you, but at least we're discussing about it and as well. At the end of the day, politics is not the only vehicle to serve your country. You can do it in many, many other ways, and that's also I've came to the realization of it afterwards that you can be in different, other roles and have a significant impact. You can change lives, you can inspire, correct, so. So it's not the only vehicle. It's a beautiful one, but it's not the only one so sorry.
Speaker 2:just a quick question I have on in regards to this would you ever see yourselves, maybe because too much in the future, would y'all see, maybe coming back, not to run for office but to assist whoever fall in line? As hey, listen, these are some topics or maybe do some of the work from outside and not from inside?
Speaker 1:Definitely definitely so. As a group and we're all young professionals with different talents, with different know-hows we often get, let's say, asked by political parties that are in office or outside of office to hey, ivan, hey, what are your thoughts on this agenda? Hey, you guys talked about this in your presentations during the campaign four years ago on education. But how did you see it? And we're exposing that information, we're giving that information for them to run with it. So definitely, yes, we even talked about a few weeks ago, in the next years, even though maybe we're not in the arena to compete, but we can be in the arena to compete, but we can be in the arena to inspire, we can be in the arena to educate, we can be in the arena to make sure certain things are, let's say, come, come to, to surface, of course.
Speaker 1:So and that is a role, and maybe it's a different type of role which we're not accustomed to yet, but that's also. That's what. What do you call it correct? So, um, that's also something that we're um, let's say, casually thinking about, something that we're busy with, we're casually thinking about, okay, how can we also contribute on that?
Speaker 3:for sure now, oh no go ahead because I was gonna ask something very off topic, very random, but birthday the day I'm king. Yeah, no, I was literally like I was like you know what would be the best way to release this episode On your birthday. I was like, please be on the same day, but we release our episodes on every Thursday, which is the 24th, so that's going to be the day we're going to release your episode.
Speaker 1:Well, it's going to be a birthday edition. Close by to watch and then we're gonna hop on the airplane.
Speaker 2:Now I have to ask where did your love and passion stem from for miss queen b beyonce?
Speaker 3:hardcore rayana hardcore uh, nikki I am nikki rewey I'm the fully for that, of course, the.
Speaker 1:Holy Trinity so let me start like this I was a fan, and a vivid fan, of Beyonce, since she was part of Destiny's Child.
Speaker 2:So the young Beyonce singing the say my name, say my name let's go.
Speaker 1:So that's my base and growing up I I always thought I I was talking to myself about law of attraction and I saw her how she, she, her, she was really mastering her craft, mastering who she was and reintroducing herself every time. Once you think this is it. Then there's a new album and there's a whole different version, a whole different sound, whole different, unique, and I was like, okay, how powerful it is to continue to reinvent yourself, but continue to build up your audience and grow and still keep the old g with you and and grow and take on new ones.
Speaker 1:So I was just admiring her craft Until today. When I see the progress that she made as an individual singer, as an entertainer and I say it, I say it proudly she is the greatest entertainer of our generation. And why do I say it? She makes you turn your look and say what's happening, even though if you don't like her, you're talking about her, even though that you don't listen to her album. You know there was a renaissance tour. You know there was some music that was inspired by a certain genre of music.
Speaker 1:You know she, she, she, she drives agendas, she, she inspires on on a level and without having correct and strategic and so and so that's a whole different way of approaching music and creativity, because that's about just an album and being on the tune. She's really pushing an agenda that oftentimes we only know afterwards and so, um, that's also the way we need to see business now, the way we need to see life, the way we need to navigate your own profession. So for me, I just admire, I try, and everything else for me doesn't matter. I don't even need to be next year and go eat out with her. I just want to respect the craft and the moment she's on stage. I know it's amazing. I watched her, I listened to it, I woke up and it was amazing. I read a lot of songs, I watched her. I remember my biggest present was from my parents. They took me to Fort Lauderdale to see Destiny's Child the tour, the Destiny Fulfilled tour. So I was like in love. Then I went to my mom's house to pay my bills.
Speaker 3:But I also went to her. You, how many concerts have you gone to?
Speaker 1:I've been a couple of concerts and even like the renaissance, I did three times, twice in the same weekend.
