Why I Fled To Mexico

Photo by Jorge Aguilar on Unsplash

So you probably didn't notice and wouldn't know unless I told you, so here it is: I fled to Mexico, specifically, Ciudad de Mexico, a.k.a. Mexico City (CDMX). It's fucking awesome.

I ♥ this place and its people.

And if you know me personally, you've likely heard exactly the opposite opinion of the U.S. And my gripes aren't new: I've been bitching since I was about eight years old. And the proof is in the pudding: I literally have more friends from outside of the U.S. than those within. Lastly, I'm a developer and there's simply no reason I can't live wherever. Alas, the time finally came to make a strategic move and resettle.

What I'm doing here

For now, I'm simply working on Tincre software remotely while working out the business visa and other items with the firm and my legal team here. Once I can officially do business, I'm going to train and develop an application software engineering team from the ground up.

Seven seasons of $\Delta$

🧩 $\Delta$ often represents "change" in mathematics!

Here are a few high-level reasons I'm leaving the U.S., for now. Some motivations are personal, some are business-based, and some are macroeconomics-based.

I might not come back, though I'll always love my first home, despite some near-term negativity about that home you may pick up on.

1. Los Mexicanos are my kind of people.

Almost everyone here is an entrepreneur of some sort!

The long story short of this is simply that I fit in better with people here. Most people here seem concerned with striving for a better life having not been born with the incentive-destroying environment that is the United States of Hamster Wheels.

2. Growth, growth, and more growth.

Nearly everything about this country points upwards; you can hear it in building construction, children laughing, and the vibrant way people talk to each other.

As a builder, CDMX presents a vastly superior environment in which to deliver your future. It is incredibly difficult to look and speak like a "Trump's America" American while utilizing very advanced technical skills. In the U.S., I've long lived around people who mostly skim off of the world's growth pool to exist, something deeply incongruent with my internal morality. In other words, I'm happier here where a higher proportion of people are doing their own homework.

Yes, implied herein is the principle that if you don't build you don't explicitly contribute to the future. This is true. You should have payed more attention in your math and science courses, non-technical reader.

3. Weather. Undergrad in Miami broke this guy from the midwest.

Though I lived in Chicago and New York City for the last decade, the misery of winter merely increased for me year over year. Life is short and I really like sweater weather, sunshine, and consistency. Maybe it's that mathlete part of me that begs for consistency...

Regardless, let this be a lesson in living: if you truly despise something it is solely up to you to fix it. Mother nature isn't changing for me and I chose to finally adhere to my personal comfort zone.

4. LATAM expansion + core.

It is my strong professional opinion that this century will be a Latin American century.

That's right, in terms of developing markets, I am betting on Latin America over India, Africa, and China for Tincre's growth. CDMX and Mexico, in general, are fantastic choices for building out our Latin American core team.

And because we scale our technology via our developer platform tincre.dev, there's no better place to access those who actually build the internet (cough cough, mostly non-Americans, in case you didn't know).

5. Better food. There's just no contest.

The food here is of superior quality and freshness. And I mean that against the $1000 meals I was having while a broker in NYC, not a double quarter pounder from McDonald's.

No really, though. I've got an upcoming post with photos of the remarkably amazing food here.

To wet your whistle...

Breakfast for about ninety pesos at the restaurant next door. Yes, it's all like this and I am so, so happy about that.

6. Distancing myself from the U.S.

I simply cannot tolerate my own constant anger over my fellow Americans' behaviors, political views, lack of education, and constant obsession with expediency. We're all dying (sorry to be the bearer of bad news) and I simply don't want to focus my time, energy, or efforts on people destined for failure any longer. Life is precious and being away from the boiler room I don't fit with is critical for my happiness.

7. I don't get to yell about things here.

As a follow up to 6, my parents and family taught me manners: I will never yell in your house about your house. This natural avoidance of change advocacy is a big part of why I'm here. I simply do not have the privilege of dictating what is right and wrong here. I'm not a citizen, I can't vote; it is not my house.

When I'm coming back

Who knows. I might not, permanently. I consider myself a citizen of the world first, a friend and family member to some, and a citizen of the United States of America lastly. The concept of borders is antiquated, given I already run a business with several international subsidiaries.

Keep up with me here for more news on how things are going, good food, quality software, and real good thinkin'.

Thanks for reading!

J