It's been a bit much...

Join for this coffee chat on the island! Life on a remote island isn't always easy and things have been a bit much lately.

[@ricosauve21]

I have just started watching your videos, i very much enjoy them and i and my wife can relate to your trials and tribulations because we live on an island that has about 5000 people, no cars , more infrastructure but it takes us about an hour from our island Boipeba, located 88klms due south of Salvador, Brazil to the nearest city Valencia if we want to get building materials, appliances ect and about 5 hours from the nearest airport. We live in a jungle house and i just got over 10 days sick from Denge and my wife breaks out from mosquito bites just like you. Keep up the great videos . We also have trials and tribulations, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger . 🇧🇷👊🌴Rob and Alessandra

[@OurIslandLife]

Oh wow! Yes very similar! Thank you for your kind comment, love reading this ☺️

[@freedomforestlife]

Very important to vocalise how you are feeling - I find it is the best way to clear those feeling out. Even though nothing changes, it feels like speaking it releases it 💚 Thank you for sharing so honestly 🙏 we've nearly caught up on all your vids now ✌🌿

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly! 🙏🏼🫶🏼

[@veronamohammed3075]

Really enjoy your videos always theres ups and downs in life but there's always a way out yup its its always a challenge for things you want to accomplish in life but you are blessed so enjoy life and be happy thankful always live life happy with whatever God provides for us thanks for the videos

[@janiverster6162]

Listening to this makes me appreciate my "normal" problems. NEVER AGAIN will I complain having to drive to the hardware store when my drill bit breaks! I would go absolutely bonkers having to deal with all that stuff on a remote island! Love from Cape Town ❤

[@OurIslandLife]

Hahaha 😆

[@kansasandinmisery]

Your story of inconvenience is so incredible! I love it. I know it must be hard to appreciate, but you live in a place where time moves differently. I know that with Amazon Prime you can get like a toaster on the same day you order it, but, I know I'm not living your life, but everything you own and every action you take is so much more valuable, and considered. Sorry for your trouble, but you'll get through it! OH and I love your videos, amazing stuff.

[@OurIslandLife]

Oh yes 1000% percent! Could not agree more! Time definitely moves differently here, and that’s part of the beauty! (But also a bit frustrating at times hahaha 😆)

[@CalmDown4628]

Love your authentic narratives. Just discovered your channel. Keep up the good work!❤

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you 🫶🏼

[@manuelacarraro7764]

Same here! and I love your honesty. May the force be with you!💪😊

[@valynteena]

I did enjoy your chat with us and wished it was longer. Thank you so much for sharing. Much love ❤

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you!! ☺️

[@tuan409]

Been binge watching your channel lately. Love your contents and way of life. Keep up the good work. You’re doing great!!!

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you so much!

[@meiru882010]

Same here.

[@lorraineboulos6367]

I just discovered your channel a few days ago and have been binging your videos. I am really enjoying them. I like this “coffee chat” style very much. I would love to see more of them and hear more about your adventures. If you are looking for ideas, I would love to know a bit of your history - how did you end up in the Mentawai Islands, how did you end up learning to surf, how did you and An meet and start dating, how did you learn to speak the Mentawai language, how did An learn to speak English, where does An’s family live, has your family ever come to the Island to visit you? Your life is fascinating!

[@OurIslandLife]

Wow thank you! And yes, definitely gonna do another coffee chat or a q&a or something ☺️

[@alexandra.akasha]

I love this honest video! Thank you for sharing about this!

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you! 🙏🏼

[@ryansilvan2927]

I just found your channel from the video Strick and Fran (B2B Castaways) posted today. I'm enjoying your videos and stories. Good luck with the upcoming solar panel install and looking forward to following you all. Take care from Oakland, California.

[@OurIslandLife]

Aw thank you for following along!!

[@marciawambui1965]

You're amazing,love the authenticity ❤

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you so much 🫶🏼🙏🏼

[@wrnonahante-gr2il]

Thanks for this video i wiil not complain anymore walking 15 mins to take the tram going to the city center (Brussel) to buy things and food that i miss from Philippines ( we got a lot of Asian store here 8 mins by tram (not 1hour and a half)😊

[@afi2288]

Living in Indonesia, especially on remote islands, requires a lot of patience. Sorry, this is just a little advice. Hope you are have fun and enjoying your day by day. 💪👍🍹😋

[@cherylsibson2529]

Was good to hear.