Speaker 2:Talk about a mega fan. I cried just because I didn't go to the renaissance. I know I watched the movie the production ding ding movie theater. I was like yes, girl.
Speaker 1:No, I can't in the net. The netherlands I saw it twice. I went to netherlands on saturday and sunday, both with two different groups of friends, and I saw it and then it was so good I said I need to watch it in atlanta, because that's the real thing. I flew to london. Like two months later I saw it in atlanta again amazing, and that's where she had the girls actually correct, correct, correct I would have died out of that.
Speaker 2:What was the outfits like?
Speaker 1:no the outfit the outfits mine or hers, yours?
Speaker 3:shit you better tell me silver, so the first because, if you didn't have silver.
Speaker 1:No no, so the first one I played tribute to because she did like silver black thing, so I did tribute to the black. I did like a jumpsuit that was black and then with all, let's say, silver like grills and everything.
Speaker 2:So that was one.
Speaker 1:The second one was more casual, but it was like a silver like grills and everything. So that was one. The second one was more casual, but it was like a silver like outfit shorts and things like that. Okay, and then in atlanta was very less mint and I was late and I had to just wear jeans and a shirt and I had to run because I didn't expect so much traffic and I was late.
Speaker 2:So I had to wear what I had to wear and I showed up.
Speaker 1:But I showed up and had the best seat in Atlanta. I was like in the beehive circle, so I was really, really partying that is crazy, but you know what I have to say.
Speaker 2:You do have her work ethic with certain things that you said, like now, like piecing them back together and knowing how, especially if you watch the Renaissance movie. True, then you understand it you understand her work ethic, how everything is. There's every single detail, there's a step to it, there's people depending on it, there's okay, let's strategize how we're going to do this. I want to do this song. This song has to come in this sequence because I want this to happen.
Speaker 1:I need a stage to be like this.
Speaker 2:I need a stage to be going while we're on this one, every single detail and the amount of sacrifices that she's made. True, she didn't have a regular childhood at all. She sacrificed all of that to become the greatest performer alive today In our generation.
Speaker 1:definitely.
Speaker 2:Who else is beating out of Beyonce? Who? Don't ask me, I don't know Exactly my point Like argue with your mama Because Chris Brown is great, usher great.
Speaker 3:Rihanna is great.
Speaker 2:Rihanna is not a showgirl, she's not a performer like that.
Speaker 3:Oh, then what about that as a entertainer as a whole? No, no, no, no, no, no. It's a different, different breed. Okay, okay, okay showgirl.
Speaker 2:You go to beyonce you. You expect outfit changes, you expect vocals, you expect uh the drama, the drama you expecting all that is from beyonce, the fans, the everything and it's a whole culture. It's a whole culture, it's a whole thing.
Speaker 1:but you know that's what you expect with Beyonce, and the thing I love for her is excellency, excellency.
Speaker 2:Only.
Speaker 1:And oftentimes on our islands. We strive for excellence and I still give. I give a comparison Every time you go to an event, most of the time or event will be said that one c testing. You have to have done it. Yeah, once the show started, eight play yeah until the end.
Speaker 1:There's no testing one, two, there's no mic check, there's no checking if the sound, the screen works, and so we need to strive for excellency and so off was out. When you're in your press presentation, I hate that and then you start clicking and then the video doesn't have sounds I wanted to do that test before the event started.
Speaker 1:Strive for excellence because it diminishing, diminishes the whole value of what you're presenting. And so, you see, don't go school. I always strive for excellency, make sure it's it's, it's good, because people are there to be served and people to be informed, to be inspired, and don't waste their time.
Speaker 2:What I see Mr Ed on, that is, Curacao did a really, really, really, really great job for North Sea Jazz.
Speaker 1:Definitely.
Speaker 2:I'm not even going to lie. Definitely Production and organization. Definitely Top tier.
Speaker 3:I was like in the running show, as in the Caribbean or organization, definitely Top tier. I was like in the running show as in gravy and our tea.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so the FF on the show, which is a foundation, with different partners in it and with Gregory Elias on the hat and he's also a famous guy on Island. I'm known as well for investing in these types of projects and then you have the production. I think it's Mojo, not sure. Don't go with that. Yeah, investing in these types of projects.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then you have the production.
