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Run your own resort. It had been a dream of Ileen Vaes (30) from Heusden-Zolder and Thomas van den Bussche (30) from Sint-Niklaas for years. Thanks to the VTM program Paradise is looking for Staff that dream came very close. The couple won and were allowed to run Zanziblue on Zanzibar for a year. But the adventure is already over. “What a poisoned gift.”
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Nele Coune
Today at 10:33–
They were convinced that they would come in second, but at the end of March you could see how Thomas and Ileen had started the VTM program on VTM. Paradise is looking for Staff won. In it, six duos competed for a job in paradise: running the Zanziblue resort on Zanzibar.
The travelers from Heusden-Zolder and Sint-Niklaas had already seen a lot of the world, including Zanzibar, and shared one big dream. “We have been together for almost nine years now, but have dreamed of running our own guest house for seven years now. We have done various jobs over the years to gain as much experience as possible.” In Zanzibar they could gain even more experience. “We are now really working towards our dream. This program has shown us that we can achieve great things.” †Read more below the photo)
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The plan was to work on the island for a year, but just before departure, the couple already talked about a longer stay. “The owners are talking about two to three years. We live from day to day. We grab every challenge that comes our way with both hands and then we’ll see how it goes. So we are not going to set a time frame here yet, but we are already starting with one year.”
Empty box
On April 4, the real adventure started. Ileen and Thomas boarded a plane to Zanzibar. But apparently they were back in the air after a month. “What should have been a beautiful story turned into a nightmare,” Thomas writes on Instagram. “Everything was sold in Belgium and left for Zanzibar with full enthusiasm. After a month we booked a ticket back home ourselves. What a poisonous gift. Lots of empty promises, inhumane treatment and above all what a toxic working atmosphere. We are currently still waiting for a refund of the outward flight of 1,300 euros. Waited a year and a half for an empty box.”
Thomas also shares some wise lessons in the same message that he has learned from this experience: “Never be underpaid for your work. Never allow yourself to be used as an object or marketing stunt. Never let your bosses belittle you, making mistakes is allowed. Promises are promises. Always be yourself and enjoy life.”
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