Russian -
4 Smart Ways to Skip Passport Control Lines
I used to think the only way to skip passport control lines was to be a citizen or have fast-track access. But it turns out there are a few more ways to move like a VIP and save hours of waiting:
1. The right passport + Global Entry = fast entry into the U.S.
If you’ve ever landed in the U.S., you know the dreaded immigration lines. But there’s a hack: Global Entry — a program for “trusted travelers.” You register your passport, pass a background check once, and after that, no more lines — just head to the kiosk.
Eligible passports: Argentina, India, Colombia, Germany, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, UK, Brazil, Taiwan, Croatia, +Mexico, +Canada.
Bonus: expedited TSA screening on domestic U.S. flights.
2. eGates in Italy
Major Italian airports (Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples, and others) offer automated eGates for passport control. Eligible travelers include citizens of: the U.S., EU, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Israel, UAE, Taiwan, New Zealand, Singapore.
Tourists queue up, but you’re already sipping your cappuccino at the café. Available for travelers aged 12+.
3. France & PARAFE gates
Paris, Nice, and Lyon airports have PARAFE gates. Scan your passport, look at the camera — and you’re through.
Eligible travelers: citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, UK, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, USA.
You need a biometric passport and must be 18+.
4. APEC Business Travel Card — business-class lanes without the ticket
Frequent traveler in Asia? This is a game changer.
The APEC Business Travel Card gives entrepreneurs from APEC countries:
— Visa-free entry to 19 countries
— My favorite perk: access to diplomatic/fast lanes at border control. Personally tested — it’s a joy.You can get this card even with a Russian passport — valid for 5 years. A huge time-saver if you travel around Asia and Australia.
Bottom line: more documents = shorter lines
-
How Marcos Galperin Built Latin America’s Top Tech Giant
The Stanford Grad Who Built Latin America's Most Valuable Company
After 25 years, Marcos Galperin is stepping down as CEO of Mercado Libre — the tech titan that:
— Creates a new job every 3 minutes across Latin America
— Serves over 150 million customers
— Grows faster than Amazon on steroids
— Just hit an all-time stock high despite a falling NASDAQStarting in 2026, Ariel Szarfsztejn — former banker, strategist, Stanford MBA, and current Chief Commercial Officer — will take over as CEO.
Galperin will stay on the board, focusing on culture, strategy, and AI.
Why Mercado Libre became a powerhouse
— Because 19 out of 20 of Galperin’s classmates didn’t believe in his idea
— Because he pitched an investor at the foot of an airplane staircase
— Because he solved real problems instead of building fancy slidesWhat drives Galperin: conviction, curiosity, and action
He believes in Bitcoin. Reads Gabriel García Márquez. Tells his kids to "learn how to learn."
And while others talk about crises, he builds the future. -
How AI Affects Critical Thinking
How AI Is Reshaping the Way We Think
I recently stumbled upon a fascinating study on generative AI. It looked at how tools like ChatGPT are impacting the critical thinking of people who rely on their brains for a living.
The findings? A mix of inspiration and concern.
Here’s what stood out:
1. Blind trust in AI shuts down your brain
Люди, которые на 100% уверены в ответах ИИ, почти не проверяют их. Просто берут и копируют. А это уже скользкий путь к отключенному мозгу.
2. Confident thinkers keep their critical edge
People who don’t feel intellectually inferior to AI tend to treat it like an assistant, not a boss. They double-check, clarify, and edit.
3. AI shifts how we think — from creation to correction
We used to search for information ourselves. Now, we verify what the AI suggests. It’s less about generating ideas, more about reviewing them.
4. Fatigue, pressure, and laziness kill critical thinking
When deadlines loom, there’s often neither time nor energy to question AI. And if you’re not an expert in the topic, spotting AI’s mistakes becomes tricky.
5. The real danger: going into autopilot mode
Relying too heavily on AI for repetitive tasks can gradually erode your ability to think independently.
The bottom line: AI is a tool, not a substitute for thinking
Used wisely, AI is an incredible assistant. But if you follow it blindly, you risk losing your critical thinking muscle.
How do you use AI?
-
Moving to Buenos Aires: From Winter to a New Life
The First Day in Argentina: Heat, Uncertainty, and a Taxi Ride
We stepped out of Ezeiza Airport with our suitcases and a heavy belly—my wife was eight months pregnant.
Lithuanian winter was behind us. We came searching for sun, peace, and a new life.A taxi to the city cost $30. At first, I thought, “Wow, that’s cheap compared to Europe.” Then I realized I had no idea what we were getting into. No friends, no language skills, just a quiet certainty that this would be a better place for our child.
Palermo Chico: Pinterest Dreams vs Reality
I found us an apartment in Palermo Chico. In the photos, it looked like something off Pinterest. In reality—tired furniture, a leaking shower... but a balcony with a view of green trees. I told myself, “It’s just for a couple of months.” But deep down, I knew: if this works, we’re staying.
The first day felt like a blur: the heat, Spanish all around, the air thick with humidity and flowers. We ate ice cream in the street, wandered through Recoleta, and held hands. That rare moment in life when you’ve left your old world—but haven’t yet landed in the new one.
The Moment You Realize You're Not a Tourist
A couple of days later, I found a coworking space nearby and signed up for Spanish classes. I bought a SUBE transit card and felt almost local. Almost.
