← Noche de Pendejadas with Alannized
Noche de Pendejadas with Alannized
Jiya Bhatia Talks All: Pakistan, Family Restaurant Burning Down, Homeowner at 17, CHISME & MORE!
01:29:55
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- [00:00]
Gia Batia
Hey, like, there's some motion on your cameras. And my dad's like, what? Like, what's going on? And he checked the cameras and they weren't loading. Three minutes later, my dad gets a call from his landlord and he's like, hey, your restaurant's on fire. And he just hangs up on my dad.
- [00:30]
Alanized
What is up, everyone? I'm your host, alanized, and this is Noche de Pendejadas, your favorite podcast turned talk show. En on de yo trago a tus influencers faboritos para platicar y po siblementes acarles ostrapitos al sol hol estango un episode escuchar. So without any further ado, please help me welcome my guest tonight. Gia Batia. Hi. Hello.
- [00:58]
Gia Batia
I'm gia batia. I'm 18, I'm from Houston, Texas. I'm a first gen influencer, and I'm so excited to be here.
- [01:05]
Alanized
I am so excited that the nerta qui el diade. Oy, you guys. Like she said, you are so young and you're so inspiring that I really am looking forward to sit down with you and have a talk. Before we start with all the cheeseman, before we start with all the good convo, tell me a little bit more about your day. I know you woke up super early because I got a text message from you at 4 in the morning. You guys, what time was your flight? How was the flight and how was your day leading up to right now?
- [01:28]
Gia Batia
My flight was really good. Just a little bit of turbulence. We did have to wake up super early, though. My flight was at 7 in the morning. And you know, Houston George Bush Airport is always constantly busy. But this was my first time flying Delta, though I've never flown Delta. It's always Spirit, you know, it was really good though. We landed here around 8am There is a little bit of a time difference. So when we got here, it felt like it was like three in the afternoon, but it was really like, what time was it? Like 10 in the morning? Like, the time difference did get to me. I got to the hotel and I fell asleep. But it was an amazing flight. Good flight. Everything was great.
- [02:05]
Alanized
You texted me around what, like 4 o' clock? So that was what, like 5 o' clock for you?
- [02:08]
Gia Batia
Yeah, like 6 o' clock.
- [02:10]
Alanized
Which I still think is pretty early when I got the text message, you guys, because I purposely didn't put my phone on do not disturb because I always like, especially when someone's flying in. And I knew you were flying in early One of the things that I was kind of like scared about was like, oh, my God. Like, she's checking into her hotel. You were landing super early. And I feel like check in is usually what, like at 3:00 clock? And I was like, oh, my God. I was scared that they weren't going to let you check in early, but I'm glad they did. Was it hard, like, checking in or was it easy?
- [02:37]
Gia Batia
No, not at all. She, at first she said that she had to check if they had a room. And I got a little nervous because we were there so early. It was like 10 in the morning because we did have a 45 minute drive from the airport to the hotel itself. So I was a little nervous that they wouldn't let us check in, but they did. We got into the hotel and we just went to sleep. Like, that's literally what we did. And then that's it.
- [02:58]
Alanized
When I got her message at 4 in the morning, I was like waking up every, like 30 minutes to get an update from you. I'm like, I hope she's good. Like, did she land? Does she check? But I was still like, knocking out because I usually wake up like around 11. And I woke up a little bit earlier today, you guys, because I feel like I was like, oh, I was checking up on you. And I was like, you know what, we're gonna go have breakfast. My nails were literally struggling this morning, so I went to go get a little manny for you. We're a little matching, you guys, Blue on blue on blue. But I'm so excited to have you here today. You're excited? I'm excited. You're first gen, you're so young. You're a homeowner already at 18. You bought your first house at 17, which. We'll talk all about that, you guys. But it, we're going to go ahead and go straight into it. Tell us a little bit more how Gia was growing up.
- [03:45]
Gia Batia
I've always been a little influencer growing up. My mom has videos of me all over Facebook. Like, there's this one specific video of me jumping on a trampoline, giving a workout tutorial, which is crazy. I've always been a little influencer. Like, I've always been into beauty. I used to have a nail page when I was like seven dedicated to just doing mannies and pedis and art designs. I ended up just stopping that and just focusing on makeup and. But nothing was getting posted on YouTube. That's kind of just how I was growing up. I feel like nothing really changed.
- [04:14]
Alanized
You grew up in Houston. How was that? Like, tell us a little bit more about your life in Houston growing up. Did you like it? What was that like?
- [04:21]
Gia Batia
I love growing up in Houston. Like, I don't think I'll ever move out of Houston. Everything is so close by. Like, we have so many freeways by us, we have schools by us. Like downtown is maybe 20 minutes away and I'm going to U of H as well, so I feel like having my school right next to me and I don't have to move out with is amazing. And just growing up in Houston in general was amazing. Like, I don't think I'd ever move out of Houston.
- [04:44]
Alanized
Have you always lived there? Like, did you grow up there?
- [04:47]
Gia Batia
I have grown up in Texas, in Houston, specifically.
- [04:50]
Alanized
H Town representing. You know what's so funny? I didn't know that that's what it was until I interviewed Ariel and she kept saying, h town, H Town. And I'm like, I think that's like the what, you know, people from Houston say. This episode of Noche de Pendejadas is brought to you by booking.com booking yeah. From vacation rentals to hotels across the U.S. booking.com has the ideal summer stay for absolutely anyone. Even those who might seem impossible to please. Whether you're booking for yourself, your partner, your sleep light rise early mom, or your hype maintenance group chat, you can find exactly what you're looking for on booking.com so if I can find my perfect stay on booking.com anyone else can find exactly what you're booking for? Booking.com booking yeah, book today on the site or in the app that I'm not big on trends, but I am big on clothes that feels good and lasts. That's why I keep going back to Quints. Their lightweight layers and high quality staples have become my everyday essentials. Quince has all the things you actually want to wear this summer, like organic cotton silk polos, European linen beach shorts, and comfortable pants that work for everything from backyard hangs to nice dinners. The best part? Everything with Quint is half the cost of similar brands. By working directly with top artisans and cutting out the middleman, Quint gives you luxury prices without the markups. And Quint only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. Stick to the staples that last with elevated essentials from quinn, go to quince.comallen for free shipping in your orders and 365 days return. That is Q-U-I-N-C-E.com allen to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com allen I want to get to know a little bit more about you. You know, what do you remember most about your childhood? What were hobbies that you like doing? What were you doing at such a young age?
- [06:59]
Gia Batia
Like I said, beauty. I've always literally been into, like, hair, makeup, nails. So growing up, I spent a lot of time alone with me and my brothers. It was my older brother, he is two years older than me, and my younger brother, he's a year younger than me. And it was just us two. My parents were kind of not picture at that time because they were always working. So it was just us. And growing up, it was not difficult, but it was just very different, I guess, because I wanted to be like a girly girl, do girl things. But I was growing up with two brothers, so it was like they would be into video games and boy talk. I kind of felt like I wanted to get into that as well because I obviously wanted to relate to them. And I always had my brothers with me. You know, I went to school with them. I've never, like, went to middle school or high school without any of them. It was kind of hard growing up with, like, trying to do two aesthetics, but I could. I couldn't, like, I couldn't balance both.
- [07:53]
Alanized
You're like, I'm a girly girl at heart.
- [07:55]
Gia Batia
Yes, I was a girly girl at heart. Like, look at me now. Like, I'm literally a girly girl. I feel like it was just a little bit difficult, but I feel like it ended up getting played out really well.
- [08:04]
Alanized
What was it like being the only girl growing up? Do you feel like, as a girl, you know, I know you were talking earlier. If you guys don't know your family is from Pakistan, your parents are from Pakistan, you're first gen. And I feel like we were talking a little bit about how excited I am to get into that because it's little different from, you know, the conversations we usually have. We talk a lot about growing up being Latinos in a Mexican household. What was it like for you, you know, in. In your culture? Did you feel like being the only girl had, like, certain expectations put on you at such a young age?
- [08:35]
Gia Batia
I feel like not certain expectations, but definitely more of, like, a certain role I had to play. Especially like, having family move from Pakistan here or just having family, like, watch me in Pakistan. And it was kind of like, difficult because I'm obviously growing up in America. Like, my parents are from Pakistan and I'm their first girl. So having them like see me like wanting to wear Americanized clothes, eat American food or just like anything like, like Americanized, I feel like it was just a very not difficult thing for them, but like they were very closed minded. And we'll get into that a little bit more when we talk about how my parents weren't with me while growing up. But it was definitely like hard to try to balance the lifestyle of like Pakistani and American at the same time.
- [09:25]
Alanized
Do you remember like your first memory or like your first moment where you realized you were really navigating and living in between two cultures? You know, for example, you were American at school and at heart, but you had that culture of Pakistan, you know, at home. When did you first realize you're like, oh my God, there's like, I'm living in two different cultures?
- [09:46]
Gia Batia
Be probably in first grade. In first grade I went to Pakistan and English is not my first language. My first language was Hindi and that's what we spoke at home. But when I started going to school, I learned English. In first grade we went to Pakistan and that's where I saw like most my family, my grandpa, my grandma, uncles, cousins. And it was just so different, like the clothes I would wear or how I would speak to them or my terminology compared to them. Even though I was just seven, it was such a big difference. Like it's so crazy even to think back now. Like their lifestyle is so much more different than mine. And the food, like a food is such a big difference. Like in America we have pizza, we have like everything's like, you know, American food. And then in Pakistan it's like very street food. Street food is a very big thing over there. And homemade meals. And there's this one cake specifically, I remember coffee cake, which was the bomb. Like it was so good. So just that's probably when I realized like, oh, like I'm living in two different, like I guess not worlds, but kind of like living in two different worlds. And it was a little crazy to me just to see how people my age grow up in a different country than me.
- [10:58]
Alanized
I'm sure it was a very like cultural shock. Was it very confusing for you? And if you remember or you know, even if it's something that you still struggle, is there certain things, you know, that you struggle with your identity when it comes to your Pakistani culture?
