Last Saturday, the 12th of November, together with 2 amazing people in my life, @qeysolutions and @cultuurfort, we were part of probably the conference for which at the beginning I had the least idea what to expect but at the same time my gut feeling telling me not to miss it: Steemfest!!

Welcome to my city, Amsterdam

Actually, was it a conference? Was it a social gettogether of a bunch of interesting people with some cool ideas? I'm not sure yet, and still figuring out how to explain it to the people in my life who are not (yet) into these new technologies. One shoutout to @mrs.steemit and her dance video, I've been using it to explain to people what steemit is about.

How amazing is it that we can be part of this new concept of the sharing culture, and having the possibility to make some money while sharing! Instead of all the financial benefits going into the pockets of the big corporations behind the system.

So for me the decision was quite obvious, I'm going to be part of this but at the same time the challenging question arising: HOW?

While my mind is playing with this question, I will just start introducing myself.

Hello

Family and friends know me as Roy. Born on the Caribbean island Curaçao, that is near the coast of Venezuela and for some time now I made Amsterdam my home. I’m working as a process coordinator on the subsidy department of the city of Amsterdam. Enough of the boring stuff.

Besides my j.o.b. I have a wide range of interests, while writing this I realise that my passions mostly evolve around a couple of recurring themes.

I need to start with my personal (spiritual) growth. From an early age my imagination was struck by the big question: "WHY". This led me from Buddhism, yoga, to Napoleon Hill, Richard Bandler, Tim Ferriss (my favourite podcasts, by the way), and so many others. This list would be completely out of place if I don't mention Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, who with his inner engineering is part of my life for some time now.

As an extension of my spiritual growth I see that my physical growth goes hand in hand with it. For me this is through (again) yoga, and tai chi. When my muscles need more challenge it will be with crossfit or freeletics, and to wine down with some salsa. Ooh, I want to start with kizumba also. For those not familiar with this dance from Angola, I will upload some video (once I figure out how to do that here 😊).

On a site note, just writing about working out I start to get hungry. Crazy huh? To some extent I'm a foodie too, I love to get a taste of new restaurants, and experimenting in the kitchen. I am definitely a meat lover, while having my first experiments with some delicious vegan dishes. I'm looking forward to what I will come across on steemit about veganism.

Best Brazilian food in New York, Miss Favela @ Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
You need to try the pineapple caiprinha when you’re there!!

Third on my list of interest: Money money money!! 💰
In my case it is money through trading. It might be one thing you don't directly associate with passion. But I can be really passionate about it. I have learn alot about myself by just being in the market. Like most things in life, I had some good and some bad experiences with it. Naturally here is where my curiosity for cryptocurrency, blockchain, and of course steemit comes from.

Travel, travel, and some more travel
You might have wonder already: What is this name? worldofmwenzo?
Mwenzo is derived from the word 'mwenzi' from the African language, Swahili, and meaning: "travel companion".

I will try to give a short explanation how this name came to me.

Dubai, my place for inspiration and to experience what imagination can make possible.
2020 host of World Expo, let’s make a plan to meet there.

Like many friends around me, I love to travel. Quite often we will discuss the latest destinations we visited, the craziest things we come across, etc. Sometimes also discussing some practical stuff, like if you happen to be in Bern, Switzerland, and need to get a haircut. Where can you go to get your afro all fly again?

from BET - - (don't sue me)

Then you have the exchanging of notes when it comes to partying abroad. For instance when you’re in Dubai or Hong Kong, and you want to get down on the dancefloor on some salsa music. Where do you go?

Decisions decisions, what to do, enter or not. Hell, no risk no game!!

It didn't take long for my gettogethers with friends to turn into these ideas-popup sessions. The list got longer and longer:
-Where do I find the best Dominican food in Paris?
-Can I have a Nigerian nightout in Amsterdam?
-Are the Caribbean islands more than just sun, sea, and a good time? Once you've seen one, have you seen them all?
-Where do you have to be for the best jerk chicken in London?
-Is Europe's biggest reggae festival in Germany or Spain?
-How do the Caribbean carnivals compared to Rio's world famous carnival?

Enjoying Carnaval on my island Curaçao, with family and friends

Eventually the type of questions started to change, it went to:
-How does the Belgium chocolate city of Antwerp relate to the African country, Democratic Republic of Congo?
-Where can I see the evidences that there was a presence of North Africans in Spain in ancient times?
-I keep hearing that Haiti at some point was the richest country in that region. Wassup with that? What went wrong?
-Who was this Mansa Musa from Mali, and supposedly the richest man ever (?!) in the world? Let's visit Mali!!
-Is it true that Sudan has the most pyramids in the world? Is it save to visit?

Something that started with a simple practical question: Can I get my afro cut in Switzerland? This steadily grew as something fun, educational, confrontational, emotional, with a natural thirst to know more.
To know the truth.
To be open and honest and holding nothing back.
To know our history.
To embrace diversity.
To learn and celebrate this One World belonging to all of us.

Probably the most captivating museum I visited so far dealing with the
transatlantic slave trade. I might be biased, it’s on my island, Curaçao. (Still have to
visit Elmina in Ghana though, can’t wait!)

Just like that, in a natural flow it was there: Mwenzo, your travel companion

This is the start guys, I have no idea yet how it is going to be. But would love to share this yourney with you here on steemit. It is excited and I'm figuring out how to use the platform better. I guess as with my gut feeling about steemfest, I'm gonna give it a shot.

I better get back to my mind playing with the question: How I'm going to start on steemit.

My mind seems like not able to come up with anything more than: For the social lovers of tech in a bright future wherein the revolution will not be centralised.

Lastly I want to give a shoutout to everybody I’ve seen at steemfest, everybody who triggered my mind, the ones I had a chance to meet personally, have a convo with, just exchange some words with, @ned, @roelandp, @neillstrauss, @wadepaterson, @heiditravels, @rocket.chat, @everlove,. Unfortunately I had to leave early, but already looking forward to the next steemfest.

Thank you, and till the next time.

My name is Roy, and I'm out for now… 👊