In this episode of Just a Number, we sit down with Phil Guastella, a man whose journey redefines what it means to give back and challenge the status quo.
At just 30 years old, Phil helped build a school and bring sustainable farming to communities deep in the Amazon. But that was only the beginning. Throughout his life, Phil has continuously pushed boundaries, finding new ways to make a lasting impact on the world around him.
Join us as we explore Phil’s remarkable story—from the Amazon to the present day—and discover what drives him to constantly seek out new ways to give back. How did a young man find himself building a school in the jungle? What lessons has he learned about service, leadership, and challenging the norms? And what can we all take away from his journey to apply in our own lives?
If you’re ready to be inspired, hit play now. And don’t forget to subscribe, like, and comment on the show—your support helps us bring more thought-provoking stories like this to your ears!
welcome to another episode of just a number
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:where we uncover stories
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:that challenge perceptions of age
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:and prove that anything is possible
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:when we put our minds to it
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:don't forget to subscribe
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:leave a comment and join the conversation
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:using whatever medium you're listening
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:or watching this show on today
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:we are thrilled to have a very special guest as always
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:we've got Phil Guastella with us today
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:a person whose journey is nothing short of inspiring
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:if you can believe it in his early 20s
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:he was already making an impact
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:building a school
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:and bringing sustainable farming to communities
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:in the Amazon of all places
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:so if you're wondering if making an impact is possible
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:when you're at a young age
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:this is definitely a story that you need to listen to
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:he's continued to find innovative ways to contribute
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:to others to push the envelope
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:and the boundaries of what's possible
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:so without further wait or ado this is just a number
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:hello everybody
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:I'm Daniel Steinfeld and this is Just A Number
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:and I am thrilled today to be joined by Phil Guastella
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:a gentleman that I had the pleasure of meeting
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:several years back he is a fellow Realtor and we met
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:uh at an open house
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:you were just saying we uh
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:sort of happened into one another early on
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:in both of our careers yeah
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:haha yeah
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:actually I came to
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:you guys put out a agent open house
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:so I came and met your wife Katie and
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:and I was in like in my beginnings of my career
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:so I was really learning a lot back then
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:I really was lost actually
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:to be honest with you because he come out of school
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:and it's nothing like what they tell you in school
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:right oh
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:that's it and that's a common
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:it's common in this industry
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:that's right so I
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:I have been following you guys on social media and um
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:you know and we've managed to build a kind of a
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:you know relationship
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:but at the same time you put this out there
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:and I thought I'd respond to it and check it out
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:yeah well
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:I mean I'm
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:I'm so happy you did and it's funny
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:I mean with this
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:this will go in a million different directions
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:but you're right
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:you're talking about coming out of school
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:like we both
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:we're talking school later in life for both of us
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:where we sort of went and exactly
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:it was back to school after school for both of us
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:yeah I was actually 50 when I started
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:no kidding so I'm 61 now
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:wow so 11 years right
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:on I'll go yeah
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:so it was a big change change for my life
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:that's for sure well
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:that's it yeah
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:like who who who's a rookie in their 50s right
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:it doesn't happen that much
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:but honestly it was it's a no
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:I mean you've
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:you've made a great career and
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:and you've got what I was
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:I mean when I read just the
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:the very Coles Notes version of your story
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:of what you've done prior to all this
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:it blew me away and we had to have a chat here and I'm
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:I'm really excited to learn
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:and really get my hands dirty
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:and all the cool stuff that you did
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:I guess it would have been in your early 30s
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:you were saying right
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:like yeah
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:in my early 30s was the time where I had the experience
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:to go to the Brazil
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:Northern Brazil in uh
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:in in the Amazon so it was a small community actually
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:it was about 20 families
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:and it was like basically you're roughing it
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:there's no electricity there's nothing
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:you live out you live
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:I lived for about a year and on a hammock
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:you know
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:no way enduring all enduring all them bugs and things
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:you get used to it after a while
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:but it was a
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:it was a culture shock at the beginning for me
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:but it didn't take very long for me to adapt
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:that's one thing I Learned about human beings
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:even at that age
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:I didn't come to understand it at that age
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:but looking back now I
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:I really understood that we if you put in a situation
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:you will adapt no
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:and you will survive it absolutely okay
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:so
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:so take us back here because now everyone's listening
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:they're all sitting there saying whoa whoa
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:this guy lived in the Amazon for a year
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:we just we just jumped right in there
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:you're like like holy crap
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:living on a hammock okay
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:so this is like you're like the original survivor
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:this is preferred before survivor was a thing