- [11:12]
Gia Batia
Definitely. I feel like when my mom tries to take us to like any Pakistani or Indian like events, it just makes me feel a little out of place because we don't have Any like, Indian clothes here, Pakistani clothes here. So like, when we go there, I kind of feel out of place. But my mom tries her best to like not force us to go at all or just tells us to be ourself because, you know, we, at the end of the day, we are living in America and I feel like people just need to understand, like, everybody's different. But that is definitely something that kind of like is hard for me. Just getting to know the culture a little bit is a little hard, but that's about it. Growing up, my parents were very close minded. My parents actually had a food truck. And with that, my parents would always be surrounded by Pakistani people, which was a little bit difficult for us. It's just a lot like, I feel like I went through a lot when my parents had that food truck and restaurant. But the main thing that I guess we struggled with was trying to get our parents to be a little bit more open minded. Like again, like the clothes I would wear or what we would speak or how we would talk, you know, if we would want to go out with our friends. I feel like my parents just didn't grab the idea, like, hey, like, this is, like this is different. Like this is something that they need to do or they need to get out and go do. I feel like just that. And crop tops became very popular when I was in like middle school. And I wanted to wear crop tops so bad. But my mom was just like, very like, like, no. Like, no. It's not that she wanted to like make us look good for her friends or anybody. My mom's never been that type of person, but it's just like, you know, she was running the restaurant. People talk. Like people do talk. And my mom was just signing, like, not scared, but she just didn't want us like wearing stuff like that where people would come back and tell her and make her seem like she was a bad parent or something. I feel like just stuff like that. Having my parents be more open minded was very difficult. But I'm glad, like, eventually they did open up, which is a little bit like not too long ago, I would say like three years ago. But after the restaurant went down and everything, which obviously we'll get into, but just that is what we struggled with.
- [13:16]
Alanized
What do you think was, you know, the big eye opener for your parents? You know, you tell us a little bit that you grew up with them being very close minded. You know, a lot of it had to do with the way they were raised and the way, you know, their culture raised them. When do you feel like, like you had a moment where you finally saw your parents understanding, you know, the way that you wanted to dress up or express yourself? Do you feel like there was a certain moment where you're like, okay, I feel like they're getting it.
- [13:42]
Gia Batia
My parents had a restaurant and it ended up catching on fire. And that's when everything kind of went downhill at home. And my parents started becoming a little bit more distant from Pakistani people. And I feel like that's when my parents were a little bit more open minded. They realized, like, oh, like there's a life outside of them and kids are different nowadays. People are different nowadays, especially my mom. She ended up working at a Harris county job in Houston. We have a county, it's Harris County. And my mom started working over there and she started engaging with a lot of people, different cultures, religions. And they kind of told my mom, like, hey, like, this is normal for your daughter to do. Like, don't be upset about it. Like, her nails, her makeup, her clothes, like, this is normal. And like, my mom just being okay with me doing stuff like that around that time was like, whoa. Like, this is so relieving. Like, I can like, like do stuff and talk to her about stuff like this because, you know, growing up I didn't have my mom.
- [14:35]
Alanized
Like, did you feel like she didn't get you growing up?
- [14:38]
Gia Batia
Yes. I feel like it was just hard for me to explain stuff to her. It's not like my mom would ever say no, but I just didn't feel like explaining stuff to her because I didn't want to be like, no, like she's gonna say no anyways or no. Like, I don't want to get into detail about it. So I feel like now it's just more easier because, you know, she's on social media as well. Since I'm on it, she's watching. So having her just, you know, be more open minded now is just easier for me to talk to her.
- [15:02]
Alanized
What are things that you feel like you embrace, like, 100% from, you know, your Pakistani culture that you feel like, you know, as a first gen, these are things that you're like, okay, you know what? This is a part of my Pakistani culture that I want to, you know, keep making it a part of my life and a part of who you are as you grow up in America?
- [15:21]
Gia Batia
Definitely the language and the food. I know food is crazy to say, but it's just crazy.
- [15:27]
Alanized
Why? Why is that crazy to say?
- [15:28]
Gia Batia
It's just crazy to say because, like, food, like Seriously, food. But it's just like one of my favorite things. Like I prefer Pakistani food over American food anytime. And we only eat chicken. So it's kind of limiting to us about like it kind of limits us to what we can and cannot eat. Like I can't just go out and go to In n out and get a burger or a hot dog or anything like that. So I feel like I do stick to Pakistani food a lot more. And that's something that I will always hold on to. Like even when I have my own kids, whether it's with the same culture or a different religion, anybody, I will still hold on to my food, like is something that I want to teach my kids about and my language as well. Like my language is something that I grew up speaking. That's what I communicate with my parents, my uncles, my grandma. And I'm just more comfortable with it. So I feel like that's something I really want to pass down to my kids as well. So definitely those two things.
- [16:18]
Alanized
I want to get into this family business. I know you mentioned it. You guys, you know, had your food truck, you guys had your restaurant, it burned down. Which we'll get into all of that. But before that, I want to get into your guys's life before the businesses started coming in, you know, before your parents had the idea of opening a restaurant. What was your guys life before? Do you feel like growing up you saw your parents struggle, whether that was, you know, money wise or you know, adapting to their new lifestyle here? Because you said that they came very, you know, they got married in Pakistan, so they came very much a little bit later on in their life. How would you describe your guys's life when you guys first came over here, before the restaurant?
- [17:00]
Gia Batia
Basically my dad was working at a gas station. He was working two jobs. So my parents have both been always very hard workers. And I appreciate that so much because I feel like that made me into a hard worker. But my parents were always hard workers. And he would work at a gas station and ever since I could remember they've always had that food truck. So I think I was like five or four. I'm not, I don't even remember. But they had a food truck. It was called Desi Banka, Bob and Grill. They would sell like little burgers, like chicken, potato. And it started off by that I would say they had it for up until I turned maybe 10, 11, 12, somewhere around that I can't remember off the top of my head. But they would spend, my dad would spend the morning Working at a gas station. And then he would go to the food truck and my aunt would help out, my uncle would help out and my mom was there. Me and my two brothers, we would always go out there and just, you know, sit because we were pretty young and that's when we couldn't be left home alone. So we would just spend, spend the nights there after school and we would eat there, just chat with our family. It was a little bit kind of difficult seeing like my friends, family members just, you know, having normal jobs. Like they would work a nine to five, come home and they would be at home. We would be at the food truck. So like 11 at night, maybe 12. Like it just depended when they closed. And I think they would open up at 5 and they would start closing around 11. So it was just very difficult. You know, we would go to school and then we wouldn't see our parents at school. And then the only times we saw our parents was when they were working and the food truck was like a hit. It was a very good business for them. It was bringing in a lot of money. But we still did struggle growing up, money wise. It's not like we just had everything. I got my first pair of brand shoes in sixth grade and it was a pair of air forces. And my parents took us, me and my little brother and my big brother to pick out a pair of shoes. You know, growing up, it was money wise, was definitely not a big struggle, but it was definitely in the picture, you know. Yeah, my parents were constantly, always working. So that's how the food truck business.
- [18:59]
Alanized
Was at the time. You were so young. You're telling us a little bit that, you know, growing up you saw them constantly working. Kind of a little bit absent when it came to like, you know, being with you guys. Did you understand that at the time? You know, obviously they were working hard because they wanted to make sure that you guys had an amazing life. You know, they were over here chasing, seen the quote unquote, the American dream at the time. Did you understand it or were you like, you know what? Like, I wish my parents had a nine to five and I wish they were home all the time. What was like your mindset at such a young age when that was going on?
- [19:32]
Gia Batia
I was very upset. I hated that my parents did the restaurant in the food truck. I just thought it was very unfair how they would be over there all the time because I used to do cheer and then I did volleyball and, and both of those things. My parents really couldn't make the games At. I don't think my mom made or my dad made any volleyball games. But when I would cheer in elementary, they would obviously, you know, try their best to come. And I know they would work. But at that time, I never understood until the restaurant obviously burnt down. That's when I kind of was like, oh, I understand. But in the moment, I was not jealous. But at the same time, it was kind of like, annoying. Like, I just wanted my parents to be there. I just wanted to go on trips. I just wanted to, like, you know, to have my parents home to watch a movie with them, talk to them. Cuz growing up, it was literally just me and my younger brother at home and my older brother. So it would just be us. We would come home from school, we would walk home from school, and the restaurant and the food truck was two minutes away from our house, so it wasn't that far. But they were always there.
- [20:32]
Alanized
Yeah.
- [20:33]
Gia Batia
So we would walk home from school, we would come home, you know, we would do what we do. Then our parents would. One of our parents. It would either be my mom or my dad. Dad. They would come home, bring us food, and then they would just sleep for a little bit, like 30 minutes an hour. We would wake them up and they would go back to the restaurant, and then it would just be me and my brothers. Then we would go to sleep, and then they'll come home after we're asleep. So it was like we see them for 30 minutes, maybe an hour. And they were only closed one day a week. I think it was a Wednesday. They would always constantly switch it around, but they were closed one day a week. But even that one day a week, they were out there grocery shopping, doing business things.
- [21:07]
Alanized
Like, it wasn't like they were doing family stuff with you guys.
- [21:09]
Gia Batia
Yeah, it was always business. Like seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It was constantly business. I would never see my parents, so I hated the fact that they worked like that. And I just wanted them, you know, to have a normal nine to five. But now that I'm older, I definitely do understand. But back then, it was so unfair to me. Like, I hated it.
- [21:26]
Alanized
Would you ever, like, confront them about it? Like, oh, my God, you're never home, you never show up? Or was it just kind of something that you kind of, like, sucked up and you're like, okay, you know what? I feel this way, but I'm not gonna bring it up because they're gonna ignore it. Or maybe their response was not gonna be what you were looking for. Did you ever Confront them about it.
- [21:44]
Gia Batia
I didn't confront them about it. Growing up, I was very alone. Always been very kept to myself.
