I was myself born and raised in Monaco, so Charles Leclerc’s incredible life story to date was an emotional read

I was myself born and raised in Monaco, so Charles Leclerc’s incredible life story to date was an emotional read

https://x.com/the_zb_/status/1795218300894425131

PhD in aviation ∩ climate science | Aviator, diver, ETH maxi, nexialist | Host of /diving /ethfinance /eth-staker /geopolitics /science /singapore /thomas

Monaco? That explains some things
Also I want to hear how it was. Curious how life in Monaco can turn somebody into a commercial pilot

Eh, nothing so special about it. It’s a tiny place (second smallest country after Vatican) so it’s like a village. You’d go to the one mall, or that one bar, or the movies, and you’d bump into friends and familiar faces there.

I very much enjoyed growing up there (it’s safe, clean, pretty, etc) but it’s not a place to study and build a career, so I moved after high school. And I’m not a commercial pilot 😅

Also, plenty of working-class people, just like the Leclerc family, far from the billionaire clichés. CoL is high in Monaco and around, so harder to make a living. Most jobs are in banking and hospitality.

For sure, the village analogy breaks down quickly in the sense that Monaco is a pretty cosmopolitan and sophisticated place. But wealth is also pretty well concealed there (old money vs new money, to simplify). Unlike, say, Dubai where it’s ostentatious.

The state takes very good care of its (few) citizens

Where I grew up there wasn't even mall or a cinema so I get that. But I think it's completely different to be in a village like that vs Monaco where you see expensive stuff everywhere even if you don't own one yourself. What's welfare like?