[@OurIslandLife]

🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@julesly]

Hello from Toledo, OH in the US. Love watching whatever you post. It’s so cool to see a life so very different than mine. Stumbled upon your account awhile back and have loved watching your island life since. Thank you for showing us what life is like there. I would love to see a tour of the whole island, maybe where you talk about the different kinds of plants, trees, fruits, what’s edible ot edible etc. and maybe the wildlife, too. I’m a city girl, and island life is fascinating.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes that’s a great idea! We’ve actually been wanting to walk all around the island and do a video about it but haven’t found the time yet 🫣

[@zaninovi]

love your chanel. i just found it by accident. i also live on an island. 2,5 h from the mainland.. so i feel you. :) sometimes is hard. and you are even more extreme. best wishes

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes, it’s definitely not always easy 🫣 thank you fir watching!

[@notyouraveragegringos]

I can imagine your frustration with the drill bit breaking and running out of the materials you need for your project. Not being able to source tools and materials locally is definitely a challenge. Take care ❤

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly 😆

[@tracythomas7692]

Hello from Wisconsin, USA. We have our challenges here too. We just had snow, flooding and a power outage. Trees were up- rooted and blown over. Every place has its challenges. I enjoy hearing about yours because they are so different from mine. I'm always happy when you post a new video.

[@OurIslandLife]

Oh that’s pretty hectic! Yes, exactly, every place has its challenges!

[@noramax2925]

Another greeting from Wisconsin a northern state in the U.S. Just started watching your channel. I appreciated your stories of how you live on Mentawai Island. Coffee chats are a good video. I like learning about your and An’s culture and have a lot of respect for the way you are living. I am impressed how you make curry from scratch and don’t open a can or carton of coconut milk to make it. It must taste soooo much better. I 🙏 your mosquito bites have healed. Thank you for sharing your lives.

[@garyblack2858]

Thank you for your efforts. Do enjoy your videos very much.

[@OurIslandLife]

Thanks Gary! Love hearing that!

[@danielvandenbulck2714]

Mooi en eerlijk ,, inderdaad overal zijn er ups en downs! Grtz dan 🍀🫶

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly! 🤗😊

[@elmonte7834]

thanks for sharing

[@OurIslandLife]

🙏🏼

[@ruthdh4077]

Hey! Ik ben net op je kanaal gebotst en waaw, heerlijk om jullie leven daar van dichtbij te mogen zien. Ook de mindere kantjes mogen er zijn, die maken de mooie momenten nog zo waardevol (klinkt zo cheesy maar tis waar he). Jullie video's zijn echt een plezier om te bekijken! Bedankt daarvoor, hopelijk mogen we nog lang vanop de zijlijn volgen hoe liefdevol jullie jullie leven daar leiden. Groetjes uit Gent!

[@OurIslandLife]

Ja inderdaad! Dankjewel 🙏🏼

[@foreverlovesophie]

Love your videos and realness! Things will get better . Sending you love and good vibes from California, USA 🇺🇸 ❤️

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@woodsmanforlife1677]

You and your channel where mentioned in an MSN article last week; this is how I found you. I watched several videos and shorts (both new and old) and have mixed feelings about. Wish I could be blunt with you but manners prevent me from doing so.

[@ellen4094]

Hey Marjolein, love the vunerabiltiy & honnesty! Dank je wel for sharing!! Keep going, seems your fan base is growing and we love youtube channel. Groetjes & knuffel uit zwitzerland.

[@OurIslandLife]

Ooh dankjewel voor de lieve comment Ellen! ☺️

[@JacynthePiche]

Hello, I understand you very well. People have to tendency to imagine or confuse the everyday life on a island as tourism/vacation. Life is life with the good and the bad wherever to decide to live. Enjoy the good and hope the bad will go away fast.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly! ☺️🫶🏼

[@rodzz5625]

Enjoyed it!

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you!

[@lenaflora_]

Really awesome! 🙏🏼

[@OurIslandLife]

Hihi thank you! 🫶🏻

[@jonr473]

Any and all videos are appreciated 🙏🏼 coffee chats are awesome 😃

[@OurIslandLife]

Aah thanks Jon!

[@Freedom-33]

There wouldn’t be any good times without the hard ones. The harder you struggle, the more you can appreciate later

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes definitely 💯

[@trudiprigge1883]

I hope you were able to revive your emotions and body on your visit to the Netherlands! Bring some vitamins back for you too!

