Rona Coster on Airbnb, Carnival, Street Dogs & Aruba's Future | EP 245

Some people avoid controversy. Rona Coster built a reputation by walking straight into it.

Known to many Arubans as the voice behind Bati Blicky, Rona joins No Filter in Paradise for a candid conversation about writing, influence, creativity, and what happens when you speak your mind on a small island where everyone knows everyone.

We explore how an editor challenged her in 1992 to put her thoughts on paper, launching a writing career that would evolve into one of Aruba's most recognizable public voices. Along the way, we discuss mentorship, building a brand through consistency, handling criticism, and why details matter more than simply having a great idea.

The conversation takes some unexpected turns through Star Wars, The Mandalorian, travel experiences in Africa, and the lessons those stories reveal about leadership, compassion, and personal growth.

We also dive into some of Aruba's most debated topics:
• How Rona became a must-read columnist and public voice
• The realities of mentorship and creative consistency
• The legendary Pika radio days and why a reunion would be complete chaos
• Learning to handle both compliments and criticism
• Carnival planning, sponsor fatigue, and parade overload
• Tourism strategy and attracting higher-quality visitors
• Airbnb regulation, vacation rentals, and enforcement challenges
• Infrastructure concerns including roads and graywater management
• Animal welfare, street dogs, and the ongoing struggle for sustainable funding
• Travel lessons from Africa and why experiences matter more than comfort
This episode is a thoughtful, honest look at Aruba's challenges, opportunities, and the people willing to have difficult conversations about both.


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Transcript

Radio Update And Warm Open

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Before we start today's episode, we just want to let you know that Shark and I are finally going to the radio, which means every single Saturday, you can tune in on XFM 102.7, hang out with us, play some good music. We got a bunch of giveaways and just an overall good time and vibe. So tune in Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

The beginning of Pika. We used to drink Bailey's just to get used to there for you. And loose.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Okay, first of all, I did not even expect you to say that. Oh my god, I was buckwild because he was drunk as fuck, because he was nervous.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

You know that Carnival is not in great shape this year.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

I'm not gonna lie. This year was the shape. This year in general, I feel like carnival came really good. You just say things as it is.

SPEAKER_05 0:48

You go with you get a lot of backlash.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

I mean, we cannot call ourselves at first chance this to make you orange that and the alfan do caca is like all enveloping in it.

SPEAKER_05 1:02

But everybody wants to talk about it, but nobody really wants to like actually put money to where the problem is and try to solve it.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Juicy.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Juicy. A little troublemaker Egypt.

Meet Rona Coster Behind Bati Blicky

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Hey yo, what's up? Ala, comeast.

SPEAKER_05 1:22

Guys, welcome back to the ABC Islands favorite podcast. You already know No Filter in Paradise, a show about literally anything and everything between two friends. One is straight and the other.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Super duper gay babies.

SPEAKER_05 1:32

Now I gotta give it up to this guest. She came in prepared and smart. She brought us cookies. She knows you once you bribe Shark to be good, you know he'll go easy on you sometimes. What? Ah, you're a bad bitch.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

Of course, you do bribes work every time. Not for me. I'm sorry. You're not immune to bribes.

SPEAKER_05 1:48

I haven't had where'd you find this cookie, by the way?

SPEAKER_00 1:51

I'm not gonna tell you, which is otherwise I'll lose the edge.

SPEAKER_05 1:54

This is good. Well, ladies and gentlemen, today we have none other than the voice behind Bati Blicky, Rona Coster.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Nice uh being with you. We we talked about it for a while. The idea came up uh for a while, but yeah, finally today is the day.

SPEAKER_05 2:09

Yeah, every time I see him like you need to come on the show. Let me know when.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

I know.

SPEAKER_05 2:14

Sorry, now it's gonna be a problem.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

Go ahead. So I wanted I wanted to um ask you, Shark. Do you actually do some work work besides being a diva?

SPEAKER_01 2:25

I do, I actually do. I be a bitch. That's a full-time job. Exhausting, actually. You to keep up. Girl, girl, like you as the reigning queen.

SPEAKER_05 2:40

We've always said this, like, although we always say we're no-filter, we always say that Rona's like the original no-filter, because you literally say whatever you want. Like, here's what I this is what I think, and this is what I believe. And if you don't like it, that's your fucking problem. But that's my opinion of it, and that's not a debate.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

Right.

SPEAKER_05 2:55

So we always said, like, you're like the OG no filter online.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

I think I was the original influencer on the island before the word was invented. Okay. Because I've been writing uh since 1992. Oh wow. You were not even a twinkle in your mind, girl. I I was I'm a 93 baby, so you were carrying on the schedule, okay?

SPEAKER_05 3:24

They really weren't so let me ask you then. So so let's just hop right into that part then. How

How A Columnist Gets Started

SPEAKER_05 3:32

why or how did you start writing?

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Okay. Wait, that's not fair to hop into that right then and then. I mean, we can go forward and then go backwards.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

We'll go backwards.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Okay, let's go further back then.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Let's go in your mind.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

Because I want to know eventually how you got into the writing, eventually, but I want to know first like your childhood. Like, where did you grow up? Who was like this little young robin?

SPEAKER_00 3:56

So baby, say less. Forget about that. I'm gonna go look in this. I'm going this way.

SPEAKER_05 4:01

No, the alcohol is on this side.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

I'm not gonna tell you everything.

SPEAKER_06 4:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

So um, I started writing because I was asked. Really? Basically, yeah, basically, you ask me. I'm a very I have a very big sense of duty, sense of responsibility. And the editor of the news, which was the English-speaking, the English newspaper, just asked me to write in Aruba. Okay, and I said, yes, ma'am. And I believe that she asked me because she knew that I have a lot of stuff in my head that might interest other people. You know, I always approach other people. So, what job do you do besides being a diva? You know, I always ask people, and she wanted me to recap the stuff that I learned for the newspaper. She thought it would be interesting. Ta-da! And yeah, and I practiced my writing. I'm an English teacher by profession, so I had no issue with my vocabulary. So um, I practiced my um my wording and I became a columnist the year before you were born.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Oh my god, that's great though.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

Yeah, yeah, that's it. And you know, a lot of people think that oh, I have a book in me, but it has to be fun. I have a book. Oh, but it has to be fantastic. I have to be the Leonardo da Vinci of writers, and I think that if I put together a column about our meeting today, it would be as interesting and as entertaining as uh some big grand scheme of world world peace and conquering hunger, you know. The devil is in the detail. So if you have something to say, start with a detail and go from there. And the book will be eventually be created. So that's uh I don't have a book in me.

SPEAKER_05 6:16

I was like, all right, so we dropping this book. I'm like, nah, nah, there's like articles and columns on here.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

You go here articles and columns.

SPEAKER_05 6:23

Here is the here is the topic of this week or today, and we're gonna talk about this. That's the bait.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

That's it. And

Star Wars As A Lesson On Power

SPEAKER_00 6:29

by the way, I love R2D2. Where is R2 D2? I saw him.

SPEAKER_05 6:34

Okay, first of all, I did not even expect you to say that. I sold it.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

You did not. He's my favorite. You know that he was in 11 out of the 12 Lucas productions. He is the most favorite character of Shark. Shark is like lost.

SPEAKER_05 6:53

So lucky. Oh, that's what y'all are talking about. Star Wars, yeah. The Lego robot in the background. We usually that's Arcaditu. Oh, okay. It hurt the cell, but I sold it to one of my best friends for her son.

SPEAKER_00 7:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 7:05

So it's got at least.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Did you see the Mandalorian?

