A Real Life Sports Movie

[Music]

Zeke: Welcome everyone to another episode of the Let’s Gather Podcast, I’m your host Zeke and in this episode I have my friend Matt,returning from the first episode to talk about sports. This is episode 8.1 A Real Life Sports Movie you can listen to the rest of the episode in episode 8.2 Life Experiences and Sports. I would like to give a content warning for any strong language used in this  episode. I hope you have a nice day. Enjoy the show. 

Zeke: Introduce yourself.

Matt: I don’t remember what I said the first time but like so. Yeah, like so. We’re all from Baruch really we’re good friends. For me personally. Um, yeah, I’m very active. I mean, previously what i said i’m very active, especially sports wise, huge sports fan. And not only only in running soccer, All sports really. So I’m a huge fan of that. Love and really probably a lot of school activities, school life club life, especially because I feel like if you want to get the most out of college, you really want to, you know, get involved really early and have you know, you know, have a good time here because you don’t want to come here this way usually said I used to be orientation leader he has Well, yeah, the team broke orientation leaders. So I always tell these incoming freshmen that, you know, just don’t want to come here and study and sleep. But you also want to, you know, have good time, make some memories. Be involved in look back. had a good time here.

Zeke: So cool. So I remember in the first episode about how you your mother ran a marathon.

Matt: Yeah,

Zeke: We didn’t get to touch on that.

Matt: We got distracted.

Zeke: I was like something should I release or not.

Matt: Yeah, no. So one of the things I’ve been proud of doing was beside from in college, I would say running the New York City Marathon how I’m originally for me sports wise I grew up with soccer and soccer you know especially in Colombian huge soccer you know football as in other countries usually that’s the correct term is that um you know, comes a really big in in soccer especially they have a lot of pride in their national soccer team so always grow around you know, soccer to soccer culture and then later on watching a lot of top European teams and yeah and then but like said I’m very more of like said very involved in all different types of sports. And when I got to high school, I first played tennis because I was the I was gonna play football. My parents…

Zeke: America um America football?

Matt:  I mean I was pretty good. I mean, I would have been a wide receiver safety quarterback but a corner but a nice set. Very dangerous and if you see me right now and kind of skinny easily get rid uh yeah brittle I could snapped or something but I’m gonna like said it’s rough sport you know shout out to all guys girls also play that sport so but um yeah so like I said I wasn’t playing football soccer I came as a freshman but soccer season started early. So I have tried out pretty much all the other sports golf. I mean I would have played golf, but then I end up playing tennis because recently I those past few summers I’m playing not crazy hard tennis.

Zeke: Yeah.

Matt: But like just casual, you know, with family and all that so I tried to team you know, they really took whoever one be interested as our plane. And pretty much we were I’m not saying we’re pretty bad we were. We’re bad pretty much like so there’s a lot of talented guys out there. You know, I came from Farmington High School in Brooklyn Bay Ridge Brooklyn shout out to Brooklyn.

Zeke: Brooklyn, where it’s at.

Matt: Yeah you know.

Zeke: Where Brooklyn at?

Matt: So yeah so like I said we when two wins 8 losses, so we’re pretty…

Zeke: Yeah I remember the first time you messed up you like we lost 2 games,  8 games out of 2.

Matt: We were 1 and 2. I was very competitive like I said, yeah I remember. I said I travel I saw

Zeke:It still hurts.

Matt: It still hurts.

Zeke: You still wake up a night with cool sweats. We lost.

Matt: So I mean that’s not the cause of it. Nah, Nah, that’s not well, Nintendo like said it was it was good experience meant a lot of guys but weren’t competitive or not saying anything bad about our team or coaches that it wasn’t really that hey, we’re losing what we’re gonna do about it.

