As the day of my departure from South Africa draws closer I have been trying to avoid having to sleep in a guest house or hotel upon my arrival in Benin to save cost.
So my cousins have been keen on helping with finding accommodation for me.
At some point, they suggested I sleep at a guest house for about a week while we all search for the accommodation of my choice while I am there. I realized they are concerned about my preference and wouldn't want to get me a place I don't like.
I had to assure them not to worry too much about my preference as long as the place is not too noisy, neat, and most importantly, I want an internet connection. I will move to another place if I and don't like the accommodation after the rental expires.
A few times my cousin would tell me he is going to view accommodation and I would expect feedback but he goes quiet. Only last week I realized viewing accommodation in Benin costs money from the advertised accommodation he sent me on Facebook. Then it occurred to me that he must have been spending his money view accommodations or needed money for it.
Though I had asked him how I send money to him, I am almost certain he is not the cryptocurrency type so I couldn't take him that route and seat with having to explain about a wallet and private keys and to him being a French speaker it is not going to be easy.
So instinctively I figured he needs money ASAP with less than 3 weeks left for me in SA and it turned out I was right when I sent the money because over a call he said;
the search for accommodation will go quicker now that I have been able to send money
Sending $277 To Benin Through Western Union
I have been dreading sending money to Benin through Western Union or the bank I knew the are vultures waiting for the likes of me in a situation of having to do remittance.
Before deciding on Western Union, I searched for other means, I even asked my cousin if he knows about PayPal. Another important thing for me is not to put him in too much trouble, so I ended up settling for Western Union.
With my no residential permit status in SA, I can't send money overseas, so I asked a friend to help.
We went to the bank together, we approached an agent to help us and after greeting he excused himself saying he is coming. He came with another lady to interrogate my friend about why he wants to send money, how much he earns in salary, and if he is employed. I am sometimes amused at situations like this so I had to behave and not laugh as I was comparing the whole drama happening before me to cryptocurrency.
Later we found out the agent is a trainee and the lady is his supervisor.
Paper forms were filled with lots of signatures and the eventual transfer of money, I was surprised they only accept cash payment of $227 and do not want us to swipe. We had to go to the ATM to draw cash to pay for the transaction.
My cousin was able to receive the money the same day and it cost me $42, about a 15% charge to send $277.
Cryptocurrency Matters
Often we hear cryptocurrency serves no purpose, it is either those making such claims choose to be ignorant, know the potential of cryptocurrency, and are intended to sway people from the use of cryptocurrency.
A transaction of $277 through HBD or Hive will cost me nothing, that is a huge difference in the transfer of money between one that costs zero and the other $45. I could also opt to send money through Bitcoin and the transaction fees will be next to nothing.
I have some cryptocurrency education to share with my family when I get home, I hope they listen.
