While growing up in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia, one of my most vivid memories of childhood are of my twinsister and I rehearsing our choreography of dancing and singing so we could go down to the street kiosks and charm our way into getting some free candy or dried fruits from the vendors. A few of them were avid fans and would request specific songs, no big deal.
Another memory is a few years later after our family moved to Belgium (asylum seekers say heey). Our dutch language skills were not yet up to par but again my twinsister and I were plotting to get some sweets. It is still unclear how exactly but one way or the other we came in the possession of some Magic cards (a whole stack full of em).We were proudly displaying them at school the next day when some guy at least 3 grades above came over, looked at the cards and offered 5 whole euros for 3 cards (5 euros in 2001 for a couple of 10 year old’s is like the equivalent of 1 BTC today).
That evening twinsister and I were on a high. We made a business plan of how many cards we had left and how much money we could get for each card and possibly how much candy we could buy with our newfound wealth. Our joy was short-lived however as the very next day on the playground, in the mids of us making sale after sale, we were apprehended.
It may sound dramatic but it was literally the end of the world. We were sent to the principal’s office. He yelled at us many words we luckily didn’t fully comprehend. Our teacher then gave a speech that afternoon about how she doesn’t go around asking money for good grades so neither should we. I never understood that comparison, but I have come to find in looking back that teachers are only a couple of 23-year-olds who certainly don't have all the answers.
For years and years I used to cringe at the memory of this event. Now I find it somewhat amusing, entertaining really. What do you know, time does heal all wounds.
You may wonder if I have a candy addiction and about the state of my teeth. For the latter I inform you this is a private matter between me and my many dentists. The candy addiction however is still very much present. Twinsister and I have plans (as in we talked about it once) to make our own perfectly sour candy, that is soft, sour all the way through but manages not to burn your tongue out. The sour candy market will not know what hit them when we bring our candy expertise to the table (mainly tasting experience that is).
However our candy venture is not the topic of this blog. The main purpose of this blog is to discuss the road to financial independence of this lady right here.
If you read between the lines you may have realised that my creative ways of procuring candy was a necessity as my parents could not afford to buy any for us. Our family’s purchase power was quite low to be honest and definitely did not only exclude sweets. We grew up pretty much in acute poverty.
So ever since I was old enough to understand our situation (around age 12). I have been obsessed to find a solution for my family’s financial woes.
It’s been a journey of many years, some have been very tough but all in all it has been an incredibly exciting, fulfilling road that sometimes made me feel like I was going to be sick (Next time i’ll tell you all about that one time twinsister and I started a B&B with only 13 days from purchase of the building to the first guests arriving).
Every year I feel like im coming a little bit closer to achieving my goals. Now that the end stretch is perhaps in sight, I thought it would be wonderful share the rest of this journey with whoever wants to read about it.
From a 5 year old singing for candy, this 30-year old certainly has enough money to buy some at the store.
Thank you for reading,
Roadtofire