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Ruben Arribas

About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.

The Everyday Italian Habit That Makes American Women Look Surprisingly Different

When you visit Italy, it’s easy to get swept up in the beauty cobblestone streets, Renaissance art, sun-soaked piazzas, and the undeniable elegance of Italian women. Whether you’re in Milan, Rome, or a sleepy village in Tuscany, you’ll notice something distinctive about Italian women: they dress up every day. And not just for work or …

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Americans Think They Can Only Stay Abroad for 90 Days: 15 Best Countries Where Americans Can Live for Up to a Year With Minimal Visa Hassle

Have you ever dreamed of trading your current view for something wildly different maybe sipping coffee in a quiet town in Portugal, working remotely from a beach in Bali, or hiking the Andes after work in Ecuador? For more and more Americans, living abroad isn’t just a fantasy it’s becoming a practical, affordable lifestyle choice. …

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What Makes American Mac and Cheese So Orange? The Answer Isn’t Just Cheese

Americans love a clean villain. One yellow dye. One obvious bad guy. One neat explanation for why the U.S. box looks brighter, louder, and somehow less like food than the European version. Real life is slightly messier, which is exactly why it matters. The iconic American mac and cheese dye story was never just one …

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Europeans Get Their Protein at Lunch. Americans Buy It in Tubs: What Actually Changes After 60

The menú del día at the restaurant near our place runs about €13, and at half past two the room fills with people who have stopped whatever they were doing to eat the largest meal of their day. A first course of lentils or a salad, a second course of hake or pork or a …

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The 8 Spanish Dishes That Deserve to Be More Famous Than Paella

Spanish cuisine isn’t just about food it’s about culture, rhythm, and the art of slow, joyful living. From bustling tapas bars in Madrid to seaside paella feasts in Valencia, every region brings something unique to the table. If you’ve ever wondered what truly defines Spain’s culinary soul, these eight dishes capture it better than any …

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The 5 European BBQ Sides That Could Embarrass American Potato Salad

The village we spend summers in, out in Cuenca province, does its barbecues on vine cuttings and almond wood. Someone’s uncle runs the fire and nobody argues with him. But watch where people actually gather. It is not the meat. It is the side table: a tray of blackened peppers and eggplant shining with olive …

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The Retirement Account Move to Make Before Leaving America, Not After: Roth Conversions and the Border

For Americans dreaming of retiring abroad, an enormous amount of planning goes into the visa, the flights, and the new home, while one of the most consequential financial decisions of all is often left until it is too late to make well. That decision concerns the retirement accounts, and specifically whether to convert traditional retirement …

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The Rules of Being a Guest at a Spanish Wedding: Cash Goes in the Envelope and Churros Come at Dawn

An invitation to a Spanish wedding is a wonderful thing, a full day and night of food, music and celebration that shames the tidy receptions of other countries. But it also comes with a set of customs that can quietly ambush the unprepared foreign guest, from how the gift is given to how late the …

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Why Wealthy Americans Are Quietly Shifting Money Into Portuguese Banks: The €100K Portugal Banking Move Nobody Talks About

And what it reveals about mobility deadlines, financial thresholds, and why one culture locks doors slowly while another dashes to meet them In recent months, U.S. citizens and green card holders have been moving urgently: opening Portuguese bank accounts with deposits often exceeding €100,000. For many, this is a last-minute compliance step tied to visa …

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Fly Into Madrid, Home From Lisbon: The Open-Jaw Ticket That Beats Round-Trips Across Europe

Most people planning a European trip do the same thing without thinking twice, they book a round-trip into one city and out again, then spend part of their vacation backtracking across the continent to get back to where they started. There is a better way, and it has a slightly odd name that hides how …

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The Seat-Selection Fees Families Pay That EU Guidance Says They Shouldn’t. Sitting Together, Free

Every family that books a flight in Europe runs into the same quiet piece of pressure. Somewhere in the booking process comes the offer to select seats for an extra fee, and beside it the unspoken threat that if you do not pay, you and your young children could be scattered across the aircraft. So …

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