Zussel Ramos: Landing Your Dream Job in a Free City

00:05 Introduction¶

Section Overview: In this section, Timothy Allen introduces the Free Cities Podcast and mentions that he is recording from his hotel room in Prague. He also mentions that this episode features an interview with Zussel Ramos, the CEO of Amity Age Academy.¶

00:47 Interview with Zussel Ramos¶

Section Overview: In this section, Timothy Allen interviews Zussel Ramos, the CEO of Amity Age Academy. They discuss Bitcoin education in Honduras and the work of Amity Age Academy.¶

The Bitcoin Center in Roatan¶

• 02:17 The Bitcoin Center was created by Dusan Matuska and is called Amity Age Academy.
• 03:55 Dusan fell in love with Roatan during a Prospera Summit and decided to open the Bitcoin Center there.
• 04:51 The building used to be a Montessori school and a Sky Bar before it became the Bitcoin Center.

About Zussel Ramos¶

• 05:26 Zussel Ramos is from Honduras and stayed in Honduras after graduating college.
• 05:53 She learned about special economic zones through Students for Liberty and researched Prospera before applying for a job there.

06:43 Learning about Liberty and Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about her involvement with Students for Liberty, an organization that promotes liberty in all forms. She also discusses how she learned about Bitcoin through her involvement with the organization and how it is perceived in Honduras.¶

Students for Liberty¶

• 00:00 Students for Liberty is a worldwide initiative that promotes liberty in all forms.
• 00:00 The organization focuses on promoting economic, social, and political liberty.
• 00:00 The speaker was drawn to the organization because it aligned with her beliefs about freedom.

Bitcoin and Libertarianism¶

• 00:00 The speaker learned about Bitcoin through her involvement with Students for Liberty.
• 00:00 Libertarianism and Bitcoin are closely linked because Bitcoin is seen as "freedom money."
• 00:00 In Honduras, people are often scammed when it comes to Bitcoin because they lack education on the topic.

Teaching About Bitcoin¶

• 00:00 The speaker teaches people about Bitcoin through an academy held twice a week.
• 00:00 People of all ages attend the academy to learn more about Bitcoin and its uses.
• 00:00 Prospera has jurisdiction over a lot of land in Pristine, which is connected to where they came from (the beta building). However, the speaker does not live there herself.

12:28 Educating Friends and Family on Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about how not all of their friends and family understand what they are doing with Bitcoin. They explain that they try to educate those close to them, such as their parents, by emphasizing that Bitcoin is the future.¶

Educating Friends and Family¶

• The speaker's parents were initially skeptical of Bitcoin and thought it was a scam.
• The speaker emphasizes that they are working for the future by building their career on Bitcoin.
• People in Honduras are against special economic zones like Prospera because they associate them with corruption from the previous government.
• The speaker talks about their personal experience with Prospera being helpful for job opportunities.

14:02 Bitcoin and Free Cities¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker discusses how they believe Bitcoin is connected to free cities like Prospera. They explain that people should be allowed to choose which money they want to use just as they can choose which governance model they want to live under.¶

Connection Between Bitcoin and Free Cities¶

• The speaker believes that Bitcoin is freedom money and should be part of a free city like Prospera.
• People should be able to choose which money they want to use just as they can choose which governance model they want to live under.

15:18 Teaching About Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about teaching others about Bitcoin. They explain that their program covers basic topics such as the history of money, wallets, blockchain, and mining.¶

Teaching About Bitcoin¶

• The program covers basic topics such as the history of money, wallets, blockchain, and mining.
• The goal is not for students to learn everything about Bitcoin in eight hours but rather provide an introduction so they can continue learning on their own.
• The speaker emphasizes that no question is dumb and encourages students to ask questions.

17:16 Becoming a Bitcoin Island¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about their goal of making Roatan a Bitcoin island. They mention that there are many new nodes appearing around the world.¶

Becoming a Bitcoin Island¶

• The speaker's goal is to make Roatan a Bitcoin island.
• There are many new nodes appearing around the world.

