GWNews : Greetings Jarod, you are owner of Ferik Island. We are happy to meet you. We would like to know more about you and your interests. Many thanks for welcoming us and taking time to answer our questions. First of all, since how long have you been in SL ?
Jarod Sodwind : Hello, it is now 4 1/2 years I am on SL, quite a long time for an avatar.
GWNews : What kind of enjoyment do you find here ? What was your best experience(s) or memories ?
Jarod : I enjoy spending time with my friends, I am the owner of Ferik Island and it takes me a lot of time to keep this sim a pleasant place, even if it is a residential sim, it is open to everyone. I often change the plants to follow the seasons. When I am not on my sim, I am on Chilipepper, another sim where I am manager with 4 other friends. The best thing SL brought me is that I can call some people friends, I’ve met people on SL that I would have never been able to meet without it. SL is my window to the world.
GWNews : How did you launch your estate ? and what was your first purpose ?
Jarod : Ferik was born in 2007, created by Rik Masala, my SL father, I arrived about 1 year later, gradually we transformed the sim to arrive to the present environment. Unfortunately Rik died in February 2011 and I am now the owner of the “Free and Neutral State of the Principality of Ferik Island”, our sim is located in the caldera of an old volcano open in the ocean. You can find old stones from our ancestors, celtic druids. But also the wrecked ship of Sainte Cenegonde who came here a few centuries ago. Now the archipelago is the seal of the MacTarlouze family, old scottish clan whose sons are the heirs of the Princes of Ferik.
GWNews : How do you organize your time in SL ?
Jarod : In 2 ways, in the evening during the week about 3 hours, mostly to be with my friends and enjoy my second life. During the week end I rather do the things on Ferik or Chilipepper that take more time.
GWNews : What do you appreciate in the GA ? What do you expect from it, and what did you bring to the community ?
Jarod : I appreciate that the GA is a friendly place where being gay is something natural, everybody is welcome here, I see it like a lighthouse for the LGBT community. I try humbly to help as much as I can, I translate for the French speaking community for example.
GWNews : What are your projects for the future ?
Jarod : I don’t really want big changes, I just want that we build a better place, where more people will come and have pleasure to be with each others. I will work on this.
GWNews : What would you want to tell to GWNews readers ?
Jarod : Of course I kindly invite them to visit Ferik Island and Chilipepper, to take the time to enjoy their visit. Being in the GA is a chance but it is up to us to make it even better, let’s all work together, let’s mix communities and cultures, our richness is in the diversity.
GWNews : Thank you, Jarod. All the best !