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:you know and before Amazon was a thing
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:like you're covering all the stuff that came later
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:but yeah so
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:so tell us a little bit about the community you helped
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:and how you first got involved with them
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:and what what came to
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:to lead you to go to the Amazon for a year
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:well what happened was at that point in my life
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:I was basically I was just lost
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:you know personally
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:socially I was an intro I'm an introvert
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:and I had I always felt different than others
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:and but at the same time
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:I would never voice those feelings or
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:or those thoughts
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:so I never nurture them
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:but I always had this thing about helping people right
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:so I remember going now I know we were in the Amazon
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:but the prerequisite for that
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:that got me to the Amazon at 18
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:when I went to
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:I used to see Children Christian Fund on TV
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:and I used to sponsor $21 a month right
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:so I did the sponsorship thing and we got two kids
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:I got I sponsored two kids so then at one point
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:that was started at 18 at twenty I said wait
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:it'd be probably cool you know
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:just to visit them see what's going on with the
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:where's my money going
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:what's happening down there if it's really helping them
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:I wanted to see for myself yeah
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:but when I was down there I got disillusioned right
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:because I realized uh that most of the $21
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:a lot of a percentage of that went to administration
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:keeping the facilities running
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:so it kind of turned me off
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:I didn't see you know it was kind of yeah
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:I know they have expenses
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:but then when I saw the offices that they were
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:they were building where they worked from
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:and I see the people I said it didn't I just I
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:I immediately I didn't feel good about it
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:you were so supportive
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:not the people you wanted to be supporting there
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:it was it was going to yeah yeah
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:yeah and anyways
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:so but we stayed in contact and it was a
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:it was a great feeling
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:that I was helping them with the medic medication
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:the books pencils and all that stuff but you know
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:that was the start
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:and I knew I had that in me because you know I
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:all my friends were doing their own thing I
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:I was doing something totally different
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:and so I went and I and I experienced that
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:and it was a good experience
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:because sometimes you think everything is
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:is what you see but in the background
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:it's a different reality right
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:but in a small way it does help
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:in a way it does help
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:and it create a relationship
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:I had a long term relationship with these two girls
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:they ended up
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:by the time they were they were 4 and 5 at the time
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:and then we we kept the correspondence over the years
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:and then we lost ourselves
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:and then around 22 we found
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:when they were 20 21
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:uh
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:we found ourselves and we started communicating again
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:so they're like in yeah
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:have their own families now
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:and they're you know it's
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:it was it was
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:it was a great starting point for me to investigate
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:why do I have this need to do this
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:right at that time
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:that's that's amazing
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:and also I mean
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:if I'm if I'm doing the math
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:if you're 18 20 years old
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:this is predating really the internet
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:even at that point of time
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:yeah oh yeah
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:so so when we're talking
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:communicating and connecting with people
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:on the other side of the world
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:and in it was letters letters
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:it was letters unbelievable wow
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:so you were writing back and forth
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:writing back and forth yeah
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:and they were writing
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:sending their pictures every time as the years went on
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:to see that they were growing
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:you know and just keeping in touch that way yeah
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:do you so in Thailand
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:I do you still have any of the letters
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:do you still have the letters
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:oh I have the box
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:I have everything I still have it
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:and I that back then we didn't have phones
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:so everything is on um
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:uh what are those uh
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:photograph
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:Kodak used to have slides
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:oh slides yeah
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:yeah so I got all every
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:all my experience on slides and pictures
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:that's great and you know what
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:it's it's amazing too
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:because to go down like first of all
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:to take the initiative
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:to do it in the first place at such a young age
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:and then to follow up and say
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:I wanna see what's actually happening
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:I wanna see the impact I'm making
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:and then the stick with itness of even seeing
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:you know what
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:some percentage of my money isn't even going
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:where I intended to where I thought it was yeah
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:but you know what
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:but the good feeling and the impact it is having
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:outweighs the
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:the cynicism of I'm not doing this anymore because
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:you know ah
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:it's it's yeah
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:it's paying for rip off yeah