Speaker 1:I think it's mojo, not sure, don't? Uh?
Speaker 3:yeah, from the netherlands as well, and they do the production side, and there's a lot of local talents working as well, but it's a big production yeah, the reason why I asked is because, like I think we talked about it when he came here last time for that event, I would like to interview whoever's at the head of this g-spot.
Speaker 2:Like the kind of time and stress and like a lot of shit that goes into making something discalibur on that level during the same weekend, which is normal, yeah, and there are requirements of hey, you can't take photos only the first few minutes, and then I have a gym in the back like cause I need.
Speaker 3:I need a pump before going on stage.
Speaker 2:I'm like some wild shit.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah so now, um, there's a little fun conversation about beyonce, huh just to add on.
Speaker 1:We need to add the story. Yeah, you have to. How?
Speaker 3:many times? How many times have you seen that movie of beyonce?
Speaker 1:I haven't even seen it once, by the way, sorry um, did you watch the last one, the super bowl performance?
Speaker 2:what is wrong with? You don't how many times, how many times I don't know if I watched it a few times, but I did watch the full.
Speaker 1:I was waiting For me Christmas, was that?
Speaker 2:That was Christmas. I did nothing else but that I'm confused.
Speaker 3:Wait, the one she just did.
Speaker 1:Yes, the Netflix Super Bowl, Beyonce Bowl and Clickbait. Oh crazy, I thought you guys were talking about the Super Bowl that won.
Speaker 3:I think she had like Bruno Mars on it oh, that was like a few years ago. That's what you're talking about. No, no, no, we're talking about this past Christmas she did a halftime performance.
Speaker 2:Watch it watch it.
Speaker 3:It was good. I was arguing. I was arguing with people.
Speaker 2:I'm judging you now because people were like oh, beyonce is so overrated. And yet I was like what are you?
Speaker 1:talking about? Have you seen this performance? What this woman just did for? Country music and for artists and putting all of the black country artists with her on that stage which are not recognized by the country music at all like in the front and getting more views than any other country show in the world this is the show that just passed.
Speaker 3:Just passed, and you're gonna watch it today today it's free on netflix. So yeah, oh, I'm gonna go back to aruba.
Speaker 1:Actually, I'm gonna download it in a little airplane 10 minutes, so it's a short, it's a show perfect, I'm gonna download it on netflix and on the plane back. I got you man. Sorry sir, sorry sir, no damn, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:I didn't go to three fucking concerts with Beyonce and the.
Speaker 2:Beehive Just saying You're going to waste it. You're going to watch it.
Speaker 3:Good, or I can just wait until I get home and I just put this surround sound. Okay, boom, we're going to be cheering up, okay boom. What's up, man? What's going to happen now in Curacao? What's the Miles 2025 looking like?
Speaker 1:So for the past four years I've been working as a CEO as a tourism board in Bonaire, which is also real quick was a childhood dream. When.
Speaker 1:I was six and seven years old when I moved to Aruba, I always said I'm going to Aruba to study tourism and I want to become the CEO of a tourism board in Bonaire. But then, as as you grow older, you really forget that dream and you move to curacao and you go. It's okay. And then that moment happened when I got the opportunity to go back to bonair to be the ceo. It was like full circle moment. This was a purpose all along that I had to do it and it was the most amazing four years of of my life. Um, and I'm going to bonair tomorrow for a day just to be with some friends again and just spend some, some, some, some, some time for it for just for a day, because I want to invest time with the people I love. But it was most beautiful moment. But I also know I recognize when it's time to move on, and when I say move on doesn't mean that you're fed up or you're not valuable anymore, but I believe in passing on the torch to the next generation.
Speaker 1:I had a beautiful girl working with me for the past four years who had all the talents and she became the ceo and I reciprocated what happened to me many, many years ago, where they gave me opportunity, where the ceo said it's your time and I'm moving for you to get the opportunity. This was ronella, right, this was ronella, and it was lisa, and now it was me, with an angel.
Speaker 3:Her name is angel in bonair.
Speaker 1:Let's go angel, because I believe that we're not here for a long time for a good. This was Ronella, and then it was Lisa, and now it was me, with an angel Her name is Angel in Bonaire.