- [21:49]
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- [22:50]
Gia Batia
So I didn't really open up to them about it just because, like, how can I complain when, you know, they're out there working? It's not like they're out there having fun. I did understand that, but obviously I still felt some type of way about it. But I don't think I ever confronted them and be like, that's so weird. Like, why are you out there doing this when you should be with us? But I kept it to myself for sure. And yeah, like I said, just growing up, I kept a lot of things to myself. Like, anything about girl problems or just boys, girlfriends, just anything. Like, I would just keep to myself. But now that me and my mom are really close. Toast. I've brought it up to her many times. Like, even after the restaurant burnt down, even sometimes, you know, when we're in the car just chilling, I've talked to her about it. I'd be like, you know, like, this is how you made me feel. This is what you did. And she's owned up to her mistakes. Like, my mom knows, she's always said to me how she's put the restaurant first. She admitted to it like the restaurant was basically her child. And she put the restaurant first and then she put us. And, you know, hearing that was kind of like, like, not closure, but it felt like very like, you know, at least she knows she messed up and at least she understands and owns up to her mistakes. Because a lot of people just, they don't like to admit stuff like that. It's very embarrassing for them. And I feel like my mom plays the role of a mom and a best friend really well. So I appreciate her for that a lot. My mom is my best friend. She's literally my biggest supporter. Like, anything I do, she's telling me, me, either do it with the best or do it confidently or don't do it at all. Like, that's my mom's memo. Like, even when I first started tick tock, she was always like, if you can't handle the haters, get off of it. Because I remember one time I went to her crying about something that someone said to me about on Tick Tock. And she was like, okay, well, if you can't take the hate, then don't do tick tock, because this is not something that's gonna stop. And I was like, okay. Like, that was my reality check. Like, girl, like, this is not gonna stop. Like, Like, I just need to keep going, ignore the haters. Like, my mom has always said stuff to me like that, which I love. Like, that is. She's my best friend.
- [24:48]
Alanized
Growing up, you know, with your parents, not really much being there for you. When do you think that changed for you? When do you think, you know, you guys started getting clothes, or when do you feel like, you know, there started being a relationship?
- [25:00]
Gia Batia
Definitely after the restaurant burnt down. That's when me and my mom became a little bit closer. It did take a little while because they became depressed after the restaurant burned down. Like, they lost their minds. And we were over here losing our minds as well because we've never lived with our parents. Like, I know that sounds crazy to say, but our parents were always working, and it would be like, one day, you know, we spend a time. But having them home seven days a week, 24 hours, it's crazy to say, but it was so irritating. Like, I hated having them home, and I know they were going through stuff, but it was like. Like, in my mind at that time, I was like, okay, well, you guys did this to yourself. Like, y' all were at the restaurant. Like, you guys chose to choose or put the restaurant above us. And if you guys feel some type of way, feel it. Like, I didn't feel sorry for them in the moment. Obviously, now I do, you know, like, change. Like, I matured up for sure. But back then, like, even when the restaurant burnt down, I didn't. Like, I wasn't sad about it. Like, I know it literally sounds crazy to say, but during that time, that's definitely when we got close. We started talking a Little bit more. I started opening up about school, about like people I talk to, my friends, just stuff like that, you know. Yeah. That's basically when we got closer.
- [26:12]
Alanized
Did you have like a friend, an aunt, or anyone that you would kind of go to for like the mom or the dad stuff that maybe your parents weren't doing?
- [26:20]
Gia Batia
I had an aunt or I do have an aunt. Me and her were really close when we were growing up. I don't have a lot of memories, you know, growing up with her, but like I'm told by my mom, we were really close growing up. And she was like my best friend. Like, we would do everything together. She was basically my mom to me. Like, she was the one who taught me how to do how to use a straightener, how to curl my hair, how to put on makeup. Like that was like my mom. And my mom till this day is not a very girly girl type of person. Having my aunt there was such like an amazing thing just growing up, having her. She ended up getting married and she moved away, which kind of like hurt, you know. She was my best friend, like the only girl I had to talk to. So seeing her do that hurt my feelings. And then that's when, you know, my parents were still working, my mom was still working, and it was still just my brother. So still being the only girl was very difficult. Then I kind of got in my feelings a lot. And I didn't have a best friend or anything. I did have friends at school for sure. I've never actually really been close to a person where I can open up till this day. I keep things to myself a lot. And I feel like it's whatever, but like, even then, same thing. Never really had like a really close.
- [27:32]
Alanized
Best friend then or even now. Do you wish you had someone that you would be able to go to and tell them your problems? Whether that was like a friend or do you feel like, you know, you've always been this way, that you feel like you don't need anyone to talk to?
- [27:44]
Gia Batia
Back then I would say for sure. I really wanted someone to just be there for me and someone who would just listen to my problems. Especially because it was two, both my brothers, it was two boys and a girl. So I feel like, what can I really bring up to them? Like, girl talk, they wouldn't understand. And having a brother is like a built in best friend. So my brothers were best friends with each other and I would always feel alone. Sometimes I wish, like I told my mom all the time, like, I wish you gave me A sister. I wish you gave me a sister. Like I hated my parents for working all the time and me being alone, not having someone to talk to and my parents being gone all the time and gave me a lot of independency and made me a very independent person. So now I feel like no, like I'm good, I don't need anybody. Especially like I feel like I don't want to like sound cocky, but I don't want to like, yeah, I don't want to seem cocky, but I feel like I am pretty grown for my age and it's not a lot of people that can relate to me or how I work. I'm in Houston, I go to a regular school. Like I live a regular life. I don't live an influencer life I guess. So just not being, not having someone who can relate to me kind of like it hurts my feelings a little bit time to time. I do get in my feelings about it. I just wish I had someone I can talk to, you know, I feel like everybody does, but at the end of the day I know like I'm always on myself. I'll always have tick tock. And that's actually how I started Tick tock.
- [29:09]
Alanized
Do you feel like you being so mature for your age came with, you know, like your upbringing, that your parents never being home, Maybe you felt like you had to grow up faster. Do you feel like that kind of stemmed from how quick your life was at such an early age?
- [29:22]
Gia Batia
I don't think so. I didn't. I don't think I grew up too fast. I feel like I definitely matured fast, but it was never like I was in a rush to grow up. My parents never made me feel like that. Now I feel like definitely like that. Like I'm a homeowner and I work and it's not like a regular 9 to 5. So I feel like there's things that I have to do differently. But I don't think I grew up too fast. I think I was, you know, at the same level. Even though I was very different from people in my maturity level was higher than people. I'm a very open minded person. Like I will get along with anyone. That was never a problem for me.
- [29:56]
Alanized
You know, I want to go back and talk a little bit more about the restaurant. You know, you guys started the, the business as a food truck and then when you turned 10, 11, you guys turned the food truck into to a restaurant. Tell us a little bit about that from what you remember or from what your parents tell you how did that idea go from like, you know what, we're gonna own a food truck to now we're gonna go all out and have a restaurant? How did the idea come? What was the process, like, if you remember and how do you remember the first, you know, maybe couple months, weeks of when the restaurant first opened?
- [30:31]
Gia Batia
It was honestly very exciting. Like, it was a big flex for me. Like, like, hey guys, my parents own a restaurant. You know, I was in fifth grade, I remember this. I was 10 years old, I was in fifth grade. And my parents had hired a contractor, a builder, everybody. And he definitely played my parents. I remember that he has stole money and he just kind of like didn't work for them. The restaurant did take a lot of time and like I said, my parents didn't struggle with money, but money was definitely an issue. Like my dad was working two jobs and then we had to maintain the food truck. So. So him doing that definitely, I guess set my parents back and set us back as well because we would, you know, like Walmart clothes, Goodwill clothes, that was our regular. And we were used to it, but it never felt some type of way because we were always wearing uniform. So it's not like we felt left out. Him playing my parents definitely, I guess set them back a little bit more and it took longer for the restaurant. So I'm sure they were really worried. I don't remember in detail how it was, but I do remember having the restaurant. After the restaurant was built and everything, my dad, he quit his gas station job and he started working full time at the restaurant. So my parents would open up around 11 and I think they would close at 11. So it was 11 11, which would be basically my whole school day. So in the morning we would wake up, my dad, he would drop us to school. Our school is behind our house, so not that big of a drive, like a two minute drive. And then my dad would come back home. He, him and my mom would do whatever they got to do and then go to the restaurant and then they would spend the whole day there. Whether it was slow, whether it was the busiest day of their life, life, like constantly there. And then after we got done with school, either my mom would pick us up and take us to the restaurant or pick us up and drop us a home. While we were home, they would bring us food, we would eat and then my parents would leave or if we would go to the restaurant, we would just stay there for a really long time. And it was so irritating. Like, you know, after a long day of school. You just want to be at home. You just want to be in your bed. And we would just sit there, and it would just be annoying. And we would beg our parents, like, please take us home. Please take us home. But they were just busy, so they couldn't do that. And I understand, but in the moment, it was just very, like, annoying. Like, I just want to go home, and I just want to be on my phone, watch tv. I just want to lay down and sleep.
- [32:37]
Alanized
Did you ever get to work at the restaurant?
- [32:39]
Gia Batia
We did.
- [32:40]
Alanized
What did you do? What was your role? What would you do?
- [32:43]
Gia Batia
We would bring out plates to people. We would not clean, but, like, I guess just help our parents a lot with stuff in the kitchen or stuff, like filling up drinks, things, bringing stuff from the car. Grocery shopping was a big thing. Like, I think the day off that they would have, they would go in the morning, and we would go to this big restaurant, it's called Restaurant Depot. And we would go over there, and they would pick out, like, anything that would. They would need, like, a big two or three carts full of stuff, and we would help, you know, bring it to the restaurant, unload. It was definitely, like, not an ideal thing to do. Like, one day you have your parents off, and you're doing that. It was very irritating, but we would get it done. And it was a little family time we spent together, which I cherish. It was just stuff like that we would do. Serving people, talking to people, taking orders. Taking orders was one of my favorite things to do. And then when I learned how to do the cash, cash register, that was my favorite part. Like, I would ring people up, and I'm sure they probably thought, like, who.
- [33:40]
Alanized
Is this little girl?
- [33:41]
Gia Batia
Like, I was 7, I was 10. Like, ringing up people. I'm sure they were like, okay, did you feel cool?
- [33:46]
Alanized
Like, did you not like it because you're like, oh, girl, I don't want to be here.
- [33:49]
Gia Batia
No, I love this. I love doing the cash register. But anything else, I was like, no, this is embarrassing. I don't want to be here. Please take me home.
- [33:58]
Alanized
Did your parents ever tell you, like, hey, Chia, you gave this person too much money back.
- [34:04]
Gia Batia
Like.
- [34:05]
Alanized
Like, would that ever happen because you were so young?
