I think I first learned about Bitcoin back in 2017. Back then, I didn't give it much thought; it was more of a curiosity. In Cuba, where I lived, some pyramid schemes using Bitcoin started popping up, and I, like many others, got involved without really knowing what I was getting into.
I remember a coworker mining BTC using the company's servers—those were the wild days. I also tried CryptoTab, and since I didn't know anything about self-custody, I lost everything.
Later, I logged into some Telegram bots that gave you Dogecoin for completing tasks. I managed to accumulate over 3,000 DOGE... and, yes, I lost those too. Then Elon came along with his tweets, Dogecoin went up to almost 70 cents, and all I could do was laugh to keep from crying.
Then I discovered Pionex, a platform with automated bots that buy and sell. I created one, and it's still there to this day, trading BTC for almost three years. But even then, I wasn't taking it entirely seriously.
It wasn't until the birth of my second child (whom I've talked about here on other occasions) that something clicked. It was as if everything before had been just background noise. Suddenly, I realized I couldn't continue depending on anything or anyone. I had to learn, take control, and build something solid, real, and lasting.
Bitcoin stopped being an experiment or a gamble. It became a responsibility. And also, a hope.