Speaker 2:Let's go, Angel.
Speaker 1:Because I believe that we're not here for a long time for a good time, and make sure that you're not here just to see Tariba Estul. Do not espace. Let the new generation also. I'm also considering I'm also not part of the new new generation because they're coming in hard, so making sure that they're also got the opportunity, similar to me, to pass on the torch, and that's what I did but also allowed me to be exposed to a new environment. I just started a new function. I'm now the the part of the cnex team as a ceo, and cnex is a curacao investment promotion agency and what we do is we promote curacao, but as an investment opportunity for all economic sectors. It's not only tourism, but it's renewable energy, it's about creative industries, it's, but as an investment opportunity for all economic sectors. It's not only tourism, but it's renewable energy.
Speaker 2:It's about creative industries.
Speaker 1:It's everything else, so it exposes me to more environments, and only tourism. So now I'm back, that 15-year-old that I'm learning. I'm learning now about renewable energy. I'm learning now about Guyana, about Suriname, about what's happening there, about how we can export or import oil. So to me, I'm going back now to the roots of what makes you about learning, educating yourself and making sure that you can also be successful in other things that are not your comfort zone.
Speaker 3:Damn, what do you guys? How are you guys? Because you just mentioned creator, Does your function also include investing in the creator's economy?
Speaker 1:yes, definitely, that's a priority this year. We have as well, within this next thing we have the film commissioner, we have the music commissioner as well, so we're really, really investing for film productions to come in or to be financed, or to give incentives for locals to build, develop films for, go to international film festivals. We have as well the music industry to export our local music, um or and so we're busy with that sector as well, and carnival and everything else that comes with creative economy, because it's a ripple effect. Creative economy is beautiful and that's where we're investing as well, so we need to talk as well yeah, for sure, yes, yeah for sure, but like um in Aruba, shout out to Go Cultura.
Speaker 3:We actually went to a yeah, we went to, which is my cousin. I was going to ask you. I told her. Similar I'm like is Achi, your cousin Achi is my cousin.
Speaker 1:His father is my brother, is my father's brother, okay, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Bonair, why wasn't the accent he just pulled the accent? I just be in my but um we went to.
Speaker 1:They had a, a creative conference, and all this good stuff.
Speaker 2:And there was a guy. His name was Mr King. He's from.
Speaker 3:Barbados, john King.
Speaker 2:And he talked about the orange economy and all this good stuff, but he was actually talking about when. What they did in Barbados is they had a list of all of their filmmakers, the local filmmakers, and I guess like a company like you all would be like hey, come and make your films here and cure us out and make use of our local, but you have to hire one of the people from our list and they have to register
Speaker 2:yes, but then it's part of one of the benefits that you get to register because you're getting a tax cut and that's that's also part of the incentive that we're giving.
Speaker 1:So curacao is now building, rolling out a new law soon, hopefully, once it's approved for, let's say, incentives, um, to get the filmmakers in as well, but one of the conditions are, as well, not only local filmmakers, but for everything the orange economy. Makeup artists people, stylists, people say, because we have those talents on islands and if we don't have it, then you can come with it. But we have to first make use of our local talents on island, and that's also part of it, what we're really, really focusing on.
Speaker 3:Well, this light right here, I rented it from somebody here. Oh nice, it's so sunny, like through someone. Hey, I need some lights because I'm going to travel. All of this this is ours, but this I rented for somebody that lives in Curacao, otherwise the lighting would have been horrible on this camera. Not for real, no, we learned from. From our last trip. We learned I'm like shit, no, but it's kind of dope though. It's kind of it's in aruba right now. The john king guy shark was just talking about. He has practical ways as how he got funding for it, like by giving tax benefits like the casino. The casino like hey, a part of what we're taxing you this much over here and that goes into the creator fund, but we're also going to give you a tax break over here. So, like it kind of like balances out.
Speaker 1:you know Correct, and I think the creative economy is the economy that really spills over where everyone feels it. You need catering, you need that, so it's really something.
