Blog: Community Feature for the Month of July
This July, we’re shining the spotlight on Terry—a veteran helicopter pilot and instructor whose passion for flying, curiosity for cultures, and commitment to healthy living inspire us. Curious to learn more about Terry, we asked him a few questions:
1. How and when did you first hear about Co Chocolat?
My wife actually discovered it by scanning the QR Code on the future Co Chocolat location in the Al Raha Beach area of Abu Dhabi. She looked at the website and booked a Co Chocolat Factory Tour that we went to in October 2024.
2. How would you describe your work, vocation, or passion, and what do you find most fulfilling about it?
I work on a contract that supports the UAE military as a helicopter maintenance test pilot instructor. I have been a helicopter pilot since 1990, and I am fortunate enough to continue my passion for flying here in the UAE. The most fulfilling part is that I get paid for something that I love to do!
3. How have your life experiences and exposure to different cultures shaped your perspective on the world?
Since living abroad for almost half of my life outside the United States, I have made friends from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds. I have found that in many ways, we are more alike than we are different. I now think that often times there are unfair stereotypes that can be easily dispelled by exposing oneself to some different cultures. The UAE has been a great place for us to meet people from all over the world and learn about their culture and religion. It has been a very interesting learning process for us!
4. Do you have any advice for our community, especially for those who are still exploring their path?
My advice is to eat foods as close as possible to the way it is found in nature. Cut out the ultra-processed foods and get back to the basics. I have recently changed to a low carb lifestyle and I include 100% pure cacao in my diet daily, it has made a positive impact on my health!
5. Which Co Chocolat products do you love the most?
There are a lot of the products that I love but the 100% pure, untampered Cacao in the Cacao-shaped tablets is what I consume the most. I eat two to four daily for the added health benefits.
What do they all have in common? The same values and love for honestly good chocolates while savoring wellness and health may it be physical or mental.
Those fun encounters with our customers that started with chocolates and food eventually led to interesting, and inspiring conversations. We discovered their passions through these exchanges and with our community growing bigger and more diverse each day, we figured it would just be awesome if we can inspire more people with fun and interesting features about our friends in the Co Chocolat Community.
Could you be our next featured member?