A decade ago, I boarded a one-way flight from Houston to Madrid with a suitcase and a rough plan to teach English for a year. I was 35, and I knew I needed a change. As the daughter of Colombian and Iranian immigrants growing up in Texas, I never quite felt like I belonged anywhere….
Last year, while researching for my book “Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives,” I visited five of the world’s healthiest countries — Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain — to see how they keep older adults active, engaged, purposeful, and healthy. I picked these countries because they have some…
In 2015, I packed up my life in Austin, Texas and moved to Madrid. I was 35 and it wasn’t my first attempt. I had spent more than a decade dreaming, trying, and failing to make Spain home. Since then, I’ve built a life in Spain and created She Hit Refresh, where I’ve helped hundreds…
From mountain trekking in India to a silent retreat in Bali, I’ve been fortunate to travel solo multiple times in the past decade. Over the years, I’ve found that mixing tours with independent travel helps me get the most out of my trips. Meeting people is high on my priority list, as is feeling safe…
The United States stands to lose about $30 billion in international tourism this year, as the country’s political environment and strong dollar continue to deter foreign travelers from visiting. In early 2025, the U.S. Travel Association projected foreign travel spending would rise to $200.8 billion this year. However, noting a “sharp and widespread” drop in…
Nan Palmero was at a rehearsal dinner in Mexico City’s trendy Roma Norte neighborhood, ahead of a wedding of two American friends, when he heard a “rumbling” outside. From the restaurant’s second story, Palmero described seeing a large group of people moving through the streets, some holding placards, shouting “Gringos leave.” He later learned that…
European stock markets are heading for a mixed open on Friday as attention turns to inflation prints from some of the region’s biggest economies, along with the U.S. Price rise data is due from France, Spain, Italy and Germany, ahead of the flash August reading for the euro area next Tuesday. Stateside, investors will be…
Peter Shankman, an American, said he looked forward to free drinks when he flew business class for work. The entrepreneur would have a drink, then a few more, sleep, then land. All was well, he said. Until it wasn’t. “Eventually, I realized that I wasn’t fine,” he said. “I was tired, cranky … [it] wasn’t…
When American Natasha Colkmire returned to work after having her first child, she didn’t want to leave her newborn son with a nanny to go on a business trip. So she convinced a family member to tag along. “They would meet up with me when my son needed to be nursed,” she said. “We also…
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez gives a press conference after a meeting with King Felipe VI at the Marivent Palace, on July 29, 2025, in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. Europa Press News | Europa Press | Getty Images Spain’s somewhat unique approach to defense and foreign policy is fueling tensions with the Trump…