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:so that that's
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:that's amazing and
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:and it LED to what looks like it's become
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:you know
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:a lifetime of contributing and having that feeling
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:the itch to help exactly
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:exactly and it
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:and it it comes from inside right
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:it's not it's
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:it's not for every it's not for everyone and
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:and I Learned that if something is pestering my
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:my inner soul or my mind
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:you have to investigate what that is right
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:because you don't wanna
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:you don't wanna miss opportunities right
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:because that's right we
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:we can tend to miss a lot of opportunities
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:or we just don't see him well
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:that's it I
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:I I think a
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:a big theme of really this whole podcast
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:but definitely this this episode is
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:you know you only live once right
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:you've got
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:you've got one life to do what you can with it
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:and if there's opportunity or there's curiosity
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:you know you either chase it or you
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:or you live your life wondering and
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:and regretting and maybe regretting right
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:so maybe yeah
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:so that's that's amazing
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:so you went you had that experience in Thailand
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:and then was there was there just a little bit of a uh
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:you know you
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:you had scratched the itch
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:and then it kind of resurfaced a few years later
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:is that what happened yeah
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:then then there was a point in my
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:after around between I think around 22
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:23 23 to for
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:for for about five years
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:I kind of got lost hmm
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:I got lost with direction
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:you know I'm uh
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:didn't know what to do I always worked
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:I had a a
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:job but I just didn't know wasn't a happy camper
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:I just I felt really good over there
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:but when I came back home
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:the reality was is is totally different right
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:so I I ended up
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:having this
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:a friend of mine who is a priest who now resides in
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:in Italy actually
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:he's coming in today to Toronto tonight
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:oh wow and he gave me this experience
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:he told me I was sharing to him these these feelings
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:so he gave me the opportunity and he says
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:wouldn't you think you'd want to go to Brazil
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:and I said sure why not
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:so I went with a friend of mine I go first of all
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:I went with a friend with
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:under another organization the first time
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:but that didn't work out because we wanted
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:me and my friend at that time
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:we wanted the experience of help really
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:truly helping them and living their life
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:lives on their terms
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:we didn't want any special treatment right
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:and the community
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:the the project that was happening at that time
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:it was
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:it was the same same reality I got from Thailand
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:I got there so nothing changed
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:lots of money going into this organization
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:and just being eaten up by the locals
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:and those few appointed people
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:and it was like disheartening yeah
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:so we were communicating
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:this back and forth to the priest
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:that sent us there anyways
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:to end a long it's a long story
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:but the priest confronted them
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:and then after they had the confrontation
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:we saw that there is no experience here
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:there is not the things that they offered us
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:and then it was a lot of political stuff going around
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:and anyways they made us
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:us because we were complaining and asking
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:me and my friend John they made they like crucified us
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:they said that we weren't waking up in the
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:during the day we're sleeping and partying
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:we weren't
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:we weren't helping what we were supposed to do
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:they
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:we didn't want to contribute or participate anyway
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:and and this is while you're volunteering
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:like you're already volunteering there
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:I'm supposed I'm supposed to volunteer my expense right
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:I paid my way
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:and only because they had some program set up
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:but everything lock uh uh
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:the lumber factory was closed
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:the ceramic school was closed
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:they had all these trades
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:learning the community so that they can learn a trade
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:they were so they can we can teach them you know
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:they had the the facilitators there
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:but everything was closed
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:nothing was happening money was coming in yeah
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:but nothing was being offered
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:so that was a here we go again
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:I said right and it was disappointing
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:so they basically kicked us out
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:because they had to kick us out
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:because they were going on the premise that
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:you know we were troublemakers
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:so they kicked us out
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:and I made friends with a family there
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:they picked us up
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:and we stayed in their house for another three months
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:so we stayed there first time
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:four months
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:and this is where the everything opened up for me
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:hmm cause I started meeting people
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:I started meeting people in the social aspect of it
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:who are
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:who are trying to educate the people are in Amazon
