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Hello I am back from three years of backpacking


Green King

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Welcome back!

 

Long ago I was advised by a very smart CEO, that I could expect to be no more than a 'so-so' investor - UNTIL I had built and run a business. Simply because running a business, is all about successfully working with people, to produce something profitable that the communities around you need. The 'investment' side is nice, but secondary to the day-to-day management.

 

The takeaways were that (1) Being an arsehole is a short-term proposition. EQ will take you a lot further, (2) Treasury/trading is just a silo. Be good at it, but realize that you are just one of many silos, and (3) Leadership is gold. It comes with responsibility, but do it well - and you can rule the world.

 

I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

SD

 

 

 

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Wow we're pretty similar! I got back from an 18 month trip / break in March, and also moved from finance into tech. Look forward to swapping stories (and cool to see you using substack!).

 

I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

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Wow we're pretty similar! I got back from an 18 month trip / break in March, and also moved from finance into tech. Look forward to swapping stories (and cool to see you using substack!).

 

I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

I am relocating to London this month. Let's chat when I get settled.

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I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

Been to ~50 countries and agree with both of these big time. Once we get past the pandemic, I'm going to look heavily into digital nomading/slow travel.

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I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

Been to ~50 countries and agree with both of these big time. Once we get past the pandemic, I'm going to look heavily into digital nomading/slow travel.

 

It's not that expansive in most places in the third world. You just need to find a place to rent monthly. In places like Mexico my cost has been between 500 to 1000 dollars per month.

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I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

Been to ~50 countries and agree with both of these big time. Once we get past the pandemic, I'm going to look heavily into digital nomading/slow travel.

 

It's not that expansive in most places in the third world. You just need to find a place to rent monthly. In places like Mexico my cost has been between 500 to 1000 dollars per month.

 

Yeah, was mainly saying that due to my US passport and the virus outbreak, I'm persona non grata for most places in the world currently. I think I'd target SE Asia starting out, Vietnam or Thailand. Really liked Da Nang when I was there in November. Though eventually would like to try Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Medellin. I'm absolutely not a warm weather person so would have to migrate in the summers (or get closer to the poles where it'd be cooler).

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I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

Been to ~50 countries and agree with both of these big time. Once we get past the pandemic, I'm going to look heavily into digital nomading/slow travel.

 

It's not that expansive in most places in the third world. You just need to find a place to rent monthly. In places like Mexico my cost has been between 500 to 1000 dollars per month.

 

Yeah, was mainly saying that due to my US passport and the virus outbreak, I'm persona non grata for most places in the world currently. I think I'd target SE Asia starting out, Vietnam or Thailand. Really liked Da Nang when I was there in November. Though eventually would like to try Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Medellin. I'm absolutely not a warm weather person so would have to migrate in the summers (or get closer to the poles where it'd be cooler).

 

With US citizenship, you might want to confine your traveling (until AFTER the elections) to just the major centres.

In a great many places, a US citizen is a ATM machine. Each one worth a lifetime's earnings, if grabbed for K&R, and sold up the chain.

Grab &/or early release, typically a function of how you/your government are perceived.

 

South America is a great place, with great people - but it will help you tremendously if you can speak Spanish, and eat local.

A few months in Quito (Ecuador) at Spanish School, then Lima (Peru) to polish it up. Why Quito? Dialect matters, and it will affect how you are perceived. Why Lima? It's cheap (by NA standards), and the jump-off point to the Galapagos, Manchu Picchu, and the Nazca Lines.

 

Highly recommend a 3-4 month stay in Buenos Aires. It really is the Paris of South America.

A 2-3 month stay in Rio de Janeiro, straddling Carnival, is also something that you will never forget!

 

Enjoy!

 

SD

 

 

 

 

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I would add to this, that to learn humility - you really need to travel, and see/smell the world up close.

There are amazing people almost everywhere you look.

 

Probably my biggest take-away from traveling was exactly this: I met several people with 1/100 of the assets/salaries of us here in the west, but they were 100x happier. Puts our first-world problems in perspective and frankly how unnecessarily we grind so hard and become so unhappy.

 

Been to ~50 countries and agree with both of these big time. Once we get past the pandemic, I'm going to look heavily into digital nomading/slow travel.

 

It's not that expansive in most places in the third world. You just need to find a place to rent monthly. In places like Mexico my cost has been between 500 to 1000 dollars per month.

 

Yeah, was mainly saying that due to my US passport and the virus outbreak, I'm persona non grata for most places in the world currently. I think I'd target SE Asia starting out, Vietnam or Thailand. Really liked Da Nang when I was there in November. Though eventually would like to try Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Medellin. I'm absolutely not a warm weather person so would have to migrate in the summers (or get closer to the poles where it'd be cooler).

 

With US citizenship, you might want to confine your traveling (until AFTER the elections) to just the major centres.

In a great many places, a US citizen is a ATM machine. Each one worth a lifetime's earnings, if grabbed for K&R, and sold up the chain.

Grab &/or early release, typically a function of how you/your government are perceived.

 

South America is a great place, with great people - but it will help you tremendously if you can speak Spanish, and eat local.

A few months in Quito (Ecuador) at Spanish School, then Lima (Peru) to polish it up. Why Quito? Dialect matters, and it will affect how you are perceived. Why Lima? It's cheap (by NA standards), and the jump-off point to the Galapagos, Manchu Picchu, and the Nazca Lines.

 

Highly recommend a 3-4 month stay in Buenos Aires. It really is the Paris of South America.

A 2-3 month stay in Rio de Janeiro, straddling Carnival, is also something that you will never forget!

 

Enjoy!

 

SD

 

That's interesting, I've never heard the dialect thing. What makes it special? Less slang?

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How the words are strung, how they are expressed, and which words/phrases are used. Partially accent as well.

Main point being that you will not 'sound' American (which is much harsher), which you will do if if you learn Spanish in the US. The Lima experience is to add harshness, and fluency in the local slang. Dilute your use of American slang as much as possible. 

 

To use a Canadian example, there is Quebecois, and there is Parisienne French - both are French, but each are instantly recognizable.

There's no mistaking where the French guy muttering Tabarnac! comes from.

Similar thing with Spanish.

 

SD

 

 

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