- [34:07]
Gia Batia
No, I don't think so. But my dad would definitely, like, he would be very patient with me because obviously I'm young. He has me on a cash register dealing with money. And it wasn't like $5, $10. Like, it was like, restaurant orders, like, $50, hundred dollars. And I was dealing with big bills. So sometimes I would overcharge, sometimes I would undercharge. But my dad was very patient with me and we would always figure it out. They never had a modernized cash register. They always had the old ones. So it was very difficult. And we would always tell our parents, like, come on, like, I don't know if you know the new ones where it's like, like a white, it's like a computer. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's when that came out. And I was telling my mom, like, let's just get this, let's make it easier. But no, they were so old school until this day. My dad is very old school and my mom, you know, she's very like understanding about things now. But back then, like, that was something.
- [34:57]
Alanized
Your dad's like, ah, if I was able to do like this. Everyone else too.
- [35:01]
Gia Batia
Yeah, he's, he's very, very not closed minded, but he's very like stuck on.
- [35:06]
Alanized
What he wants and how he learned stuff. You know, we obviously are talking a lot about how in a way, you know, the restaurant and your parents working so much affected you negatively. In a personal way. Do you feel like there was ever a moment where you realized, you know, like, oh, damn, like my parents really put all their hard work into this to really provide for us and give us a better life. Was there a moment where you're like, you know what? Even though. So I hate it because the restaurant's taking my parents away from me, but I'm glad and I'm happy that my parents were able to do this for themselves and for us as well.
- [35:40]
Gia Batia
I definitely mentioned a lot of negatives, but there were positives as well. Like our parents did take us on vacations. We've been to Florida, Canada, I think New York as well. We had road trip to Florida. It's a 14 hour drive, which never again, never again. We all decided on that. But, but we had went to Universal over there and it was amazing. Like, it was definitely an experience that I'm grateful that my parents could provide to us. Since my me and my mom got closer, we've always talked about like what she's put me through or how she struggled herself. And she's been very open about how she had messed up about that. I understand. Like, you got to put yourself first. You gotta like, you want to provide for your family, you got to work like, this is America. Like, hey, nothing is handed to you. Like even like back then when my parents came from back home, nothing was handed to them. Like he, my dad came here he moved my mom here. He built a life here for us.
- [36:37]
Alanized
Tell us a little bit more. You know, you have brought it up here and there about the restaurant burning down five years after it opened on 4th of July, you know, the restaurant burned down. Tell us a little bit of how it happened. You know, what was your reaction? How did you see your parents kind of react to that devastating news? And how did that change your life after?
- [37:00]
Gia Batia
It was 4th of July, like we mentioned. It was 2023, I'm pretty sure, and my parents had closed down the restaurant. It was 10 o' clock, and they were gonna pick us up and we were gonna go over to my grandma's. And that's exactly what happened. We went over to my grandma's. We were just eating or talking, I'm not sure. It was a couple minutes before midnight. And that's when my dad gets a call like, hey, like, there's some motion on your cameras. And my dad's like, what? Like, what's going on? And he checked the cameras and they weren't loading. So, you know, they called again, trying to figure out what it is, and they send the police over there. Three minutes later, my dad gets a call from his landlord, and he's like, hey, your restaurant's on fire. And he just hangs up on my dad. And they don't give him an explanation. Like, is it big? Is it little? Like nothing? Like, it's just, hey, your restaurant's on fire. My dad tries to call back, and I think he's trying to call people and try to figure it out. And in the moment, like, we weren't taking anything seriously. Like, we're like, it's a fire. Like how? Like, my dad just closed the restaurant down an hour ago. We end up, like, panicking. We grab everything and we leave. We're driving to the restaurant and we're like three or four signal lights before the restaurant. So three or four signal lights before the restaurant, and we just see fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, and just fire. And mind you, we're almost a mile away. So we're thinking like, no, no way. This is for our restaurant. Like, let's be real. Like, that's not the first thing you think.
- [38:20]
Alanized
So it was like a very big visible fire.
- [38:22]
Gia Batia
It was very big. It's. It's probably on the news right now. It was one of the biggest fires, I'm sure, in that area. And we're driving up and the road's just blocked off. And on the other side, it's like almost a thousand people. Just looking and just watching. And a lot of people are on Tick Tock Live, just recording. And it's like we're like, what's going on? Like, you know, we end up driving up and we finally get through all the traffic, the fire trucks, and it's our restaurant on fire. Like, and it was a huge fire. It wasn't like a baby fire that the restaurant could be saved. Like everything's gone. Like everything my parents worked for, completely gone. And next door was my parents landlord. It was next door. His stuff was gone too. But he wasn't there. He wasn't nowhere in sight. So we're like, like, you know, calling him, like, hey, like your stuff's on fire too. Like it's not just us, no one's picking up. Like my dad calls his daughter and she ends up picking up and she's like, okay. She just hangs up. Like she's so nonchalant about it. And my mom's over there on the floor like literally crying, like devastating. She's bawling her eyes out. Like, that's my restaurant. That's my restaurant. People are just so rude. Like they're just recording my mom like on live, recording the restaurant. And it was very like, like it was not embarrassing, but at the same time it kind of was. Because like I said, I go to school, the restaurant is right in front of our neighborhood and the neighborhood is also connecting to my school. It was a lot of people from my school watching and it's just like, it's so embarrassing them seeing me like this. But that was my first thought. Like I had mentioned I wasn't sad about the restaurant burning down.
- [39:53]
Alanized
Like, and you were also so young. What were you, like 15? 14?
- [39:56]
Gia Batia
I was 15, yeah. So I know it sounds very selfish, but I wasn't sad about it. But seeing my mom and my dad just cry and like she, my mom, like, like just like even thinking about it, like just seeing her on the floor crying like that was like such a heartbreaking thing. But I couldn't get myself to shed a tear. Like I couldn't. It took two, three hours for the fire to get under control because like I said, it was a very big fire. It was huge. And never would have thought this would have happened to us. Like just speaking about it is just so unreal. Like you never think it's gonna happen to you until it does happen to you.
- [40:32]
Alanized
Did they ever tell you guys what happened?
- [40:35]
Gia Batia
No. So we had someone say it was a firework. And then I guess the inspectors came and they Said that they never found out the cause for some reason, I think. I don't know, they were just telling us a lot of things. And the whole case took a really long time. We never really found out the main reason on what happened.
- [40:53]
Alanized
What was it like? You know, obviously, they turn off the fire. You guys have to gather yourselves and go home. Do you remember that night? That first night, the day of the fire? What was that like at home?
- [41:04]
Gia Batia
I don't think nobody slept. Like I said, like, we were at my grandma and my uncle's house. So they ended up coming over here, and they just stayed over at our house, like, just seeing if we needed anything. And I don't really remember a lot of that night, just because it's like. Like a blur. I do remember we were all in the living room, and we were just, you know, just sitting there, like, thinking about what we're gonna do, like, how we're gonna, like, fix stuff. How are we gonna, like, make our money? Because, mind you, my parents had constantly. Were just working at the restaurant for five years. My mom wasn't working another job. My dad wasn't working another job. It was just the restaurant. So it was kind of, like, a lot going through my head, like, oh, are we gonna go back to being. Being broke? Like, are we gonna, like, go through, like, what we did beforehand? And that's kind of what I was just thinking about. I'm not really sure what was going through my parents had. But, like, I'm sure it was 10 times worse for them.
- [41:58]
Alanized
Like, yeah, that was all their hard work.
- [41:59]
Gia Batia
Yeah.
- [42:00]
Alanized
Literally burned down in front of their faces.
- [42:02]
Gia Batia
Literally. Like, I can't even imagine, like, what they were going through. Like, I understand, like, me, like, you know, having them home and stuff, that's a different thing. But them.
- [42:12]
Alanized
Were they able to rebuild or did they kind of close down the restaurant for good after they just.
- [42:17]
Gia Batia
Kind of closed down the restaurant for good. And I think it was a blessing in disguise because I feel like our life got way better. My relationship with my parents got better. I feel like my parents just needed it. I feel like if that restaurant never burnt down, they would have never got out of it. They would have stayed there. And my dad is old. My dad is in his 50s, and my mom is still pretty young. She's in her 40s, you know. Know, my dad was getting there, and he needed a way out. And they wouldn't listen. Like, that was their baby. Like, my mom had said, she cherished the restaurant more than she cherished us. For them, they Wouldn't ever sell it. Like, I already know. So the restaurant burning down was definitely a blessing in disguise. It was something that needed to happen.
- [42:56]
Alanized
Was there combos, like, afterwards of them, like, wanting to reopen? Do you guys. Do you guys currently have a restaurant right now?
- [43:02]
Gia Batia
No, we currently don't, but we do have talks about it, like. Like, my dad just. My dad is a hard worker. He's always worked. He's never just sat down for five minutes. And just even on his days off now he's just working in the garden. He's building something, he's cooking something. Like, he's just always doing something. So there's talks about, like, let's open up a food truck or let's open up a restaurant. But I don't think they would ever commit to it just because I feel like that really traumatized them and it really traumatized us, and I feel like nobody wants to go through that again.
- [43:33]
Alanized
Yeah, no. And I feel like it is very hard, you know, a very hard situation. Especially, you know, I'm sure your parents at times felt like, oh, my God, if we start again, we put all our hard work, time, dedication. For what? For it to happen again. Maybe, you know, it's a very. It sucks. But I'm glad that you guys. Out of that. I'm glad that you guys were able to, you know, something good was able to come out of it. Like, for example, you said that during that time, time that was when you and your parents, your guys's relationship kind of flourished, you know, and you. Like you said right now, it almost was for a good reason, you know? You know, I want to talk a little bit about you in school. How are you in school? Were you smart? Were you burrito? If you don't know what burrito means, it's kind of like, you know, not very smart.
- [44:19]
D
What were you.
- [44:20]
Alanized
How would you describe yourself in school?
- [44:22]
Gia Batia
Growing up? Elementary, I was very smart. Middle school, I was very smart. And then high school. High school is kind of where I went downhill. I would say I'm street smart over book smart. I am not that good in school. And even now, like, I don't really, like, you know, look forward to going to college, but, I mean, it's something that I will get done for sure. But school is never something that is, like, my strong point.