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:not to sell their land right
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:and and at that time
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:there was a Japanese Italians
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:Americans you name it
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:they were just buying off all this land
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:you know and because of the lack of education
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:the Brazilians have a majority of them
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:and they didn't understand that being
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:they were poor with this land
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:if you got rid of it they were
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:they were on the street they have nowhere to go then
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:and that's what's happening
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:was happening back then
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:that's why you see so many people on the street
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:that had they had some equity
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:uh so called equity for that market
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:but then
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:they would be convinced to sell it to these companies
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:who promised them employment
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:which never happened
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:so I started seeing that and I start
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:I joined them and I said listen
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:I have to come back and really spend more time
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:so I spent another four months and just to feel it out
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:how it was going what is the issue
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:what's the problem and that's how I started with them
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:we started a cooperative of farmers
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:20 farmers it was called cooperativa
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:it got a pay a suit and we started
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:I started fundraising in Canada
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:going back and forth the first couple years
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:and I remember the first time I would
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:I collected five grand the second time eight grand
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:and that came a long way because with that money
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:I ended up building one
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:with the five grand of school we ended up building
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:and I be the administrator
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:like I would never do a project in Brazil
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:and just give them the money and just leave
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:I had to be there you would learn
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:you would learn yeah
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:you have to be there it was
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:I mean to become the boots on the ground when you know
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:you you weren't I think scarred is the wrong word
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:but you had Learned your lesson
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:seeing the money being shipped to somebody else
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:to administer it on their behalf
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:and for you to take that hat and put it on
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:you weren't gonna let that happen right
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:like I yeah I wasn't gonna happen yeah
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:that's a that's what that's amazing
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:so you built a school right away
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:or at least the money went towards a school right away
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:the yeah we I bet paid for the materials
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:we built the school we had all the community helping
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:which is beautiful
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:and it's like the nothing replaces that
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:it's like
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:there's no money that can give you
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:what that feels like
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:when everybody's helping each other right
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:and so we built it and it was great
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:so they would take
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:this was actually for mothers who had infants
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:that they could drop them off at this school
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:and because there was a few nuns
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:that would actually help out
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:they would kind of
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:it was almost like a free our daycare now yeah
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:basically it was a daycare
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:and without even knowing that it was a daycare
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:we were doing and so we did that and it was fine
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:I left we still had things to work on
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:we were constantly educating them
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:it was a constant education
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:every meetings we would have two
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:two to three times a week while I was there
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:because a lot of pressure was done to people
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:from the outside
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:because people wanted to buy their land right
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:and it's so corrupt over there uh
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:even the government we know and it was hard uh
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:you know it was hard
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:it was hard on them cause they
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:they had no nobody
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:no voice for them nobody like speaking on their behalf
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:except for these few people
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:anyways so I went back home and I said
461
:well you know
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:that worked out okay I was happy right
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:but I knew I have to be there to do this so I collected
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:did a fundraising
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:just family and friends and I got 8,000 this time
466
:and that's when I went to the
467
:we start the cooperative
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:so we use the money first of all
469
:to plant 2,000 fruit trees
470
:cause they were only planting and learning
471
:what their parents taught them from generations before
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:just staple items they were doing
473
:they weren't progressing right right
474
:so we got the fruit trees happening and then a system
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:a irrigation system we bought uh
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:total system for two hectares of land
477
:we use the river
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:we have the water there pump and and would uh
479
:you know all year round
480
:they would have water
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:because there's certain times of the year it lacks
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:so we did that and we got it going and it was great
483
:but then but then I added this life experience
484
:changing experience cause then I had to decide
485
:what am I gonna do with my life
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:I like this I love it yeah
487
:but back then in my 30s you know
488
:I had this thing when people telling me
489
:when are you gonna move on and do something for you
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:right these pressures that that's
491
:that's ironic to me I mean
492
:maybe it is I even saw your face there
493
:isn't it I don't wanna cut you off
494
:but like that that's ironic that people are saying okay
495
:when are you gonna do something for you
496
:and from everything you've told me
497
:there couldn't have been more of a process
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:you'd already undertaken that was for you
499
:more than anything else could have been
500
:is that is that accurate like that
501
:that's accurate but I I
502
:I I was on that wagon
503
:too
504
:I started believing that what they were saying that
505
:I mean yeah
506
:I started doubting hmm myself right
507
:and that's just created on other issues for me
508
:as I was growing up right
509
:but I knew one thing I didn't know
510
:know that if I'm gonna do this work
511
:it's a it's a lifetime commitment right
512
:and the first thing that popped in my head was
513
:life of a priest right
514
:yeah and I go
515
:that's what I related it to
516
:being a role
517
:brought up in a Roman Catholic environment
518
:and priests do this stuff
519
:I know priests that do this stuff
520
:is that like I used to is that my calling
521
:I said no I said I don't think so
522
:I I don't think I can sacrifice that much right
523
:so I decided but I knew that I had to be
524
:or somebody had to be administering these projects
525
:not them right
