Bati Bleki

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Latin Vibes Culinary Affair at UA

about 15 hours ago

We have been lamenting the scarcity of employees in Aruba, especially qualified employees. AHATA estimates a shortage of 1,500 people, but in fact more are needed because hospitality service providers will require more hands as well to satisfy the resorts’ requirements. Drum roll…fanfare. Get ready for good news. The university of Aruba is incubating, hatching,

batibleki.wheninaruba.com
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Latin Vibes Culinary Affair at UA

about 15 hours ago

We have been lamenting the scarcity of employees in Aruba, especially qualified employees. AHATA estimates a shortage of 1,500 people, but in fact more are needed because hospitality service providers will require more hands as well to satisfy the resorts’ requirements.

Drum roll…fanfare. Get ready for good news.

The university of Aruba is incubating, hatching, raising, spectacularly talented young people in the food, beverage & event arena.

Just recently UA organized a Latin Vibes Culinary Affair, as a fund raiser for the faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies, in the already gorgeous, historical school. It was an impeccable affair, starting with a cocktail hour in the garden, and evolving into a delicious 5-course dinner, with wine pairing in the inner courtyard.

The list of attendees included most of the hotel executives in Aruba, and I hope they used the opportunity to hand out business cards and sweet-talk the servers, meaning the students, into applying for a job at their properties, when they graduate.

The students managed to create magic with the help of Divi & Tamarijn All-Inclusives culinary brigade and members of management, Director of Hotel Operations at Divi & Tamarijn All-Inclusives Freddy Zedan, Executive Sous Chefs Lyssette v/d Biezen and Carrick Maduro, and service team leader Simon Pleas.

The evening featured thoughtful and entertaining surprises, the students matched music with every dinner course, pairing Cuban ceviche with Cuban music, Mexican Tarasca Soup with three adorable young Mariachi singers, Brazilian Kibbe with Bosa Nova by DJ Alex, a Conga player and two saxophonists, one on the wraparound terrace overhead, and one on stage. Argentinean steak went well with an enthusiastic Tango singer and dancers. A Puerto Rican coconut dessert concluded the evening over Salsa.

Each course dressed the courtyard with different colored lights and national flags. Did I mention a cigar roller as an early evening prop, a real live one. Wine pairing courtesy of TEC and Divino.

It was perfection down to the last detail — even menus were personalized with the name of the esteemed diner on top.

The bartenders, courtesy of Romar Trading, told me they poured more than 300 cocktails, Cinnamon Mojito, Ginger Margarita, La Perla, an elegant libation made with whiskey and wild berries, in just one hour, as a precursor to the fun night.

Congratulations to the team, and their coaches.

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Aruba Excels Once Again in the Second Annual ABC Beach Tennis Cup

about 21 hours ago

The second edition of the ABC Beach Tennis Cup took place this past weekend, from March 22 to 25, in Bonaire. The sporting event draws top beach tennis players from each island to battle it out for their respective island nations. With 80 teams and 160 players total signed up for the ABC Cup, it

batibleki.wheninaruba.com
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Aruba Excels Once Again in the Second Annual ABC Beach Tennis Cup

about 21 hours ago

The second edition of the ABC Beach Tennis Cup took place this past weekend, from March 22 to 25, in Bonaire. The sporting event draws top beach tennis players from each island to battle it out for their respective island nations. With 80 teams and 160 players total signed up for the ABC Cup, it was a completely full tournament.

Held as part of the Bonaire International Sports Week, the tournament witnessed Aruba’s athletes clinching numerous gold medals, underscoring their dominance in the sport. Amongst the categories contested, Aruba particularly excelled in the Advanced Men and Women as well as the Open Women divisions.