SPEAKER_05 7:09

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Oh my god, kids. I mean, get through the program.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

I don't watch cartoons like that. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 7:16

It's in the movie theater at Gloria on IMAX. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 7:22

I heard on the lower end on the Mandalorian. I've been trying to go this past weekend, but I got I got stuck with work.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

I'm a fan of the Mandalorian.

SPEAKER_05 7:31

What is that?

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Okay, the Mandalorian is a superhero.

SPEAKER_05 7:35

Tell her on a tell her.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

It's a he's a superhero. Maybe Yoda?

SPEAKER_05 7:40

Yeah, maybe it's not Yoda, it's Grogu, but Grogu.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

That's the green thing.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

That's the green thing.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

The green thing. Okay. Okay, he knows. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Yeah, T-Tek loves it.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

You know, so it basically the Mandalorian is a very is is a bounty hunter. He's a man of very little emotions, but he is very focused and he works for money. He is basically a sword for hire. Pretty much. And he yeah, and a man of steel. This is the way. Yeah. And he finds this orphan, this baby Yoda, and by connecting with the baby, he starts to feel, and he becomes, he goes from a superhero to a father figure. And that takes three seasons on Disney. It's a great season, though.

SPEAKER_05 8:34

Hey, it's good. Plus, the one that the last one they came out with the guy. Um Solo? No.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Hans Solo is from the first one.

SPEAKER_05 8:43

I have to look it up.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Yeah, look at it. So anyway. I'm not gonna sound stupid next to you. I'm not gonna do that. It's a movie about transformation. Okay. Because you have bonds with other people and you have responsibility, you become a better person. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Yeah, I mean, I probably want to watch it, but hey guys, listen, you got the great ass recap right here. Y'all better go out to Gloria and watch it in iMass.

SPEAKER_05 9:10

This is my Disney profile picture, and that's my wife's Grogu. So we have so you know I love this show. I'm not mad at you.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

And Grogu is all feelings because he's very responsive and and he um he communicates so well, and the Mandalorian is just so rigid at the beginning. And to tell you the truth, if you promise not to tell anybody, cut the show here. Don't tell anybody, but it's really a criticism on the very rigid and fascist governments around the world that leave out connectivity, emotions, compassion. Because here is the Mandalorian represents this very rigid structure, and the empire, the evil empire, represents these evil structures that grind the individual to a pulp while the little man the little guy needs protection. We all need protection, we all vulnerable, and or is the one I was talking about too. And or I heard about it.

SPEAKER_05 10:18

That's also really good. It's bad.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Did you see it?

SPEAKER_05 10:20

Yeah, it's good.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

You binged it, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 10:23

I watched almost everything Star Wars related except what when Loren just came out. So hopefully tonight, maybe tomorrow I'm gonna make some time to go.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

It's from the 70s, you know. What? The first uh the first one was in 1977, maybe. And then 11 movies. You have to catch up. Sorry, sorry. It's okay. I'm good.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

I'm good. This is not good. This is my area.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Okay, so what are you interested in? What are your interests?

Building A Brand With Mentors

SPEAKER_05 10:50

Today we learned Rona Love Star Wars.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

So I'm not mad about it. I'm all the way here, okay? But I am an observer. Okay, so I'm I'm watching you, and I really want to know where does your theatrics come from? Because it's it even shows in your writing. Reading uh a Rona about the piece, you understand every level of emotion. You understand when you're being sarcastic, you understand when she's like, duh. Like, I get every single personality you you say with each word, each line. It's like, mm-hmm. Like you just read that and you're like, that's what the fuck I mean. How do you provoke so much?

SPEAKER_00 11:33

It's a gift, you know. It really is. I definitely do. Yeah, you have a gift because uh you're six years on the air, 250 episodes, you're a brand, you're an influencer. How do you do that? Break it down for me. How do you do that? I want your brand. Manicure what?

SPEAKER_01 11:57

That's part of it as well. I guess that's part of like the the you know the branding.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

But how do you do that? Can you can you tell honestly in an honest conversation? The secret of my success is ABC. Can you say that? Can do you know? Besides saying it's a mysterious gift, you're still eating in the cookie.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

I'm not gonna say, well, truck isn't eating.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

I love a man who loves cookies.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Listen, be not mad about it. Get into your cookies, young man.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

I I you know Erin Cruz was one of my original mentors. Really? No way! How did that come about? Uh-huh. Many years ago, I used to walk up and down Malmok, and um Erin Cruz was in my I had I didn't I didn't have an iPhone. I don't think did we have a Walkman?

SPEAKER_01 12:54

A Walkman?

SPEAKER_00 12:55

I don't know what I had. Something primitive, you know. And she was in my ears, and I said to myself, I want what she has. That's it. You all you need, you don't really need to go to school to be uh, yeah, you need to go to school. I have a very good education, but I'm not doing what I was studying for. You know, I have a very good basis. On top of that, you can build anything you want.

SPEAKER_05 13:26

As long as you're passionate about something, you'll find a way to learn how to do it properly.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

That's it. And you need a mentor, somebody who's very successful in the field to sort of show you the way.

SPEAKER_05 13:38

My first sorry, my first thought was just now tadik. You know, great example. Like when you said that, my like I said, my first thought was like, okay, so Tadik Hedro Ben Garcia, and look how well he is on the radio, because he had a great mentor. Yeah. So yeah, sorry.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

No, true.

SPEAKER_05 13:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

So Ruben was your mentor.

SPEAKER_05 13:58

No, no, Tadik, Tadek, the other guy.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

No, another guy, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

He has a good career now. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

He's also one that we have coming up to uh to come on the show. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

He's an interesting character.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

He is, he is, he is.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

He gets around. How did you meet?

SPEAKER_05 14:19

Oh, well. Uh to keep it short, we've known of each other, and then during COVID times, we became better friends through a mutual friend. And then I was doing a show at a time. What was it called again?

SPEAKER_01 14:33

Live sessions.

SPEAKER_05 14:34

Live sessions. And I was the host of Light on TV because it's COVID time, nobody can leave. So Elite was doing this show where it gets we aired on Telaruba. And then I remember like I was seeing everything they were doing, and I started thinking, like, wait, I'm looking at Elite, like, Elite, we have everything to do this. Why are we going through Telaruba? Let's just do online. You know, like, and then pitching the idea, and that's it. But I want to have my own show, and I wanted to ro I didn't want to do it alone. And I got the idea actually from my wife. She told me about this podcast called Call Her Daddy. And I was and I listened to her and I was like, what the fuck is this?

SPEAKER_00 15:13

Podcast. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:15

And it was super great. And I was like, nobody's doing this in Aruba. So I made a list of like, okay, who I would I don't want to lose alone. I need a co-host. Who's like as me, but the opposite. His name was the first name I wrote down. I went to the second line. Couldn't think of anybody. It's like it has to be him. If it's not him, this is not never gonna work. And I called him up, like, hey, I don't know what you're doing like on XYZ day. Be here at Elite at 3 p.m. and don't ask any questions. Just come. He showed up with a massive fucking jacket on I forget it. Damn right. A big bird jacket, like super furry.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

Fluffy.

SPEAKER_05 15:48

Yeah. And then since then we started in 2020 in June, actually.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

What was the first show about?

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Oh my God. That was buckwild because he was drunk as fuck, because he was nervous. So he was just drinking a bunch of meyer. Oh, Yager Bombs. Yeah, because Max had the new machine. Oh, yeah. The Jagameister or whatever that thing was.

SPEAKER_05 16:09

Yeah. So I was drinking a lot. And it was my first show ever. Like, I don't know what to do.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

You don't drink anymore, right?

SPEAKER_05 16:14

I cut back, yeah. Thank you. You got water.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

You're gonna go places.