Speaker 1:that's not only one person that goes out of it, it's promotion for your island, which is one economy tourism on its own is then creative economy, where locals get the opportunity to work and be part of something bigger and but so it's also building dreams. The creative economy is a sector that many, many years ago, when you used to tell your parents I'm going to academy to learn dance, they're like, but they be, but they go, no, but that is also a profession. That's why I love sharing the light on it. Um, and I think when you talk about, as well, the team in aruba, the, the work that you're you're doing to simulate it there, um, but, um, it's something for the audience that we really, really need to push the agenda, but also recognizing it as a legit economy.
Speaker 3:I've been saying this. I even said it to Anushka. It's like all these companies are like. They always want to invest in people influencers in New York, influencers in Boston, influencers in whatever I'm like. Why not take that same budget, find five people in your own island and invest? Hey, listen, I'm gonna give you a 5 000 florin salary for the next year. What you need to do is create three videos a week about the culinary scene of aruba. Build a brand. We'll help you push like hey go go file.
Speaker 3:Whatever we'll fight. Follow this person, because he's like the authentic person of Aruba and you get three chefs. For example, you'll find two tour guides. Are you having fun as a tour guide? Yes, no, but your creator will take you out of that, will give you a salary. You have to go around. By the way, hey, today I'm going to eat fruit, like something. I don't care, but invest in your own people and let them become the ambassadors 100% and let them become the ambassadors A hundred percent.
Speaker 3:But you want to bring some girl that lives in Manhattan that knows that only cares. Oh my God, guys, welcome over here. I'm like that's true, I get why you do it for the reach, but you you have to connect with the island. Like damn, that's a real local right there. I'm going to believe what he says, Not some chick or guy that came from New York that lives his luxury life, and that's something I feel like Curacao does really well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I saw at the Corendon, they were like oh, the guy that used to dance the king somebody. King Garcia they were like, okay, he's the ambassador for. Corendon so you really see, they're actually taking local talents, local influencers. We're pushing y'all in the forefront because you already got the eyeballs on an international brand yeah, yeah, yeah yeah and that is like something you just have to admire so much from here and I'm like, or, but we're gonna get there, we're going to get there.
Speaker 1:It's a process, believe in it, talk about it and make sure that we put our seat at the table, because if not, we're not going to wait, just make sure that we are there.
Speaker 3:For sure, no, 100%. All right, anything else, I think we're going to wrap it up over here. My final question for you is we talked about work, business, whatever. What is your personal goal for 2025?
Speaker 1:My personal goal.
Speaker 3:Which direction to say, I don't know, give me two answers one like super, like selfish, you know personal, and one like on a professional level. Maybe you want to talk about your next birthday, I don't know we're going to Paris.
Speaker 1:Guys on a personal level I would say, this year I would really have peace back and to rest, in his broader sense peace with finances, have peace back, rest in its broadest sense, peace with finances, peace with being where I am, peace with my age, peace with how my house is at the moment, home peace, peace in the broadest sense, in everything that I do and wherever I am, I mean in an environment that's peaceful, that's just tranquil and that's really speaking to where I am today. And that means as well making choices. It means as well being consistent in what I want and it means as well letting go and saying no on certain certain things. So that to me, on the personal side, that's my goal for this year. I do not want to be everywhere. I don't need to be everywhere. I don't need the exposure. It's fine. I want peace.
Speaker 1:And, on a professional level, I want to prove myself that, at the age of 36, even though, because I started young as that, at the age of 36, even though, because I started young as I feel old now that I can still start again from scratch, I'm starting from the beginning, entering a whole new phase in my career in a whole different sector, in a whole different environment. That is not known to me. And I want to prove to myself that it's okay to start over and whatever happens in the process, it's part of life and starting over means learning again, being vulnerable again, being open, listening, understanding and really being in a moment of allowing that, that energy, because I could have just easily stayed maybe a few more years in bonair as a tourism board or move. Maybe we're in a not a position which is similar, but I wanted something completely different and I want to allow myself to embrace that moment as well do you feel like you thrive in discomfort?
Speaker 1:yes, but I think it's a feeling, but I'm not convinced yet. So I think afterwards, maybe in a few years, yeah, I will have that moment again where I'll say oh this is what happened.
Speaker 3:Correct, it's a pattern.
Speaker 2:So, let's go. It's life. So now sorry, I know we're going to close out real quick I just want to ask you how does your partner deal with all of these changes, because you don't have, like, a very consistent lifestyle.