18:17 The Future of Bitcoin in the Caribbean¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker discusses their vision for a future where every business on the island accepts Bitcoin and people are educated about it. They also mention that they want to create a perfect world where no one gets scammed.¶

Acceptance of Bitcoin by Merchants¶

• 18:45 The speaker mentions that 30 businesses on the island have already onboarded with Bitcoin and accept it as a form of payment.
• 19:07 The speaker talks about Tianki, a software app used to pay with Bitcoin at businesses on the island.
• 19:34 The speaker explains that they started using Tianki because it worked well and was recommended by a friend. They also mention that most of the businesses accepting Bitcoin are restaurants.

Orange Pilling Businesses¶

• 20:57 The speaker talks about how receptive businesses are to accepting Bitcoin since they live on a touristy island. They emphasize giving tourists the option to pay in whatever way they want.
• 21:55 When asked if there has been any Bitcoin tourism yet, the speaker says it's too early to tell but mentions El Salvador as an example of how adopting Bitcoin can increase tourism.

Official Opening and Charity Event¶

• 22:34 The speaker announces an official opening for their academy on November 19th, which will include a charity event called "Bitcoin Hill Run" to raise money for schools in Roatán.
• 23:10 The charity event will start at 5:30 AM with a run and will be followed by a ceremony at 7 PM.

Note: The transcript is relatively short, so there are only three sections.¶

24:01 Educating Schools on Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of educating schools about Bitcoin and building alliances with schools in Roatan to provide workshops for students.¶

Importance of Educating Kids About Bitcoin¶

• 24:01 The speaker emphasizes the importance of educating kids about Bitcoin from a young age.
• 24:52 They have donated books about Bitcoin to a school in French Harbor and plan to work with more schools in Roatan to provide workshops for students.

Challenges Faced When Teaching About Bitcoin¶

• 24:28 Some parents may not be happy about their children learning about Bitcoin.
• 24:52 The speaker acknowledges that they do not want to force anyone to learn about it.

25:20 Understanding Prospera¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker explains what Prospera is and how it works.¶

What is Prospera?¶

• 25:20 Prospera is a platform that receives capital from investors and is corporate-friendly.
• 25:45 It brings investors and jobs to Honduras, with 90% of jobs being for Honduran people.
• 26:09 The governance model under which Prospera operates is called "Prosper."

Future of Prospera in Honduras¶

• 28:57 The speaker believes that Prospera will change Honduras and take them out of poverty within 40 years.
• 29:21 They acknowledge concerns that other governments may try to claim ownership over successful places like Prospera.

30:06 Central America and Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about how the adoption of Bitcoin in Central America can have a positive effect on other countries. They also discuss how people will want to live where there are better benefits and more freedom.¶

Adoption of Bitcoin in Central America¶

• The adoption of Bitcoin in Central America can have a positive effect on other countries. 30:06
• People will want to live where there are better benefits and more freedom. 30:06

30:32 Choosing to Go Where You're Treated Best¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker discusses how choosing to go where you're treated best is not something that has been done much historically. They also talk about whether or not it's something that Hondurans think about.¶

Choosing to Go Where You're Treated Best¶

• Choosing to go where you're treated best is not something that has been done much historically. 30:32
• It's not something that an average Honduran thinks about. 30:56

31:23 Education Program for Bitcoin¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker talks about plans for an education program for Bitcoin beyond the four introductory lessons currently offered. They also discuss plans for online courses and one-to-one consultations.¶

Plans for Education Program¶

• There are plans for an education program beyond the four introductory lessons currently offered. 31:23
• Plans include different courses and online courses for people outside Honduras who want to learn about Bitcoin. 31:49

One-to-One Consultations¶

• One-to-one consultations will be available to guide people in everything related to Bitcoin, including setting up a hardware wallet like Trezor. 32:12

33:18 Hypothetical Question¶

Section Overview: In this section, the speaker answers a hypothetical question about what they would do if they had a sabbatical year.¶

Sabbatical Year¶

• The speaker would still educate people on Bitcoin, as education has always been the best way to upgrade a country. 33:18
• They would focus on educating people about special economic zones and Bitcoin. 34:06

Conclusion¶

The speaker talks about their passion for educating people about Bitcoin and how it's their dream job. They also mention an upcoming opening party and invite others to visit the center.¶