EP32: Marlene Nichols-Scherrenburg Shares What It’s Like Living on Aruba

Today on One Happy Podcast I am being joined by Marlene Nichols-Scherrenburg. Marlene is a Chicago born but raised in California girl who has been living on the island of Aruba for the last 15 years. Over the course of those 15 years Marlene has experienced the island in ways that most of us will only ever dream about. I met Marlene on my latest trip to Aruba while visiting Cheryl Talcof (from episode 19) and asked her to be on the show. Just like some of you at first Marlene didn’t know she was the right kind of person for the show but as you will find out she was actually a fantastic guest.

On this episode of the show Marlene gives a glimpse into Aruba from the point of view of someone who lives and works on the island. As an Aruba vacationer we do things one way but, when you are living on Aruba things can be quite different. Listen as Marlene explains what adjustments she needed to make in order to get used to life in paradise. Also find out what restaurants earn Marlene’s seal of approval as awesome values. You may want to pay special attention to the food part as in addition to Marlene being a foodie she is also married to one of the best chefs on the island, Jan Scherrenburg of Barney’s.

While most of the episodes of One Happy Podcast are geared towards vacationers this is a must listen for those considering someday making the move. As many of you can attest it’s quite normal to dream about moving to the island while on vacation. Marlene did things a bit differently as she moved there without having ever been to Aruba. On Episode 32 you will not only hear why this isn’t the best way to go about things but Marlene also shares valuable advice for the right way to decide whether or not Aruba is the right place for you to relocate to.

Details

EP20: Andrea James Goes Bananas in Aruba

Joining me on this 20th episode of One Happy Podcast the Officially Unofficial Podcast of the Island of Aruba is a guest many of you are already familiar with, Andrea James. Andrea was a guest on episode number 2 of the show and there she shared the story of how she fell in love with Aruba. Well, Andrea is just back from a trip she took in May and is here to share that little adventure with the rest of us.
Normally Andrea stays at one of the resorts on the island but this time she switched things up by staying someplace off the beaten path, Banana Apartments. Over the course of this episode Andrea tells us all about Bananas, a couple of different restaurants and a few activities she and her husband Paul enjoyed during their two week stay.

Andrea has 35 years of experience visiting Aruba and being able to tap into a bit of the knowledge she has accumulated over the years is definitely a treat. The first episode with Andrea got great feedback and I am positive you all will enjoy this one just as much, if not more.

Details

EP2 – Aruba Then and Now with Andrea J.

Relatively speaking I’m a newbie when it comes to Aruba vacations, so when I wanted to find out what Aruba was like before it became so popular I knew exactly where to turn. On today’s episode of One Happy Podcast I talk with Andrea James who has been visiting the island for over 30 years.

Over the course of those 30 plus years Andrea has seen Aruba transform from little known Caribbean paradise to one of the most popular Caribbean vacation destinations hosting over 1 million visitors each year. When not in Aruba, Andrea also doubles as one of the “Rockstar” forum moderators over at Aruba.com. Today we talk to Andrea about not only how the island has changed but also what it’s like to tasked with keeping arguably the most active Aruba online community drama and spam free.

Over the course of the 46 minute interview one thing becomes clear… Andrea loves Aruba. Andrea’s passion for her second home definitely shines through and will leave you wanting to book a trip the minute you finish listening.

Details