By Bitcoin Rivista - 1 anno fa - Tempo di lettura: 8 minuti
Le sfide di Bitcoin Le adozioni non fermano i salvadoregni
Citizens of El Salvador still face certain obstacles in their bitcoin adoption journey, but still look forward to the future.
This is an opinion editorial by Rikki, Bitcoin explorer, author and co-host of the “Bitcoin Italia,” and “Stupefatti” podcasts.
Tutte le immagini incluse in questo articolo provengono dall'autore.
Sebbene il Bitcoin adoption and usage among the common people of El Salvador is virtually nonexistent, as we documented in our previous Bitcoin Articolo di rivista, è sempre così divertente visitare questo paese e siamo così felici di essere tornati.
Tutto quello che sta succedendo qui è davvero storico e poterne essere testimone è un raro privilegio.
Abbiamo scelto di trascorrere l'intera prima settimana nella capitale San Salvador.
Inizialmente avevamo bisogno di un campo base per organizzarci. I vlog di viaggio che stiamo realizzando Bitcoin Explorers richiedono molto lavoro e logistica. Raccontare un'avventura come la nostra attraverso la musica e le immagini non è un'impresa facile. La quantità di lavoro coinvolta è enorme.
But it's time to get moving. We pointed the nose of our car — rented in Bitcoin — toward the outskirts of the city and left its urban agglomeration behind.
The first challenge of the afternoon was to fill up the tank by paying for it in Bitcoin. Who knows why car rentals here have a habit of bringing you the car with the tank half empty. At least, that has been our experience, including the rentals we made last year. Fortunately, it seems that in gas stations they have not lost the taste for accepting Bitcoin. We received only one laconic no. On our second attempt they gas us up and present us with a Chivo QR code without blowback.
Anche la transazione Lightning è stata piuttosto rapida, considerando ovviamente gli standard statali dei portafogli di merda.
A proposito del portafoglio Chivo: uscendo dal nostro hotel abbiamo vissuto minuti di confusione e incredulità. Abbiamo fatto colazione, siamo arrivati alla reception e abbiamo chiesto il conto, pronto per il check-out tra poche ore. Alla reception ci hanno fornito un indirizzo on-chain. Grande. L'abbiamo portato nella nostra stanza e ho effettuato con calma la transazione dal nostro BitBox02. Ho fissato le tariffe alte, per avere una conferma veloce, e senza pensarci ho iniziato a riempire i nostri zaini.
Just as I was thinking about how convenient bitcoin is, allowing me to pay my hotel bill even from the room, I get a WhatsApp message from the front desk. They write to me that the payment transaction is canceled. Canceled? A bitcoin transaction? How is that possible?
Ho aperto il mio laptop e ho controllato lo stato su mempool.space. Lo vedo lì, scolpito nel travertino digitale, con già nove blocchi estratti dopo quello che lo contiene. Quindi non solo è confermato, ma è cementato. Alzo gli occhi al cielo e penso che solo Chivo può fare così schifo.
I arm myself with patience and go down to the front desk. I show the confirmations to the hotel staff. I explain that it is not possible for the transaction to turn up canceled. There must be a problem with their wallet. The address is correct, the transaction ID is the same. They tell me not to worry, that they will call Chivo customer service with all the details and they will fix it. But before they dismiss me, they tell me, "This bitcoin is working really bad though ..."
Capisci? Capisci anche tu da dove viene la diffidenza?
They do not have the means to understand that it is Chivo that is the problem — not Bitcoin. For them there is no difference. They live this terrible user experience, and for them that is what Bitcoin is. Obviously I took the time to explain what’s actually happening, and I recommend using another wallet. But those will probably have been words lost to the wind.
It is really striking, though, how the software instrumental to the Bitcoin Law in this country, the state wallet, more than fifteen months after its launch still manages to perform so poorly. I mean, how does a wallet miss an on-chain transaction? It just has to read the timechain.
It turns out to be, in our opinion, the obvious source of many problems. All the times we have gone into a store and been told they have stopped accepting bitcoin because it is too complex, they were likely referring more to Chivo than anything else.
L’altro motivo che danno sempre è che ci sono troppo poche transazioni. Volume troppo piccolo.
Pensaci. Dovremmo davvero stupirci?
Non è perfettamente logico?
