An educator recalls three times that she was able to help strangers better understand Bitcoin in the wild.
This is an opinion piece by Tali Lindberg, co-founder of Free Market Kids, a company focused on financial literacy and Bitcoin education.
My husband and I decided to become Bitcoin Educators because we passionately believe that Bitcoin is a monetary standard that everyone should know about. However, it can sometimes be very discouraging when most people see us as religious and bigoted evangelists whom they should avoid or just politely tolerate.
But then, out of the blue, I’ll have amazing conversations with people who are ready to hear what we have to say. They are just waiting to find someone to discuss Bitcoin who can help them understand it better.
This article describes three such encounters I had in unexpected places. As the saying goes(slightly edited), “When the student is ready, the teacher (me) will be sent to him.”
One: GoDaddy Technical Support
A few months ago, when my husband Scott and I had just launched our organization focused on financial literacy and Bitcoin Free Market Kids, we had a lot of trouble getting our website to work properly. I’ve spent hours with technical support through various service providers. During this incident, I called GoDaddy Support and was asked to restart my computer.
While we waited for the computer to do its thing, instead of sitting online in silence, I started chatting with the support guy about where he was, the weather, etc. Very quickly, we asked ourselves questions about our work and life experiences.
He asked, “So what is Free Market Kids?”
“Well, we teach people about bitcoin and money with our board games,” I replied.
“Bitcoin! With a deep sigh, he continued, “I sold mine years ago.”
He explained that early on he was persuaded by his friend to mine Bitcoin. When the price rose, he got excited and sold all his bitcoins because he needed the money for something.
“And now,” he lamented, “I’m watching bitcoin’s price go up like crazy, and I can’t believe I missed my chance!”
I asked him what he knew about Bitcoin other than what his friend told him to do.
“Very few,” he replied.
So, I explained to him the fundamental properties of Bitcoin and pointed out to him that he could always come back. Thirty minutes later, long after my computer had restarted and the original problem had been resolved, we finally ended the call.
I was so excited about the conversation that I went to tell my husband about it.
“I thought you were on GoDaddy support?” asked Scott.
“I was!” I responded enthusiastically.
When the student is ready, the teacher will be sent to him!
Two: The Veterinary Office
In preparation for some conferences we were attending, I designed a corporate t-shirt. Unfortunately, the first batch didn’t go well, so I decided to take it home. Remembering a last minute vet appointment, I rushed off with our dog, forgetting that I was wearing our company shirt.
After being checked in and ushered into a small exam room, I sat down to wait with my senior standard poodle, Ava, panting beside me. Moments later, the door opened and the vet tech walked in, clipboard in hand. He looked at me without saying anything and narrowed his eyes.
“Uh, do I have something on my face?” I thought, feeling a little uneasy.
Then he broke the awkward silence and said, “Bitcoin, huh?”
“Yes?” I replied shyly, looking down at my shirt.
“I have a few questions for you!” it exploded. “Someone told me that bitcoin will drop to zero. What do you think?”
“Um, ok… what do you know about bitcoin in general?” I answered.
“Not much,” he admitted.
We discussed bitcoin and he had endless questions. I watched the pen in her hand hover over Ava’s file, but we didn’t talk about that patient, panting dog for a long time.
The visit to the vet which was supposed to last 20 minutes ended up lasting 1h30.
When the student is ready, the teacher will be sent to him!
Three: jewelry
I went to a jewelry store to replace a broken necklace. Once again, I was wearing our company shirt and running errands. Two ladies stood behind the counter. As one wrapped my purchase, the other looked at me intently, leaned over to me, and whispered, “My brother is into cryptocurrency, but I don’t understand him. I know the economy is going to suck, but I don’t have a million dollars to invest in bitcoin.
She continued, her eyes filling with tears, “I’m a single mom and I’m scared of what’s going to happen.”
She looked tired, discouraged and very worried.
“You don’t need a million dollars to invest in bitcoin,” I replied. “You can start with very small amounts, $1 or $5.”
We chatted for a long time and I kissed her before saying goodbye.
“There’s a reason we met today,” I told him. “Contact me anytime!”
When the student is ready, the teacher will be sent to him!
And, oh, maybe I should wear our company shirt more often!
This is a guest post by Tali Lindberg. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