SPEAKER_05 16:18

Amen. I already went, I'm already 10 kilos down. Keep busting on my e-mail. Let's go. So so yeah, that was our first episode of Super Super Drunk. Um, guys, gonna look it up. If you want to look, where can they find it? Elite Studios, right? Facebook or YouTube? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

But Ron and I was buckwild. I think it's on Facebook. I want to say it's on Facebook. I don't think it's on YouTube.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Do you have a real name?

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Yes, it's Alison.

SPEAKER_00 16:43

Oh. It's sweet.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

It is. I mean, it's actually if you're from San Nicolas, then we say Alison. So my father, his name is Ali. I'm his son, so it's Alison. But you know, when you work at the hotel and you want to say that, then you pronounce it the proper English way. This is Allison. Allison. Whatever.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Cute. Huh? And what did you do before he came along?

SPEAKER_01 17:06

Before he came along. Oh, I was I was oof. Okay, I was working at the Ritz. Yeah. I was at Ritz for like nine years, almost nine years. And did like a bunch of different departs from there. But then eventually we started doing the podcast, and it was like, hey, listen. He quit his job. This is me. Um, yeah, well, it was. I mean, I definitely enjoyed it, but service is my thing. I I love service. So working at the restaurant that I was working at, that was the last one, which was Madero. Yeah, I loved it. I loved everything about it. But at some point I was like, hey, listen, I want more of my out of my life, and I don't know if the corporate life is gonna give it to me. So it was like, you gotta make a decision. So I was like, okay, I'm gonna quit my job and I'm gonna pursue betting on myself. And if it doesn't go within a year, if it doesn't work, then I'll go get a job again. If not, then it worked.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Six years later, I'm doing any sponsors here.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

We do. We do, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 18:01

We drink from their water right now. Yeah, Tropical Bottling is one of our sponsors. Water. Thanks for the water. Thank you. Chill is also one of our sponsors.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

I have chills behind my back.

SPEAKER_01 18:12

Which speaking of, you can grab one. Grab any one of them. There's a number underneath it. There's a number underneath. What's the number?

SPEAKER_00 18:21

Numero uno. You got numero uno.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Number one podcast, that's why. So we got this is a new segment that we're just starting right now, okay? All right. This

Chill Question Money Habits And Dogs

SPEAKER_01 18:30

second is when you write chill. Chill questions. Okay, so you got question number one, okay? So it says, What is something you spend money on way too often?

SPEAKER_00 18:40

Dog food, dog products, leashes, a fancy shampoo beds. I mean, my honeys need to be uh groomed. You know that the little dog to groom a little dog is 140 florin.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

What?

SPEAKER_00 19:00

Do you believe that you know how much you're saving by not having a little dog?

SPEAKER_05 19:04

Well, I have a big husky furry one. I got a I've got a big husky.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

So how much is it to groom the ask my dad? I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 19:11

Yeah. But I when I move the when I move, my dad's like, hey, you can leave, but your dog's staying.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

I'm like, I also I also spend a lot of money on creams and potions and lotions and uh yeah, I mean the morning ritual, the upcoming the evening ritual, it is part of it, you know, trying to arrest the march. We're aging, we all need to.

SPEAKER_05 19:36

So you just mentioned your dogs and buying dog food. Like, where does your because I've heard, I've asked around, um, where does your passion for animals come from?

SPEAKER_00 19:46

And helping the you know I've always had always had turtles, birds, dogs. Oh, always had. My life is empty without them. Right now I have Bonchi, who is a uh Bonchi.

SPEAKER_05 20:01

Bonchi Bonchi is the name of the Annalisa named him.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

Remember Andalisa Hester Camp?

unknown 20:07

No.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

When well, maybe she left the island a couple of years ago, but she looked at this thing that I brought home and said, it's a bean, and he was like a bean, like a Bonchi. But anyway, he grew up to be a very pretty boy, but he's blind, and he's a little silly. So, oh mommy, mommy, you can can we go? You know, he's like that all the time. He's depressed, but it's in the spirit of the time, and then I have Lily. Lily is from the shelter, and she is a mix of Rottweiler and something else.

SPEAKER_01 20:48

That's the hyper one. Oh, she does.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

The happy dog. And then I have the little one for the last five, six months. Her name is Dora. She's an explorer.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

Oh, so she's the newest edition.

SPEAKER_00 21:00

Newest edition, yes.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

Oh, what made you get her?

SPEAKER_00 21:04

Somebody didn't want her, and I say, I'm dying to have you.

SPEAKER_05 21:09

Please would you run out of the shelter or just like on the street?

SPEAKER_00 21:12

Like, hey, I'm not that uh some people still found that it was too much to pay 140 florins to groom her. And I said, I'll groom you.

SPEAKER_05 21:22

No, no, I'm living the life now. My father's gonna be a good thing. Thank God they're gonna keep me. Thank god people are gonna keep me.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

I did I gave up my own manicuring order.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

You know, you have to make you have priorities, sacrifices. Very chill question.

SPEAKER_05 21:40

I know my my my wife, she really wants a dog. So I told her once the yard is done, we'll get one.

SPEAKER_00 21:45

Very nice.

SPEAKER_05 21:46

I'm gonna extend that construction for a very long time.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Let's get there. Just before we forget, every Monday and Friday, it's no filter eats. Link in description so you can find out way more information.

SPEAKER_05 22:00

No, I wanna I don't know what you said earlier, but like I wanna now backtrack a little bit.

Childhood Languages And Becoming A Teacher

SPEAKER_05 22:04

Let's go back to like uh Rona at seven years old. Where were you? What was what was your childhood like growing up?

SPEAKER_00 22:17

What can I tell you? I'm more inter I'm more interested in what I am like today. I can only tell you that at age six I already spoke four languages.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Damn, Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

And uh I was not a good student. But I I had a lot of very good friends that pushed me along. I was always very, very interested in art. I used to sneak out to visit art galleries.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

You definitely give art 1000%. You're not you are a creator.

SPEAKER_00 22:50

I was interested in that, I was not interested in in schooling as such, yeah, but I still got a good education. And later on in life, a university, I I studied English literature and I became uh English teacher high school, and I did that for six years.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

And how was that experience?

SPEAKER_00 23:14

And that was nice because I was maybe 21 and my students 17, and I was a most caliente teacher. I can totally see that. I can totally see that and they studied like robots, yes, teach. Get your vont.

SPEAKER_03 23:36

Whatever she says, we're doing.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

Whatever you say, we're staying for the after school program too. After school, you know, you have to use your gift.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Listen, uh, as you should. Exactly. So, why English though?

SPEAKER_00 23:53

A little I I'm a reader, writer, reader. So, yeah. And if I were born in China, it would have been China. Mandarin. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 24:04

Mandarin, yeah. And then now this typing out takes skills.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:11

Especially back, because I remember my grandfather used to type these papers, and if you make one mistake with that, sh you gotta rewrite the whole thing. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 24:21

Typewriters. Did you write on those?

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Or no, okay, no, I didn't. I started writing on the on the PC.

SPEAKER_05 24:32

Okay, okay, okay. I can't even imagine making one like you could reach the end of one letter like motherfucking start over.

SPEAKER_00 24:39

The PC had floppy discs.

SPEAKER_05 24:42

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

Did you ever see a floppy girl?

SPEAKER_05 24:46

I've used the floppy discs.

SPEAKER_00 24:47

Don't go to me. Did you absolutely? I hadn't been had to use it like that.

SPEAKER_01 24:53

My sister's gonna use it.

SPEAKER_05 24:55

But we had it come through. I used the floppy discs too. Crazy how like nowadays this little thing.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

An SD card.

SPEAKER_05 25:03

This little tiny thing holds like 10,000 floppy discs.