- [44:44]
Alanized
How was it when it came to you being in school socially? Do you feel like you were, like, the cool girl? Were you more of like the outcast? Did you get bullied? Did you bully? What was that like for you do.
- [44:54]
Gia Batia
In school, middle school. I feel like I was very underconfident. I was very insecure. I did get bullied a little bit, especially being a Pakistani. I feel like I have obviously very obvious Pakistani features, like my nose, small lips, you know, And I feel like for that people really, like people are immature. I mean, we're in middle school. People would point it out like you have a big nose, stuff like that. And it would really make me self conscious. And I was very skinny and I still am, and people would just point stuff out like that. So it would make me really insecure. And I feel like that's when I kind of just shut down, you know, already. I didn't have anybody I could talk to about stuff like that. Mom was at work, had brothers. So it's not like I could just be like, you know, like this is what I'm going through at school. So I kind of just dealt with my problems by myself and I just kept it. And I feel like that really affected me in high school. So when I was in eighth grade, that's when Covet hit great.
- [45:47]
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D
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- [47:27]
Gia Batia
I want to build something iconic.
- [47:29]
D
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Alanized
Anything you can imagine is possible.
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D
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- [47:47]
Gia Batia
And that's when people started wearing masks. And I'm like, oh, wow. Like, I'm going into my freshman year and I can wear a mask. And I finally was like, no one sees me. No one has anything to talk about me. Like. Like, I'm good. Like, I didn't feel insecure until, like, they were like, okay, well, take off the mask. Like, don't wear them anymore. And that's when I kind of, like, just, like. I don't know. Like, I just hated myself so much. Like, I remember I begged my mom to let me dye my hair red going against the freshman year I had red hair because I was like, I want to be completely different. Like, if I can't change my nose, if I can't change my weight, like, I want to change how I look. So I ended up dyeing my hair red, and I would kind of dress like a little boy. But it was just stuff like that. Like, I would secretly work out in my room trying to gain weight, like, drink protein shakes. Like, I remember I had told my dad, like, I wanted to buy, like, a 12 pack of, like, a protein shake to gain weight. That stuff is expensive. Like, a 12 pack is like $30. So I'm sure they were like, what are you doing? But I really wanted to just gain weight. I just wanted to, like, change myself so bad. And it didn't work. So I ended up just dyeing my hair, wearing a mask. Throughout ninth grade, I was still out there, but not as much as I, like, want to be. Like, I regret that so much, and if I could go back, I'll change it. And I feel like sophomore year is when everything kind of went downhill. Like, my parents restaurant burnt down. My sophomore year, beginning of the school year, like, the first day of school, Like, I was already very insecure. And I had two best friends, was very close to them. And around December Is when we all started stop being friends. And my parents restaurant was not there anymore. Having them at home. I was struggling with them at home. So being with them at home, we would just constantly argue. I would constantly have an attitude with them because, like, I'm not used to you guys being here. Like, this is to me, the house was my space. Like my quiet place. Like after a rough day at school, like I would go home and I would just lay in my bed. And having them there is just so irritating. Like, please go out and do something.
- [49:45]
Alanized
And then you couldn't tell talk to them about how you were feeling too. So it was like, what are you doing here?
- [49:49]
Gia Batia
Then in other words, like just having them there was just a burden on me. Like when my parents weren't here and they were at the restaurant, like, we would like clean up the house, we would do the dishes, we would like, we were really, really independent at home. So having them home, like, it was kind of a relief. Like, oh, like they got that stuff. But just young, you guys are here, like, it's our space. Like, what are you doing here? I was struggling with them at home, struggling with not having anybody to talk to. And I had just really lost myself. And I got really close with this girl and we decided that we were going to join track and we joined track together. We did everything together. Like she was, me and her were really good friends. But sadly, like two months after we stopped being friends, like, stuff ended. She called me very selfish and it kind of hurt my feelings and made me a little bit more self conscious conscious because already I didn't have friends. So I'm like, oh, like, is me? Am I a bad person?
- [50:44]
Alanized
Like, is this why I don't have friends?
- [50:47]
Gia Batia
I was like, am I selfish? Like, am I a bad person? Like, I'm already insecure. I was going through so much at home and having like all these friends stop being friends with me. It really hurt my feelings and I was just going through it. That's also when Tik Tok came in the picture. Tick tock. I never started thinking, like, oh, I was going to blow up up. I still never, like, I never had the intention of blowing up. I never thought, like people made money off of Tik Tok.
- [51:11]
Alanized
How did you wake up one day and be like, you know what? This is going on in my personal life. I have no friends anymore. I'm insecure. Let me record myself. What was that like?
- [51:20]
Gia Batia
So like I said, I've always done YouTube, like a nail YouTube channel. I also just did like random YouTube videos. Literally since I was a little kid. Tik Tok was, they had released a feature where you could just talk. Like the three minute, one minute videos. I was like, okay, well I don't have anybody to talk to. I'm gonna go ahead and talk to camera and just post it. And I had zero followers. Like, it was just a relief. Like after home, I would come back, sit on my, my vanity. It was just a little mirror and a couch and I would just sit there and just talk. Like I would talk about what happened in school, I would talk about guys I had a crush on, problem with girls, or just anything like, you know, problems at home. I would go and talk to the camera, post it, get on with my life. And you know, I would do that. Not every day, but, you know, once a while. I was always on TikTok. Like I was a musically kid. So I've always been in that. And one day like, like it wasn't like one specific day, like I blew up. Like, I feel like my views slowly went from a hundred to a thousand. Like slowly like got up like that. That's basically just how I started social media.
- [52:23]
Alanized
When you were doing social media, were there people, whether that was friends, families or people that doubted you in the sense of like, girl, go get a good, a real job. Like, social media ain't gonna pay the bills. Like, did you have people doubt you?
- [52:38]
Gia Batia
I never really told people I would do social media because like I said, like, I never thought it was going to be a job. Literally never thought I would be here. Like, like I. Like I said a year ago, I never thought I would be here. I was also working at Whataburger at that time. Freshly turned 15. My parents, like I said, I thought we were going to struggle with my money. And I already knew, like them not having the restaurant, like, they have to take care of their own. I have to do my own stuff. So I went out and got a job. I worked at CC's Pizza for one day. They had me doing all sorts of things like cleaning, picking up pizza, restocking things, taking orders. And I'm like, no, I quit. And I was working at $9 an hour. So it's like, I'm not doing this. So I ended up quitting and then I applied at Whataburger. I got hired there and I was so miserable. Like the checks were good, I was getting paid really good. It was 11 an hour. But I was so miserable. I had my manager and she was horrible. It was the manager. And why the Owner, they would just talk all the time like they were Pakistani as well. So they thought like me being Pakistani. My mom was also working at Whataburger with me at that time. That was my mom's first job after the restaurant. So you know, having her at home, having at work, stressful. But it was nice just having, having someone I know like working with me. But they, since they thought like over all Pakistani, like we could just talk about people. They were very racist, they were very rude to people. Like seeing how they would treat other people and how they would treat me or my mom was just very like I couldn't deal with it. Like we ended up calling HR on them multiple times. Never worked, like they never did anything. So I ended up just leaving. And then I worked at a shoe store and, and I quit I think when I was 17. So last year, maybe around March.
- [54:18]
Alanized
Because you were doing social media?
- [54:20]
Gia Batia
Because I was doing social media, but also because I wasn't getting hours there. So I was like, I'll just quit. And my dad wasn't happy with it. Like I didn't even tell my mom I quit. Like I just told her like, oh, they didn't give me hours. Like that's why I'm not going back. But I'm sure she needs.
- [54:35]
Alanized
Did they ever find out like, oh no, she quit.
- [54:38]
Gia Batia
No, they, I, I don't feel like right now.
- [54:40]
Alanized
Your mom's not finding out right now as we speak.
- [54:43]
Gia Batia
No, they like, I'm sure they had an idea in the back of their head like, girl, like, you're doing social media, Come on.
- [54:48]
Alanized
Like, girl, they actually are hiring. What do you mean they don't have hours?
- [54:52]
Gia Batia
Like, and it was almost summer, so it's like, what? Why are you not getting hours? Yeah, but Yeah, I quit JD's. JD's was the shoe store I was working at. So I got hired in November, worked all the way through March. And my first paycheck was from Tik Tok around March of 2020 between 4.
- [55:10]
Alanized
You know, after starting to do social media, your views started going up. You know, obviously those checks started coming in. When did you realize and when did it click in your head like, oh shit. Like I getting to a position where if I really put all, you know, my time and effort into this, I really can make social media my full time job. Did you have like a moment?
- [55:31]
Gia Batia
Like, look, I encourage anybody to do social media, but for me I never really had a moment moment. My first check, it was either March or February and my first check was 800 from tick tock. It was from the creator fund. And I was like, what? Like that was like such a big amount of money for me. Like 800. Like I was, I think 15 or 16. I was 16, handed 800 just for making videos. I was like, no way.
- [55:54]
Alanized
Like, no, let's go shopping right now. Yeah.
- [55:57]
Gia Batia
And I would spend my money constantly. Like that is something that I always had an issue with. I love makeup, I love shoes. Like, shoes is a really big thing. And me working at a shoe store, obviously, like, my money is going back to my job.
- [56:09]
Alanized
The discounts were coming through. Yeah. My sister in law worked at jd. Yeah.
- [56:14]
Gia Batia
Yeah.
- [56:14]
Alanized
So she would always be like, whenever you guys want a discount, let me know. We took advantage of that. Yeah.
- [56:20]
Gia Batia
You know, $800 was a lot for me at 16. And I ended up working, just making videos every day. Speaking about how it was at work, I would spend take my followers along at work. And I don't think I had a lot of followers. I would say maybe 100k, maybe, maybe 200k. And I would take everybody along with me, like to eat, to work, just get ready with me for work, get ready with me for school, get dressed with me. I would show my new shoes. Shoes is something that I felt like really built my platform as well. I would constantly buy new shoes. So I would constantly show people like, hey, this is what I got. And they're like, dang, girl. Like, you can have a shoe store at this point.
- [56:57]
Alanized
Like, you just bought one yesterday.
- [56:59]
Gia Batia
Yeah, literally. And my mom was getting so irritated.
- [57:02]
Alanized
Like, where's that love for shoes come from?
- [57:04]
Gia Batia
From working at a shoe store.
- [57:05]
Alanized
Okay.