In the highly competitive Open Women’s category (top level play), Maria Buuts and Eugemine Ignacio from Aruba dominated the competition, securing the gold medals with their outstanding performance during an intensely tight match against Bonaire’s Farah Mesbahi and Inge Vos. In the Advanced Men’s category, Anderson Giel and Amaro Maduro showcased their exceptional skills and determination to claim victory. The Advanced Women’s division witnessed an all-Aruba final match, with Jenna El Oualkadi and Rixt Kramer emerging as the winners, while Yentl Lieuw and Jacomien Aleman represented Aruba as runners-up, further strengthening Aruba’s dominance in the ABC Cup.

The annual tournament also gives a good indication of the rising level of beach tennis on the individual islands and the results are visible in the Open Men category with an all Bonairian final played by Jerry Lomp and Sigrel Burnet against champions Tim Eikholt and Joeri van Bon.

Highlighting the camaraderie and teamwork encouraged by events like the ABC Beach Tennis Cup, the tournament was a chance for players from nearby islands to come together, enjoy the sport, and connect. The Aruba Open Beach Tennis Championships, which takes place every November on Bushiri Beach, is one of the biggest beach tennis events worldwide, attracting players from across the globe. Bonaire regularly sends around 50 players to this event, so it is only natural for Aruba to return the favor by visiting Bonaire’s expanding beach tennis facility, strengthening the bond between the sister islands even more.

Looking back on Aruba’s impressive performance over the weekend in Bonaire, Marc Kiezebrink of Beach Tennis Aruba says he is incredibly proud of the athletes’ accomplishments, attributing their success to their unwavering dedication and hard work. He emphasized the growing popularity of beach tennis globally and within the ABC Islands, applauding Aruba’s players for leading the charge once again.

For more updates and information about Beach Tennis Aruba, please visit www.beachtennisaruba.com.

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Celebrating & Supporting Women at the Hilton

1 day ago

The IWD, International Women’s Day has been celebrated around the world since 1911. The day aspires to inspire gender equality around the world and to free people from bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, while promoting diversity, fairness, and inclusion. Each year on March 8th, the island is reminded of these values, and the need to work

batibleki.wheninaruba.com
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Celebrating & Supporting Women at the Hilton

1 day ago

The IWD, International Women’s Day has been celebrated around the world since 1911. The day aspires to inspire gender equality around the world and to free people from bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, while promoting diversity, fairness, and inclusion.

Each year on March 8th, the island is reminded of these values, and the need to work together to collectively celebrate achievements and raise awareness about prominent issues.

At the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino IWD activities were spread along a number of days in March. The most memorable activity was the Women’s Café, in which team members were invited to connect over coffee, cookies and snacks, to exchange views about important topics, in small groups, sitting at round tables.

Each group enjoyed the contributions of team members as well as professionals. They discussed how to balance a career and family life, how to age healthily, how to nurture one’s own spirituality, and how to be true to oneself, becoming who we really are, rather than who we are expected to be.

It was at once clear that all women around the tables shared the same dilemmas and pondered the same existential questions. The sisterhood of women that formed in the room lent the experience an intimate feel, easing connections between participants from different departments and age groups.

The forum also appreciated the candid and interesting talk by Marisol Croes who described her own personal journey, to define her individual identity.

The women at the Hilton, purposeful and enthusiastic, celebrated the day by supporting and motivating each other, and derived a deep sense of community and empathy from the involvement.

The event was organized by the Department of Human Resources, and Nicole Hart of Ama Lurra, Consultancy Coaching and Training.

#InspireInclusion2024.

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World Happiness Report 2024, powered by the Gallup World Poll

2 days ago

The recent world happiness report was published March 20th and ranked 140 countries around the globe according to happiness, well-being, and the essence of a great life. The idea that happiness is an important indicator to how well a country does hails from Bhutan, a poor, underdeveloped county in the Himalayas, where GDH, Gross Domestic

batibleki.wheninaruba.com
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World Happiness Report 2024, powered by the Gallup World Poll

2 days ago

The recent world happiness report was published March 20th and ranked 140 countries around the globe according to happiness, well-being, and the essence of a great life.