526
:and unfortunately
527
:it it went well and as the time went on
528
:and I decided that I had to move on with my life
529
:slowly but surely that project started to deteriorate
530
:right to the point where
531
:people locals started taking advantage
532
:so if you saw like for example
533
:the school
534
:the school was became abandoned while I was there
535
:everything was working fine
536
:going back and forth was fine
537
:and
538
:and then somebody just took ownership of the school
539
:you know it's like
540
:wow just planted their flag and that was it yeah
541
:they just took that and that was it and that was okay
542
:that's how it goes over there right
543
:hmm so
544
:but what the experience
545
:I still was happy for what I done
546
:but at the same time it made me realize that I
547
:I think a lot of Westerners
548
:or people from North America or Europe
549
:that go there and see these people
550
:uh I think we're a little bit arrogant
551
:in the sense that
552
:we think that our way of doing things is
553
:is good we have to teach them how to do it
554
:because basically they were
555
:they were so they were like
556
:when I would talk to my parents about my experiences uh
557
:they said that
558
:they related to it after the Second World War
559
:the times of the Second World War so they were like
560
:these people would go like
561
:would steal nails from the city park
562
:just because they needed nails
563
:so they would tore up a bench just for the nails
564
:I I was living in the community
565
:I was living amongst leprosy
566
:still leprosy was going on with these families
567
:so it was like
568
:I met through the social workers in the area
569
:and he brought me to a hospital
570
:he brought me to a hospital
571
:a room full of medication expired
572
:never got people never got to see this medication
573
:cause it's so corrupt so
574
:going back to why
575
:I think most people think we can put our
576
:our culture into them and let them understand the
577
:like that our values what our values are
578
:and this is the way you should do things
579
:is not necessarily helping them right
580
:I I
581
:I realized at that moment
582
:uh that my reaction to the environment was
583
:it was not easy for me to
584
:to absorb
585
:because I found myself in moments by myself crying how
586
:just what I seen
587
:and then I realized that my tears were not
588
:thought they were because I felt sorry for them
589
:there's probably some truth to that
590
:but it it really showed me how broken I was hmm
591
:well I mean
592
:right
593
:in a lot of ways that's
594
:it's a very strange I think
595
:profit benefit you got from the experience
596
:as much as that might have been a painful experience
597
:these are the sorts of learnings
598
:and life changing things that help shape you
599
:and probably have LED to experiences and reactions
600
:and risks you've taken since then
601
:um yeah
602
:right it's a that's
603
:it's deep stuff right
604
:you go there because
605
:and for all the right reasons and that never left you
606
:it doesn't sound like you know
607
:to help yeah
608
:and to make an impact and you did
609
:you absolutely did but
610
:you know to say it was transactional
611
:I think is not true like it wasn't even
612
:even if it's not there anymore now
613
:right even if the school is shut down yeah
614
:even if the fruit trees aren't growing
615
:and I'm sure a lot of them are but I mean
616
:even if some of it is is gone
617
:you know you were able to take from it
618
:something that sticks with you
619
:and I think the people you impacted there
620
:you know the ones that aren't corrupt
621
:you know yeah
622
:you know well
623
:we still keep in touch
624
:we still keep in touch now they're older
625
:I I through Facebook I talk to them yeah
626
:well there you go
627
:the internet showed up somewhere in the middle there
628
:it showed up allegedly
629
:haha yeah
630
:it's perfect so yeah
631
:so it was a I can draw I can go on forever
632
:but another experience I had was looking back now
633
:it was when I used to meet other people trying
634
:quote unquote helping them from other governments
635
:so the Germans I met some Germans I met some
636
:Italians some French I met some Norwegians
637
:Japanese and at different parts of the year
638
:because they would the government would pay for them
639
:right and I would see them amongst the
640
:these families I was with
641
:so what would happen was I would get to know them
642
:but these people lived in a hotel two hours away
643
:they were paid to be there
644
:I wasn't I paid out of my own money and and so
645
:but they're trying to buy their land
646
:that's why they're there that's why they're there
647
:so we would have meetings right
648
:they would have meetings with them
649
:and they would do their job
650
:proposal this is what you we're gonna create for you
651
:these are the jobs that are gonna be available by my
652
:which is all it's not true right
653
:it's all a manipulation to take the land
654
:and so here we are at one day
655
:I'm working with them and we were on the fields
656
:Manjioka fields
657
:just taking gather getting rid of all the weeds right
658
:and it's hot and I this lady comes
659
:she was probably a little bit older than me
660
:at the time and she wanted to ask me a question
661
:she goes like
662
:I see you have a relationship with these guys
663
:and how do you do it
664
:like like we're we're finding it very difficult
665
:they like they don't even want to see us right
666
:how did how did you do what you're what you're doing
667
:I go well first of all I paid my own way
668
:secondly I'm living with them and I'm working
669
:I'm helping them produce what they produce
670
:which was manioc and corn for the
671
:for the feed for the chickens and
672
:and rice
673
:that's all we would do and where they came in
674
:they weren't working with them
675
:they were just trying to manipulate them
676
:and they didn't respect them right
677
:and that was the difference
678
:it's a huge difference huge difference
679
:and then that's when I knew that was she
680
:when I experienced that with her
681
:that's when I reinforced what I was doing was right
682
:it made me feel feel really good about myself
683
:so so on that note
684
:like over the course of your time there
685
:was there a lot of self doubt
686
:like why am I here
687
:is this the right thing
688
:like were you
689
:were you having moments of
690
:you know I know why I came here
691
:but now that I am here what the hell am I doing haha
692
:like did that happen
693
:yeah yeah
694
:there were moments there were moments when uh
695
:when uh
696
:some there were moments I gotta be honest with
697
:I miss the family uh huh
698
:and in those moments you know
699
:those thoughts would come in and those
700
:what those thoughts were were
701
:they were supportive right
702
:but I didn't feel that I was like
703
:really confident in myself
704
:with the purpose of why I was there
705
:I found out after why I was there
706
:and it was really
707
:really for an eye opener for me
708
:for the type of character I am
709
:uh that I am an insensitive person
710
:I'm really open with people
711
:and when you open with people
712
:you're a target you can
713
:when you're really authentic
714
:you know yep
715
:and I Learned my weaknesses
716
:and my strength while I was there and
717
:and I knew one thing that whatever life I want to lead
718
:it's it's got to be simple
719
:it's got to be simplified and not get caught up in the
720
:the materialistic things uh huh
721
:you know and all the noise
722
:all that pressure the noise
723
:yeah you know
724
:the rushing
725
:what you can't avoid those things being in Toronto
726
:but that that pressure
727
:you know because when I came back
728
:I was so laid back now I'm not
729
:now I'm I'm nuts
730
:I'm so stressed
731
:well I
732
:I I mean in
733
:in in both instances
734
:you talked about first Thailand
735
:and then with the Amazon I mean
736
:you prefaced it by saying you felt lost
737
:you know and
738
:and you didn't have the direction
739
:and the first time through
740
:I mean it gave you some immediate
741
:you know direction and
742
:and understanding of what felt good
743
:and then again you know
744
:after sort of losing yourself a bit again
745
:this rejuvenated and you know
746
:invigorated you and also
747
:like you're saying
748
:you Learned so much about what you needed
749
:and what you wanted so
750
:in some ways did that year in the Amazon
751
:set the stage for the rest of your life
752
:for understanding and being a little less lost
753
:when you came out of that
754
:or did you
755
:did you come out of the
756
:sorry go ahead
757
:no yeah
758
:it did set the stage
759
:uh
760
:but not till now that's why I took
761
:I threw myself in because
762
:uh for up to covid
763
:uh
764
:right after Covid when the lockdown happened
765
:I regressed a lot mentally
766
:so I was in the condo living
767
:and for those 17 months whatever it was
768
:like I regressed like I couldn't
769
:I couldn't do function
770
:at all
771
:so these last two years I've been building myself up
772
:because I wasn't even practicing real estate
773
:I couldn't do any of my real estate now business
774
:I knew that I had to really
775
:still struggling with the main core
776
:even though I Learned these things over there
777
:I still wasn't okay with with me
778
:and then I realized that I look what I've done
779
:that's why I'm here no kidding
780
:it's selfish it's selfish
781
:but I thought this would help me
782
:you know when we talk about opportunities
783
:I saw an opportunity absolutely
784
:I have something to offer right
785
:and I'm just connecting back with that right now
786
:totally well
787
:and so since I've been getting back
788
:it's helping me and you know
789
:it move forward
790
:it's funny to me that you look at it as selfish at all
791
:because the very well
792
:that's how I feel and and and I mean
793
:let me be the one to tell you that this is
794
:I mean not only
795
:notwithstanding that everything you were talking about
796
:was as selfless as it comes
797
:even sharing your story is
798
:you know if this helps
799
:or inspires one person who's listening to this
800
:to either break out of their shell
801
:or to realize that you know
802
:what they're thinking or the
803
:the rut that they're in is not
804
:you know isolated to just their story right
805
:and it motivates them to get out and do something
806
:and try something then hey
807
:you know what could be less selfish than
808
:than getting that message out there
809
:and I mean uh
810
:yeah it
811
:it's it's inspiring
812
:just to hear the story makes me wanna go and
813
:and if I didn't have four kids I
814
:I I
815
:I I should set up a hammock maybe in my backyard and
816
:and maybe plant some trees back there
817
:I think that's as far as I could go
818
:but but yeah
819
:I mean it's
820
:it's a it's just unreal
821
:you know that
822
:you know you did all that and that
823
:you know I
824
:I don't think that mentality leaves you