- [57:06]
Gia Batia
I've always actually loved shoes. Just could never really afford them. That was the thing. And me being like working for myself. I got my first pair of Jordans my sophomore year. I worked and I bought them myself. They were the violet 11s. They. I still have them to this day. They're beautiful. Those are my first pair of shoes. And then I ended up just, you know, buying and collecting more new releases. But I always love shoes. I just couldn't afford them until I started working for myself because shoes can rain. Shoes are expensive. Like expensive. 2, 300 on one pair is crazy.
- [57:39]
Alanized
I remember when the mochas were really popular. I've always been you guys. I don't know, I feel like you guys, for those of you guys that watch my vlogs and really know me, I feel like, si me gusta gastar amigas. I do like to spend my money, my coin, you know, Me gusta Hermes Gustito. But I feel like shoes were always a thing for me, that I'm like, girl, I ain't gonna spend so much money. My boyfriend, however, he was all about when the whole reselling thing was, like, a big thing. I remember he wanted the mochas, and he got them, and I think he got them for 700. I'm like, girl, there is no, I think, the most I ever paid for a shoe. Huh? I mean, designer shoes are different, like, Gucci and all that stuff. But I feel like for Nikes and Air forces, maybe like, $200.
- [58:22]
Gia Batia
That's reasonable.
- [58:23]
Alanized
Yeah, I would, like, I would always be like, okay, if I catch it, like, at the store, I'll get it. But my boyfriend was really big on, like, girl, I want this shoe. And I'm like, how much is it? Like, 100 bucks? Nah, 300. I'm like, girl, go do something else. Did it ever get too expensive to where you're like, okay, let me chill for a bit.
- [58:41]
Gia Batia
After I quit JD's, it was like, okay, like, I can't afford this without 30.
- [58:46]
Alanized
Like, the discount really was making a difference.
- [58:48]
Gia Batia
Yeah, I was getting paid on Tik Tok, but it was like, it was Tik Tok money, and I don't want to. Like, that's kind of when I got into saving, I guess I would blow my checks. Like, like I said, I worked at waterburger, and then JD's never saved any of it. And I was like, I worked these two jobs for so long and I never saved anything. So I was like, let me at least save my Tik Tok checks and I'll spend the work. And like, I was working at jd, ended up quitting. And then I was like, okay, whatever, I'll just save. I saved for a couple of months. And that's when I guess the house buying came into play, which we'll get.
- [59:22]
Alanized
Into that in a little bit. I want to go a little bit back. You know, you were telling us that in high school and in middle school, you were very insecure. Do you feel like social media helped build your confidence? If so, in what way?
- [59:34]
Gia Batia
I do think social media really built my confidence. There's a lot of haters out there. There's a lot of people who just talk shit. It definitely didn't help. First, like, I had mentioned at the beginning how I had came to my mom crying one day, like, hey, like, they're making fun of me in the comments. And my mom was like, how about how I just look like my nose? Specifically, like, That's a, a very visible feature about me. And you know, I'm proud to admit, like, you know, I love it. I had went to my mom crying about it. I was like, they're making fun of me. And my mom was like, don't get on social media if you can't handle it. Cuz I was growing at that time so, so my mom already knew like what was gonna happen. Like people, people talk. That is something that stuck with me though. Like, don't get on social media if you can't handle it. It was positive more than negative, I guess. And I would just realize, like, there's so many people who love me, love how I look, love how I dress, like there's so much good about me. Like, why do I think so negative about myself? And like how I had mentioned how I felt, like I was such a bad person because I never really felt close to anyone. A lot of people on social media would really comfort me and tell me like, wow, you're such a good, good person. Because I would always, you know, I'm a very open person. Like, ask me about anything. Like, I will tell you. Like, I don't gatekeep. I'm like big sister vibes. Like my intention on social media is I didn't grow up with a sister. I want to be able to create a platform for girls where they can just come and be like, oh, wow, like my waxing videos, like, you know, like how to wax and stuff. So I feel like having a platform about girl talking, girl stuff definitely made me more confident because a lot of girls would relate to me and they would, would just make me feel so secure. And like a lot of Pakistani girls as well, with the same features, they would be like, hey, like me too, I struggle with this too. And I'm like, girl, like, you're beautiful. Like you're beautiful. I'm beautiful. Like, do you feel like you have.
- [61:20]
Alanized
A lot of like Pakistani girls that are first gen too, that feel like they can connect with you when it comes to, you know, the differences in cultures and what it's like to live in America, you know, you, I feel like you live your life very authentically. You, you know what I mean? You go, go online and you really do live just your life. Do you feel like you get a lot of comments of girls that maybe have the same upbringing as yourself and they're like, wow, like I love seeing you or I wish I was able to express myself the way you do. Do you feel like you get that a lot?
- [61:48]
Gia Batia
I do get that a lot. And I read my DMS every day. Like, in the morning, I get up and I start reading my DMs. I may not reply, but I get so many messages about girls just saying, like, hey, like, you helped me so much. You encourage me to post, or you encourage me to dress a certain way. Like, you just encourage me to do this or do that. And it just. It just brings me, like, peace to know, like, I'm able to do that for somebody.
- [62:14]
Alanized
I feel like it does feel good. I remember the first time. Well, not one of the first times, but I remember when I started doing social media. I feel like as creators, we sometimes, you know, think like, oh, my little stupid video is not gonna make a difference. And I. Anyone's life, like, I'm just cracking jokes or I'm just doing this or that. And I remember the first time someone, you know, I think we're at the mall and we're coming down the escalator. Some girl came at me crying, like. Like, I was scared. Like, oh, my God, what's going on? Like, are you okay? She was so excited to meet me. You know, she was telling me that my videos, my vlog, specifically, when I was. I used to vlog every single day on YouTube. So I was uploading Monday through Friday for three years straight. Way before the podcast. If you're a real one, you remember, that's kind of how I kind of started in the. In the space. So I would vlog everything, everything, everything. And I remember when she came up to me, I was kind of confused because I was like, wait a minute. Because she told me that my videos, you know, helped her a lot. They stopped her from committing suicide, you know, multiple times. And I was like, wow. Like, I just upload my little videos, not really thinking that they're gonna make a difference, but it feels so, so good when you're like, wow, like, I did that for you.
- [63:24]
Gia Batia
Yeah, it definitely feels like that. Like I said, I read my DMs every day, and I get so many. I remember this one DM specifically, like you just mentioned. It was the same thing. This girl was explaining to me or just, you know, expressing to me how her sister passed away. And it was her older sister. She was the same age as me, and she was like, how I look like her. And I bring her, like, comfort, I guess.
- [63:47]
Alanized
Like peace.
- [63:49]
Gia Batia
Yeah, Like a sort of big sister thing. And how I help her because I would do, like, lifestyle content. Like, I post about everything. Makeup, clothes, shoes.
- [63:56]
Alanized
You give people a little bit of Everything.
- [63:58]
Gia Batia
Yeah. So she was like, it was very, like, nice to see someone post like that. Post very raw content. I also don't really edit my videos a lot just because I feel like, you know, I like. I like raw footage. I like the real deal. So she was like, like a big message, just explaining, like, she loves how I do my content, like that. That she loves how I'm so open and it makes her feel so safe. Like I'm like her sister and it just made me shed a little tear. Like, it's so good to read, like, comments or messages like that.
- [64:28]
Alanized
I feel like as content creators, I feel like that's one of the most, like, rewarding parts of what we do. Like, it almost gives us a purpose. Like, okay, like, I was just doing this to around and find out, but I guess it's doing a difference, so let's keep it going. You know, I feel like at times, times, maybe I don't know if you feel the same way, but I feel like sometimes when I'm like, you know what? I'm so fed up with this. I don't want to continue doing this. I don't want to do it. I feel like sometimes I'm like, you know what? No, I gotta keep going because there's a lot of people that look up to us. You know, I want to go back a little bit about school. You recently, you've gone viral so many times, but you recently went viral for your prom dress, which I loved. It was so extra, but in the best way possible. It was gorgeous. It was a dream, you guys. I'm gonna put it right here so you guys can go ahead and see it. Tell us all about that. Tell us what was prom dress shopping? Like, how did you find this dress? How much was it? If you feel comfortable sharing. And how was prom in general? Did you go with your friends? Did you go alone? How was that overall?
- [65:27]
Gia Batia
Okay, I'm gonna be very blunt about it. I did not want to pay a crazy amount for a dress, so I used my influencer abilities and I reached out to. Out to multiple companies. Multiple. I. I knew I wanted a custom dress. I was set on it. So I reached out to multiple people. Like, hey, like, I'm an influencer. I have this many followers. I'd love to collab with you for a dress. And I had this lady reach out to me. She reached back out to me and she was like, hey, like, yeah, like, we can work something out. But she was from New York, and I'm in Houston, and I didn't want the dress shipped to me because, like, if anything goes wrong, like, what's, what's gonna happen?
- [66:03]
Alanized
And I feel like the material of the dress too, was like something you're like, oh, what if it cracks, breaks or something?
- [66:08]
Gia Batia
My dress was so heavy. Like, it had to be at least five pounds. Like, it was so heavy. And all the gems were like, individually added on and the little extra part up there, it was doing a lot.
- [66:22]
Alanized
But I love it though. It's like a good a lot.
- [66:25]
Gia Batia
Yeah, I got so many compliments on it. Like, I love, loved it. But back to the dress story. I had reached out to her, she reached, backed out. And I had sent over a lot of, like, designs that I liked. Like the top part and the bottom, how I wanted a trail, like, how I wanted a corset. And she brought my vision to life. Like, she sketched out a beautiful little dress for me and I was like, yes, this is perfect. And I told her like, okay. And she went out to Dubai and she picked out fabric for me. So she was all the way over there and she kept me like, like along the process, which was amazing. And I just didn't feel like getting scammed. Cuz, you know, prom, like, it's scary.
- [67:01]
Alanized
You're like, oh, my God, what if she's promising this dress the day of prom comes and there's no dress? Like, did you think of that?
- [67:07]
Gia Batia
I did. I was so scared, but at the same time, I was like, I have her address. I'mma be there.
- [67:11]
Alanized
I'll pull up to New York for that dress.
- [67:14]
Gia Batia
Don't play with my dress.
