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my dad left the usa 🇺🇸 and is based in bangkok 🇹🇭
i left the usa 🇺🇸 and am based in medellín 🇨🇴
he visited me this week and was SHOCKED how similar life is between the two cities
here are 3 things he noted:
🤝 locals' positive, friendly, warm attitude
he claimed thai people are the sweetest people he's ever met (due to buddhism at the center of their culture). he was surprised to feel similarly about paisas in medellín
although i haven't yet been to thailand, i feel the same way about colombians since moving here 3 years ago
🚅 incredibly efficient, modern infrastructure
medellín is home to one of the greatest public transportation systems in the world (tram, train, bus, gondola, escalators). bangkok has a pretty smooth system too
he was really impressed with how clean and well-maintained each is
🩺 world-class medical care at fraction of the price
coming from the US, literally anything is better. nevertheless...
he got a small procedure done here and was pleasantly surprised with how friendly, professional, and competent the doctors and staff were.
he added that the colombian procedure was 50% cheaper than in thailand and 90% cheaper than in USA
maybe colombia 🇨🇴 and thailand 🇹🇭 are more similar than i thought
been off the grid. maybe this is a sign to return to X 👀
New Episode with the Maestro of Medellin 🇨🇴 @freedomfiles_
Does he still love it as much as he did?
Where has he been?
Is Medellin still good / safe for gringos?
Ton of advice for gringos (specifically Midwest types) coming to LATAM
James | Freedom Files retweeted
Had a riot yesterday with my amigo @freedomfiles_ in Pueblito Paisa
Basically a dissertation on handling LATAM as a Midwesterner
Talked shop on all things Medellin, the pros, the problems, the future
Prime content for anyone coming down south or those already here
James | Freedom Files retweeted
🇪🇸 Spain Wants to End Its Golden Visa. What Does This Mean for Other European Golden Visas?
With Spain's proposal to terminate its golden visa program, this is how I think investment migration may shift in the European Union at large:
🇬🇷 GREECE
Greece stands as the clear winner.
Already dominating the Mediterranean market after Portugal's real estate option closure, Greece's program from €250k is set to strengthen its position further, especially after they roll out the startup investment option at the lowest threshold.
Greece is and will remain the go-to choice for property investors seeking EU residence.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Contrary to what most might believe, Portugal will be largely unaffected by Spain's exit.
Even after removing its real estate option, Portugal's golden visa remains in a league of its own as the only program offering a citizenship pathway without residency requirements.
Its €500k fund investment option, combined with a 5-year path to citizenship and growing status as a tech hub, continue to attract global investors.
🇮🇹 ITALY
Italy emerges as an alternative, particularly given its cultural and economic similarities to Spain.
Despite lacking a direct real estate option, its €250k investment minimum and fast processing make it attractive.
I think Italy will capture a large portion of Spain's market share.
🇭🇺 HUNGARY
Hungary could be the dark horse of 2025.
With a competitive €500k real estate investment option and a €250k fund investment (half of Spain's former requirement), Hungary's program might see some unexpected growth.
Its position in Central Europe, rising power on regional and global stages, and competitive pricing make it an interesting alternative for investors who may have previously considered Spain.
But it's closest out of the golden visa programs to the war in Eastern Europe. Might this all be cleaned up by mid-2025?
Who knows...
+ + + + +
The European investment migration system will evolve. With it, more programs will emerge and some will die.
But each will carve out its own unique value proposition.
What did I get right and wrong?
James | Freedom Files retweeted
Great to see these X legends joining the IMI community at #IMIConnect Miami!
From left to right: @PlanBpassport, @MyLatinLife, @yaminfouzi, @freedomfiles_
@phmay_sg is also here but not pictured!
James | Freedom Files retweeted
In 1997, the authors of The Sovereign Individual miraculously predicted that tech would change the world.
They got a lot right, including ...