825
:I mean whether or not there were bumps along the way
826
:it's not that
827
:you need to go and visit a third world country
828
:every year to keep the spark going inside of you
829
:but I think it's a part of who you are
830
:and it's it's really interesting to me
831
:that the way that you could
832
:kind of restart your engine
833
:those two times was doing something selfless
834
:and helping others and empowering other people
835
:who might have been pretty lost themselves at the time
836
:right like you showed up in a place
837
:maybe they didn't know they were lost
838
:because they were being so taken advantage of
839
:but I mean there's just so much impact that was made
840
:and it doesn't really I shouldn't say it doesn't matter
841
:that's not fair
842
:but it's not as important how sustained the impact was
843
:given that the impact you
844
:made
845
:can't be taken away for the time that you were there
846
:and you're still maintaining contact with these people
847
:right so you know that they're still
848
:they're still kicking I don't know
849
:like are there any like these are people
850
:were they your age when you were there
851
:like were they people around the same age as you
852
:no they were
853
:they were four 5 years old at the time
854
:oh like the ones in Thailand were the children
855
:yeah no
856
:they even oh
857
:and in Brazil Brazil
858
:oh wow
859
:and the eldest around probably twelve now
860
:they're in their their like 30s and 40s
861
:that's amazing and some are in their late twenties
862
:uh because which were the
863
:the family I stayed in they had like 12 children
864
:and they were all young at the time
865
:and there was two maybe 12 year old and 13 year old
866
:now they're a little bit older
867
:but uh yeah
868
:they're they're
869
:they were we still keep in touch
870
:we see we talk on Facebook and Messenger
871
:and I'm planning to go
872
:I wanted to go last year this summer
873
:but I change brokerages and things like that
874
:but
875
:I'll be in a better position next year
876
:to go and visit them wow
877
:so have you seen them since they were kids
878
:like no
879
:you haven't been well
880
:I see all them on Facebook video
881
:Facebook Messenger like or
882
:or zoom we've connected a couple times and yeah
883
:they're all grown up it's like
884
:it's incredible oh see
885
:I see I should have planned ahead and made this like
886
:one of those surprise
887
:guess who we've got behind door number one
888
:but haha but I didn't know from Brazil
889
:oh from Brazil
890
:oh man so I
891
:I guess why
892
:yeah here they are
893
:four of the kids um
894
:so is it everybody speaks Portuguese there
895
:is that is that what
896
:yes and so is that a
897
:is that a language you spoke before you went there
898
:no I had to
899
:I Learned it and the funny thing about Portuguese uh
900
:there's a difference with the Brazilian Portuguese
901
:and Portuguese from Portugal
902
:uh the Brazilian Portuguese
903
:there were a lot because I'm Italian and I know my
904
:I only know I know more my dialect from the Sicily
905
:from southern Sicily uh
906
:that a lot of our words
907
:it's part of the language
908
:the Latin language but similar where
909
:where the where communication comes from
910
:and all our dialogue comes from
911
:they were similar so
912
:I would pick off these words and understand
913
:and use them right
914
:and then slowly
915
:it was easier to learn Portuguese than French
916
:that's for sure yeah
917
:well yeah
918
:those are very different yeah
919
:yeah wow
920
:so so I got to learn it I
921
:I'm I'm
922
:I understand more than I can speak it
923
:because I don't practice it as much but
924
:but it it'll come
925
:it if I go there
926
:it'll come back yeah
927
:come back so in
928
:in terms I mean
929
:that's one example of a
930
:of an actual tangible education you got from being
931
:there was a whole language
932
:I mean did you
933
:did you know already some of the things like
934
:irrigation and plant like
935
:the actual skilled
936
:trade type stuff that you were doing to help there
937
:or did you also kind of learn as you yeah
938
:because yeah I
939
:well when I was growing up I I
940
:I I went to a Humber college cause I only
941
:I only went I just got my grade 12
942
:I wasn't a guy who loves school
943
:and I just barely got through yeah
944
:but then I
945
:haha
946
:that's a good way of looking at it
947
:I didn't like it but I decided
948
:you know what if I don't go
949
:I might as well build it
950
:yeah so
951
:so I I ended up now I lost my thumb
952
:you make me laugh here sorry
953
:so the skills that you that you already knew out of
954
:out of humble oh yeah
955
:I went to school and I took over the culture course
956
:I got my horticultural science
957
:a night school so
958
:I was going to night school
959
:and getting my horticultural science
960
:got that out of the way then I decided landscape design
961
:cause I was in there already and I like
962
:I'm a creative person so I like creating and I did that
963
:but I never got my my diploma in landscape design
964
:design because I had a situation with my my teacher who
965
:who was it was a stickler on timing
966
:like I was like 10 seconds late to hand in a report
967
:and he wouldn't accept it
968
:it was my last my last report too
969
:which was part of my Mark and me at that time
970
:I just I was a hothead back then
971
:so you can imagine what happened
972
:oh yeah and I got
973
:I left
974
:I left with and I got so upset at myself because I I
975
:I couldn't handle it that that situation
976
:even my sister would say well
977
:go talk to the
978
:the dean or whoever's in charge of Humber College
979
:and cause that's not fair
980
:that's not you're gonna
981
:not gonna get your credit because you didn't have
982
:you were late on a report that's
983
:you know anyways
984
:I didn't and I just took it
985
:but I regret not following up
986
:that's a mistake I made
987
:are you still one credit short then now
988
:like if you were to go and yeah
989
:I'm still yeah the last yeah
990
:I'm I I I never went back
991
:I I just got so demoralized right
992
:and um I just never went back and that's you know
993
:you know what I mean
994
:talk about using your powers for good though
995
:you might have been a hothead
996
:but at least you know
997
:if anybody from Humber College is listening now like
998
:look look what he did with what he Learned
999
:he even despite not getting the credit
:
00:41:09,866 --> 00:41:10,466
he took it
:
00:41:10,466 --> 00:41:13,000
and he helped an entire community in the Amazon
:
00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,066
with this knowledge so that's gotta be worth something
:
00:41:16,066 --> 00:41:18,533
co op marks or something like take those hours
:
00:41:18,933 --> 00:41:20,833
I think we should send them this video
:
00:41:20,833 --> 00:41:21,833
yeah I think so
:
00:41:21,833 --> 00:41:24,033
I think maybe maybe there's hope for you still
:
00:41:24,033 --> 00:41:25,533
maybe that credit is waiting in the wing
:
00:41:25,533 --> 00:41:26,666
do you still have the paper
:
00:41:26,666 --> 00:41:28,266
maybe they'll take it a bit later like
:
00:41:28,266 --> 00:41:31,133
you know like 30 years late haha
:
00:41:31,133 --> 00:41:32,100
no big deal
:
00:41:32,733 --> 00:41:33,533
oh man
:
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:35,233
but okay so yeah
:
00:41:35,233 --> 00:41:36,633
that's how I used it
:
00:41:36,633 --> 00:41:40,600
I used the the knowledge and how to help them
:
00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:44,233
and it was pretty pretty straightforward for me
:
00:41:44,366 --> 00:41:45,600
that's I mean
:
00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:46,866
it's interesting too I mean
:
00:41:46,866 --> 00:41:49,200
the premise of this podcast is all about
:
00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:50,333
you know things we do
:
00:41:50,333 --> 00:41:51,766
maybe at times in our lives
:
00:41:51,766 --> 00:41:53,266
that people wouldn't consider like
:
00:41:53,266 --> 00:41:54,200
the norm right
:
00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:55,733
like the whole just a number
:
00:41:55,933 --> 00:41:58,566
you know you did a lot of these things younger in life
:
00:41:58,566 --> 00:42:00,866
we talked about how you know
:
00:42:00,866 --> 00:42:02,533
just in the last 10 years
:
00:42:02,533 --> 00:42:04,566
you've pursued a new career path
:
00:42:04,566 --> 00:42:07,166
you've taken the courses and now you're
:
00:42:07,166 --> 00:42:10,133
you know a practicing and and successful realtor
:
00:42:10,433 --> 00:42:10,966
you know
:
00:42:10,966 --> 00:42:14,400
and the far be it for me to say in any way you're old
:
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:15,233
you know you've got
:
00:42:15,233 --> 00:42:16,766
you know plenty of career
:
00:42:16,766 --> 00:42:18,466
but like this is the sort of thing also
:
00:42:18,466 --> 00:42:21,866
that you've kind of defied the odds on both sides
:
00:42:21,866 --> 00:42:23,033
by doing a lot of things
:
00:42:23,033 --> 00:42:24,200
people might not do
:
00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:26,266
until they've established themselves more
:
00:42:26,266 --> 00:42:28,233
so this is what you did early on
:
00:42:28,233 --> 00:42:29,966
and now a whole career change
:
00:42:29,966 --> 00:42:31,066
and let me just throw in there
:
00:42:31,066 --> 00:42:34,033
I saw the video of your dad playing the saxophone
:
00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:35,566
in that March oh yeah
:
00:42:35,566 --> 00:42:37,866
you said like talk about cool
:
00:42:37,866 --> 00:42:39,233
like which is even more like
:
00:42:39,233 --> 00:42:41,166
you want to talk about just a number
:
00:42:41,166 --> 00:42:43,600
like how old is he like 89
:
00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:45,366
89 years old he's going 90
:
00:42:45,466 --> 00:42:48,266
90 in February and he's in a marching band
:
00:42:48,266 --> 00:42:49,666
like he's playing what was that
:
00:42:49,666 --> 00:42:51,633
a tenor sax that wasn't even a small sax
:
00:42:51,633 --> 00:42:53,533
tenor sax holy jeez
:
00:42:53,833 --> 00:42:56,433
and he sounded good he sounded good
:
00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:58,166
he's right in yeah
:
00:42:58,166 --> 00:43:00,400
he used to play professionally in Australia
:
00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:01,766
because that's where we're from
:
00:43:01,766 --> 00:43:03,800
Australia where I was born there
:
00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:07,033
me and my sister so he used to have a full time gig
:
00:43:07,166 --> 00:43:09,466
and he full time gig at nights and play
:
00:43:09,466 --> 00:43:12,533
and he was a lathe lathe operator for GM
:
00:43:12,533 --> 00:43:14,266
General Motors at the time
:
00:43:14,433 --> 00:43:17,066
so he's that's where he got all his
:
00:43:18,333 --> 00:43:20,466
musical experience you know
:
00:43:20,466 --> 00:43:23,433
