A worldwide pandemic threw a spanner in the works, but finally, in the spring of 2022, colleague Martijn van der Zalm was able to make the trip to Curaçao he won back in 2019. His name was pulled from a top hat during our summer BBQ and with that he became the winner of the Nekst IT project ‘bring in new colleagues’.
“I was speechless ”, admits Martijn when we talk to him a few weeks after his holiday return. “I always assume that I won’t win anything. With the lottery, with a sports pool. And also with this work contest. And then all of a sudden my name was drawn. I was perplexed, but also very happy.”
Prize: To Go to Curaçao With Three Friends
Let’s go back in time a bit. It is spring 2019, pre-corona, and Nekst IT founders André and AnneMarie are looking for new talent. They decide to give away a prize to the existing employees: anyone who proposes someone to work at Nekst IT in the coming months will be put into a jar with their name. During the annual summer Nekst IT BBQ, Andre will draw a name and this person then wins a trip to Curaçao, and can bring three other people.
“And I was the lucky one,” said Martijn. “Fortunately, I didn’t get squint looks from jealous colleagues. Everyone was happy for me. In that regard we’re a great bunch of people. Plus: AnneMarie and André regularly organize fun outings or prizes like this. Everyone has a chance to win a nice extra every now and then.”
Tickets in and Then... a Pandemic
At the end of 2019, Martijn booked a total of four airline tickets for the nine-day trip. “We were supposed to leave in the spring of 2020, but then corona came. The trip was postponed. We ended up leaving two years later. I said to the three friends I’d invited to come along, “Guys, make sure you’re able to go, or I’ll leave without you.” Luckily everyone was able to take time off.”
On arrival in Curacao, Martijn was more than pleasantly surprised by both the house and the island. “I wouldn’t be so quick to book a holiday to a tropical island myself, but wow! Curacao is great. Wonderfully warm, mega-relaxed, paying old school with (Antillean) guilders. We stayed at an accommodation with a private pool, so we spent a lot of time there.”
“In addition, those friends of mine went scuba diving. I didn’t as I’m not such a fan of water. As far as trying exotic things goes, we’ve kept it pretty neat. We went to eat a goat burger once, which I would really recommend. Tender meat, tasty with a little salt and pepper.”
“I also climbed the Christoffelberg together with Ferdi, a childhood friend turned (suggested by me) colleague. The Christoffelberg is a holy mountain on Curaçao of almost 400 meters high. Walking to the top was a good workout in that warm weather: but it was worth all the sweat. What a beautiful hike and ditto the view.”
The week after Martijn returned, he and two colleagues left for Marbella, Spain. Not to go on holiday again, but to work in the Nekst IT office/apartment. When we talk to him about his Curaçao adventures, he is in the middle of his six-week workation in Georgia. Martijn: “I’m very thankful that I work at a company where I get these kinds of opportunities.”