Speaker 3:I feel like he's like calling my house.
Speaker 1:All right, let's go here. We go very much in the moment. So, like, how does your partner deal with all of this? Definitely that, um the face you make I always get whenever, whenever I say at home, hey shit, where are we going again?
Speaker 3:where are we?
Speaker 1:going and though, um, I always say whom, um, he allows me to be me and he understands he accepted the assignment to be with me based on who I am, and so when I say it doesn't mean that I do my own thing, I don't care about anyone else, but he knows that he gets the best version of me when he allows me to be as that's a mile, as chaotic as I have to be a thousand miles an hour and whenever I come with the birthdays, he said just do it, because he knows that this is what gives me energy, and that's your love
Speaker 1:language and we made a promise to each other when we started. The moment that we feel that we are that's ating, or we are not helping each other to reach our personal goals that we want, because we're two individual, separate people living together, that means that we're not meant to be together anymore for that moment. It doesn't mean that everything is wrong, but we need to make sure that every day that we feel that it is okay and that we are moving along and we're allowing everybody to be their best version of themselves. And that is something that he's very, very flexible um, he always and and that also it has a side side point. So often you say, well, I will open some corner, I'm doing this to go, but at the end of the day, talk me to the coast.
Speaker 3:This is fine so he like he makes my life easy. Correct, correct, correct correct.
Speaker 2:He allows that energy.
Speaker 1:Correct. He allows that energy and that really fits and that really complements each other in that as well.
Speaker 3:Nice man.
Speaker 1:I'm really focused on that and that allowed me to go to Bonaire for four years and still be back and forth and being okay. It allowed me to go in politics. It allowed me to change jobs, not having job security. I remember running out of money. I was like, okay, I need to find a job now, because then there's no income and he's okay for those risks in life. And that's how we do it.
Speaker 3:Awesome. I love that. Before we close out the show, I do want to give two shout outs, to your dad and to Mr Green 100% 100%.
Speaker 1:Mr Green is a great guy and my dad is shout out to Chio for making this happen. Oh sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, no 100%.
Speaker 3:I remember when my dad had a knife I was like hey, my dad has a knife, it's so good he had a knife he smoked I know hey it's one of the best conversations in the world 100%. That's when the real conversation comes out you know what I can edit this part, you know to be honest, when the camera was gonna start rolling, I was gonna ask you boom?
Speaker 1:I was gonna ask you it's gonna happen, we're gonna fix it, we're gonna all right good guys.
Speaker 3:I hope you enjoyed this episode miles. Thank you for being with us. Honestly, because of your personality, I like the being you're definitely like uh on the episode when I'm on my piece of work like I'm going back to aruba like a whole different person and I feel bad for all my business partners I also want to add real quick before it goes out real quick. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry going to happen, I just want to say, as a gay person, it is really nice to see a happy relationship, yeah, strong, and all of this good stuff, because it's not normal for our community and it's also not that common that's true In our culture.
Speaker 1:Not a lot From the islands because gay people always.
Speaker 2:we get robbed from a lot of things when straight people can go out on a date and hold hands in the movies, you never are able to do it Masha cute mehs. But that's not our norm until we get way older. Then we're like ah, fuck it, Like I'll live my life for me, and if I want to have a man, I'm going to have a man, definitely so I just want to add that real quick.
Speaker 1:But now we can close out. It means a lot, Especially if you're in the LGBT community. You know what you said 100%.
Speaker 2:I understand the struggles baby.
Speaker 3:Now I got a question for you. You ever see yourself getting a man at some point.
Speaker 2:I'm not looking for it, but I'm not closed off to it. If you're a cell, maybe you never know I'm not close to that I ain't got time. Look what I'm doing. I'm working.
Speaker 3:I'm like okay, un dia, un dia, un dia, un dia.
Speaker 2:Okay, that didn't. Let's close this now.
Speaker 3:Let's do an episode and it's a meal. I'm going to catch feelings.
Speaker 2:What? That was a phase. It was a phase I was going through something I was going through my 29th and 30th birthday Like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know the acceptance phase yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, thanks for watching, and until we're back, let's see. You See, ya, peace.
Speaker 1:Ayo, ciao.