Zeke: Yeah,

Matt: It was really it was just almost like recreational. So then the following year, my sophomore year I kind of started with, Try to do soccer team however I didn’t make tryouts I was I wasn’t meant to be me I was I was there the the the cut of like the cutoff really but like said I wasn’t really playing soccer recently a lot during that time so so it was a struggle. I didn’t have my own cleats to, like said it was really expensive like

Zeke: Yeah,

Matt: I do too, my mom’s not an immigrant To growing up playing recreational our traveling team because it’s a struggle for a lot of people to like for me. My parents, you know hardworking immigrants the you know, the proud pride with the prime and you gotta be grateful for doing like so I always hear my mom’s backstories  Yeah, my parents. Yeah, and they’re just starting to struggle just in their own homeland back in Colombia. It’s it’s crazy really puts in perspective how you want to take things for granted. You gotta appreciate the things you had right now. You know, things would have been differently. They’ve been a whole different story, either in badly or good way but you never know you always got to look forward in life and take what you have and learn from the experience so yeah going touching back on soccer like said we didn’t have enough money to like for. I don’t say we were bad in situation. Financial wise, economically wise excuse me. I was just I was just uh its too expensive, like sports in general is very expensive and it’s ridiculous.

Zeke: You have to prioritize which come first.

Matt: Yeah so that’s something for fun and all that where you know, you travel we have occasions put that money in something else. But yeah like I said it’s ridiculously expensive and you don’t get any form of training. That’s what I’m trying to say too. So I was struggling with like, with the guys who were been playing clubs for that. So you know, you always got to pick up and try to catch up work. They work well, you know, that didn’t happen. So I didn’t want to go tennis. I wasn’t I didn’t want to go tennis. What was the other sports team well, basketball. About as basketball I mean I could play defense all that I could play you know rebounds, hops and all that but shooting wise hang you’re a witness  you get.

Zeke:You hit the backboard.

Matt: Yeah

Zeke: The thing holding the backboard.

Matt: Played um intramural basketball. To be honest I was good at defence. The way I describe myself I sort a Draymond Green bad shooter. Don’t have no handles, a good hustled defense and we’ve done.

Zeke: Somehow we made the semi finals.

Matt: And assisting to say hey, Don’t look at my stats.

Zeke: Look at PSAL like, Oh, he’s doing bad.

Matt: So I wasn’t really that sweeter. Um, was the bowling team No. I mean bowling, but it’s like, no. Golf. I mean, I’m kind of interested in golf. But the problem is that here’s the thing you can’t play a lot more than one sport during the season. Seasons so tennis wasn’t same season long was in the seams on those in the winter but a golf was in the same season so you had to choose which for you weren’t playing be committed so I end up one day just volleyball tryouts, you know what let’s do volleyball but why not before volleyball well right there now swimming I tried to swimming I thought completely I literally was out of shape out of conditioning really so,

Zeke: So you drowned, got it.

Matt: I didn’t only drown but I almost threw up give you that I was it was hard I’m gonna lie Yeah, I didn’t have the form, for me like so you don’t have that pre training or I didn’t have a

Zeke:The muscle memory.

