It’s been one heck of a year, so let’s recap some of the things that I’ve done in 2022 and then let’s talk about what’s to come in 2023.
First the Portoviejo video, it’s really still one of the videos I’m proudest of. It doesn’t have the most views and it doesn’t have to. I’m proud of it because it is definitely a display of how far I have come as a creator and how dedicated I am to making my projects come out as best as possible. And to the people who helped make it a reality, I am always thankful to them. Portoviejo Ecuador Has EVERYTHING! https://youtu.be/RKJrjq6XvUk
Another video I’m really happy with is my Do’s and don’ts video, it has been really helpful to everyone and I really enjoyed making it. I remember one of the challenges of that video was moving around the gear since there were only two of us to record. We had to leave my backpack in line of sight while keeping it out of the shot which made for a slightly uncomfortable recording session but definitely worth it. DO’s And DON’Ts In Ecuador | My Tips For Visitors https://youtu.be/elpfi2FeN_A
And one more thing I’d like to recap isn’t just video related but I guess you could call it character development. I know for many it may be hard to believe but I was (and in some ways still am) a very introverted person. Before of course it was worse but I’ve definitely come a long way from how I was. In the process of being a teacher and through content creation I’ve been able to talk to others and get out more than I was ever able to before. Heck this year I even established a friendly relationship with the Municipality of Portoviejo and was even featured in two of their videos. It almost makes me feel like an ambassador of Portoviejo but I feel like there’s still a ton to do before I reach that point. But overall I’m proud of myself and for you who’s reading this I’d like you to takeaway from this the fact that if there’s something you really want to do or something that you feel you need to change, then do it. It may take time, and it most certainly won’t be easy but it’s definitely worth it even more so if it’s to make your dreams come true.
Now let’s move on to future plans. Of course let’s start with video ideas. To be honest I already have two videos in production. One is the exchange experience where my friends from Switzerland are going to talk about their experiences and give advice to anyone who’s planning an exchange. I know it’s not the most “Ecuador” video but the video is important for a couple of reasons. One, since they are doing an exchange here in Ecuador, they have been able to compare and give ideas to anyone who’s from Europe of how different things are. Two, exchange students who come to Latin America will definitely want to know what to expect when coming here so it’ll be really useful to them. And lastly (for now), even though my channel is very much about Ecuador and me giving advice as well as the comparisons I have since I lived in the states, it’s also a reflection of what I want it to be which is a travel channel in general. I do wish to visit other countries in the future which is why in my banner I included “travel” in it and even added some “stamps” to indicate where I’ve traveled. And since I’m on the topic of my banner, let’s talk about it and my logo for a bit.
My banner and logo are a representation of both me and my channel:
The colors: I chose black and white because they (along with red) are my favorite colors. They also represent balance which is what I feel is an important part of my and everyone’s lives.
Symbols: The heart- this represents love of course, and it’s a balance of my love for my channel and those who watch it, my love for Ecuador, my love for my family, my love for my friends, and this could go on forever (lol) but my love for everything. Love is important. | The Spade- this is a clear representation of the Ace which is my channel name. It’s not the reason I chose to be called Ace but it represents it really well and it feels like a good balance to the normal heart since in Spanish some people know it as the “corazón negro” or “black heart”. | The crosswords- This is my favorite emoji, hands down. To me it represents courage, strength, and the will to keep moving forward. It makes me think of my anime roots and how I’ve been inspired by the heroes of both anime and video games. | The D-pad- gaming is important to me, it may not have anything to do with my channel but if you know me, you know I love gaming, and if you didn’t, well I hope that part of my banner expresses that.
The stamps: the stamps are a clear representation of the places I’ve been to, Ecuador and the United States. One day I hope to fill the banner with tons of different stamps from around the world! 🌎
Now as for my logo, I really wanted to make something cool that also had meaning to my channel. That’s why there’s the earth which is the place I’m gonna visit (the whole planet hopefully), the plane that represents travel, my symbols which are the emojis I mentioned previously and which I always use when I finish writing a long post, and of course the color scheme which once again are 2 of my favorite colors and help me bring balance to the logo. I’m really happy with this logo currently even though I feel it’s missing something. But regardless I already got ahead of myself and even got a hat with my logo on it! No more representing anyone but my channel lol.
But anyways going back to future content plans, the other video that’s in production is my updated cost of living video. I’ve been scripting it by compiling information that I feel is going to be necessary for anyone planning on living in Ecuador. I thought I’d be done scripting by now but since I like being thorough I’ve been making sure that it’s as complete as possible by repeating it to myself on certain occasions and editing the script from time to time. Another 2 videos that I want to make are my collab with Don Shader since he’s such a cool and no b.s. guy as well as a video showcasing Manta! I don’t think I’ll be able to do anything like I did with my Portoviejo video BUT I will most certainly do my best to make it an enjoyable experience.
But with that there is something else I want to add to my channel this year and that’s a team. I know I do have a kinda team of friends who help me out from time to time but I need at least 1-2 more people to wholeheartedly be a part of the channel. Basically people who will help me record and go to X or Y place to make my vision a reality. This channel is literally all run and financed by myself because I’m not earning anything from YouTube yet and that’s another issue because if I want 1-2 more people to join the team, I want to compensate them fairly. That’s why if you’ve read up to this point then the only thing I ask is that you watch all the videos on my channel as much as possible and recommend them to everyone you know so that maybe I can reach the requirements for monetization and grow the channel to the point where it’s literally my main job. I know it may be a lot to ask for but the good thing is if I reach that point and I earn enough then I can make much higher quality videos and visit places that for now I can only dream of. So a big thank you if you help me out that way. 👏🏼
And yeah for now I think there isn’t much else to say. I want to keep this all really positive because I want us all to start the year on an excellent foot and just make things get better from there.
So take it easy, enjoy the new year celebration, and as always
Ace out ❤️♠️⚔️
Some photos of recent happenings:
The image with the message I left on my community tab on YouTube, Me with my hat with the new logo, my new hat (I’m so happy), my channel banner, and where I’m currently sitting at in my requirements for monetization on YouTube