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes definitely ☺️☺️

[@DavidCheok]

Stuff like drill bits especially those prone to breaking e.g. small ones or those often used, always buy spares. At least 3-4 of each size. Same with screws. Even when we have shops nearby, its still a hassle to go get something when you are in the flow of doing something.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes 💯😅

[@CharlieC738]

Have you ever thought of hosting tours about Island life. I'm sure people would be interested. I would.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes! We actually do that from time to time for guests of nearby surfcamps ☺️

[@nasha21]

Might be you can start planting vegetables which easily grown in the island.. can be your new things to share...

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes 💯

[@nici8853]

❤❤❤ for the algorithm and the great content.

[@OurIslandLife]

❤️

[@always.wondering.wandering]

I love coffee chats. You should tell us stories about growing up in Belgium. How did you get into surfing?

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes! Thinking of doing a Q&A video soonish ;)

[@jenniecallomon164]

Just found you …loving the videos x

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you Jennie! 🤗

[@jamesau100]

l'm from hong kong, just retired and move to thailand and stay in a small village with my thai wife and their family. lt's a big different l know, please enjoy it. Live will go on, everyday is fresh with sunshine.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly ☺️

[@leoescobar4308]

sending u love

[@OurIslandLife]

🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@AlumniO2-98.BOEDOET1]

Wow

[@OurIslandLife]

☺️

[@lenielam8670]

You can apply tea tree oil to escape from mosquito bite, how u bake ur pineapple cake...sure very delicious...can give me a recipe..tq

[@OurIslandLife]

Maybe i’ll have to make it again sometime and film it 😆

[@lenielam8670]

@@OurIslandLife yes...waiting

[@kayakcobber524]

Lived many years like that as well in the Phillippines, when half my age. Far in the hinterlands, build a native house and no electricity and running water etc....all takes so much time to complete (even little) projects. Alles wat ik in je videos zie, is precies hetzelfde. Van de waterput, eten maken, wassen, wonen etc. Nu heb je internet en kan je snel even bijtanken en even een vertrouwde stem horen of informatie opzoeken. Anyway, ups and downs horen erbij: Gewoon even wat ijsblokken meenemen van de stad en lekker afkoelen in een speciekuip doet wonderen in de tropen.

[@OurIslandLife]

Hahahaa jaa! Cool! ☺️

[@user-lo5be8op4h]

❤

[@OurIslandLife]

🙏🏼

[@jonathansenal9126]

THE FOLLOWING IS NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE: My experience in South East Asia is that antibiotics are over the counter, as opposed to in the US where we need prescriptions for them. If you don’t already do so, you should keep a 10-day course of antibiotics on hand to take WHILE YOUR IMMEDIATELY SEEKING MEDICAL DIRECTION FROM A PHYSICIAN. I’ve heard you refer to the dangers of skin infections in two different videos. You’re correct: the potential for disaster is great for an uncontrolled, acute skin infection. Penicillins, 1st generation cephalosporins (I.e., cephalothin), ciprofloxacin, etc. If you get an infection bad enough to initiate a course of antibiotics, you must immediately seek advice from a physician.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes 💯 we usually have a course of antibiotics here at home.

[@Nes_T]

Would love a story time video on how you both met please.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes planning on doing a video like that soon(ish) 😉

[@Jay-hd6eq]

I appreciate your life in forest but I am surprised that for how many years you will live life like this as you will have child and then their future will be your prime objective in life.

[@daniellarsson8403]

we (me and my wife) love ALL your videos!

[@OurIslandLife]

Oooh thanks Daniel!

[@Elly-yf6iq]

I remember my friend prada kalaweit she's youtuber and living in the jungle in borneo with family

[@OurIslandLife]

Oh gonna look up her channel! 🤗

[@jo2hoop]

How do you deal with MosQuitos ....?

[@OurIslandLife]

Long pants at night & mozzie net to sleep always!

[@jordanallen3078]

People feel a bit 'blah' sometimes, no matter where they live. You're living in what looks like paradise to 99% of the global population, if that makes you feel any better lol.

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes exactly!

[@jasminsummers1211]

Hi Guys ALOHA From NZ. I have just watched one of your docos so far!! AND LOVED IT THANK YOU FOR SHARING and Wanted to CONNECT to help ease Your Loneliness and Mine!!

[@OurIslandLife]

Thank you! Sending lots of sunshine and love your way!

[@vanmp124]

Hello from Bali! Although we kinda feel like we are in mainland over here, sometimes things just don’t work… and we have so many of those days also. There’s no pretty perfect paradise in this world, we will always have days like this. 🫶🏼

[@OurIslandLife]

Yes absolutely 💯