... Several family members balked at investing in what they called “Monopoly money,” de Castro says...
Okay, so now we have good reason to suspect that Rodriguez De Castro does not come from a humble background. This clue may further assist the bio development.
I don't think they were saying it was monopoly money because it was a small amount... I think it was because they thought it was fake money. He still may have humble beginnings but not sure it really matters that much.
I understand that. But if your Latin American family has enough money to send you to Boston University (presently US $58k/yr) and to be asked, and to potentially be, significant investors in an American tech startup.... no, you are not from a humble background.
A one bedroom, one bath apartment where Rodriguez De Castro lived in college presently rents for US $1700 per month, vs. US $9000/yr for on-campus housing.
So, in contemporary dollar terms, sending sonny boy to Boston was about $79,000 per year plus books, transportation, and pocket money. Nope, not a humble background.
And if he wasn't a Texas resident, the UT MBA wasn't cheap either, although his apartment in Austin probably was. A 12 hour course load in the MBA program is presently US $42,000 a year (excluding summer), for tuition ONLY. Probably about the same expense level as Boston at the end of the day.
So, in 2013 dollar terms, about a $425,000 college education at list prices (a little less if he did a fake MBA), plus airfares and pocket money. (And no, unless he was a US citizen, most financial aid programs wouldn't have supported him.) And that grin on his face. Nope, not a humble background.