• Remote work
• Digital nomadism
• Crypto
• Citizenship by investment (CBI)
But, they also got a lot wrong 🧵👇
James | Freedom Files retweeted
PSA: if you are a canadian 🇨🇦, british 🇬🇧 or aussie 🇦🇺 citizen ...
you can pay $0 in taxes in just 3 steps 🧵👇
every time i meet up with a friend, they say "so you hated your trip to spain"
i did not 🤣 this tweet is just a reflection on the more negative attributes of european life
i can't live full-time in europe, but i can spend 3-6 months a year there. med life is still unmatched
i've come to a BIG realization:
i just got back from 2 weeks in spain 🇪🇸 (my favorite EU country so far). and although i enjoyed the trip, i've recognized that i cannot live permanently in the EU 🇪🇺
why?
everything operates by the book, every rule followed and obeyed to a T
examples:
• no J-walking unless crosswalk signal is green
• GDPR prevents workers from doing their jobs
• weird reporting rules and fees for tourists
there's a sense of order that, while comforting to 95% of people, feels really restrictive to me
there's no room for the unexpected, for the interesting, for the chaos (where the magic of life happens) i've gotten accustomed to in latin america
i feel stifled
now, i've been home in latin america for < 24 hours and the personal liberty is TANGIBLE
of course, there are rules here like in any developed country. but life feels freer and less constrained
while latam isn't 95% of people's cup of tea, it's interesting to me. latin life allows me the spontaneity and chaos i need to feel whole
so to me, this realization about the EU is freeing
i love trips to southern europe, i always will. but i can't live here permanently. not enough chaos and freedom
James | Freedom Files retweeted
been completely offline in NY 🇺🇸 with my family for the past couple weeks
what have i missed? lol 😅
James | Freedom Files retweeted
if you're going to buy real estate,
why would you NOT buy internationally where you can also get residency or even citizenship with your purchase?
here's a short list:
🇧🇷 brazil
🇩🇲 🇦🇬 🇬🇩 🇱🇨 🇰🇳 caribbean
🇨🇴 colombia
🇬🇷 greece
🇲🇹 malta
🇵🇹 portugal
🇹🇷 turkey
🇦🇪 uae
James | Freedom Files retweeted
is it even possible to fly in the US 🇺🇸 without delays or cancellations these days?
5 years ago, hardly any of my flights were delayed
now, i can't travel without at least one leg being delayed or cancelled
James | Freedom Files retweeted
we've collected a ton of data from financially and location independent people all over the world
and we used it to build this quiz
if you want to know where you stand on the three pillars of freedom, check this out 👇
Cool quick survey for those in the #FI (Financial Independence) community that value their #freedom
From James @freedomfiles_
freedomfiles.co/quiz/
Here is my score
is it even possible to fly in the US 🇺🇸 without delays or cancellations these days?
5 years ago, hardly any of my flights were delayed
now, i can't travel without at least one leg being delayed or cancelled
we've collected a ton of data from financially and location independent people all over the world
and we used it to build this quiz
if you want to know where you stand on the three pillars of freedom, check this out 👇
Cool quick survey for those in the #FI (Financial Independence) community that value their #freedom
From James @freedomfiles_
freedomfiles.co/quiz/
Here is my score
James | Freedom Files retweeted
aleksa burmazović is one of the most interesting people i've ever met
he's a serbian 🇷🇸 gold medalist archer turned special economic zones and offshore banking expert
plus, he's actively transforming the sport of F1...
i told you he was interesting 😆
in this episode, you'll learn ...
• how comfort is killing us,
• how to live an interesting life,
• in which countries he's investing,
• and how to create a legacy for your bloodline
link to the show is below... enjoy 🙏
James | Freedom Files retweeted
the mix of art deco and gothic architecture in new york 🇺🇸 is stunning
ruminating on my experience here as we speak... more thoughts incoming
aleksa burmazović is one of the most interesting people i've ever met
he's a serbian 🇷🇸 gold medalist archer turned special economic zones and offshore banking expert
plus, he's actively transforming the sport of F1...
i told you he was interesting 😆
in this episode, you'll learn ...
• how comfort is killing us,
• how to live an interesting life,
• in which countries he's investing,
• and how to create a legacy for your bloodline
link to the show is below... enjoy 🙏
watch the full episode here or skip around if that floats your boat
as always, your feedback is welcome 😊 it helps me improve the show and guests youtu.be/l5ns4un2K0Q