Matt: Yeah, like my friend to be the team. I had to reclass that semester so they know what to expect me I just jumped in. They have the proper like, you know the speedos whatever. I found my swim trunks and just went for it. So I was pretty bad. But um, I said, then stumbled across smuggle really and I always want to call because they usually have club like little you know, to play all that sorry it’s slowly getting better yeah it’s hard, you see volleyball you know the hands in there yet so like, oh, it should be easy. It was hard, huge learning curve but I was committed because one thing I really was driving to play that sport was good my two coaches. Coach Toby coach one shout out to them on they said they were that heart coach mentality like Hey, want me on the team? We’re not giving no crap like you know, we’re just nothing to be Sunday drive. Like you know, they really can mess up let the ball drop 10 push ups so it was a it wasn’t like say people say oh, do not portray anything I was like me personally. We were athlete you get a lot of construction criticism like pushy yelling at you don’t take it personally. Yeah. I mean, that’s, that’s you sign up for the sport. You sign up to be coached. You’re volunteering on your own time you like you’re committed to this, but at the same time you’re learning still. Yeah, so you don’t want to it’s like same thing right everything and people are critical. And you don’t take it personally because well I say someone in the street book I mean depends on certain situation but let’s say a boss or a coach if they’re yelling at you or decreasing if you’re right like I you know what. All right, we’re not I’m not doing the work there they wanted me to be doing in their eyes so let me change. Let me hear them out. Because I want to get better if I’m gonna get better I gotta understand what I’m doing wrong. So that’s like said I always get yelled at always be running around the gym because I’m messing up the ball. But I said I was still you know what I mean, that’s what I signed up for. This is what I want to do. I definitely don’t want to run around get yelled at. Hey, it takes what it you know, that’s what I need to do and get better than that show. Here really. So really, yeah, like said my then I made the team with some of my friends, that summer class sophomore class, and they’ll be all next few years together and it’s harder like said we had a group of seniors and juniors who were good, they were good. We were good. And my freshmen, Well, that was my sophomore year on first playing Barlow made the team. Hard work, hustling, you know, Believe me me I can mess up in a play by so long as a run back for a play. You know, the only thing I couldn’t do was hitting I was solved by struggling for some reason, I think momentum that point. But like I said, made the team. We had a great casts were a great team. We were ranked number two in the country, not the country, excuse me, the city PSA. So we were the best at events and we rose up to rank number one, right? Like every weekend, we went to a tournament, it’s New York City, high schools. We usually went Yeah. And we run undefeated   division easily. And then yeah, like said, then unfortunately, so we were supposed to win that chip like said the at our arch rivals that I would say is staten Staten Staten Island Tech. Excuse me. They had this young kids that were still doping so they were tall but they were voluble you know Bernie, but they have a poten, potential battle potential so this was the year to take advantage right here senior juniors and the young cast and unfortunately you kind of reach out yes and nerves you completely choke we jump in are we got by next round completely completely choked. Mm hmm. So that’s, you know what? I mean, you see all these seniors crying you see their emotions and yeah, and it’s you put so much worker into it, you go on a Saturday morning, give all your weekends. So it’s you know, it’s it sucks. But yeah, we complete choked, we should have won then the number six ranked school won the whole thing that year, which could have been a different story. But yeah, then carry out the next few years. We sat the majority of the story in lineup last year, once again, undefeated, winning long tournaments, but that’s when the other schools out and that’s when they’re young guys. Finding out better to seniors really suck that up. So I was really I never really like said then it was just us 4 to 2 and then we usually cruise through like say take those experience where you learn to like, stay calm under pressure, we didn’t get upset in the game, we just pretty much just ran towards the finals semi finals 75 of the class against aviation. I say it’s just those those of you feel like those games have been moments like me know that. And that’s why I want to move on. I know I’m not gonna become a professional athlete. I just want to have that sense of feeling if I see my idols on core like hey, me jumping up and down on the bench or you know, last minute like game pointer, you know, trying to get a kill or something. So that’s a feeling you always want to have because you know, that’s the most you ever gonna be missing. We know no one’s ever gonna become professional athlete. But for me personally, it’s like hey, this is this is what a dream job this is why I like sports because it this feelings amps with sensory And like like I said my first first year I played a little bit a little bit on especially back row second year so limited because we saw a lot of great guys still playing, always playing here and there. And then yeah, and then unfortunately, we went to the finals that year and then we got we got wiped out by Staten Island. So we lost a game on like that. And you feel like Oh, we got one shot, then we lost our starters and then hey, we’re the underdogs this first year. But then like say you put into work more or being wrong, except because he likes it because of my coaches. I was always wrong. It’s because of that and I will say that it’s the best of you. Yeah, for like coaches or anyone you look up to they have the right mentality there if they communicated well with you. And if you personally take it the good way and don’t take it Hey, you know, be criticized , I understand then you’re not gonna go anywhere. Yeah, take that. Take that criticism or something. Take what they’re telling you use as motivation use where you could, you know, correct yourself and then move on. So I got some minutes playing a lot of games already some games second half the season, you know, I had some injuries in the beginning. But like said, like say my game proved beheading wise, playing defense. I used to play any position really, yeah. Whatever. I was like six man in terms of all NBA basketball terms. Yeah. So then we were all same thing. We had a good better season still. Not as dominant as we won before, but we ranked number two and number three, excuse me, literally ran all the way back to finals. This time we took a set because in high school, different screen colleges and high schools that I’m involved will get to win two sets. The first two sets in college the first three sets so it’s a long game. But yeah, this year we find to the set. We’ve won the first set completely throw away the second. It’s the same then it was the whole team unfortunately collapse really sucked. People pointed things out here and there. And it’s kind of sucks though, because you know, it’s just you see those moments in real life professional athletes and all that teams collapse. And unfortunately, that’s what happened to us and like said, Oh, yeah, you can’t take away all the things you ever done before you keep your head up really nice. Keep moving forward. And that’s my modeling. Really. I keep your head up and keep moving forward. Because if you start looking back and start regretting this and that, then it’s gonna affect you long way. Yeah. And it’s not just for sports, but for everything else in life too. I mean, yeah. During that time, well, yeah, during that time, my mom started running because she wants go to the gym, she used to do kick boxing. I you know, she always because where I live, I live in Brooklyn. So like the marathon runs right in front of us. It’s our corner of our house. So literally, like, every November you see them running and then my mom always wanted to she had she’d win the lottery last few years. And she went, Oh, that’s a program. You do 9 races with that same organization that does the New York City Marathon. And then and then you have to do one volunteer event. So hey, that’s so easy. So she started running, running likes to show we’ve been very active over her lifestyles helped wise going to gym. And that’s around 2016 Yeah, one, four years ago, four, yeah, four years ago, roughly. And then I started up, you know, I was like, that also was pretty active. Especially revival. I did improve my conditioning wise training, training and conditioning really helped me especially for we really, really went hard. There’s a bonus right before preseason. It was two weeks of just conditioning and that was terrible. By looking back at it I really was helpful. And yeah, so I started running like you know why not lazy because I used to do 5K’s especially high schools. There used to be 5K Memorial run for one of the former volleyball players that died from cancer in senior year so like, I mean, so for the race I signed up we took my mom to a race it was a queens 10s 10K six miles. Middle of June, early morning hot humid I was like I did 5k actually I can do 10K easily.

