This is a guest post from Jake Darby at Nomadic Hustle. Jake is part of an ever-increasing network of gringo bloggers and internet personalities living or traveling around Latin America. He came through Lima last summer with a crew of friends and we all went to a corrida at Plaza de Acho, during which I got into such rare form that I threw up outside the taxi window on the way home.

So he’s one of the cool kids. He writes a lot about the smart drug modafinil, which is over the counter here in Peru. I asked him for an overview for the uninformed.

Modafinil For Gringos, Gurus and Expats

It should be noted that this post is not medical or legal advice. Hell, it’s not any type of advice. Always consult a medical professional before consuming any pharmaceutical drugs.

Drugs. A frequent topic once you start strolling around south of the border. Ask damn near any taxi driver in South America, and you’ll have your hands on some of the secret sauce in a matter of seconds. Fun drugs are damn easy to get your hands on while living down here. But “smart” ones? Drugs used to enhance the mind during the workday…

Well, the white devil could be considered useful, but I wouldn’t call it “smart.” At least not for your corazon!

Thus, today we’re talking about everybody’s favorite smart drug, modafinil.

Why? Because it’ll get you high. Not really. Actually, the Modafinil “high” is quite tame. We’re talking about cognitive enhancement and increased productivity.

The first time I met Colin down in lovely Lima, we proceeded to down liters of his special “Bull’s Blood” in anticipation of the biggest bullfighting competition in Peru. Before words started slurring and I proceeded to throw up on a few unsuspecting Peruvian grandmas simply there to enjoy the spectacle in peace, Colin asked me a question that surprised me:

“So, are you like a modafinil addict or something?”

What? I was baffled. I’m quite a fan of the nootropic, but I only use it. I don’t abuse it.

I take modafinil two to four times a month these days. Often, on a Monday to ensure I start the week off right. But Colin thought I was a junkie because I write a lot about modafinil on my blog.

I explained my plan to use SEO on long-tail keywords to grow my blog. Many people don’t know anything about modafinil and have a ton of questions before consuming a pharmaceutical-grade drug for off-label uses.

Which brings me back to this guest post and what modafinil is…

Modafinil was a pharmaceutical drug designed in France in the 1980s under the name Provigil to combat narcolepsy (falling asleep at inopportune times due to excessive daytime drowsiness). Provigil became the go-to drug to combat narcolepsy in Europe.

Eventually, Provigil made its way to the United States. And we started to abuse it. Initially, Americans sought Provigil prescriptions for common ailments like:

• Narcolepsy
• Sleep apnea
• Shift work sleep disorder

But then CEOs and grad students got a hold of the stuff and the smart-drug craze began. Many found modafinil superior to Adderall, the traditional study drug, because modafinil technically is not a stimulant and doesn’t have as many side effects.

Soon, generic modafinil was available to try and buy on the interwebz. Every digital nomad dork and dweeb, myself included, was aching to get their hands on the stuff.

Why Digital Bromads Become Modafinil Junkies

Why did Colin want me to write this article? Why have so many digital “solopreneurs” become enamored with modafinil? Because it works. Taking 100 to 200 mg of generic modafinil gives you:

• 12+ Hours of Pure Focus: Modafinil offers hours upon hours of focused energy. You’ll be able to work longer hours with a higher level of focus. Just be sure to focus on the right shit. I recommend blocking time-wasters like Facebook and Twitter to ensure you don’t squander all your focus.
• Increased Productivity and Output: With enhanced focus and more work hours, your output should skyrocket. My writing production increases 40% for the day (20% more words per hour for more hours than a drug-free day).
• Makes Busy Work Less Annoying: Modafinil is excellent for helping you get shit done that you don’t enjoy. For example, switching affiliate links on 40 different blog posts because your recommendations change is a pain in the arse. On modafinil, it’s a walk in the park.
• Enhanced Memory: Improved memory helps you retain information. Great for studying.
• Power through All-Nighters: Modafinil was initially designed to eliminate fatigue. You won’t be able to sleep when taking it, so pulling all-nighters is a breeze. Just make sure to take modafinil in the mornings if sleep is on the docket. Also, avoid modafinil and sex ;(
• Ideal For Hangovers: Last but not least, modafinil is the best hangover cure when hustling. Seriously. Wake up the morning after a night drinking liters of Pisco Sours with Colin and pop 200 mg of modafinil with breakfast. Before you know it, you’ll be productive again. Modafinil is a miracle hangover cure.

Finding Modafinil South of the Border

Surprisingly, given “stupid” drugs are plentiful, it can be difficult to find smart drugs south of the border. Not in Peru, where you just have to find a pharmacy that stocks “modafinilo” and buy it over the counter. But if you’re not sure whether your Latin American country offers it legally, I recommend buying modafinil online before you go. Prices are cheap and orders are guaranteed to clear customs or your money back.

My favorite vendors are:

• Best Online Modafinil Vendor
• Massive Bitcoin Savings
• Best European Vendor

You’ll get high-quality generic modafinil for low prices from all three of the vendors above.

If you’re living in Latin America, some vendors will ship down south. However, I’d recommend doing a pharmacy tour first and seeing if you can buy the stuff over-the-counter.

• In Mexico, you can buy modafinil for cheap under the name Modiodal. It’s easy to get and high-quality.
• In Colombia, you can buy modafinil from the pharmacy under the name Vigia. It’s not as easy to find as in Mexico, but every couple pharmacies you check should carry it.
• In Peru, the big-chain pharmacies carry a generic brand called Resotyl.

For other countries, you’ll have to look around. See this site for other countries around the world.

One more thing…

You shouldn’t have a single issue traveling with modafinil. I’ve visited a dozen or so countries with the trusty smart drug in my luggage. Not a one gave a damn. Modafinil is a Schedule IV drug in the ole’ USA. No one cares.

That’s about it, señoritas y caballeros. Everything a gringo would want to know about modafinil while living south of the border. I recommend it to anyone and everyone hustling online. Just take it once a week, give or take. If you’ve got any questions, I’ve created a free eBook. Click here to grab your copy.

Que te vaya bien,

Jake

Follow Jake on Twitter.

END

Back to me, Colin. I took modafinil every day for a couple weeks as I researched and wrote the profiles and fact sheets which formed the evergreen content before launching Peru Reports. That required hours of tedious research and writing, basically academic work, which is difficult for people like me who have a hard time sitting still at a desk without getting up for a walk.

But that modafinil helps you focus so much that my wife had to tear me away from the computer just to eat lunch. I often skipped training, the highlight of my day. But taking it every day is a mistake, as Jake warned. After a week or two of that I could only sleep for an hour or two at night. I wanted to sleep, but I didn’t feel sleepy. So once a week at the most. I take it when I need to turn out a lot of Lima City of Kings content — writing, photo editing, web formatting, etc.

Bull’s Blood is a bottle of pisco, a bottle of sweet red wine and a cup of lime juice, in a leather boot hung around the neck.

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