St. Maarten Nickname (if people here know you better as...): I never really had a nickname; throughout the years, people knew me as Fiel.

Age: 20

City and Country of residence today: Bacolod City, Philippines

Occupation: I am currently a student, taking up Mass Media Communication.

Recap your story: I was born in Manila, Philippines, and moved to St. Maarten at the age of 9. Adjusting to a new place wasn't really tough, but the new language did give me a bit of trouble at first. Throughout the years, especially in school, I was a mischievous, restless and troublemaking student. When I was a teenager I had so many interests and hobbies; I grew up thinking that someday I would become a doctor, policeman, or businessman because my parents were encouraging me to become interested in those fields of work. After graduating from high school, I was in a quandary as to what course I should pursue in college. Realizing that art, music, internet, designing, photography and most especially filmmaking were my major interests, I finally found a perfect course for me – Mass Media Communication. The Philippines is a lot of fun. I get to meet a lot of new people, make new friends and also get in touch with my old friends. I was a volunteer for a group called Gawad Kalinga Build, which helps the less fortunate through projects such as building homes and forest restorations. Entering the organization provided me with a boost of experience with the camera and enhanced my skills. I captured many different and interesting stories about their lives and had a fun time overall. I went on a leave of absence from the group because I wasn't going to be present during the summer, but I plan to continue my volunteering on my return.

What St. Maarten district are you from? Cay Hill, St. Maarten.

Where did you go to school on St. Maarten? St. Dominic Primary School and St. Dominic High School.

What is your favourite St. Maarten memory? Too many to mention, but one of my favourite memories was an accident I had on Pinel island. It was a camping trip for our class in first form. My friends and I were playing cricket when my friend accidently hit me on my lips with a bat. It bled a lot and I was immediately rushed to the hospital. I was in a lot of pain, but in the end I just laughed about it. Now it is a funny memory.

What was your biggest surprise when you left the island? How different things are. How I miss my family on St. Maarten; and that I am now an independent person. Independence has its highs and lows, but mostly highs for me. I enjoy it very much.

What are your accomplishments? Helping out and volunteering for the better good. Besides that, I have accomplished cool concept photography and have also made a few short films/videos. My favourite accomplishment is that I created a website called irativemind.com This website shows my creativity and passion in films, pictures and graphic arts. That media creation in the website was done by my siblings and me. With this website, I will be able to enhance my skills and show people what I have captured and edited.

What are your goals? First and foremost, I want to complete my education and at least achieve my master's degree. I also want to capture interesting stories, tragic events and new discoveries through the lens of a camera, and show creative art in forms of film and photos.

What makes you special? I think it's that unique look and style I have, which a lot of people don't like; it's just a way of expressing myself and my own unique personality. I also like customizing my things, leaving nothing plain and boring.

Where do you get your drive? It's the strong motivation I have. My inspirations also give me my drive. My parents are definitely my main inspiration; without their hard work, I wouldn't be who I am today. I owe a lot of my success to them. My other inspirations are my siblings and sister-in-law, who keep pushing me to do the right thing.

How long have you been gone? About a year and a half.

Do you have any advice for the young people of St. Maarten? Stay in school and do your best; stay out of trouble and respect your elders.

Are you planning to return to St. Maarten in the future? Yes, definitely.