Zeke: That’s twice as much work.

Matt: They were giving out a metal heavy metal kit. I was like, You know what, why not? You know what? And that’s where I got a little bit you know, confident in myself.

Zeke: A little too cocky.

Matt: Yeah, I got a little bit cocky. And boy, my mom did well, me the first half. I did find doing slowly you said the last two miles I just completely broke down. I was like, tryina I got cramps. I was dying. I was the I was just bad. And literally after the race, once I finish, I really had to go into a tree and try not to like throw up or something. I was like, done. I was done. Like I said, I was I was I remember that feeling. It was like, it’s terrible. I mean, that’s kind of where it started. And then my mom used to be faster than me. She was fine. She was fine. I was, you know, I was she was my role model in that because she was being dedicated and running early mornings or in the evenings. So as a leader, you know, improve myself. Then, you know, my times got better. I mean, for the first year and a half or two years, she was faster than me, you know, I have nothing against Yeah, that’s great. As long as you mom’s beating you, she’s going fast. Like it moms beating me, Hey, I have no problem saying that. And so and then now you’re she did the following. You should do her first New York City Marathon you’re on or that somebody signs you or something? For God’s grace, and it was she said she suffered but at the same time she that that’s what she wants you to accomplish her goal. She’s for your few years back she said I’m doing it, she did it to train all that and the and she did it and so on then I quote that same year qualified we all qualified actually my dad me and my mom qualified for next year which was 2018 yeah 2018 the New City Marathon 2018 Crawford for the following year. And so at that point in college, I joined the men’s volleyball team here and yes, we it was very strange. I like said first year you know, volatile terms what means giving me I’ll losing my train of thought right now but did that mean I realized volatile in terms of high school and college completely different I had to relearn how to play defense, based on where you positioning and all that and the problem comes again with your background is that um, majority these kids have been playing volleyball since little kids, there been clubs from Long Island Up State, Midwest, whatever. So they the they were playing since you know, little kids they’ve always been playing throughout the summer 24 seven, they go to clubs or that. For me I just basically learned volleyball from sophomore year of high school and literally and I struggle once a while there. So it’s now it’s really like it’s like, hey, these kids can afford these clubs. I’m not taking anything away from Yeah, I mean, they’re great players. They work hard to as well. They got skills, they got the talent, but uh, and kind of put it you know, I’m saying just just curation saying hey, like, I have no background playing blah, blah, blah. I’m trying to compete with you guys. And it’s it’s hard but I’m like, I’m gonna take away fine from anything from anyone and they deserve where are they at right now. So for the record for the record, you know, they they’ve been playing from little kids they get to experience which is great. But yeah, I mean that first year mean or you went to the CUNY finals last year that’s the only thing you shouldn’t lose to I mean, the following of my sophomore year we came back came as more like a manager because like I said, it just incoming plays with better than you you have to know your play. Oh, yeah, you will like it’s hard to say goodbye not really been that play on the team. But most of all, always tried to help out playing to guys need help and all that awesome game two brothers because you know, if you’re in team, you always want to, you know, decide give yourself 100% in whatever role you’re playing, be bench player, pr starter or whatever, but everyone has a role to play. I know some players they talk to them. Hey, if you’re a bench player, you want to play more. It’s understandable to me I was in that position many times. But um we’re one team and everyone can remember who won as a team.