- [67:15]
Alanized
Did you have a backup dress or no?
- [67:16]
Gia Batia
No, I did not have a backup dress or anything. Like, I was so scared. But I knew, like, if anything went wrong, like, like, it's whatever. Prom is such a big thing. Like, I'm a very extra person when it comes to my events because I like to just, you know, I'm an extra person. I like to be extra. I had just told everybody, like, I'm gonna do so much for prom. I'm do so much for prom.
- [67:35]
Alanized
So they were expecting.
- [67:36]
Gia Batia
Yeah, they were expecting a lot from me. My dress had to be extra. She was sending me videos and everything. And I don't know if you guys know, but there was a little dilemma with my dress about hip pads. And I did not know hip pads were going to be added onto my dress dress. Like, I feel like everybody thinks I added a fake bbl. I did not want that, y' all. So what happened was she sent me the video of a dress, and it's on a mannequin, and I'm thinking, oh, the mannequin's curvy. Like, you know, it's whatever. The dress isn't gonna look like that. We go over to New York, and we get to her studio, and we see the dress, and I'm like, whoa, this is huge on the hips. Like, this is not gonna fit. And as I'm putting the dress on, she's like, oh, yeah, by the way, we added hip pads. And I'm like.
- [68:17]
Alanized
Like, I'm not gonna beat the BBL allegations.
- [68:20]
Gia Batia
Like, I know I want to be bl and everything, but this ain't. This is not right now. I try out the dress, and she's like, oh, yeah, we added hip pads. And I'm like, oh, my God. Like, no way. And I look at myself in the mirror, and I'm just so shocked in the moment, And I couldn't really say anything, like, oh, like, no, it's ugly, or it's cute. Like, it was definitely not ugly for sure.
- [68:38]
Alanized
Or if it was too much because you didn't want the hip pate.
- [68:40]
Gia Batia
Yeah. And it was definitely, like, just, like, unexpected. And I didn't expect it. I didn't have anything negative to say until now. Like, they're really stressed.
- [68:49]
Alanized
Yeah.
- [68:50]
Gia Batia
But it's just not me. And I wanted to be comfortable on prom day especially. You know, you have all this makeup on. You have a dress on. Like, the. The least I can do is just look like myself. We take the dress, we go back home, and I upload it, and the comments are just full of the hip pads, the hip pads, the hip pads. And I get in my feelings about it, like. Like, I'm just so butt hurt. Like, oh, my God. Like, my prom dress is just ruined. Like, hip pad. And I definitely didn't hate it. Like, I said, it was just not me. And I told my mom. I was like, I want to get them removed. And she was like, no. Like, they look fine. Like, you don't need to listen to these people. And I'm like, no. Like, I want to remove them for me. Like, I want to feel comfortable on my prom day.
- [69:28]
Alanized
The hip pads, uncomfortable.
- [69:29]
Gia Batia
It weren't. They weren't uncomfortable. But, like, everybody knows what I look like. You know, I'm on social media. People see my body all the time. Like, how I look. So definitely, like, seeing a fake bbo.
- [69:40]
Alanized
They'Re like, but you also didn't want them to be like, oh, that's how she looks. And Then when they see you without them, they're like, oh, what happened? You know, it almost creates like a fake image. Yes. Huh.
- [69:49]
Gia Batia
And I'm about, like I said, like, raw content, raw everything. So I didn't like it. And I told my mom, I want to get him removed. So, you know, she respected it. And we went somewhere, we got them removed, and I showed everybody on TikTok and they loved it.
- [70:02]
Alanized
I loved it. I remember the first time I saw the dress was actually the designer posted it on their social medias. I was so wowed, you guys, just because, you know, what's one thing that really, first of all, the color orange we'll get into. How did you choose the color? Such a gorgeous color. And one of the things that really stood out for me, I feel like especially with really extra dresses and really over the top dresses, sometimes, you know, it can look like the dress is wearing you instead of you wearing the dress. But I feel like it looks so good that there was like this balance of like, it's too much, but you almost like, you level it out where it's like, no, I'm too much too. So almost like, it almost makes sense. How did you choose the color? Was that always, like your first choice in color?
- [70:48]
Gia Batia
It always was orange is my favorite color, and I get told I look good in orange. So I was like, why not make my prom dress orange? And then that's what I really wanted, like a brighter orange for sure. But the orange that we picked out was perfect as well. But the dress designer definitely got all my ideas and made it into my dream dress. Like, I don't regret anything about it. Not even the hip pads. Like, I love the dress so much and I'm blessed that, like, everything worked out at the end of the day.
- [71:17]
Alanized
So you went to New York and then you drove back with the dress?
- [71:21]
Gia Batia
We went on the plane. Plane, which was a struggle. Like, the dress was so heavy and how the whole situation was. We landed in New Jersey because I had family in New Jersey. So from New Jersey, we went to New York City, and then we explored the city for a little while. And then we went to the Bronx, which was like a 40 minute drive. And then from there we went back to the new. Back to the city. We took a train and we went to New Jersey. New Jersey, and then back to Houston. So it was like a lot going on. Like, it was definitely, definitely very overwhelming, I would say. And the dress was so heavy. Like, arm workout for sure.
- [71:57]
Alanized
But it was worth it.
- [71:58]
Gia Batia
It was so worth it.
- [71:59]
Alanized
It Was so worth it. How was prom? How was the event overall?
- [72:02]
Gia Batia
Prom was really fun. I actually ran for prom queen.
- [72:05]
Alanized
Did you win?
- [72:06]
Gia Batia
I did not win. But I mean, I kind of knew that, like, I knew that I'm a very kept to myself person. So I knew I wasn't really out there. But prom was really fun. I would do it again if I could. I lowkey thought it was going to be pretty lame. Like, no one was gonna, like, dance or everybody was just gonna, you know, just sit there. But no, people were actually dancing. People were talking. Like, I feel like it was just a very fun experience. Especially like prom or even all the senior events. Like, it was just such a good thing to do. Like, I talked to so many people I never talked to before. And at prom, like, people were complimenting my dress. Like, people were, you know, just talking to me and I was talking to people. It was definitely a very fun night.
- [72:47]
Alanized
We took a little break, you guys, because pass on tren. Okay? You guys don't know because you guys never hear it. But every single guest can attend to that. There's an annoying ass train that passes by. But anyways, what I was going with that. In that little break where we took the break, we were talking about prom. And I feel like prom for me, I didn't go to prom. But I always say it's like one of those things that I wish I did do. You know, we were talking. I went to prom. Instead of going to prom, I went to Disneyland my senior year. I. I had moved from Santa Ana, which is like a city in this area, and I moved to Anaheim. So I didn't know anyone in Anaheim. Right. I only knew very little people. I didn't want to go because my whole thing was like, where they're having prom. I had my 8th grade dance app. So to me, I'm like, girl, like. And I didn't know anyone too. I only knew, like, very few people. So I was like, no, maybe I'll skip prom. My boyfriend, which wasn't my boyfriend that time, he was a really good friend of mine and my best friend now, Irma. We went together to Disneyland. And. Which is funny because I always like to say everything worked out for a reason. That was the night me and my boyfriend kind of like started dating. I guess you can say so I guess, you know, it all worked out. But I do always say, like, I wish I would have gone to prom. I wish I would have experienced it because it is a once in a lifetime experience. Did you ever, you know, being your Dress so extra. Did you ever feel like before you got there, you're like, oh, my God, is this going to be too much?
- [74:08]
Gia Batia
No, never.
- [74:10]
Alanized
This is not enough. Maybe. Yeah.
- [74:11]
Gia Batia
No. Because I go to such a extra school. Like, when I tell you these girls and these guys are so extra, but I love it. Like, I. I've never moved districts. I've middle school, elementary, high school, same district. I know these people. I already know what they were going to come down at prom. So I was like, I need to look like them or, you know, there's what's gonna happen.
- [74:32]
Alanized
Yeah.
- [74:33]
Gia Batia
So I already know what was gonna go down. So I was like walking into prom, we were definitely early. So I was one of the only people there with a couple of like, maybe two or three other people. So we were very early, but it wasn't very, like, I wasn't nervous at all. Like, I knew, like, I was gonna fit in with everybody else because everybody else, like, their dress was beautiful. Like, beautiful.
- [74:54]
Alanized
I love that. I want to talk a little bit bit more about another viral moment. I feel like this specific topic I feel like is something that really put your name out there. You know, you've accomplished, like I said at the beginning of the interview, you've accomplished a lot at such a young age. When you were 17, you became a first time homeowner, which is crazy because people my age or people double your age aren't homeowners yet. And you being able to accomplish that at such a young age is something so inspiring. How did that happen? What in your head at that time? You know, most teens are worrying about prom, worrying about their finals. What made you be like at 17, like, you know what, I'm saving this money. I want to buy a house instead of a car, instead of, I don't know, a new palette. Like, what was that mindset or who kind of instilled that in you? Like, hey, maybe you should, you know, know, do this and, you know, how was that whole process like, growing up?
- [75:51]
Gia Batia
We've always invested in stocks and stuff, but my mom has never forced us to do anything. At 13 is, I don't know if you know, Robin Hood, but I invested in Robin Crypto.
- [76:02]
Alanized
Like, but I mean, Robin Hood's like the app. Yeah.
- [76:05]
Gia Batia
So we were investing in Robin Hood. It was me and my brothers. And nothing was forced, like, my parents have never forced anything up, like, upon us. So. So it started with Robin Hood. And then eventually I think when I was like, maybe 13, my parents bought an investing house and I didn't think Anything of it. Like I'm 13, like I didn't think anything of it. Fast forward. I'm 17 and I want to buy a Mercedes. Like you said, like car palette. I wanted to buy a Mercedes and I was so set on what car I wanted. I want a 2025 clip a class C. I wanted a Mercedes and my mom took me and we test drove cars, we looked at cars, we talked to people, we looked at used cars and we looked at also wanted a Tesla. Like I was set on wanting a car. I don't know what really happened that switched my mindset, but I do remember I was sitting in the school parking lot in the morning. I was skipping my first and second period with my really close friend Maya. Shout out to her. I was sitting in the parking lot with her and I was just scrolling and I was looking at houses and I'm like 227,000, I can afford this. So I sent it to my mom and I'm like hey like I want to buy a house. And I'm sure my mom was, I don't know what was going through her head but she claimed she was really shocked and she was very excited. And my mom had never gave me this idea but I've just seen her do it and my dad and I'm like why not? Like I wasn't really spending my money anywhere. It was just sitting in my bank account. We settled on I wanted a house. So that summer we went towards Magnolia, it's an area in Tex. In, in Houston Texas. And we went over there, we were just looking at new built houses and we decided that we were going to get this house and we negotiated the price down and everything. Without a realtor. It was just me and my mom did it without my dad. We didn't even tell him until we got home and we're like oh like yeah, we found a house and and we want to put this much money down for the down payment and the earnest money is this much. And we just explained to him with everything and he was just kind of going with the flow like okay, like are you legit?
