The adventure in which Martijn (41) and his partner Sean (31) throw themselves with their dog and three naked cats, has a sad ending. Viewers of I leave see how the first gay resort the couple wants to open in Curaçao is full of cockroaches and termites. But that’s not the biggest problem: the emigration and renovation are taking a heavy toll on the couple’s relationship.
In order to spend more time together, Martijn and Sean bought an empty building on the tropical island for 330,000 euros. There they want to build five studios and two apartments to open the island’s very first gay resort. “A nice meeting place for like-minded people,” explains Martijn. With the recently introduced gay pride on the island, the couple thinks that Curaçao is ready for a pink resort. darkroom is not a place, by the way: it should be a cozy place full of atmospheric light.
Martijn’s father has little faith in his son’s business instincts. Friends of the couple also think that the men are mistaken about the extent of the emigration. “Sometimes I think: it’s not a good plan,” confesses a friend. “It’s very different from the Netherlands. You can’t force the Dutch mentality there.” They also have their doubts about their attitude towards homosexuals, and that the men think they can build an entire resort in three months also seems a bit too optimistic.
Once they arrive on Curaçao, Martijn and Sean find the building a bit bigger than they thought. But there is great confidence in the contractor: according to him, all their wishes are no problem at all. That positive attitude soon plummets when they encounter cockroaches while demolishing. The building also appears to be full of woodworm.
Very sad, but it didn’t work anymore
Five months later, the damage to the house turns out to be less extensive than Martijn and Sean thought, and the old owners also promise to bear part of the extra costs. Viewers do see that it is a bit quieter in the house. The word is out: Martijn has ended the relationship with Sean after six years. “Very sad, but it was no longer possible,” he says. The relationship has many ups and downs, and the adventure is the last straw. Martijn: “Doing a renovation like this together and emigrating causes a lot of stress anyway. That was stress that became too much for us.”
Sean, meanwhile, is two miles away with his dog and the three cats. He did not see this outcome coming. According to him, the difference in the characters is the breaking point, something that was interesting at the beginning of the relationship. ,,Martijn has decided not to bite through that apple and that’s why I’m going home,” explains Sean. Still, he doesn’t think the adventure is a bad choice. ,,If you don’t dare, you don’t win. It was a gamble: failed. I hope it all goes well, I’ll give it to him.”
Six weeks after the breakup, the first guests arrive at the resort. Not all rooms are ready and Martijn had to borrow money from his father. Sean is back in Hilversum, he is busy with a job application and finding a house. “The grieving process is still going on,” he explains his heartbreak. “I hope for myself that I make good choices, but I also hope that Martijn does.”
I leave can be seen on NPO 1 on Saturday at 9.30 pm.
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