Zeke: Then not going to say like this guy was on the bench, they be like the whole team won.

Matt: Yeah, man I mean yeah and and because of that like so that second year we actually won went all the way to play against Hunter on there once again on their home court this time because last the freshman year was here we got three zero lost. But we went to it was it was great. And we finished around midnight. We started like,

Zeke: Back and forth

Matt: Back and forth. We won the first set then we won the second, third, won fourth and then we went to face that everyone we were not in the fifth set. So this was just a lot of motions lost seniors because they lost a like three times against Hunter. Hunter and Baruch is great in terms of volleyball they, very dominating history. They want to like th final four in the NCAA tournament in 2012 I if I remember correctly, so yeah, they were ranked a couple times throughout their history but like said, there are moments Like school programs, moments you don’t have all the best players or you know up and down by the knee. So yeah, so like said we won the chip me personally I finally won a chip to cuz losing was in junior high school senior year high school, junior senior and a freshman. Like I lost three times in a row out of like some volleyball city championship, It’s so it’s like at least it was fitting.

Zeke: Like they finally I got it.

Matt: Yeah, got finally.

Zeke: Like Lebron when he got his first championship in Miami.

Matt: But at that same time I joined I was originally because of running. I was actually planning on running on the cross country team my freshman year, but their season started in August early. So I kind of want to settle down in college, you know, learn the ropes of things, and it was October and their season was like more than halfway done. I couldn’t do anything about it. So that’s what I kind of pursued volleyball at that point. So then my sophomore year Because well turns out timeline volleyball  is in spring, cross country in the fall. So with all of that evolvable I tend to do cross country. And I think I’m saying you thinks running simple but running is not simple. I remember the first practice was was in Central Park. Last week of August, this was started, middle of 90 100 degree heatwave. And our coach literally made us do as a first. It was like analysis run. You need to do sprints. It was like 200 300 meter sprints up and down. Well, I was about to quit that day

Zeke: He was like you know what this ain’t for me.

Matt: Like who does that? I saw I saw I tell coach once a while like hey coach you know, you would have lost me that first day. I was out, was great like said.  I saw I saw Great experience with that first year prove a lot of time wise I always like say shelf to work later, half later towards the end of the season a lot of injuries knees wise, you know, muscle wise and you know, but my time is proven dogs are able to run sub seven miles miles seven minute miles up or close to six minutes miles. I mean, plus I never came from coaching from running either. So yeah, pretty much you learn from looking at my mom’s run out and go run. That’s pretty much what I did for running. I finally getting coach final like right coaching and right practicing techniques and all that. Then I definitely showed you improvements, which I carry on to the New York City Marathon that first year. And I was going for a three hour marathon but like that’s where experience comes. I didn’t even kind of pace myself early. I kind of went on my cross country pay going hard a little bit because I felt great excited runner high. I lately put in New York. Jay Z and,

Zeke: Empire State of Mind.

Matt: Yeah, I live with that song and I got my goose bumps. I got like, Whoa, I was I was ready. I was looking over the city over.

Zeke: Like, wrong sport this ain’t a sprint.

Matt: Yes, I was out and then pretty much after I got to had it around mile 15 the cramps had hit me I hit the b wall hard, hard. So I literally dragged my legs. I had to walk a little bit bow just jogging slowly, as slow as I can. Because it was hard and then, but like I said, the people like I put my name on the map. Mm hmm. And but people people really make a difference. I see 90% of the race. I was just listening to people cheering you then actual the music because people like let’s go man, you got you got you got this and so Yeah, no doubt really helped me finish our race because I finish under exactly four hours. Four hours. Yeah, I was on pace for three hours. But hey, but my first race. Let’s just start. Yeah, so that’s pretty much terms of marathon wise and then I finished running my second marathon. And November in 2019 is a different story. Very different story. Oh, yeah. I can’t disclose any information until I graduate Baruch. So keep that in our story.

