#236: Alleviating Poverty By Leveraging “Love Farms”, Living As An Illegal Alien In The Philippines As A Teen, & Lessons From A Near Death Experience w/ Aidan Uttinger

A catalyzing moment in Aidan Uttinger’s life could easily be a scene from a movie:

Closing your eyes, spinning a globe, stopping it with your finger, and going there.

Aidan’s finger ended up on the Philippines, and he ended up there as a teenager, eventually becoming adopted by a Filipino family.

But that’s just the start…

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• How living in the Philippines inspired Aidan to turn Love into a currency to alleviate poverty
• What Aidan learned after having a near death experience falling from a 2 story roof on his head
• How Aidan proposed to his fiance by hiding a box of treasure on an island and leading her to find it

…. And so much more.

I can’t wait for you to listen!

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!

00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Aidan Uttinger

Brandon opens the episode with high energy, welcoming listeners and teasing four powerful themes in Aidan's story: becoming an illegal alien in the Philippines, experiencing cockfighting culture, attending a life-altering funeral, and surviving a near-death experience in Bali. He describes Aidan as a spiritual visionary creating a love-based economy and highlights his impact through global love farms.

00:07:32 - Aidan’s unforgettable treasure hunt proposal in the Philippines

Aidan recounts a year-long, elaborately planned proposal involving a fake treasure chest, Filipino divers, and a floating gold coin that saved the surprise. This romantic and adventurous gesture reflects his deep connection to the Philippines and commitment to expressing love in powerful ways.

00:12:18 - Aidan’s chaotic youth and the moment a globe changed his life

Reflecting on a troubled past of instability and homelessness, Aidan shares how spinning a globe in desperation landed him in the Philippines. Initially pointing to freezing Uzbekistan, he re-spun and committed to wherever he landed—The Philippines—altering the trajectory of his life forever.

00:16:38 - Culture shock and a world-shifting arrival in Manila

Aidan vividly describes his emotional arrival in Manila, observing children begging in the rain and families living under tin roofs. The stark poverty immediately shifted his worldview and filled him with gratitude for privileges he never realized he had.

00:22:22 - Becoming part of a Filipino family against all odds

With no money, no visa, and no plan, Aidan was taken in by a Filipino family with young daughters—an extremely rare act of trust and kindness. This moment became a cornerstone of his life, offering him the love and belonging he had never experienced.

00:26:09 - Immersed in cockfighting culture and underground arenas

Aidan shares an insider’s perspective on cockfighting, the national sport in the Philippines, including how bets are placed using intricate hand signals and how his Filipino dad—armed and respected—navigated these intense arenas. It's a surreal glimpse into a tradition outsiders rarely witness.

00:33:19 - The funeral that changed everything

A powerful story unfolds as Aidan recounts attending a funeral for a three-year-old boy who died from an illness that a $1.50 vaccination could have prevented. This tragic moment deeply etched itself into Aidan’s heart and set the emotional foundation for his life’s mission.

00:38:03 - A promise to pay love forward and the seed of the love farm vision

In a heart-to-heart with his Filipino dad, Aidan is told to repay the family's kindness by paying it forward. That simple directive became a spiritual contract—one Aidan would later fulfill by building love farms around the world to uplift others.

00:41:54 - Love as currency: the creation of The...