SPEAKER_00 25:06

Which is crazy. So I used to sit at home every Sunday and knock out the batible key diario. I worked in the diario for quite a few years, but I think it was before your time. I had a very, very popular column in the diario. Every Monday they sold out the newspaper because they wanted to know what I'm saying. Starting the card. And um, I used to type it out and put it on the floppy disk, get into my car, go to the diario, and give it to Neilton. Hello, Neilton. Give it to Milton. My column for today. And he used to put it in the paper. That was the beginning of Bati Blakey.

SPEAKER_04 25:56

That is crazy. Was it called Bati Blakey back then? Yes. Okay. So from the get-go, you've always had that in.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Look, at the time, everybody was pro silly name. Google. What is Google?

SPEAKER_03 26:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:10

Bing. What is Bing? What is Yahoo? Yahoo.

unknown 26:15

I took Bati Blecky.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

You know the city.

SPEAKER_05 26:18

But it's also like an alarm, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:22

That was a meaning. Yeah, yeah. Pay attention, pay attention. That was the meaning.

SPEAKER_05 26:26

So I know we're jumping left and right here, but like, wouldn't

Moving To Aruba And Finding Roots

SPEAKER_05 26:30

it you move to Aruba? So like at 21, you were teaching English.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

Bring out the alcohol. No. Bring out the alcohol.

SPEAKER_05 26:38

Everything's gonna be neat, though. There's no cold, though. I got neat. I got I got gym.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Next question.

SPEAKER_05 26:43

I want to know when you moved to Aruba. She's over it. She said it. No, she was in love. Go on.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

I met somebody sexy.

SPEAKER_05 26:52

Here we go. Sapasa. Yeah, it happens. Ew, he was from Aruba? No. I was from a doctor. I was like Tori moved to Aruba.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

But he came to he came to work here.

SPEAKER_05 27:01

Okay. And you followed him. I followed him. You were like you were like one of those students where you were teaching, like, oh no, I gotta be that student. Follow him.

SPEAKER_00 27:10

Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 27:11

Too bad.

SPEAKER_01 27:11

Somebody beat you at your own game. I'm not mad about it.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Yeah. Well, you know. Women cross the worlds for love, and so do men.

SPEAKER_01 27:22

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

I I had a few men that crossed worlds for me, you know, but I crossed the world for a man, you know? Yeah. And it paid off.

SPEAKER_01 27:33

So what is what is one thing you would say that is to you, other than Bati Bleaky, one of your biggest accomplishments for Aruba that you've you wow.

SPEAKER_00 27:50

You know that I was recently condecorated. Yeah, the lynch.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

Two weeks ago, like three weeks ago. I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 28:00

Okay, what was that about? It was about all because for years I've been writing about charities and uh people that lost their homes, injustices, dogs, and children, calling out people for what it is. So I mean, I I got a condecoration for doing that because it's a community service. So I can't tell you about I didn't I didn't build a bridge, I didn't run a marathon.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

But it could just be for you specifically. It doesn't have to be like for somebody, it's just you, something you that is something that you're just proud of, like, hey, you know what? I'm glad I got to do this.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

Um I think I'm very happy that I made a decision to grow where I was planted. Because a lot of people, uh a lot of people come to Aruba. And if you don't make a decision to unpack your mental suitcases and send roots and grow where you are planted, then I don't know, maybe somewhere else is better. Blah, blah, blah.

SPEAKER_05 29:12

I was gonna ask, what do you mean by unpacking your mental suitcase? So what you mean is like the self-doubt of like, hey, do I want to be here? Do I not do I not want to be here? Do I want to go somewhere else? So you have to make a decision. Like, if you're gonna be here, own that shit.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

Yeah, all in or nothing.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

Thank you for translating.

SPEAKER_05 29:28

Hey, you can curse here, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 29:30

I care. Yeah, I don't usually.

SPEAKER_05 29:33

Sometimes if it slips out as hey, Mike, Mike Amon slips a curse word.

SPEAKER_00 29:39

He did not.

SPEAKER_05 29:40

I swear to God. He said we're gonna get shit done. I'm like, I don't mean shit. I'm like, no, no, you say what you said, and we're gonna keep I look at a peop his peep team.

SPEAKER_00 29:47

I didn't see I didn't see his program.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

No, no, we do a didn't come out the same time with everybody else. That's why he came out this year.

SPEAKER_05 29:56

Yeah, earlier in January. It's in January.

SPEAKER_00 29:58

I'll go look at it.

SPEAKER_05 29:59

Yeah, we do we do a political season every year, end of the year. Oh November, December.

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Of course, very important. Everybody watches for politics. Brona knows. Of course, everybody, you have all the politicians going through here, but I honestly I didn't see the A-man uh episode. I would be interested.

SPEAKER_05 30:18

Yeah, it's January. If you I think like Black Shark said it came out this year because schedules in a line. Okay, and yeah, I'm just happy he still came on and defending whatever we wanted to say.

SPEAKER_00 30:29

And I saw that you have like 17,000, 25,000 views. Yeah, I mean, you have incredible views.

SPEAKER_05 30:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:37

So who is your audience?

SPEAKER_05 30:40

Oof. It varies so much because because of our our topics being so broad, we don't like to lock in into like one type of niche. We try to find people either who we find like very interesting or no, I'm a baby boomer.

SPEAKER_00 30:55

And you are what, Xers? It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Hey, I'm so young.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

I'm a millennial. I'm a millennial millennial.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Why am I here wasting my time? No, no, we're wasting your time.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

Because listen, the amount of the amount of different um age groups that listen to this, and I feel like this is why we wanted you on, is because we have students that are, you know, they live abroad, and this is their connection back to Aruba. And they send Bati Black, of course, but I'm and I'm why why I'm saying this is so so much of Aruba is is so untold, and a lot of people don't know so much of certain things that is that is happening, and people that have like you that did great things and you open doors for our generation to be able to do certain other things, maybe in different fields, but it's the same kind of lane. So these things are needed for them to know that hey, you know what? No filter didn't start this whole this thing been been in the in the in the pipeline.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Other other people opened the door.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

They most definitely did.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

We did we did Pika, the three girls, the Pika on on um Magic 96.5. We had a morning program really by the name of Pika with Tabita, Tabita Fecuda. Oh my god, it was it was in English, right?

SPEAKER_05 32:16

Yeah, and I remember hearing English paper man, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

And uh Jack Jacqueline Jacqueline Guernetta. We need to bring her on the show, and and it was uh I still sometimes a cashier at Price Mart or something, says to me, Senora, Bovosta, your voice is your voice is very familiar, familiar, but were you ever on the radio? I said, of course. Pika! Oh we have to take a picture, and that was seven years, ten years ago, before the pan. Well, no, 22. That was until 2022.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

Okay, wait, please tell me a little bit more about Pika because I am telling you, you just mentioned three divas. That show is something I would you see, like that whole Goku, all of that, that, that like all of that, that whole thing, that is not for me. I'm not that girl, but you see now, Pika, that sounds like something I'll be like, ooh. Tell me more. What are my girls talking about today?

SPEAKER_00 33:24

Our most uh a popular show is I mean, focused on uh cocoolishi maintenance. If you understand what I mean.

SPEAKER_05 33:35

I don't elaborate, elaborate. Let's do a peak edition right now.

SPEAKER_00 33:41

I can't elaborate.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

I love I would totally be into that. And y'all were on every morning? No, we were on twice a week.

SPEAKER_00 33:49

Twice a week? Yeah, at 11 o'clock, 11 to 12. And Jackie, uh, yeah, Jackie usually was the star of the show because yeah, she is very charismatic. And Abita was always the one that no, it's not this way, it's the other way. Yeah, and I was always saying, girls, don't talk.

