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This post comes from here 3 Great Experiences that will not be repeated Commenting on some peculiar experiences that I had at some point in my life, which I think I will not repeat again, for different reasons. And then... I thought it would be interesting to try to find out what interest some stackers would have about these great experiences, so I made a survey: Survey So, the survey was a success, giving the Option #3 as the winner
I will try to summarize my story, limiting myself to the most relevant, and at the end I would like to leave a reflection from the new perspective that lives in me (The New and improved Bitcoiner perspective) to further establish what was expressed in the first post, why these experiences will not be repeated. Also when writing these lines I noticed that it would not be a very short story, so it will be divided into "Chapters". I hope you can enjoy this story of migration, overcoming and learning.
I was able to read a little of @bief57's story Living in Communism And I couldn't help but empathize with his story, since it also dates back to the same time and the same crisis.
Migrating to another country with only $120 in my pockets plus a $30 plane ticket 📎Chapter 1️⃣.
This story goes back to 2016. The beginning of my great journey as a migrant. In those days, things in Venezuela were very chaotic, in terms of the economy and other aspects that are of vital importance. My surprise was even greater when I realized that in the past half a year I had only been able to pay my rent and eat. That year I had not been able to save anything and neither had I been able to buy many things. It is worth noting that in those days my ignorance about money was greater than today, and that obviously I was not even close to knowing Bitcoin at that time.
Among so many things that were happening in the country during those days, an idea came to my head, I had to migrate. I could not stay in Venezuela if I wanted to continue moving forward with my life. In that year of 2016, all the hyperinflation and the mega devaluation of the Bolivar exploded in my face, seeing how most of my income and savings capacity had disappeared, my source of employment that year was also weakening more and more every day due to the economic situation in the country (I worked in tourism) and then I concluded that I had to migrate.
But that was a pretty difficult task.
As I mentioned, my savings had been totally eroded in just the last two years from 2014 to 2016, which was when the government got out of control with the printing of the Bolivar... I had a small amount of gold that they gave me for my baptism in 2012 and that I sold just before it started to rise in 2015 (in my family there was never a culture of saving gold or other assets, we were simple mortals saving our energy in government papers and inside the bank). Only the things I had been able to buy were saved, such as cameras, snorkeling equipment, and other tools that I had bought because I used them for work, including a video game console. Nowadays, understanding inflation and paper money a little better after what I experienced, I understand why I was able to sell some of the belongings I had acquired in those two years at the same price or even above the value, and which I later sold to raise the money needed to leave.
So I tried to start selling all my belongings, because I had to leave the country soon, since once I left my job, every day that passed was a day of expenses, of zero income, and without knowing it, at the same time something was happening hidden from my eyes, my money, even if it was in dollars, was losing purchasing power as the days went by.
So I set my course with the intention of going to Brazil with a couple of friends.
We took the necessary measures, we got some vaccines that were required to enter the country and when the trip was almost ready, I went. All plans fell apart, one of the friends had just had his first child and was hesitating about leaving.
While that was happening, another friend left the country and wrote to me via FB.
Brother, I went to the Dominican Republic, there is a promotion with an airline, the tickets cost $30 and here you can work and life is not so expensive. If you want to come, you can stay where I live and here we tried.
When I read that message, my head exploded 🤯 I didn't think about it for long, I spoke to the remaining friend who was in Venezuela. I proposed the idea, I showed him the message, I spoke to the friend who had already migrated to tell him that I would go with someone else and that was it.
I remember that after selling some things, I left some money to my mother and I decided to leave. I remember as if it were yesterday when my mother asked me.
Son, are you sure?
-And I remember answering her -
Obviously I don't want to leave Mother, but staying here leaves me with no other option than waiting for you to die so I can have my own house, and I don't want that. I need to get out and see what's out there. I need to get out so I can find opportunities.
At the end of that day, I had already bought a ticket, I had sold some of my belongings and when we thought everything was ready. I see that my flight was in a week and that it was scheduled for the day when a mega demonstration was being called in the capital against the Tyrant Government. The capital would be collapsed and I had to go through there to get to the international airport and take my flight...
To be continued!!
10 sats \ 1 reply \ @DesertDave 12h
The universe rewards bravery. Take a leap.
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @flat24 OP 1h
Thanks for mentioning it, I already feel rewarded, I discovered bitcoin!!! It is said that less than 1% of the world's population knows about it, now I just need to do my work test to get my SATS year after year.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @bief57 11h
2016 is a year that many do not want to remember, when arepas were made with ground corn, coffee did not contain sugar but Panela, women could not get sanitary pads, deodorant was a luxury and lemon with bicarbonate was the preferred option, it was a humiliating year. A ticket at that price will never be seen again in another life, I am anxious to read the rest of the story.
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deodorant was a luxury and lemon with bicarbonate was the preferred option, it was a humiliating year. A ticket at that price will never be seen again in another life.
Totally true, I personally, without being exaggerated, did not use deodorant during that year, I used lemon with bicarbonate, when I arrived at the supermarket in the new country, it was the first thing I bought, and I looked like a fool in the aisle looking at so many different brands and models, something that had not existed in Venezuela for a long time.
and with the ticket... it is true that we will never travel so cheaply again. It depends on how we measure our existence, if we do it in bad money, life will become more and more expensive, if we do it in There is Hope!!! 👋🤠 greetings, thanks for commenting
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 10h
My defense mechanism makes me laugh, haha ​​the same thing happened to me when I left the country and entered a supermarket in Ecuador, seeing all the shelves full of food and things that were no longer available in Venezuela, I felt like a little girl in a toy store, I was excited to find a brand of soap that was never found in Venezuela again.
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Thank you for sharing your emigration story with us. Life often shakes us up and forces us to leave our comfort zone or where we think we are doing well, in order to move forward and grow. How long have you been emigrating, my friend? And what brought you to SN?
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How long have you been emigrating, my friend? And what brought you to SN?
It's been more than 5 years since I left the country where I grew up... I discovered SN by chance on a Youtube video, and then on a @Lunaticoin Podcast they mentioned it and I decided to watch it 🫣 Once you're here, there's no turning back 💪🤠🍊⚡ You become an Orange Cowboy at lightning speed.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Akg10s33 11h
Your story, like that of many of us migrants, is inspiring and encourages us not to give up!! 💪 Keep posting
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Thank you! It's good to read what you say, thank you for your kindness.
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