Yamid is his first name? yes, Colombians pronounce Ys with a bit of a J sound. One can hear this in any Shakira song in spanish. YO which is first person singular pronoun, sounds like JOE.
Yes. We had to be taught how to say it. I wondered if his mother had been Lebanese, or something. but, I’m assured that they are 100% Spanish-American and Yamid is a proper Colombian name. In any case, he has fit right in this Germanic/Scandinavian community.