SPEAKER_05 34:10

You're the key married check, guys. Let's relax. Let's relax. Let's remain ladies.

SPEAKER_00 34:15

You are both absolutely right. In your own ways, in your own ways.

unknown 34:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

Oh it was very good.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

Why why did y'all decide to stop though?

SPEAKER_00 34:26

You know, we didn't decide to stop. COVID came and Jacqueline unfortunately, and and then we never got the to do it again.

SPEAKER_06 34:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Though every time we see each other, we say, Oh my god, we should get together again.

SPEAKER_05 34:44

Do a little pickup reunion, just one episode. Yeah, fill it out, see how it goes. You never know.

SPEAKER_00 34:48

You should have a pickup reunion with us. Listen! With Tabita, Tabita and Jackie. You put three microphones here and you see what you get. You'll get fun.

SPEAKER_05 34:57

And then I'm gonna ask them, hey, we're gonna say like one of you is always right. So which one is it? Start a whole drama in them.

SPEAKER_00 35:05

I would love that.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

You would love that.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

Big drama.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

Oh my god, Pika. And why did y'all decide? Okay, I mean, I can see why. Never mind. Yeah, never mind. Don't even bother why. Yeah, no, that might that that makes total self-explanatory. Need nothing else.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

So it's good. So that's it. So that was a good uh program at the time. And I

Pika Radio Memories And Future Reunion

SPEAKER_00 35:28

think that an evolution is called for. Every couple of years, you want to do something else, you know. And uh right now, a cuckoo kunuku is doing a tour in Saint Nicolas, and uh in the future, in the near future, and they ask me to contribute to the tour with my stories about Saint Nicolas, anecdotes, uh fact and fiction, come lie to all the touristas about my uh my ex past experiences in San Nicolas. Yeah, so I'm very I'm gonna be around.

SPEAKER_05 36:11

Yeah. I'm gonna be seeing you a lot. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 36:15

It's the evolution of me.

SPEAKER_05 36:17

Yeah, yeah. I know, oh, you probably don't know that Cuckoo's doing something like um because every tour is always like Palm Beach and Backside, like nothing really is uh in St. Nicolas.

unknown 36:27

Authentico.

SPEAKER_05 36:28

Yeah. So they're gonna be doing like a uh weekly tour, going to St. Nicholas and doing a mural, telling stories about St. Nicholas.

SPEAKER_00 36:36

So just storytelling, basically.

SPEAKER_05 36:38

Yeah, and it ends in a very nice, beautiful like dinner setting in a place that used to be a real story, which is a very good thing.

SPEAKER_00 36:44

Okay, yeah, yeah. Used to be a very nice shout out to Johnny, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:48

Really cool. Uh were you on the trip last Friday? Okay. I just I just saw videos, I I couldn't go.

SPEAKER_06 36:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:55

So I'm going this this upcoming Friday. Super nice.

SPEAKER_06 36:58

That's gotta be. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 37:00

Yellow. Now obviously, like you write a lot of things that you just say things as it is. Do you always do you get a lot of backlash from I mean, I ha it comes with a job, but like how do you handle like people like you're not true?

SPEAKER_00 37:26

You know, uh, I usually I don't really I I I acknowledge and uh between you, me, and the lamppost, uh when people give you compliments, oh Shark, you are so phenomenal, you're so amazing, they usually want need something. And when they say, Oh my god, you're such a shithead, sorry, you're such a shithead. How could you say what you say? Yeah, so it's the same to me, it's the same thing. If you give me a compliment of if you criticize, you want you want me to do something, yeah, and I don't want to do what you tell me to do, I want to do what I want to do. Yeah, so it's the same compliment, it's a flip coin, you know. The flip side of a compliment is criticism. So we should, if we take compliments to heart and we believe in them, we should take criticism to heart.

SPEAKER_05 38:27

But if I don't accept both, then it is a cool. I'm still gonna do whatever whatever I want to do.

SPEAKER_00 38:34

That's it. I'm still going to dance to my own music, and you're not a shithead, you're very good at it. Thank you. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_05 38:45

I'm like you're sending compliments that way, turning my way.

SPEAKER_01 38:48

No, no, no. You see what I mean? He needs to better look at it. You're the better looking one. You are, Sam. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 38:54

Yeah, shark. Say it.

SPEAKER_01 38:56

I don't know what we would have done without seeing your face today.

SPEAKER_00 38:59

He's and he has the personality on TV.

SPEAKER_01 39:03

Yes, oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 39:04

Comes across very charismatic.

SPEAKER_01 39:05

Thank you. It does. He got it. I know 10 out of 10.

SPEAKER_00 39:10

And you're married, right?

SPEAKER_01 39:11

Sarcasm, yes, yeah, yes. American.

SPEAKER_05 39:13

To an American. Can you hear that sarcasm is sarcasm? I would never.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

Never.

SPEAKER_05 39:19

What were we gonna ask?

Carnival Planning Budget And Burnout

SPEAKER_00 39:20

How many years are you married?

SPEAKER_05 39:21

Uh, two years now. Three years this September.

SPEAKER_00 39:25

Nice, very good.

SPEAKER_05 39:26

Yeah. To an American.

SPEAKER_00 39:27

Did it change your life?

SPEAKER_05 39:29

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Is it just anchored you? Yeah. That I was gonna say it just locks you down more to focus on things that actually matter. So I'm happy.

SPEAKER_00 39:40

It's like putting two horses in front of a cart instead of one horse dragging his cart, you have two horses in the same direction. I mean, it's much more efficient.

SPEAKER_05 39:52

And also very like having a support system as well, you know, like she's beautiful, right? Yeah, she is. You want to see a picture?

SPEAKER_00 40:00

Yeah, you've seen it already? Okay, perfect. No, no, no. Show me, show me a picture.

SPEAKER_05 40:05

Oh my god, Rona.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

Okay, and you are you in a relationship with a no, I am not.

SPEAKER_05 40:11

That's the day we got married in Aruba. We did like we did uh just a civil wedding in Aruba, just some of our close friends. And then because her parents are like 80 plus her grandparents are 80 plus years old, we decided to do like our wedding. I know. I like big butts and I can't lie. No, no, I'm gonna shut up now.

SPEAKER_00 40:32

Very hourglass.

SPEAKER_05 40:34

Yeah, very much.

SPEAKER_00 40:36

Beautiful, beautiful face to boot. Yeah, or shut up. She's a woman of great taste. That's all I can say. She really is.

SPEAKER_01 40:43

She really we all agree.

SPEAKER_00 40:45

A woman of great taste.

SPEAKER_01 40:46

We all agree.

SPEAKER_00 40:47

Are you in a relationship?

SPEAKER_01 40:48

I am not, no baby girl.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

Neither am I, which is good.

SPEAKER_01 40:51

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

I am a relationship with Dora.

SPEAKER_01 40:55

I'm a relationship with my career. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 40:59

Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 41:00

You focus on it and I am, and I'm enjoying the shit out of it. It gives me it. It really does. Without headaches. So, no complaints over here. No complaints.

SPEAKER_00 41:11

Where do you live? Which part in which part of Aruba?

SPEAKER_01 41:14

I am a San Nicolas girl until the core. Lago Heights, to be specific. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:19

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 41:20

Yeah. So I'm an uptown girl.

SPEAKER_00 41:21

You can tell some stories. Jouvert is one of your big uh performances, or you're more of a laid-back?

SPEAKER_01 41:29

Um, nothing about me is laid back, baby. Juve definitely is our highlight. J Juvet Fackel, those those are the the ones. And I do carnival, I do the lot the big parades.

SPEAKER_00 41:40

Oh, you do?

SPEAKER_01 41:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:42

Costume and all?

SPEAKER_01 41:43

Baby, all the way in.