Zeke: So now I have to cut that out.

Matt: But yeah I finished.

Zeke: It was a good story. He finished.

Matt: I finished I finished I finished in five hours and 20 minutes for multiple reasons a but yeah but this year, like I said, I have a lot of injuries before then. Yeah. quads, shins, splits all that. So that cross country disappointment my times really went up terms of going slower. So as bad as it was, it was not satisfying so I’m using them for motivation for next year like someone who said he brought these pain recover. He’ll he’ll heal my ankle really and then fully just take a slow beginning and get my son back in shape.

Zeke: It looks like we will same boat on I see.

Matt: Yeah, like so I was cross training with the swim team. Hey, going back to sophomore year, high school to not here and we have seen my swing really improved. might be trying for the team again. Got metals well. To go well, yeah, that was my sense of my sports story. Like Sarah like that I was very, I was in my parents weren’t really able to provide me with like, competitive organized sports clubs or something. But I still had that drive and like hey, you know I always see models watching TVs. You know what We have our city in school wise Why not? Why not? If I might not get a lot of money sometimes I do get out can be a starter here and there. Or an athlete Oh injuries something like that. Yeah you always have to keep that motivation and keep the hunger alive because because afterwards I’m saying after college I mean I’m not going to become professional athletic me recreation waiver finally make my money I can join some leagues volleyball or soccer or something. But I’m definitely running something I’m definitely gonna be pursuing as in terms of you know, long term side hobby that definitely be very passionate about because I can’t take takes up the results. Yeah, and I went to NCAA’s we went to um NCAA’s and see the ways in upstate New York or regionals. But just for Division Three, until those guys for RUN RUN even though females to the ladies could run to as well and I say really how dedicated These athletes are I there’s some students like our best runner he in CUNY wise he put a win on our CUNY championship for like NCAA he was like less than a more we’re all way back in the pack because these these are schools as like literally running a professional time like four or five minute sub five minute miles over five because our races are 8K or five miles so they could run like barely under five minutes for five miles which is insane. But that’s something Hey, you know, all you got to taste is competition. Why not try to? Yeah, prove it’s free or live or learn?

Zeke: Mm hmm.

Matt: Always literally was there last I race but you live and learn by very much. That side of the athletic story.

Zeke: Now let’s switch this into either the immigrant story or like traveling story.

Matt: I can do travel sometime when I come back.

Zeke: Hey, your going to Spain? Right?

Matt: Yeah, I’m planning on going other places too as well.

Zeke: But Tea talked about Spain in her episode.

Matt: So when I come back I do travel episode about what I learned based on different perspective and policies, you can do that. Or you can do an immigrant story now.

Zeke: Cool cuz I don’t have a story. That stopped recording 20 minutes ago.

Matt: You don’t want to record again or going or?

Zeke: Yeah, go pick it up. We could just do it. There’s no password. The orange pink buttons Yeah. Okay, but all of a sudden. See, I don’t have a immigrant story because, okay, born here.

Matt: Now you want to start from like the second segment like I’m sorry. second segment,

Zeke: Second segment right? We get this new producer. So from the second segment second segment talking about how you have ever guessed sorry for your parents, they come from Colombia, right?

Matt: Yes, sir.

Zeke: Yeah, I don’t have one because everyone in my family is from the United States. I still get,

Matt: Do you know where your grandparents are from. I’m gonna say,

Zeke: They were born in South Carolina, but like everybody like me, I guess you came from Africa but thats like a long lineage. Want to do some research on that.

Matt: I was going to do research. So you always want to know where you come from really,

Zeke: Yeah because you have have the African American.

Matt: Or you can do the Instagram filter.

Zeke: Like Dominican Like what? Okay, cool.

Matt: Yeah, I got one from Ireland and Irish. Because I’m Irish.

Zeke: Yeah. But still get the same stories about like, how my parent my mom had to struggle and everything like that.