- [78:10]
Alanized
Are you pranking me? What's up?
- [78:11]
Gia Batia
Yeah. And speaking about my dad being like that, my dad had never like was very set on me earning money on TikTok. He always just wasn't really like I guess he just didn't understand it because cuz, you know he came from Pakistan, he never really got a hold on to the reality of like oh like you shoot a minute video and here you go making $100 like, girl, go work.
- [78:35]
Alanized
Yeah. Go to the restaurant. What do you mean you're going to make money doing your little videos? Yeah, yeah.
- [78:38]
Gia Batia
Like my dad has always been set on go to college, get a good job. That's basically what it is. And still my dad would like, prefers me going to college and stuff. But he understands like opportunities like this is. It doesn't come like it's not handed to you buying the house thing. My dad, I'm sure he was a little scared because at that time I think I barely. I didn't even have a million followers. I had hit a million, I think a month after I closed on my house. I closed in my. On my house October 1, 2024. I think my dad was just a little scared, like, who's going to take a. Like take care of the finances and stuff? Cuz it was just me and my mom and he was probably scared and I don't think he understood how I was making money on social media and how much I was. Was making for real.
- [79:20]
Alanized
Was it always in your thought process, you always wanted to get an investment home? Or were you at first thinking like, oh, maybe I should just buy my own home? Or was it more like, no, I want to invest, you know, I maybe can rent it out, if so, you know, one of the comments I saw a lot was like, you're 17. How does that even happen? Like, how did that happen?
- [79:40]
Gia Batia
I don't know. Like I said, like, I was always just a little bit more mature and just like had a very open mind with things. And money comes when money goes. But I'm.
- [79:50]
Alanized
But it goes more. It goes more, y' all. It goes more. It leaves more than it comes, definitely.
- [79:55]
Gia Batia
But I'm a. I'm always telling people, like, I would rather set myself up for the future than what I'm doing right now. And right now I don't really have a lot of expenses, I'm not paying rent, I'm not paying bills, I don't have to pay for groceries. So why not take my money and put it somewhere where it's going to help me in the future? So kind of like that. And the house was always for an investment purpose. Like, I never thought of moving in. Never even crossed my idea. Like, I'm going to college now and that still doesn't cross my mind. I'm moving out because my parents are just there for me and I'm like, I'm gonna take full advantage of that. I'm not moving out. I'm gonna save until I get another House, which this summer, for sure. I don't want to move out at all.
- [80:39]
Alanized
I feel like the house buying process can be very stressful, overwhelming. What do you feel like was the hardest thing for you to grasp on? Or the. Or what is something that maybe you learned that you had no idea? And also, was there ever moments where, you know, being so young and going through this stressful process, was there ever moments where it felt like, oh, no, this reality that you're living now is very far away from happening in the moment?
- [81:02]
Gia Batia
I feel like everything was happening really fast. Like, me and my mom looked at a house and we closed, I think a month or two months after. We tried to hold it off as much as we can, but I think we booked the house in June and. Or July, and we tried to hold it off as much as we can. But what really hit. And what I, like, just didn't understand about home buying was how much money it actually takes. Like, how expensive taxes are. Like the house. Like, mortgage taxes, HOA fees. Like, I didn't realize that until I was paying it. And 8, 000 in taxes. And I'm like, whoa. Like, that's a shopping spree. Like, I wasn't regretting my decision, but I was definitely like, why did I do this to myself? Just stuff like that. Like, it definitely set. Not set me back, but definitely made me rethink. Like, do I really want another house? Like, I could be spending this money somewhere else. But no, like, I'm buying. I'm gonna get another house.
- [81:57]
Alanized
But yes, I love that when I. I prep for, like, an interview, I'm always talking to my boyfriend and my friend, like, oh, my God, I'm so excited. And that was one of the major things that I was the most excited about because I'm like, that's so inspiring being so young. Like I said earlier, you know, when I was that age, I was not thinking about buying a house, let alone even had money to buy a house. But it's very like, wow, like, you're so young and you have a good. What are the. How do they say? A good head over your shoulders. Is that what it is? Like, I don't even know how to say that. Basically, you're. You're doing the damn thing. I know you had mentioned in a video that at first it was a little hard because it was hard to find someone to rent it to.
- [82:33]
Gia Batia
Yes.
- [82:33]
Alanized
What was that process like?
- [82:35]
Gia Batia
We struggled renting it out for, I think, two months or three months. We were paying out of pocket, and it was Hard because the house where we got the house was in a very suburban place and it was getting built like new built. So there wasn't really a lot around. Like there is no Walmart around, there's no mall around found. So it was definitely like a struggle to find people. And we, we found someone, thankfully. But I was paying for the house out of pocket for three months and then I also had to pay taxes. So that was almost like 13, $14,000 just in random fees and stuff. And I like, it was like it's.
- [83:13]
Alanized
Gonna run my money up. Literally.
- [83:14]
Gia Batia
I was scared for a little bit, like this is like what I have to pay. But it ended up working out, out for sure. And it's definitely a really good thing. Like you may not like make a lot in the moment, but definitely like in the future, like it'll pay off.
- [83:27]
Alanized
It's an investment, literally. You know, what was it like the day you got the keys? You know, after a very stressful process, you know, you show up to closing day, you eventually get the keys. What was that like? What was going on in your head? How did you feel about yourself? You know, at that very moment I.
- [83:42]
Gia Batia
Felt like I was that bitch. So I was actually at school. I was not able to close on the house because I was 17. Nothing was under my name. I just provided financially. So it was my mom and my dad. They called me and they were like, hey, like do you want to come? And I was in school and I'm like, yes, I want to come. So I drove over there. It was like a 30 minute drive. I was alone and I was just so excited. Like it was just so many emotions. Like I can't believe I'm a homeowner like at 17, like I still can't believe it till this day. And I like a lot of people tell me like, isn't it like just crazy to think about? And I'm like, it really is. Like I just don't like think about it like that anymore. It was amazing. Maybe this house, it'll be a little bit more exciting. I'll be there signing the papers hopefully. But last house, I mean it wasn't me, it was my mom and my dad. But definitely just being there and handed the keys and just going to go see the house and posting about it was just so fun to me.
- [84:36]
Alanized
I love that. You know what piece of advice advice can you give to anyone your age or anyone in general that are in that position of wanting to buy, of feeling like, oh my God, it's very overwhelming. Maybe I shouldn't do it because this or this can go bad. What would be a piece of advice you would give to anyone watching right now when it comes down to, you know, being a homeowner?
- [84:56]
Gia Batia
A piece of advice I would give to you guys would probably just be, don't stress yourself over it. Like, houses come and go. I promise you, you like, if you think you found the perfect house somewhere, go a little bit further down, you will find like an even better house. Especially when it comes to investment properties. Don't overthink it. You're not the one staying in it. Like it's an investment property. It's like a rental property. Like people really aren't there to find a fancy house. They're there because they want to save their own money to be able to get a house themselves. So I feel like don't stress yourself over it. Definitely save yourself and mentally, mentally prepare yourself for how much is going to be going out and coming in. Because I feel like people have this false reality that money is just going to come right as soon as you close on the house. That's not how it works. Definitely. That's how I thought it would work. But after like getting into it, I realized like, no, you're gonna lose before you gain. And I think with any investment, that's how it is. Like, you lose before you gain.
- [85:51]
Alanized
I love that piece of advice because like I said, I feel like that's so inspiring to finish off today's interview. I have had a great time sitting down with you here today. Wait, did you already buy your dream car yet or is that in the process?
- [86:04]
Gia Batia
That's in the process.
- [86:07]
Alanized
And you will do it, you will make it happen. Because you know, at such a young age, you're showing up for yourself, you're working hard for your dreams, and there's no dream that is too little with everything you've accomplished so far. You know, to finish off the interview.
- [86:21]
Gia Batia
Interview.
- [86:21]
Alanized
Where do you see yourself in five years? Whether that is, you know, relationship wise, whether that is, you know, career wise, homeowner wise, where do you see yourself in the next five years?
- [86:31]
Gia Batia
In the next five years, hopefully I've graduated from college, I'm going to college for marketing. Obviously I'm in that field already. I feel like I would be amazing at it. Digital marketing, Marketing specifically. And then hopefully, you know, with somebody moved in, hopefully out my parents house, I definitely want an apartment, not a home. But I do want to continue investing in houses. Like I said, second house this summer. So that is something that I'M looking forward to just the college experience, building new friends, new relationships, and, you know, seeing where Tick Tock takes me, especially being on this podcast. Thank you so much for having me me. I feel like this is such a big opportunity, like my first opportunity as well.
- [87:18]
Alanized
Thank you so much. I had an amazing time talking to you today and I know everyone at home. If you guys have yet to follow her, make sure you guys go ahead and follow her all over her social medias, which I'll leave them down below as well as on the screen so you guys won't miss any future episodes. And with the with that being said, thank you once again for being here.
- [87:41]
Gia Batia
Thank you so much for inviting me.
- [87:43]
Alanized
And thank you guys so much for watching. And we'll see you guys in the next one. Bye guys. Yay. You did so good. This episode of Noche de Pendejadas is brought to you by booking.com booking yeah. From vacation rentals to hotels across the US, booking.com has the ideal summer stay for absolutely anyone, even those who might seem impossible to please. Whether you're booking for yourself, your partner, your Sleep Light Rise early mom, or your Hype Maintenance group chat, you can find exactly what you're looking for on booking.com so if I can find my perfect stay on booking.com anyone else can find exactly what you're booking for? Booking.com booking yeah. Book today on the site or in the app. Applied.