We have to keep in mind that El Salvador is not Venezuela, Argentina or Nigeria. It is not a country with its own hyper-inflated national currency. People here, when they receive their salaries, do not have to storm the stores to buy immediately, before merchants raise prices, or turn to the black market to buy any other currency, as long as it is more stable. Salvadorans take their salaries in dollars; they live in U.S. dollars. As much as we may not like it, in emerging countries the American currency is still the most desired. Some people are willing to pay double, if not triple, its value to grab it. Why would the people of El Salvador prefer bitcoin in their everyday lives? Do you really think Bitcoiner talk about monetary sovereignty, privacy in money and self custody has appeal in these latitudes? Without education that provides context?
It is perfectly normal that dollars are preferred here, so we cannot assume that the volume behind bitcoin is coming from locals. Indeed, we should wonder why even the Bitcoiners who visit here do not spend their satoshis — but that is another story.
La nostra città preferita in assoluto è Santa Ana e ci siamo diretti lì per avere un assaggio del vero El Salvador. Qui l’autenticità è in ogni angolo, ed è quello che cerchiamo.
We have a favorite place in the town called Casa Verde. On paper it's a hostel, but it's really so much more — it's a hotel, it's a bar and it's a community center. It's a very special place. If you happen to be in the area it is definitely the first place to try and stay. Say hello to Carlos, the owner — tell him you will pay in bitcoin and that Rikki and Laura sent you.
La città è sempre meravigliosa, con il suo mix di colori e architettura coloniale un po' decadenti. È più piccolo di San Salvador e questo è un bene. È molto più vivibile.
Every time we come we always end up having a great time mingling with the people. Near the central square there is a folk market that is beautiful. All the picturesque streets are dotted with stalls selling everything you could want. Browsing them is a pleasure. Pay no attention to the curious glances of the locals, the giggles of the kids. They are still not quite used to seeing foreigners here. If they do it is because you are a novelty here, something you don't see every day. And after all, a little curiosity never killed anyone.
It is natural to think that if few people accept bitcoin in the larger and more cosmopolitan San Salvador, even less would do so here. But it would be a completely wrong assumption. Try asking in the markets, at the stalls. You will find plenty of small traders with a Chivo wallet in their pocket and a great desire not to lose a customer (from whom they can perhaps squeeze a few extra dollars). You will see them ready to put themselves on the line — to take risks, from their point of view. Mind you, you will likely be their first bitcoin transaction; you will have to teach them what to do from scratch.
Passavamo ore a vagare per le vie del centro. Il clima qui poi è perfetto, caldo di giorno ma sempre fresco e ventilato la sera.
We bought tubes of toothpaste, a lighter (even here we can't keep from losing them all the time) and Mexican-style tortillas at street stalls, and after making some young street vendor happy with his first Lightning transaction we inevitably ended up in the central plaza, Plaza de la Libertad. It is truly the beating heart of the community. It is always crowded. Elegant and beautiful, with its early 20th century buildings, the National Theater, in pure Art Nouveau style, the municipal palace and the very white cathedral, the most beautiful in all of El Salvador, they say.
Quel giorno, però, la piazza era particolarmente caotica e brulicante di attività. Stavano allestendo un grande palco, accordando strumenti, allineando file e file di sedie. Era evidente che presto ci sarebbe stato un concerto qui. Ci avvicinavamo per curiosare, attratti dalla scena come due falene da una luce. Mentre ci avvicinavamo, un corpulento signore sulla sessantina ci vide e si avvicinò a noi. È il direttore della filarmonica giovanile, ci ha detto, spiegando che quella sera ci sarà un evento rock sinfonico. I giovani musicisti fonderanno le melodie dei loro strumenti classici con quelle di un gruppo rock locale, eseguendo cover di grandi classici metal con arrangiamenti sinfonici. Ci ha pregato di non perdere lo spettacolo, dicendoci che sarebbe stato alle 60. Era felice di vedere due stranieri e si vede dalla sua genuina insistenza che gli importava che andassimo.
That face, that attitude — we've seen it before here. It is that deep desire to show someone from afar that there is also another El Salvador — one that is not made up of violence and poverty. It is made of people capable of studying, organizing, playing and dancing. It is an opportunity for redemption. They want to prove themselves. It's an attitude that grabs you in the gut, believe me.
Lo abbiamo accettato volentieri.
Siamo tornati all'orario concordato e ci avevano riservato addirittura due posti in terza fila, dietro le autorità. Lo spettacolo era tutto ciò che ci saremmo aspettati. Bello, sincero, genuino, commovente e musicalmente fantastico.
Questo è un guest post di Rikki. Le opinioni espresse sono interamente personali e non riflettono necessariamente quelle di BTC Inc o Bitcoin Rivista.
Fonte originale: Bitcoin Magazine