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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.

Europeans Don’t Save for College and Their Kids Still Go: The Tuition Math That Breaks American Brains

For an American parent, few financial fears run deeper than the cost of college. From more or less the moment a child is born, the pressure quietly begins, the college fund to open, the specialized savings account to feed for eighteen years, and the grim awareness that a four-year degree can now cost as much …

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Portugal Has a Sour Cherry Liqueur Most Americans Have Never Heard Of: How To Make Portuguese Ginjinha With Cherries, Sugar, And A Little Patience

If there’s one drink that instantly immerses you in Portuguese culture, it’s Ginjinha. This ruby-red sour cherry liqueur is an iconic Lisbon staple, served in tiny shot glasses at neighborhood bars and historic ginjinha shops. Sweet, tart, and slightly warming with hints of cinnamon and deep cherry richness, ginjinha is both an after-meal digestif and …

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Castagnaccio Is Tuscany’s Chestnut Flour Cake With No Sugar and a Thousand Years of Opinions

Cut a slice of castagnaccio and you get something that looks nothing like the cakes most people know: a flat, dense, dark slab of a thing, barely an inch or two tall, its top a cracked and crackled crust studded with pine nuts and needles of rosemary. Taste it and the surprise deepens, because there …

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Forget Regular Stuffed Peppers, Chiles Rellenos Are on Another Level: How to Make Traditional Chiles Rellenos at Home

Chiles Rellenos stuffed poblano peppers wrapped in a delicate egg batter and fried to golden perfection are one of Mexico’s most beloved traditional dishes. They offer a beautiful balance of smoky, savory, and creamy flavors that showcase the heart of Mexican home cooking. Whether filled with cheese, seasoned meat, or vegetables, Chiles Rellenos are a …

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We Thought $60K Was Enough to Start Over in Porto Then Housing Ate the Budget

As of 2026, here’s what a one-year “real life” move to Porto actually costs, what the city gives back in time and health, and the small decisions that keep your savings from bleeding out. The first week in Porto feels like a travel brochure that forgot to warn you about paperwork. You buy espresso at …

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What a $400,000 House Pays in Property Tax in Ohio vs Andalucia in Spain: The Reverse Shock

Ask an American what they expect from taxes in Europe and they will tell you, with some confidence, that Europeans are taxed to the hilt, that everything costs more once the government takes its cut, and that moving there simply means handing over a bigger slice of just about everything you earn and own. So …

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3 Most Popular Portuguese Recipes Everyone Should Try at Least Once

Portuguese cuisine is one of Europe’s most underrated treasures. Known for its bold flavors, rustic simplicity, and deep ties to tradition, Portugal’s food scene is a reflection of its seafaring history and rich cultural tapestry. From cozy soups to seafood classics and irresistible pastries, Portuguese dishes have a way of winning over both locals and …

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Spain’s Roast Chicken Shops Are a Sunday Institution: The Pollo Asado Ritual, Explained

Walk through almost any Spanish neighborhood on a Sunday morning and you will find, somewhere nearby, a small shop with a row of whole chickens turning slowly on spits behind the glass, golden and glistening, filling the whole street with the smell of roasting garlic and paprika. This is a polleria, a roast chicken shop, …

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I Thought My Diet Was Healthy Until I Read Labels the European Way: No Processed Food for 30 Days Using European Label Standards And My Body Changed Faster Than I Expected

Standing in my kitchen at 7 AM, coffee in hand, I realized my “healthy” whole wheat bread contained 37 ingredients. In France, the same bread has four. The challenge seemed simple enough: eat by European food standards for 30 days while shopping in American grocery stores. No foods with ingredients banned in the EU. No …

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She Had $400K at 60, Moved to Italy: By 68, Only $89K Was Left, The Expenses Nobody Warned Her About Changed Everything

She did not move to Italy to live like a millionaire. She moved to stop feeling like her life was an endless bill. At 60, she had roughly $400,000 in savings and investments she could actually access. No private jet money, no trust fund, just a careful nest egg. She picked Italy because it looked …

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We Bought the Cheap Spanish House Everyone Said Not to Buy: Three Years Later, Here’s the Real Number

So here is the honest version people never list on Instagram. The keys are cheap, the walls are not. The listing price is a headline. The real cost is the next thirty-six months of bills, tradesmen, paperwork, and seasons. We bought a small village house that looked like a bargain. It was. It still cost …

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Forget Takeout: How to Make Baked Chicken Shawarma Juicy, Spiced And Better Than Takeout

Chicken shawarma has long been a favorite in Middle Eastern street food tender, spiced meat cooked on a rotating spit and sliced into wraps, bowls, or served with fresh sides. But you don’t need a vertical rotisserie or a trip to your favorite shawarma stand to enjoy this iconic dish. With the right marinade and …

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