Matt: Yeah No it’s real like said it’s right like he was gonna be grateful for our you know our parents like cuz they we really put in sacrifice yeah it sounds cliched like oh the immigrant story I we always hear parents are suffering dads. It’s true um, but I’m not saying I’m not taking away from anyone we’re saying like God is standing here again again, because everyone has their own individual story. Everyone has their own story to be heard. Maybe they might not tell you. Yeah, but you always gotta put yourself in perspective because I feel like it’s important to know your family history. Mm hmm. Cuz that’s what makes you like, that’s what we mean. My sound please share something by it’s what makes up like, creates who you are. Yeah. And for you, like you say you have no immigrant story, but you still have a story of your family coming from South Carolina. Common core struggles here and they’re coming to you.

Zeke: Word giving birth me for some

Matt: You technology did immigrant from South Carolina.

Zeke: I remember I had write a write a  immigrant paper like seventh grade about how my family immigrated to United States? And I was like, um, nobody did that, can’t kind of write the paper.

Matt: People judging people nowadays easily, but yeah, like said are you always gonna understand the struggle. So yeah, I mean I sound very grateful where I am right now. I might not be the richest person on the world but like, hey, at least have something over my head that food is something to eat every day. So you always got to be grateful with that. But for me in my sleep, my family story like said my parents immigrated from Colombia like 20 30 years ago. So I’m really not much really, there’s a kim I mean, actually well, I came from I was in Colombia this week and I just came back yesterday. And my grandma’s is the one children’s found the story. And then we’re meeting over, it’s a family friend, and they would start talking about children here and their grandkids. And my granddad was telling his story a little bit, and seeing how my grandparents were from a small village or a very small, traditional Colombian village. And they wanted something more, so they moved from the village to the city. They had their farm kids from my dad’s was born there in the capital of Colombia with that, and then like said, you got to find they always immigrated to find to birth, better opportunities, especially finding work to the ground, and then they settled, oh, in the village where they are now, the city actually paida. That’s where my dad my mom, you know, the rest is history.

Zeke: And now your here and had to make money because they don’t have a lot of money.

Matt: I mean, my mom said was, excuse me, my mom’s like, Hey, I remember last year, I usually mix this up with my supplier that finally started working like full time. Remember, I saw working as summer camp counselor four years ago. And tradition into more often we base the type of work. I remember I finally got my first credit card bill two years ago. And my mom say, aight you paying your bills? All that like, God, I know. I’m getting my paychecks. I’m working. And then I remember one time, I asked like, hey ma, can I just get $20 some something usually that’s what I like, twice a week or something. My mom looked at me like hey, dinner the night you got a job now you had a credit card. Go to the bank, make yourself $20. Like aight.

Zeke: Aight bet.

Matt: That like can I atleast get $10. Like you think I,m a bank now boy like 20 now or something like I’m not giving you you no more money. Thanks for the motherly love, I mean thats understandable I’m not saying that bad or anything.

Zeke: I mean I feel kinda hurt, but it’s okay.

Matt: Hey, I’m your son, I’m your son.

Zeke: You gave birth to me by your choice not me.

Matt: Yeah, I’ll be like you. I am your son. I need money, I’m broke. I’m poor, can I please get $10.

Zeke: I don’t have a inheritance obviously seems like it.

Matt: Like she’s,

Zeke: Like haha. I don’t like to ask for money but if I do she give it to me.

Matt: Yeah I’m just too lazy to spend my money.

Zeke: I hate losing it.

Matt: I’m going to Madrid soon I asked for money. I mean my parents gonna help regardless.

Zeke: This podcast hurts my wallet.

Matt: Really?

Zeke: I have to pay for the digital space to host on like Google or Google Drive space to host the videos, and like on hold a,

Matt: You need sponsorship, are you looking at sponsorship anytime soon.

Zeke: Once I put it out, I’ll see what happens.

Matt: Oh, sponsor by blank, click tab and link above you will,

Zeke: Do so go somewhere and get something at some percentage. Oh,

Matt: Yeah, so if you call me gather 15, actually gather 2020 go on this website on www. link in the bio you can get 20% off your next purchase. So subscribe now.

Zeke: But I just got some licensed music for free so I’m good.

Matt: Well, you heard the man if you’re new music or new mixtape on the track you can’t man up here see the space and space you want to hear anymore links spot are all are dedicated link in the bio and the bio excuse me right now. So once you’re done with this video subscribe to the bio.

Zeke: That brings episode 8.1 to a close again you can listen to the rest of the episode in episode 8.2 Life Experiences and Sports. I hope you continue to have a nice day and hope to see you there.

[Music]