playing big bands oh wow
:
00:43:23,466 --> 00:43:26,066
that back then and that naturally I fell
:
00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:28,166
followed his steps and when I was young
:
00:43:28,166 --> 00:43:30,166
I got into music myself with
:
00:43:30,166 --> 00:43:31,133
you're a drummer right
:
00:43:31,133 --> 00:43:32,866
like you like you yeah yeah
:
00:43:33,266 --> 00:43:34,500
yeah and uh
:
00:43:34,633 --> 00:43:37,266
so and my sister's a singer
:
00:43:37,266 --> 00:43:40,033
and my brother started playing piano when he was young
:
00:43:40,033 --> 00:43:41,333
but then he gave it up
:
00:43:41,533 --> 00:43:45,200
but we all have the music thing in bug in us
:
00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:48,166
so has there been a little jam session or two
:
00:43:48,166 --> 00:43:49,800
in the family where you've all played together
:
00:43:49,800 --> 00:43:50,666
um we
:
00:43:50,666 --> 00:43:53,066
we way back way back
:
00:43:53,066 --> 00:43:55,033
we used to jam wait
:
00:43:55,033 --> 00:43:55,966
when we were younger
:
00:43:55,966 --> 00:43:57,866
because me and my sister used to be in a band
:
00:43:57,866 --> 00:44:01,666
we used to tour a lot and like doing hotels yeah
:
00:44:01,733 --> 00:44:03,300
and we used to be
:
00:44:03,366 --> 00:44:06,566
and we got went from hotels like lounge music
:
00:44:06,566 --> 00:44:09,366
then next thing you know we're doing Pat Benatar
:
00:44:10,566 --> 00:44:11,366
haha
:
00:44:11,766 --> 00:44:12,700
that's amazing or
:
00:44:14,166 --> 00:44:17,933
you know or we're doing the heart heart music
:
00:44:17,933 --> 00:44:19,633
you know the old heart great
:
00:44:20,066 --> 00:44:23,033
and we used to do the gas works downtown
:
00:44:23,033 --> 00:44:24,500
Larry's Hideaway
:
00:44:25,366 --> 00:44:28,666
we used to go all over Canada and play these bars
:
00:44:28,666 --> 00:44:30,766
when music was appreciated
:
00:44:30,766 --> 00:44:32,300
right now then the
:
00:44:32,500 --> 00:44:33,833
you know what happened with the DJs
:
00:44:33,833 --> 00:44:36,166
it's today yeah
:
00:44:36,666 --> 00:44:38,900
the DJs took over yeah
:
00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:41,133
I hear you I hear you
:
00:44:41,133 --> 00:44:42,966
so that that's amazing though
:
00:44:42,966 --> 00:44:45,266
like that's these are the sorts of things that it it's
:
00:44:45,266 --> 00:44:47,766
it's amazing to me just you know
:
00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:50,833
if you just chip away like the the layers to everybody
:
00:44:50,833 --> 00:44:52,366
you know it's like peeling back an onion
:
00:44:52,366 --> 00:44:53,966
like all these things and
:
00:44:53,966 --> 00:44:56,533
and stories like that's that's amazing stuff
:
00:44:56,533 --> 00:44:58,200
so you toured all the Canada as a journey yeah
:
00:44:58,200 --> 00:44:59,200
no big deal you know
:
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:01,933
built a school in Brazil no big deal whatever
:
00:45:01,933 --> 00:45:04,433
you know touring Canada yeah
:
00:45:04,433 --> 00:45:06,033
whatever you know
:
00:45:06,066 --> 00:45:09,066
this is like that's all I was I didn't I wasn't very
:
00:45:09,466 --> 00:45:11,933
I wasn't it wasn't a good time for me back then
:
00:45:12,333 --> 00:45:14,866
even though I was doing them doing those things
:
00:45:14,866 --> 00:45:15,866
the music step oh
:
00:45:15,866 --> 00:45:16,466
well you mean yeah
:
00:45:16,466 --> 00:45:18,800
I guess no it was a good time in the music
:
00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:20,866
but I mean personally yeah
:
00:45:20,866 --> 00:45:22,833
I wasn't I wasn't okay with me
:
00:45:22,833 --> 00:45:24,200
even though I'm doing this
:
00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:25,633
I wasn't okay
:
00:45:25,633 --> 00:45:28,766
I wasn't when people would tell me on and commend me
:
00:45:28,766 --> 00:45:30,800
it just didn't something was wrong
:
00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:32,000
that's what I was searching for
:
00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:33,333
I didn't know what it was
:
00:45:33,366 --> 00:45:35,633
and I just discovered it recently
:
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:36,800
yeah well
:
00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:37,600
it's you know
:
00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:38,566
it's you know what
:
00:45:38,566 --> 00:45:41,633
it's no small feet to keep searching for it
:
00:45:41,633 --> 00:45:44,066
and to not give up on trying to figure it out right
:
00:45:44,066 --> 00:45:45,866
cause I think a lot of people
:
00:45:45,866 --> 00:45:48,200
they're lost and they stay lost and that's it
:
00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:50,033
and I think on multiple occasions
:
00:45:50,033 --> 00:45:51,566
you know early on
:
00:45:51,566 --> 00:45:51,833
you know
:
00:45:51,833 --> 00:45:54,200
you had those experiences that helped address it
:
00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:56,166
and then even if you were still sort of
:
00:45:56,433 --> 00:45:57,833
searching for the answer
:
00:45:57,833 --> 00:45:59,066
it's great to know and you know what
:
00:45:59,066 --> 00:46:01,166
there's more answers to come for all of us right
:
00:46:01,166 --> 00:46:02,833
like you're in a good place now
:
00:46:02,833 --> 00:46:03,633
which is amazing
:
00:46:03,633 --> 00:46:07,866
but so nowhere nowhere to go but up up more right
:
00:46:07,866 --> 00:46:11,766
so yeah that's that's what I'm hoping for yeah
:
00:46:11,766 --> 00:46:12,833
so I mean
:
00:46:12,833 --> 00:46:15,433
if there's people that are listening to this now
:
00:46:15,433 --> 00:46:17,600
who maybe are are in a similar spot
:
00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:19,000
right whether whether you know
:
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:20,766
whether it's earlier on in their career
:
00:46:20,766 --> 00:46:22,000
or later on in their career
:
00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:23,333
or somewhere in the middle
:
00:46:23,466 --> 00:46:25,066
what sort of advice would you give them
:
00:46:25,066 --> 00:46:27,066
if they're feeling a little bit lost
:
00:46:27,066 --> 00:46:29,000
or there's things they think they might wanna do
:
00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:31,666
but they just don't believe it's for them
:
00:46:31,666 --> 00:46:33,966
or it's not the way that the script is written
:
00:46:33,966 --> 00:46:35,666
for them yeah
:
00:46:35,666 --> 00:46:38,933
I would say if if you're still feeling
:
00:46:38,933 --> 00:46:41,066
if those feelings don't go away
:
00:46:41,566 --> 00:46:43,666
and you still haven't figured it out
:
00:46:45,033 --> 00:46:45,800
sit you have
:
00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:47,066
you gotta fit in it
:
00:46:47,066 --> 00:46:49,266
and eventually you'll figure it out
:
00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:53,066
you can either distract distract yourself
:
00:46:53,133 --> 00:46:57,366
which I've done and years go by and it's still here
:
00:46:57,933 --> 00:47:01,766
and that could be through partying
:
00:47:01,766 --> 00:47:04,133
drinking drugs
:
00:47:04,166 --> 00:47:07,400
whatever you choose your addiction is could be work
:
00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:08,200
workaholic
:
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:12,666
it could be a obsessions with being obsessive
:
00:47:12,666 --> 00:47:16,400
compulsive everybody goes one way or another not to
:
00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:19,333
to avoid what's really going on right
:
00:47:19,333 --> 00:47:21,300
so I I Learned that
:
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:25,366
eventually because you're
:
00:47:25,366 --> 00:47:26,900
you're in a state of suffering
:
00:47:26,933 --> 00:47:28,400
when you're in that moment
:
00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:30,366
in those moments where you're lost
:
00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:33,066
so eventually that suffering
:
00:47:33,233 --> 00:47:34,766
it's gonna catch up to you
:
00:47:34,766 --> 00:47:37,466
and it's gonna guide you the right direction
:
00:47:38,166 --> 00:47:42,966
I found with me just one day I woke up and I just
:
00:47:42,966 --> 00:47:44,166
I just said that's enough
:
00:47:44,166 --> 00:47:45,633
I'm not suffering anymore
:
00:47:45,833 --> 00:47:50,433
I'm and and and and things just got it got better
:
00:47:50,433 --> 00:47:53,000
and and it's funny when you actually make that
:
00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:54,533
when you actually say that
:
00:47:54,533 --> 00:47:56,333
and you really believe that
:
00:47:57,966 --> 00:48:01,200
it doesn't take very long for an opportunity
:
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:04,066
you see clearly I got an oppo
:
00:48:04,066 --> 00:48:06,266
that's what happened with this yeah
:
00:48:06,266 --> 00:48:07,700
that's what happened with this
:
00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:11,400
when I read your I just said I was in that moment
:
00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:14,666
I go and usually I'll think about it
:
00:48:14,666 --> 00:48:17,533
and I this time I just acted yeah
:
00:48:17,533 --> 00:48:19,566
sometimes I just do it that's right
:
00:48:19,566 --> 00:48:21,200
just do it you know
:
00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:23,566
Nike has it Nike has the best
:
00:48:23,966 --> 00:48:25,100
we're onto something logo
:
00:48:25,733 --> 00:48:27,566
just they are on the side that that company
:
00:48:27,566 --> 00:48:29,566
I think I think they might make it that company
:
00:48:29,566 --> 00:48:30,833
there's something to that company
:
00:48:30,833 --> 00:48:32,233
I think they're gonna do okay
:
00:48:33,033 --> 00:48:33,833
yeah
:
00:48:34,966 --> 00:48:36,200
that's so yeah
:
00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:39,266
I would just say sit in it be honest with yourself
:
00:48:39,733 --> 00:48:42,866
eventually it'll it'll it'll you'll come around
:
00:48:42,866 --> 00:48:44,966
you'll have to come around because if your
:
00:48:44,966 --> 00:48:47,233
if your whole my whole life
:
00:48:47,433 --> 00:48:48,833
it was to better myself
:
00:48:48,833 --> 00:48:50,966
I always knew I wanted to improve
:
00:48:51,833 --> 00:48:53,733
and when you have that mentality
:
00:48:53,733 --> 00:48:54,866
I want to be better
:
00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:58,400
it's not easy sometimes yeah
:
00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:00,033
cause you'll be confronted with things
:
00:49:00,033 --> 00:49:02,933
you have to look at right absolutely yeah
:
00:49:02,933 --> 00:49:03,966
so okay well
:
00:49:03,966 --> 00:49:05,066
as we I mean we're
:
00:49:05,066 --> 00:49:06,433
we're coming up on an hour here
:
00:49:06,433 --> 00:49:08,333
and I could talk for hours more with you
:
00:49:08,333 --> 00:49:11,566
but I let's let's sort of ask you like
:
00:49:11,566 --> 00:49:13,233
what's what's next for you
:
00:49:13,233 --> 00:49:17,133
like you're you're now in a great spot
:
00:49:17,133 --> 00:49:17,400
I mean
:
00:49:17,400 --> 00:49:19,933
maybe this is now you can put it in cruise control
:
00:49:19,933 --> 00:49:22,400
because you know you've found that sweet spot
:
00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:23,666
are you now uh
:
00:49:23,933 --> 00:49:24,766
are you I mean
:
00:49:24,766 --> 00:49:26,666
you said you're going back to visit the
:
00:49:26,666 --> 00:49:27,633
I'm still gonna call yeah
:
00:49:27,633 --> 00:49:29,133
I would like to go next
:
00:49:29,133 --> 00:49:33,366
next year is the plan to go to go and visit them
:
00:49:33,366 --> 00:49:37,600
that's for sure and we'll see if what's going on there
:
00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:41,866
I know I I do contribute and with my work
:
00:49:42,533 --> 00:49:44,766
uh with a children's
:
00:49:44,766 --> 00:49:46,233
the children's hospital
:
00:49:46,233 --> 00:49:48,800
I still have that part of me and
:
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:51,300
but definitely want to um
:
00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:54,966
go see and I don't know what's gonna happen
:
00:49:54,966 --> 00:49:56,233
but we'll see I
:
00:49:56,233 --> 00:49:58,800
I I don't know what's gonna happen when I go back
:
00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:00,066
you know it might
:
00:50:01,333 --> 00:50:04,833
start another project maybe I'm in a better position to
:
00:50:05,033 --> 00:50:08,833
or more time on my hands to actually help them
:
00:50:09,066 --> 00:50:11,566
where before I was trying to figure things out yeah
:
00:50:11,566 --> 00:50:13,666
I I was wondering that because you've been
:
00:50:13,666 --> 00:50:15,800
it seems like and and maybe it's not the case
:
00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:17,400
but it seems like when you land somewhere
:
00:50:17,400 --> 00:50:19,166
and see something it kind of
:
00:50:19,233 --> 00:50:20,266
it kind of revs you up
:
00:50:20,266 --> 00:50:21,566
when you weren't expecting it to
:
00:50:21,566 --> 00:50:22,733
so maybe you'll get there
:
00:50:22,733 --> 00:50:24,233
see them be like oh man
:
00:50:25,866 --> 00:50:28,000
I'm planting my flag here again for six months
:
00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:29,966
who knows but no
:
00:50:29,966 --> 00:50:31,433
that's a I I definitely am
:
00:50:31,433 --> 00:50:33,466
gonna be looking forward to seeing some pictures
:
00:50:33,466 --> 00:50:34,400
of that reunion
:
00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:36,333
that's a it's such a cool story yeah
:
00:50:36,333 --> 00:50:37,466
for sure um
:
00:50:37,466 --> 00:50:39,166
for sure and yeah
:
00:50:39,166 --> 00:50:39,966
now that's a it
:
00:50:39,966 --> 00:50:42,033
it's been amazing hearing your story
:
00:50:42,033 --> 00:50:45,733
and no thanks for having me yeah
:
00:50:45,733 --> 00:50:47,200
we'll we'll chat more for sure
:
00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:48,466
I mean this is uh
:
00:50:48,733 --> 00:50:49,633
it's uh
:
00:50:49,633 --> 00:50:52,933
exactly what this is all about is just like the
:
00:50:52,933 --> 00:50:54,566
the amazing things people do
:
00:50:54,566 --> 00:50:56,500
that are right under our noses that
:
00:50:57,133 --> 00:50:58,533
you know who would have known right
:
00:50:58,533 --> 00:50:58,933
I'm sure
:
00:50:58,933 --> 00:51:01,133
I don't know if you've told that story much before
:
00:51:01,133 --> 00:51:02,566
to anybody but uh
:
00:51:02,966 --> 00:51:03,800
it's uh
:
00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:07,500
I would only I would tell it when I was fundraising
:
00:51:07,633 --> 00:51:08,066
hmm right
:
00:51:08,066 --> 00:51:09,600
my experiences fundraising
:
00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:11,666
but I I'm not that type right
:
00:51:11,666 --> 00:51:15,233
and I'm uncomfortable it makes me uncomfortable
:
00:51:15,233 --> 00:51:16,766
I'm just getting comfortable
:
00:51:16,833 --> 00:51:17,566
yeah well
:
00:51:17,566 --> 00:51:18,266
I mean it's
:
00:51:18,266 --> 00:51:19,533
it's definitely I'm
:
00:51:19,533 --> 00:51:21,966
I'm happy you are comfortable enough to tell it today
:
00:51:21,966 --> 00:51:23,766
and to talk about it it's a
:
00:51:23,766 --> 00:51:25,266
it's a really cool yeah
:
00:51:25,566 --> 00:51:27,833
bunch of initiatives that you've gone through
:
00:51:27,833 --> 00:51:29,200
and you know
:
00:51:29,200 --> 00:51:29,866
as
:
00:51:29,866 --> 00:51:32,666
it also kind of speaks to the power of one person too
:
00:51:32,666 --> 00:51:34,333
which we didn't even talk about where
:
00:51:34,333 --> 00:51:34,666
you know
:
00:51:34,666 --> 00:51:37,200
you're talking about governments sending people
:
00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:38,866
and all these corruption
:
00:51:38,866 --> 00:51:40,966
all these things and I'm sure there was help
:
00:51:40,966 --> 00:51:42,066
and I'm sure there were people
:
00:51:42,066 --> 00:51:43,800
around you that were doing the work with you
:
00:51:43,800 --> 00:51:46,100
but you were really one person who
:
00:51:46,566 --> 00:51:49,000
made a decision to go against the grain
:
00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:52,233
to go against big organizations and get something done
:
00:51:52,466 --> 00:51:55,600
and it paid off so congratulations
:
00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:56,866
it paid off but you
:
00:51:56,866 --> 00:51:59,333
I had to learn really fast Daniel
:
00:51:59,466 --> 00:52:01,866
because while I was there
:
00:52:01,866 --> 00:52:06,366
there were so many bad actors trying to be my friend
:
00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:09,566
and I figured that out really fast
:
00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:11,400
and they won't they made me
:
00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:13,866
they actually prepared me for that
:
00:52:13,866 --> 00:52:17,233
that's well and when it started happening it was like
:
00:52:17,233 --> 00:52:18,600
wow you know
:
00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:21,100
because you if I had an eagle
:
00:52:22,866 --> 00:52:26,000
part of the the corrupt people hmm yeah
:
00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:29,133
well that's it you know it's so easy to get lost oh
:
00:52:29,133 --> 00:52:30,866
it is and and that's it it was it's
:
00:52:30,866 --> 00:52:32,833
it might have been on another part of the world
:
00:52:32,833 --> 00:52:35,400
but it's a microcosm of the rest of the way
:
00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:36,766
we live everywhere now you know
:
00:52:36,766 --> 00:52:38,800
you really gotta watch who you're dealing with
:
00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:40,700
you've gotta you know
:
00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:41,933
protect your own
:
00:52:41,933 --> 00:52:44,766
know what you're there for and stick to your values
:
00:52:44,766 --> 00:52:46,700
which is not an easy thing to do
:
00:52:46,866 --> 00:52:48,866
because there's a lot of temptation everywhere
:
00:52:48,866 --> 00:52:51,933
and a lot of people telling you things that you might
:
00:52:51,933 --> 00:52:55,633
uh wanna believe but really shouldn't so yeah
:
00:52:55,633 --> 00:52:58,166
exactly you you made it out the other side though
:
00:52:58,233 --> 00:53:00,000
we're we're here yeah yeah
:
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:01,333
so that's that's awesome yeah
:
00:53:01,333 --> 00:53:03,333
well it's that's a good thing
:
00:53:03,533 --> 00:53:05,633
so if if if people wanna find you
:
00:53:05,633 --> 00:53:06,000
I mean let's
:
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:07,333
let's give you a plug here
:
00:53:07,333 --> 00:53:10,466
because people are now gonna be interested in probably
:
00:53:10,466 --> 00:53:10,766
you know
:
00:53:10,766 --> 00:53:12,833
buying and selling all their houses with you also
:
00:53:12,833 --> 00:53:14,133
so if they're oh yeah
:
00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:15,500
if well like
:
00:53:15,733 --> 00:53:17,266
let's let's make sure that if people
:
00:53:17,266 --> 00:53:18,600
if people wanna find you you know
:
00:53:18,600 --> 00:53:21,033
you why don't you tell us your website or any of your
:
00:53:21,033 --> 00:53:21,766
you know social media
:
00:53:21,766 --> 00:53:26,100
it's a philguastella.com is my website
:
00:53:26,366 --> 00:53:28,966
I'm with Remax Realtron Realty
:
00:53:29,033 --> 00:53:31,333
I just got there about a month ago
:
00:53:31,566 --> 00:53:34,300
so I've been really busy rebranding everything
:
00:53:34,433 --> 00:53:36,733
and getting things going
:
00:53:36,733 --> 00:53:38,200
it hasn't been an easy transition
:
00:53:38,200 --> 00:53:43,333
but anyways I'm almost there and and we're gonna
:
00:53:43,333 --> 00:53:45,133
I feel good about my move
:
00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:48,300
and I like the support at the brokerage
:
00:53:48,800 --> 00:53:53,466
and this is it's my year it's my year
:
00:53:53,566 --> 00:53:55,233
I like that I like that that
:
00:53:55,233 --> 00:53:56,933
that that's the words to close on there
:
00:53:56,933 --> 00:53:59,366
it's your year I believe it
:
00:53:59,366 --> 00:54:04,366
and you know let's and I really can honestly say I've
:
00:54:04,566 --> 00:54:06,766
I've said it's my year in my head
:
00:54:06,766 --> 00:54:08,033
but it's not
:
00:54:08,233 --> 00:54:11,033
it's not the same as what I'm feeling right now
:
00:54:11,033 --> 00:54:12,400
that's right say it out loud
:
00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:13,800
say it loud say it proud
:
00:54:13,800 --> 00:54:14,833
it's your year
:
00:54:15,433 --> 00:54:16,400
right on well yeah
:
00:54:16,400 --> 00:54:16,566
well
:
00:54:16,566 --> 00:54:19,666
thank you so much for taking the time to chat today
:
00:54:19,666 --> 00:54:22,166
this was awesome and honestly
:
00:54:22,166 --> 00:54:23,033
I I do think
:
00:54:23,033 --> 00:54:25,633
a lot of people are going to take some really positive
:
00:54:25,633 --> 00:54:26,400
messages out there
:
00:54:26,400 --> 00:54:27,766
and you've inspired a lot of people
:
00:54:27,766 --> 00:54:29,066
so thanks again yeah
:
00:54:29,133 --> 00:54:33,033
and thank you for allowing me this platform to do it
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00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:35,133
it's absolutely my pleasure
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00:54:35,133 --> 00:54:37,233
I look forward to speaking more okay
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00:54:37,233 --> 00:54:40,933
alright take care and we'll talk soon okay alright
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00:54:40,933 --> 00:54:42,366
thanks Daniel bye now