На третью ночь не мог уснуть — ребёнок в животе жены толкался особенно сильно. Мы лежали, смотрели в потолок и молча держались за руки. Мне вдруг стало ясно:
And suddenly it hit me: We’re not tourists anymore. We’re the ones who stay.Two weeks later, Argentina won the World Cup. The city went wild. And so did we.
-
Learning French: When Does Perfectionism Go Too Far?
Learning French Comes With a Side of Cultural Perfectionism
Send over a document, and instead of talking substance, your French counterpart spends 20 minutes dissecting the font choice. “Too bold.” “No breathing space in the paragraphs.” “Too many hyphens.” Priorities.
Enter the phrase “enculer les mouches”
Literally? Vulgar. Culturally? Perfect. It means obsessing over micro-details to the point of absurdity. Only in a language as precise and formal as French would you need an expression like this.
So where’s the line between detail and overkill?
Перфекционизм — хорошо. Пока он не становится самоцелью. Отличать важные детали от мукоблуда — навык, которому стоит учиться не только в изучении французского, но и в жизни вообще.
-
3 Things That Surprised Me in Brazil
Three Things That Surprised Me in Brazil
Brazilians kick off their week with Sunday. Weekends have names, weekdays are just numbers. And yes—Wednesday is technically the fourth day. Mind. Blown.
Portuguese sounds nothing like Spanish... yet people understand it
It’s not just a dialect shift—it’s a whole different language. And yet, Spanish speakers somehow hold full conversations with locals. Magic?
Life moves even slower here
Машину в Аргентине моют за 40 минут. В Бразилии? Два с половиной часа — и то, если повезёт. Медленно, расслабленно и с улыбкой.
-
Why Caribbean Passports Are Losing Their Value
Caribbean Passports Are Turning Into Pumpkins
Мы живем в нестабильном мире. Любая страна может внезапно изменить правила. Один паспорт — это риск, два — лучше, три — разумная диверсификация.
The end of donation-based citizenships
So:
- Banks are rejecting Caribbean passport holders
- Visa regimes are tightening
- These schemes lack international due diligence, leading to distrust
Reliable alternatives: real investments in stable countries
Paraguay stands out for Russians and global investors alike:
- Visa-free to Europe
- 0% tax on foreign income
- Fast-track citizenship for real contributors
- No red flags at borders or banks
-
Northern Argentina by Car: Ultimate Road Trip to Jujuy
Road Tripping Northern Argentina: How to Jujuy
Провинции Хухуй и Сальта — моя любимая часть страны: космические горы, пушистые ламы и дороги, которые хочется фотографировать на каждом повороте.
What to plan before heading into the mountains
Fuel, lodging, and altitude adaptation - these are key. Nature takes care of the rest. Go with a high-clearance 4x4 and double the GPS time - you’ll stop often to take photos.
Low-altitude routes to ease into the heights
Tucumán to Cafayate: cactus forests and vineyards.
Cafayate to Salta: red mountain canyons and epic stops.
Salta to Cachi: cactus park and hidden lagoons.
Cachi to Cafayate: James Turrell Museum and Quebrada de las Flechas.
High-altitude drives and how to survive them
Stay in Purmamarca or Tilcara, fill up, and hit these:
Cerro de 14 Colores with a short scenic hike.
Salinas Grandes salt flats and blue "ojos" pools.
Route 40 via Abra de Acay - highest point on the road.
Cusi Cusi for moon valleys - wild and remote. For comfort: try San Pedro, Chile.
-
How MrBeast Built a $5B Media Empire by Age 26
MrBeast and the $5 Billion Plan: YouTube Meets Silicon Valley
Пока вы запрещаете детям игры и соцсети, MrBeast планирует привлечь $200 млн инвестиций и выйти на IPO при оценке в $5 млрд.
From counting to 100,000 to global stardom
Jimmy Donaldson started his channel at 13. In 2017, he went viral counting to 100,000 live. The internet took notice.
Game shows, giveaways, and chocolate bars
Now? He runs game-show-style YouTube hits, recreates Squid Game, hands out cash, and sells branded snacks. 371M subscribers. 66B views. $500M revenue - half from content, half from merch.
Building the Beast Industries empire
All profits are funneled back into wild new productions. His team’s project handbook recently leaked online - and it’s pure gold.
Oh, and he’s just 26. Never finished college. Who do your kids want to be?
-
💸 From $10,000 to $1.55 Billion: How Jeff Bezos' Family Made History
💸 From $10,000 to $1.55 Billion: How Jeff Bezos' Family Made History
Convincing someone to invest $10,000 in an online bookstore in the mid-90s - when most people were just figuring out dial-up internet - was no easy feat. But Jeff Bezos pulled it off.
🤝 Early Faith in a Crazy Idea
In 1996, armed with little more than a vision and a primitive Amazon website, Bezos made an offer to his family: invest $10,000 for 30,000 shares in his tiny startup. His brother Mark and sister Christina said yes.
📈 Insane Returns Over Time
By 2018, Bloomberg estimated each sibling’s stake was worth $640 million. But Amazon’s stock didn’t stop growing. At $221.30 per share by December 31, 2024 (up from $91 in 2018), their holdings are now valued at $1.55 billion each - a mind-blowing 15,499,900% return on investment.
🛒 The Company That Changed Everything
Thanks to Bezos’ obsession with long-term growth, Amazon became a $2.33 trillion titan - revolutionizing retail, logistics, cloud computing, and even how people buy toilet paper.
Кстати, похожую историю в Латинской Америке прошёл Mercado Libre — крупнейший онлайн-ритейлер региона.