Embracing polynationalism and enduring Type 2 poverty

Musings after visiting Cuba

Hey friends—I’m back in Vegas from Varadero, Cuba.

What a treat to go back to my birth country after 25 years. Cuba is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, from both a natural and cultural sense. I had an absolute blast.

Just before one of the best dives of my life

But my god, it was a pain in the ass to do anything as an American.

Modern sanctions only hurt everyday people

The US’ treatment of Cuba at this point is sadistic, and the Cubans in Florida that support the current system can go f*** themselves.

Everything you want to do there as an American can be done; it’s just a hassle.

In Cuba, your dollars are welcome, but American cards won’t work at all. Here’s the payments infrastructure situation in a nutshell:

• Some hotels and restaurants will only take USD as payment that you have to use multiple prepaid cards of $1,000, $100, and $20 denominations for. This is government sanctioned. Isn’t there supposed to be an embargo?

• Some merchants only take the national currency—pesos.

• Some only dollars.

• Some both but will screw you on the conversion.

Internet access is also limited to prepaid cards that you have to connect to and disconnect from or you’ll run out of time.

What a mess.

I brought more money than I needed and still stressed out the whole time hoping I had enough for the rest of my trip. As an American, what you bring is all you have. I had the same stress when I visited Russia knowing all I could use was the cash I brought. It is not a fun way to travel but this is how it was before digital banking so I can’t complain.

Government conversion is $1:120 pesos. On the street it’s $1:200 pesos. ALWAYS convert on the street

Still, this experience only further solidified an idea I’ve been ruminating on for a while now…

In one of my last posts I mentioned I’m moving to Barcelona to reduce distractions and build a business, but there’s also another reason. I’ve always wanted to have a villa in Cuba where my mom can live and where I can spend the winters at. If the living situation becomes more bleak, Miami still ticks a lot of boxes.

My goal is to gain residency in Spain, open a bank account, and eventually citizenship per my paternal lineage rights.

With this, I can live in Spain or anywhere in the EU. I can live in the US. I can incorporate a business in Dubai for the 0% corporate taxes. I’ll be able to pick and choose what government works better for me.

And? EU cards work in Cuba since apparently they don’t care at all about the embargo (met many Spaniards freely using their Visas and Mastercards). I can live very, very well in Cuba, the US, and the EU with this setup for a couple months a year in each place.

Nationalism is propaganda

Governments are systems that should exist to serve you and make your life easier. As soon as that system begins to act against your best interest... it becomes rogue and you have every right to ignore many of its mandates.

Ultimately the only state you should swear allegiance to is the state of You.

By getting residency/ citizenship in multiple countries, I’m optimizing for myself as a sovereign individual.

I meet a lot of Russians abroad that decided to do something similar. As soon as the “special military exercise” in Ukraine started and the sanctions rolled in, they realized it was time to go. The ones that could leave didn’t trust the state and had their assets in crypto and other foreign bank accounts.

Instead of dying in a ditch somewhere in Ukraine they’re living it up in Bali, Mexico, Thailand, and Cuba.

If you think something like that couldn’t happen in the US… just look around and see what the clowns on both sides of the aisle are doing.

With the SEC clamping down on crypto, 18-year-olds taking on massive loans for university that cannot be discharged through bankruptcy, and housing getting more and more expensive… I have no clue how the average American is getting by. People are trapped, but instead of from an overtly oppressive regime, it’s from the seductive melody of consumerism.

Personally, I’m embracing the idea of being a citizen of the world, and I go where it benefits me the most.

It’s in my best interest not to own a lot. But this in-between time where I can’t commit to quality of life purchases is draining.

Type 2 poverty isn’t for everyone

Thinking globally demands some sacrifices for me locally. Many of my extended friends and family think I live lavishly due to my social media activity. In actuality, I live as cheap as possible when I’m in the US.

I drive a car that barely runs and live in a garage-converted studio with barely any windows. I have to work out of the house, coffee shops, or WeWork just so I don’t get depressed. BUT this keeps my personal expenses low compared to my income and allows me to save $10k-$15k a month depending on how expensive my travel destination is. It’s a pretty spartan standard of living and absolutely not for everyone.

Last year I had to choose two of the following:

• Live comfortably in Vegas or Miami with a nice condo and a Porsche;

• Retire my mom and support her and my siblings financially so they can gain their own independence soon;

• Travel the world comfortably (villas and aparthotels instead of hostels)

After reading this far I think you know what I’ve chosen.

If your parents are still together or you come from a better background you can both travel and still have a nice house/ nice car without being a business owner.

This has been the ultimate test of delayed gratification for me. Many times I’ve wanted to just say screw it—I’ll get the Tesla, Porsche, or Corvette and sign a lease at the UnCommons. But if I did that I couldn’t travel as much as I have been.

My long term plans come first.

Until I break through to the next level of business ownership (not consulting or running an agency) I’m not allowing myself to own the toys I’ve been wanting. This keeps me hungry and on edge.

I’m grateful to live such an imbalanced life. I get to experience many ups and downs throughout the year. Distrust by default of societal conditioning and governments makes me optimize for myself first. And my lifestyle gives me a lot of flexibility as I don’t feel particularly tied down to any location.

In the end, you are responsible for your own life. Late Millennial and Gen Z folks are paying into a system we will not benefit from. Social security will be gone by the time we retire and healthcare seems to only be getting worse in the US. If you don’t take the steps to save and prepare to leave the US in case it becomes unbearable, you’re doing your family a disservice.

There are many other places in the world that you can go and take advantage of the geographical arbitrage. The US way is not the only way.

Until next time.

- Jonathan