SPEAKER_00 41:44

Show me what you what did you do this year?

SPEAKER_01 41:46

Oh my god, this year.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

What did you do this year? Wear empi empire, of course, right?

SPEAKER_01 41:50

No. Well, no, he goes to somebody else. I'm TOB groups.

SPEAKER_05 41:53

I am sidelines kind of guy.

SPEAKER_00 41:55

I'm sidelines. I'm sidelines.

SPEAKER_05 41:58

Do you do you go to Juvia?

SPEAKER_00 42:00

Religious.

SPEAKER_05 42:01

Wait, have you ever missed a Juvia?

SPEAKER_00 42:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 42:03

How like?

SPEAKER_00 42:04

And I'll tell you why, because usually I take a shower at about 10 p.m., put on my makeup, put on my shoes, put on my clothes, and lie in bed like a mummy, like that, until two o'clock in the morning when the clock, when my alarm goes off, and whoops, I'm out, out of the house, out of the car, and I'm ready. And about last year, I said, no, let me go out with friends for dinner. Then I'll rest a little bit, then I'll take a shower and get drink.

SPEAKER_05 42:37

You missed it.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

It never happened. I stayed in bed.

SPEAKER_05 42:40

Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

So you know.

SPEAKER_03 42:43

I didn't know you go, Juliet.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

Yeah. So I I missed it. I hear it was a good one.

SPEAKER_01 42:48

It was. It was. It was. It was the shit. I'm not gonna lie. This year was the shit. This year in general, I feel like Carnival came really good.

SPEAKER_00 42:57

You know that Carnival is not in great shape this year.

SPEAKER_01 43:01

Most definitely.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

You hear why? I just heard that the upcoming Carnival is coming up. The upcoming. That um they haven't done anything for the next year because three or four or five board members are attending their resignation from SMAC. They want no more. This yes budget, no budget, yes, permit, no permit. They they can't handle it anymore. They've done it for five years, let somebody else do it. So I understand even Darren will be uh resigning his position, and he's really a perfect name, personality for the job.

SPEAKER_01 43:45

Yep. I said that all the time.

SPEAKER_00 43:47

Yeah, so we should be worried.

SPEAKER_01 43:51

And it's shorter next year, so so I can imagine a lot of sponsors don't even want to participate.

SPEAKER_05 43:56

It won't even make sense, like there's no like 30,000 florets. And it's only like what two weeks?

SPEAKER_01 44:01

I don't know how long it is, but yeah, it's not it's not the longest. I think a month and a half, I want to say. But then everything is separate.

SPEAKER_05 44:06

So then let me ask you like, do you think, and we've we've talked about this on the show before, do you think carnival should be tied to religion or just have its own carnival every year? You know it's gonna be on the same date, same this, like January, February, I guess, March?

SPEAKER_00 44:20

Well, it's traditionally linked to Lent ash Wednesday, but I have no we're not talking politics and we're not talking religion. No, so yeah, it should.

SPEAKER_05 44:33

I think Carnival should be its own thing. This way, people can always plan, yeah, like tourists, for example, or people that live in Holland, like, oh, I want to come down consistently as a same thing. On February 25th, it's gonna be this probation, make sure.

SPEAKER_01 44:48

So, not that it's like, okay, we now we depend on Ash Wednesday. So it's like, okay, whenever Ash Wednesday is gonna be, that depend that that makes then okay, Carnival ends before that time.

SPEAKER_05 44:56

And people can people can budget better, people can plan better because they know exactly what way's gonna come on what day. And we all know it's gonna be three months, let's say three months long. All the sponsorships can be like, I know where my money is going, I know because it if if it's like like Shark said, this year is gonna be shorter, and like nobody else is gonna want to invest. People are like, do we really want to go down? And you know, everything's gonna be cramped on each other. So I but I believe that it should be its own thing, its own little parade or celebration, not tied to Ash Wednesday. That's just my opinion on it.

SPEAKER_00 45:30

Right, yeah. I I never thought about it this way, but I see your point. Yeah, definitely. And I think we have too many parades which waters down the participation in the spawn. It's a lot of money to put this scolar and this um nord and this savaneta and this uh it's a lot of money to mobilize all of that. I think that if you compacted it a little bit, you would have had more bang for your buck.

SPEAKER_01 46:00

And the band members are also like super exhausted as well, because it's like wow, they make money, but it's also when they exhaust their bodies the most, because so yeah, I'm on the sidelines.

SPEAKER_05 46:13

Same.

SPEAKER_00 46:15

I was volunteer, one of the volunteers of Smuck, I think a year or two years ago, and I enjoyed it, you know. You walk along the parades and you pretend that you asked.

SPEAKER_01 46:27

I like this man. I'm gonna go a few a few. I got authority, so you can please bullet back over the barricada.

SPEAKER_00 46:33

And then they complained about me that I'm telling them what to do. He said, I'm a volunteer. Read this, read the badge. Volunteer.

SPEAKER_05 46:43

Oh well, jump. Jump.

Favorite Aruba Rituals And Africa Safari

SPEAKER_05 46:47

What's your um what's one of your favorite things to do here in Arubo?

SPEAKER_00 46:55

I just got off the phone with some of my friends, and on Wednesday, I believe, or Thursday next week, we're gonna take four chairs to Arashi at sunset and sit around and drink wine and look at sunset, and have a little cheese and a little crackers with some of my most favorite girls, and I just love that. We just sit and do absolutely nothing and do absolutely nothing.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

Conversate or just listen.

SPEAKER_00 47:28

Yeah, you know, somebody says something, and they are they're always very surprising, the girls. They always have good stories, and we haven't seen each other. I just came back from Africa, so I have a lot to tell now.

SPEAKER_05 47:42

Oh, I was about to ask, like speaking of stories, like how was your Africa trip?

SPEAKER_00 47:46

Over the top, amazing.

SPEAKER_05 47:48

Yeah, yeah. What was like a highlight of it?

SPEAKER_00 47:51

The highlight of my African trip. Or a few. I liked the water safaris. The what safari? Water.

SPEAKER_05 48:00

Water, okay.

SPEAKER_00 48:01

Because you get on the Zambezi River and it's uh you're in the boats in the rafts and stuff? On a raft, like on an inflated boat, an inflated boat. The or is unique to row. Wait, you're actually doing it? Row seriously, because the current is murderous. And then you see crocodiles and elephants and giraffes and I know people say you shouldn't ask this.

SPEAKER_05 48:29

How old are you?

SPEAKER_00 48:30

105.

SPEAKER_05 48:31

Jesus fucking Christ. On a raft? On a raft rowing. Crocodiles on the side, anacondas on the bottom of the ocean.

SPEAKER_00 48:38

In Africa. It was amazing. And then one night, one night, you know, we complained about it a lot, but honestly, it was a tremendous experience. So imagine that. You drive into one of those huge parks. It's not a park, it's a nature reserve, right? Huge nature reserve. And then in the after eight hours of driving in the mud and road, no roads, and animals, and uh you arrive at the clearing, and they set up tents for you, and you spend the night in the tent in the middle of this African. It's not a jungle, it's a savannah, which means medium, medium-sized trees, a lot of bushes, but with all the you hear the animals at night, and there's a big fire in the middle of the camp, and chairs sitting around the fire. And in the morning, they made us breakfast, and the breakfast was so good. And in the middle of the night, I had to pee. So I zipped, I unzipped my tent.

SPEAKER_05 49:56

Lion.

SPEAKER_00 49:57

Hey, and that's the thought that I had. And I zipped my tent. There's this one of the tour guys standing right in the middle next to the fire. And I said to him, calls of nature. He said, Come, I'll take you. I'll verify that there's no lion in the area.