The idea that happiness is an important indicator to how well a country does hails from Bhutan, a poor, underdeveloped county in the Himalayas, where GDH, Gross Domestic Happiness was being measured to indicate how well the country based on humble and modest Buddhist principles, was doing.

Then the UN also realized that GDP, Gross Domestic Product, in no longer a good indicator to measure how successful a country is and adopted the principles introduced by Bhutan.

They have been publishing WHRs, Would Happiness Reports, since 2012

Gallup conducts the poles annually, questioning 3 million people in 150 languages, and Oxford university compiles the data.

Why isn’t GDP a satisfactory indicator? Because for example, it doesn’t take into consideration how much damage was done to the environment due to economic development or how many rivers and oceans got polluted, how many people lost their jobs, how many more cancer patients diagnosed.

In general happiness is a difficult thing to measure because it is subjective, and differs between people and genders, in the various stages of their life.

Even the United States Declaration of Independence from 1776 only promises Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, not the finding of happiness, but countries have the moral obligation to create an environment where the pursuit of happiness is possible.

The World Happiness Report questionnaire polls participants from all walks of life in 14 areas with core questions about: (1) business & economy, (2) citizen engagement, (3) communications & technology, (4) diversity (social issues), (5) education & families, (6) emotions well-being, (7) environment & energy, (8) food & shelter, (9) government and politics, (10) law & order (safety), (11) health, (12) religion & ethics, (13) transportation, and (14) work.

The data compiled in these report is designed to help governments make good decisions because economic development on its own is a terrible goal, the well-being of the people who live in the country is a much better one. And it depends on how many green areas they have around them, how good the air quality, how easy the commute to work, how convenient the public transportation, how great the schools. Other issues that matter to people such as reasonably priced childcare, availability of housing, efficient and accessible health care, well equipped and trained police, equal the pay, color-blindness, tolerance, inclusivity, supportive civic society organizations, engaged neighbors etc., contribute to our well-being and the satisfaction we derive from life.

We should all be asking these questions:

Does the country have our backs, is it there to support us?

Or do we feel that we are supporting the government?

Are our governors governing with our needs in mind?

With the needs of our kids?

Our aging parents?

Our pets?

The rankings: Finland has been in the first place for five years. The US and Germany once in the top 20, slipped to #23 and #24 respectively, probably because of the war in Europe. Afghanistan is in the bottom of the list at #143. Venezuela #83, Colombia #76, Costa Rica #11, Netherlands #9

World happiness report

 

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Bati Bleki Buzz, Weekly Recap, March 24th, 2024

3 days ago

Visit Pepe Margo Distillery on March 18, for a first taste of 1499 Tesoro Rum https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/visit-pepe-margo-distillery-on-march-18-for-a-first-taste-of-1499-tesoro-rum/ Nos Norma y Balornan, our norms & values https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/nos-norma-y-balornan-our-norms-values/ What’s happening with car rentals! https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/whats-happening-with-car-rentals/ The former Bay Side Mall is now the WestStraat Art Boulevard, WestArt. https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-former-bay-side-mall-is-now-the-weststraat-art-boulevard/ Radisson Blu Celebrates its Third Anniversary. https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/radisson-blu-celebrates-its-third-anniversary/  

batibleki.wheninaruba.com
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Bati Bleki Buzz, Weekly Recap, March 24th, 2024

3 days ago

Visit Pepe Margo Distillery on March 18, for a first taste of 1499 Tesoro Rum

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/visit-pepe-margo-distillery-on-march-18-for-a-first-taste-of-1499-tesoro-rum/

Nos Norma y Balornan, our norms & values

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/nos-norma-y-balornan-our-norms-values/

What’s happening with car rentals!

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/whats-happening-with-car-rentals/

The former Bay Side Mall is now the WestStraat Art Boulevard, WestArt.

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-former-bay-side-mall-is-now-the-weststraat-art-boulevard/

Radisson Blu Celebrates its Third Anniversary.

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/radisson-blu-celebrates-its-third-anniversary/