Bitcoin News attended the Adopting Bitcoin 2023 conference this week.
Here are a few observations from a first-timer on the ground in Bitcoin country:
- El Salvadorans are in general a very friendly people, felt welcomed upon arrival
- Some things are very cheap ($2 Uber rides across San Salvador), and some things are just as expensive as the US ($30 steak dinner)
- San Salvador feels safe - walking around alone late at night with a cellphone out was no problem
- There’s a general feeling of a country on the rise - roads are getting paved, new infrastructure popping up everywhere
- Far from everyone trusts or uses Bitcoin - grassroots adoption is more powerful than top-down
- The people are extremely thankful that Bukele stomped out the gangs
- One complaint about Bukele is that he promised too much in his first term and hasn’t delivered on everything he said he would
- Bitcoin beach is beautiful, but a lot less developed than you might think
- Traffic in San Salvador at rush hour moves at a standstill
- They give you a receipt for every single transaction, even drinks at a bar
- Papusas are tasty and cheap, but are very heavy and might not sit well with you
TLDR: The vibes in El Salvador are very high. While Bitcoin adoption might not be everywhere or genuinely accepted by everyone, the country is certainly miles ahead of nearly everyone else in this regard. The positive economic direction the country is in leads to people being happy in general.
Papusas→ Pupusas !