SPEAKER_05 50:19

Just a jaguar in the tree that's waiting for his next prey.

SPEAKER_00 50:22

I had a good-looking guy escort me at three o'clock in the morning.

SPEAKER_01 50:29

Sounds like a dream in Africa. That's the highest trip. Yes. Yes. So what would you what would you recommend other than I mean, listen, bookie trip to Africa in general. Just stop. That's on my list. It's incredible.

SPEAKER_05 50:45

Like one of those safari trips.

SPEAKER_00 50:47

Yeah, it's not for everybody, you know, and um and uh it's not an easy trip because yeah. Of course, if you go glamping, you can spend a sh shitload of money.

SPEAKER_06 51:04

Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 51:04

And uh, but we don't have that liberty, right? We we want to still go places, but on a modest, uh, more modest uh so I I'm happy I did that.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

Yeah, but that's the experience.

SPEAKER_00 51:20

Yes, that's the experience. If not, then don't do it. Sleep in a tent on the floor. That's super cool.

SPEAKER_05 51:25

That's that for me is like that was worth the experience. Like going through the raft, and then you get to the end, there's a tent, there's dinner, you sleep in the middle of freaking nowhere.

SPEAKER_01 51:34

You you didn't I mean, would you go all the way to Africa to stay in a hotel?

SPEAKER_05 51:37

Like true, but like, I mean, I'm sure you will stay in a hotel.

SPEAKER_01 51:40

Eventually you do, but the whole point of traveling all the way there is so you can get the experience of not just stay stay in Aruba and go in a hotel. Yeah, I agree. Watch Netflix, yeah, they have lions in there. Come on, that makes no sense. I totally agree. That's stupid. And it's not, I mean, how many how long was the flight? Because you had to go to like where Holland?

SPEAKER_00 52:02

We I went to Amsterdam and I took a bus. I took a bus to Belgium, to uh Brussels, because uh Ethiopian Airlines leaves from Brussels, and they go to Addis Abeba in Ethiopia, and the airport in Ethiopia was like the bar scene from Star Wars. Remember, with all the characters from all the different nations and the costumes and the wavelengths and all that stuff, yeah. Wow, the scene at the airport and at Disabeba. I mean, people from all over Africa, and then that's a six-hour flight, and then there's a seven-hour flight to Zimbabwe. It is it doesn't even count Aruba flight without the Aruba flight.

SPEAKER_05 52:51

I know it's a whole day.

SPEAKER_00 52:53

A day? Two three days like that's crazy. Well, you know.

SPEAKER_05 52:59

I'm assuming you didn't go by yourself. No, okay.

SPEAKER_01 53:02

No, nobody to talk to by yourself. I mean, it's a nice thing to disconnect to though.

SPEAKER_05 53:08

Like, hey, where are you this? I just take like a 48-hour flight away from humanity and go sit in the jungle and think about what I'm gonna do next week.

SPEAKER_01 53:14

I'm like, yeah, what I don't want to talk to somebody here now. Like, please don't talk to me. I want to hear nature.

SPEAKER_05 53:19

I don't want to talk to a Jaguar or a lion out my tent. Hey, what's up?

SPEAKER_01 53:23

Yeah, you hear them.

SPEAKER_05 53:24

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:25

That's beautiful. Yeah, what what would you say is like your next, like your biggest destination? Where's something that you were like, hey, this is something I want to experience?

SPEAKER_00 53:33

The truth is that I I uh checked my application and I've I've been to 60 countries.

SPEAKER_01 53:40

Damn.

SPEAKER_00 53:41

So I think 60 is respectable, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 53:45

Like less than 10.

SPEAKER_00 53:46

I have some friends in Italy in the in the heel of the boot, right? So Italy is like a boot, right? With Sicily like the ball. So in the boot down there, I have some friends. They lived in Aruba. It's a gay couple that lived in Aruba, and now they're living there. And they've been talking to me now for a few months, yeah. Come to see us, come to see us, come to see us. So that's my next destination.

SPEAKER_05 54:16

I feel like that that's something. If you've lived in Aruba, you get to meet, I'm sure you know this as well, working in Ritz and me working at St. Frogs and Gusto. You get to meet so many different people from around the world, and you make I'm sure I have a place to stay in every single state of America.

SPEAKER_00 54:32

For sure. Be a red carpet. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 54:35

Hey, I have a couch. I'm like, perfect. Guess what? Now you save $2,000 on accommodations. Easy. Just pay your flight, and now you have $2,000 to spend on going in tents in Africa, you know, and have a good time.

SPEAKER_01 54:46

And go explore. Yeah, yeah, yes, you can't go mad with that. This is why I just gotta love again where you where you are rooted, you know. Just enjoy that and own it.

SPEAKER_05 54:57

You because do you ever sorry, do you ever see yourself leaving Aruba or or staying here in a box? That answers a question.

SPEAKER_01 55:08

Never mind.

SPEAKER_00 55:09

Never mind.

SPEAKER_01 55:11

This is the settling ground.

SPEAKER_00 55:12

Yeah, I love it here. I have a b I have a wonderful I contributed to making myself a very good life. So, you know, I took responsibility for my own life and I created something good.

unknown 55:29

Good.

SPEAKER_00 55:30

So that's it.

SPEAKER_05 55:32

Okay.

Tourism Airbnb Infrastructure And Stray Dogs

SPEAKER_05 55:33

Now I want to shift gears a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 55:35

Um it's uh it's an hour later. I'm just reminding you. How long is your program?

SPEAKER_05 55:43

It's usually an hour. I'm looking at the time. We're at 55 minutes, but it feels like it's like it's been 25 minutes talking to you. I don't feel like it's been an hour. I don't know about you guys, but that's how I feel.

SPEAKER_00 55:53

How long has it been? 55 minutes. 55 minutes. Really? Yeah, it just for lunch.

SPEAKER_05 56:01

This has right? Well, we're gonna order five up eats. I'm just kidding. No, really. Um somebody that you're very involved in Aruba, you see a lot of things that happen, you hear for sure you hear a lot of things that happen. What do you think for you is like the number one issue or problem on Aruba?

SPEAKER_00 56:16

And well, you had Tisa on the program. Yeah, and she was very good and very direct and very straight, and she gave you all the so I need to, I cannot pair it what she said, but I'm totally behind that woman. She's a very good spokesperson to us as Aruben and our relationship to tourism. And uh that's it.

SPEAKER_05 56:43

She's she spoke really much. I think recently she posted, and I don't know, and I'm not mistaken. If you also wrote something about it, about the whole Airbnb situation.

SPEAKER_00 56:51

I really write about it all the time, you know. I write about it all the time.

SPEAKER_05 56:55

So you agree with Tisa what what she said could be a good solution for of course, of course.

SPEAKER_01 57:00

She is the gospel, and I feel like a lot of people, even watching that interview, they still don't get it. Yeah, they still was like, nah, she's just saying that because her her dad or no, she's I'm like, did you listen actually listen to what the words that this woman said? The breakdown, like she legit took her time to break it down, simplify it. She showed you the difference with what the hotels are doing, what the Airbnbs are doing, like who's cheap in the market, who's actually doing what they're supposed to be doing.

SPEAKER_00 57:29

Yeah, like vacation rentals. I call them vacation rentals. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 57:34

Because she is right, like, yes, Aruba wants to go on this high quality tourism, and all these hotels are super hotels here are not cheap. No. So what people do, like, oh look, there's a $50 room over here. Let's just book that one. So big mistake. It's still bringing, and I and I said it on with Tisa, like they should have uh a vacation rental authority officer, whatever you want to call it, and they go, like, hey, you need to be registered if you're not like massive fine. But if you are, cool, you pay your taxes, maybe you get a tax cut or something. And then we're gonna go look around, okay. Your bed looks good. This like have a up-to-date or a standard. Sorry. Have a standard for what an Airbnb rental from Aruba should look like. It has to be this big, this many square meters, has to have good quality.

