20 Things I Learned From Traveling Around the World

#2) Most places are as safe (or safer) than home.

....In over 365 days on the road, staying mostly in dormitory-style hostels and traveling through several countries considered 'high-risk,' the only incident I had was an iPhone stolen out of my pocket on the metro in Medellin, Colombia. I didn't even notice and deserved it for waiving the damn thing around in the wrong part of town. Most people think that in a place like Colombia you'll still get kidnapped or knocked off by a motorcycle assassin, but that's not true. According to the locals I talked to (who grew up there), things have been safer there for at least 10 years.

Caveat: This doesn't give you a license to be stupid, and some places really warrant respect. Guatemala and Honduras, where there are major drug wars going on (and the Peace Corps recently pulled all of their volunteers), or Quito, Ecuador, where everyone I talked to had been robbed, are reasonably dangerous (I had no trouble in any of them).

In reality, based on the sort of mindless binge-drinking that happens in most travel hot spots, you'd expect travelers to get knocked off a lot more often. But if you pay attention and don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine...read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clayton-b-cornell/traveling-around-the-world_b_4065797.html

Retire in Ecuador and Survive Like a Champ

Can You Retire in Ecuador and Survive?

Ecuador George | October 14, 2013 | 64 Replies

Retire in Ecuador….
Easy enough.
Sell everything, get on a plane, get your visa, rent an apartment, go get some food, find a nice park to sit in, live happily ever after….

Boy, that is just what I’m looking for.
So what the hell happened?
How did something so simple become such a challenge.
And I’m not even living in Ecuador yet!

It has been a while since I have written anything.
A lot has happened in the last three months.

Don’t make me come over there…

A couple of endorsements before I go.

Casa Ordonez

 

 
Stay at Casa Ordonez when you are traveling to Cuenca. Tell Alberto that Ecuadorgeorge sent you and he might give you a little discount.

Mio Tours

 

Use Mio Tours, they are a great value and a great tour company.

Are you going to retire in Ecuador? My friend Nicholas Crowder has a great book that is a must read. Pick it up here.


I do not get kick backs or money for these recommendations, I like these people because they gave me great service.


Oh ya, I will talk about my diet pills and how crazy they made me in my next blog. Just another funny story…

Thank you to everyone who wrote me to see if I was alright. I can not believe all the nice notes I received.

Have a great week everyone. Hope to post more often from now on.

Don’t forget to say hi in the comments and you should subscribe now.
You know you want to. This could be that first small thing you do to make life a little better.


..read more: http://www.ecuadorgeorge.com/retire-in-ecuador-2/#.UlvE1birQ-V.facebook

Internationalize to Escape Obamacare?

Patty Grimm at Grimms' Travel Tales - 1 hour ago-

 

Hello Dear Readers, I have never gotten political on this blog and don't intend to. Everyone has a right to their own viewpoint and to express that viewpoint without being attacked. So I'm not wanting to debate anything. But what I have intended to do on this blog is to give valuable information to those folks who are following the path that we have already traveled on. My husband and I are both fortunate enough to have health care coverage that pays worldwide (Tricare) since Mike is a retiree from the U. S. Air Force. 

 

We will be OK with our health care coverage regardless of where we live in the world.

So, the point of this blog is to alert you to the fact that if you don't have health care coverage that is good in the U. S., and you think that since you live abroad you won't be penalized by the I.R.S., then you may be mistaken.  This is the catch:  You must live outside of the U. S. for 330 days in any calendar year to be exempt from the individual mandate requirements.  If you visit the U. S. for more than 35 days in a calendar year, and don't have any health care coverage (i.e., private insurance, Medicare, VA, Tricare, employer-provided coverage, etc.), then you will be fined by the IRS when you file your tax return.

Here is the link that I am getting this information from:


http://www.internationalman.com/78-global-perspectives/1023-internationalize-to-escape-obamacare?acm=8030_184

This is all very confusing if you haven't been paying attention.  I know a lot of people travel back and forth between the U. S. and their home abroad, but this might change things for you.  Questions to ask yourself:

1.  How important is it for me to be in the U. S. each year?
2.  How many days will I be in the U. S. each year?
3.  Will I buy health care coverage that is good in the U.S., even though I live abroad?
4.  Will I pay the fine that is imposed by the I.R.S. when filing my taxes because I did not buy health care coverage that is good in the U.S. which I should have done if I plan on being in the States for more than 35 days in a calendar year?

Just wanted to alert you to what's on the horizon.  Good luck with your choices. http://grimmstraveltales.blogspot.com/2013/10/internationalize-to-escape-obamacare.html

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Whitewater Ecuador Classic, Upper Misahualli

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Whitewater Ecuador Classic, Upper Misahualli

An American Military Veteran in Ecuador: $900 per Month or Ask Not What Your Country Can Do...

An American Military Veteran in Ecuador: $900 per Month or Ask Not What Your Country Can Do...: $900 per month? or Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You, Ask What You Can Do For Your Country We have decided to sponsor a child in Ecua...

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Ecuador recovers pre-Columbian pieces

ECUADOR NEWS MAGAZINE: Ecuador recovers pre-Columbian pieces: pre-Columbian art Ecuador news magazine - In the framework of cooperation to Fight Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage that Ecuador...

US exceptionalism rhetoric poses extreme danger and is reminiscent of ....

Ecuador's Correa: Obama's exceptionalism talk reminiscent of Nazi rhetoric before WWII

Published time: October 04, 2013 23:38
Edited time: October 05, 2013 07:04

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Ecuador's President Rafael Correa (Reuters / David Mercado)

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US exceptionalism rhetoric poses extreme danger and is reminiscent of Nazi ideals and talk “before and during World War II,” Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said in exclusive interview with RT Spanish.

Referring to US President Barack Obama’s statement that “America is exceptional” because it stands up not only for its own “narrow self interest, but for the interests of all," Correa said: “Does not this remind you of the Nazis’ rhetoric before and during World War II? They considered themselves the chosen race, the superior race, etc. Such words and ideas pose extreme danger,” President Correa said on RT Spanish’ Entrevista program.  

As for cases of espionage in Latin America and the subsequent criticism from regional leaders, Obama said the US will try to respect the sovereignty of those countries “in cases where it will be possible.”

At the recent UN General Assembly, Brazil launched a blistering attack on US espionage, saying it “is a breach of international law.”

President Correa said the US will keep violating other countries’ sovereignty, but this will eventually change.  

“What Plato wrote in his [Socratic] dialogues more than 2,000 years ago is true. Justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger. They are strong, that’s why they will continue lying, violating other states’ sovereignty, and breaching international law. But one day this unjust world will have to change,” 

Correa said. 
When asked about whether the UN headquarters should be moved out of the US, Correa replied “definitely yes.” But, he pointed out that there are other things that carry more importance. For example, the headquarters of the American Convention on Human Rights is located in Washington, yet 

“the US did not ratify the Pact of San Jose, that is, the American Convention on Human Rights…but the headquarters of the organization is in the US and they finance their activities,” Correa said. “This is outrageous and an example of a relationship the US established with developing countries in the form of subordination.”....read more: http://rt.com/news/correa-us-exceptionalism-dangerous-748/