SPEAKER_01 58:21

The problem with that is our not even our taxes are up to like up to standards or nothing like that. So, like a lot of systems that the things that are gonna require for that to be run smoothly, they don't even have like the system behind that. So that can start. Like nothing, nothing is connected, nothing works. So it's like that's a beautiful idea.

SPEAKER_00 58:40

But to execute it is But we still need to get a five-gilder papelito, etc.

SPEAKER_05 58:46

And you have to go there, and then once you have that, you're gonna go. We just talked about it earlier. Yeah, then you have to go here, then you have to come back.

SPEAKER_00 58:54

I know. Now, well, just like I I asked your point, right?

SPEAKER_05 58:58

Yeah, I asked Tisa this question: what would be like the ideal scenario? So, for like to fixing that problem. So, my question to you is then is what for you, what is an what is one problem in Aruba that you think needs a lot of attention and like you wish you could fix it like in a certain way?

SPEAKER_00 59:18

Do you have another hour?

SPEAKER_05 59:20

We can call this the Pika section, the pika segments.

SPEAKER_00 59:27

Into politics, but we need to our infrastructure, starting with um graywater facility, our roads. I mean, we cannot call ourselves a first class destination.

SPEAKER_01 59:42

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 59:43

If you drive through, if you drive through Orangestad and the parfum de caca is like all enveloping, and every time I drive by San Plaza, take a deep breath. Take a deep breath. Parfum de caca, something special, crazy. So you know it's not it's to me, it's the number one issue, number two, uh yeah, the advent adventure tourism. We're not really an adventure tourism island. We are laid back, have a drink, sit on the beach, give your girlfriend a hug. That that that's the kind of island we are. We're not an adventure island.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:37

Oh, Africa. Because we got street dogs, like that's what you can see. There's no water batteries.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:48

Oh, Zoe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Zoe was excellent.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

Zoe was really good, very nice.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:54

God bless Zoe. Amen. She's definitely amazing.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:58

We did promise her we're gonna go to the haven.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:01

Yeah, she's actually they're actually busy with a program. She sent me something, a text about the Spain and neuter. Yeah, they have people coming down and they're they're gonna have like a whole promotion going on.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:12

So is it is it something that's happening very soon?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:15

Yes, yes, the first week of June, first or second week. It's a national. There are two Spain um Spain neuter spearheads. There are two campaigns, one in Saint Nicholas and one in town, in Dakota, okay, in Madiki. So there's going to be a crew in San Nicolas and a crew in town at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:41

Yeah. Yeah. For seven, I guess seven, seven vets from the US is coming down for four days. They're gonna be doing it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:48

So maybe they get four or five hundred animals done.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:53

Listen, wow, it's great, it's needed. Yeah, I just didn't want to.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:57

You know, but it's been they've been doing it now for ten years or so since Timami Savisami. How many years have they been around?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:07

I don't know. I'm not sure. I know I think Chrissy's in because he's um in that one as well. Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not too sure how many years, but at least 10 years.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:17

And we're still talking about spaying and neutering. By now, everybody should have gotten the message.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:23

Yeah. Millions. But again, this again, this goes back again. We had a conversation earlier today. Government. Everybody talks about the same, like, for example, the homelessness situation or people, you know, breaking in and in downtown. They all talk about it, but nobody wants to be like, hey, let's say stichting junto. Here's 150,000 florins. I need to do this, this, this, and this, and this. Like, if you do this, here's 50k. Once you reach this, let me know. Here's another 50k. But nobody everybody wants to talk about it, but nobody really wants to like actually put money to where the problem is and try to solve it. Same thing with the dogs. If you know Stivami Telisami has been going on for so long, and you know it's coming up every single year, but on the same time, if you can budget. You're like, hey, the government ever.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:09

It's the same carnival issue that it's never budgeted. Yeah, it's only fly by the seat of your pants last minute.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:17

Yeah. But if if the government knows this is coming every single year, like, hey, how much do you need? Like, how many, how many can you do with the budget you have right now? We can do 1,500 dogs. Cool. We're gonna match it so you can do 3,000. So what do you oh we need more vets? Okay, we're gonna fly them down. Just like get the button.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:33

But no, I feel like we also need like more solution based because it's like what Zoe said, it's about education. I can look how they've been doing for how many years now? Yeah, we still haven't like Tivami Sulisami, they're not even supposed to have lasted that long. It was supposed to just be a project. Yeah, we did it, people understand, and now move on. Yeah, the fact that they're still active and still alive and still doing this and still doing hard promo to try to get people to what are we doing as people in general? Like, this is craziness. I think it's ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:06

And do you have animals?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:08

I do. I love my babies. I got two pit bulls. Yeah, I love they are beautiful, they are beautiful, thick, like me, healthy, juicy, juicy, a little troublemaker Egypt, but uh it's whatever.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:23

I'm gonna get you have one that's like he'd be pissing me off.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:26

He came to destroy me. His name is Egypt, and the other one, China. That's my girl. Mine's Bailey, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:33

Bailey, got like Bailey's the liquor because the color. I love Bailey's.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:38

I can take a shower in Bailey's. Is she even that? Delicious.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:43

I don't like what Bailey's get me drunk as I'm not gonna lie. That is a good drink.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:48

Yeah, at the beginning of Pika, we used to drink Bailey's just to get used to a little bullet. If I if I knew this, I would have put a cup of there for you and loose, just a little, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:01

And Bailey's does that to you. That is strong.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:03

It's like it's like a dessert drink.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:05

It's so sweet. Like Punchy Crema, I feel like wanted to be Bailey's, respectfully. Shout out to Punchy Crema, but I feel like Punchy Crema wanted to be a Bailey's, it just didn't make the cut. Yeah, Bailey's wanna be Bailey's is definitely the one to beat.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:17

Okay, so now I know everything about you. Dogs, Bailey's. Wow.

Wrap Up Pika Tease And Subscribe

SPEAKER_00 1:05:22

Yep. So what's so how do we wrap this thing out?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:26

Yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:27

Um eternal love.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:31

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:32

We're going to have a Pika program here. We're doing it. It's happening. It's happening.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:37

Yeah. Are you gonna be joining?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:38

Of course. Me, Jackie, yeah, perfect.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:42

The Pika girls. Yeah, we're gonna get it. We're gonna have to get a bigger table.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:45

No, it's good. We're we're skinny.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:49

Yeah, exactly. They know how to do this.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:53

I'm gonna get a longer table.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:55

The girls gonna go, the girls are gonna be good. I think that I think so too. So, guys, it's coming up. Pika reunion. Right here.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:02

Very good.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:03

It's happening. Done deal. Say less.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:05

It was nice talking to you guys. 100%.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:07

Definitely. Thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:08

Congratulations for being relevant for so long. It does take work. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:15

People just think, oh, you're just press recording, you talk. I'm like, no, man, there's a lot more that goes into this editing, planning, ideas, and how to keep this up and running for another 10 years.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:26

Yeah, and maybe not. Maybe you'll do something else in the creative field. In the creative field. I don't know. But uh for now, for sure, you you put your best foot forward.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:37

Hey man, thank you. Yeah, it's part of it. Um yeah, Rona, thank you for coming.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:43

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:44

When we did the last, now that we have a Pika program coming up. Hey. All right, guys. You guys heard it. Uh, we had Rona, the lady behind Badi Blicky, and soon we're gonna have uh the Pika reunion here on the show. So make sure to subscribe, leave a comment down below, and we'll see you guys next week. Peace. Bye.