Darius Fisher
Darius Fisher is a native New Yorker and a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Prior to joining International Living, Darius worked for an Agora subsidiary in Buenos Aires as a writer and financial analyst. Darius now contributes to the “Travel for Free” “International Dates,” and “Globetrotter ” columns of IL magazine. An avid traveler, Darius has lived in Spain, Argentina and Brazil and has traveled throughout India, Europe, South America and the United States. He currently splits his time between San Francisco, Baltimore and any other place he finds himself.
Articles by Darius Fisher
“What happens in Vegas… stays in Vegas.” Well not today! I’m breaking the cardinal rule of Las Vegas. No, I’m not going to reveal wild tales of crazy escapades. Today, I’m spilling the beans on all the valuable expat information and ideas we learned here. When used, these will pay off in a big way as you make your overseas retirement plans.
David has a story to tell about his new home, Uruguay. And tell it he did, today at the International Living Fast-Track Your Retirement Overseas Conference. You see, Uruguay is a tiny country… with big potential for aspiring expats. It has a growing middle class. An inclusive and optimistic culture. An expanding economy. “It kind of feels like the United States in the 1950s,” says David.
Even if you don’t think you’re ready to retire… we learned today that ANYTHING is possible…no matter your age… or the size of your bank account. For example, in 2000, Suzan Haskins and her husband Dan Prescher took an early retirement from their marketing jobs. Ten years early, in fact. These Omaha natives had a modest income, some money tucked away and grown children.
If anyone needed a retirement rescue—it was Ron and Terresa Moore. “Our 401k turned into a 201k after the economy went sour in 2008,” Ron joked today. Their story is all too familiar. Back in July 2007, Ron and Terresa made six-figures managing a car dealership, they had real estate and $1.2 million in assets. But fast-forward to December 2008.
Europe’s buzzing boho center, Berlin, bursts into life this month with the Carnival of Cultures. Thousands of performers will take to the streets and stages of the German capital to entertain over a million revelers. The party starts May 25.
Earlier in the month, Cinco de Mayo (May 5) takes place all over Mexico, especially the U.S. border towns. The day commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Puebla, a city and state in the south, has the best parades in the country.
Throughout this month, the Shanghai International Flower Festival puts exotic flowers and herbs on display. You can see a kaleidoscope of color—rare orchids, chrysanthemums, lotus flowers, plum blossoms—you name it, it’ll be there in full bloom.
Iceland celebrates Beer Day on March 1 to honor the end of prohibition. Only legalized in 1989, beer is now consumed openly throughout the country, especially in the capital Reykjavik.
Four years ago, I worked in a cubicle in a basement office in San Francisco’s financial district. The pay was decent. I worked in sales for a litigation support company. But putting on business-casual garb, schmoozing with paralegals and hitting the phones…sucked. So I did something about it. I sold my belongings. And I gallivanted around South America for 14 months.
January 1, get initiated into the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club by diving into the frigid English Bay. The swim dates back to the 1920s. The coldest recorded water temperature? 38 F in 1928.
A round-up of the weird and wonderful events taking place around the world over the coming months.
Imagine sipping hot apple tea with shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey… bargaining for beautiful handicrafts and textiles… exploring a 11,000-year-old temple—one of the world’s first—at Gobekli Tepe in the country’s southeast… then hitting the Aegean coast to check out ancient cities of the Roman Empire… That’s what Celeste Nossiter is doing in May 2012… and she isn’t paying a dime.
If anyone needed a retirement rescue—it was Ron and Terresa Moore. But thanks to low-cost Ecuador, they’re enjoying a relaxing early retirement in a warm, sunny climate. They have quality health care for $133 a month. And today they “sleep like babies every night,” says Ron. Back in July 2007, Ron and Terresa were living easy. But fast forward to December 2008. After 30 years, they found themselves out of work.
I was at the International Living Live and Invest in Ecuador Seminar 2011 that wrapped up about a week ago. I wish you were there, too. We learned why Ecuador makes so much sense for anyone looking to find a way to stretch their modest savings and social security checks…and yet enjoy a high quality of life.
The Cayman Islands hosts an annual Pirates Week Festival from November 10 to 20. It’s got everything you’re looking for in a pirate fest: an underwater treasure hunt, paddleboard races, and a Miss Pirate Queen pageant. Don’t forget your costume!
For your own, genuine Irish adventure, it’s best to get out into the countryside and explore. A rental car gives you the freedom to see Ireland on your schedule—if from the “wrong” side of the road.
Sunlight spills through the clouds to shine on the silky flanks of two gray horses grazing peacefully on the mountainside. Behind them the Atlantic Ocean stretches to the horizon, swirling around the islands of Inishturk and Turbot. Thousands of miles out there is North America…. But here, on the ragged fringes of Europe, I still feel at home.
Ever heard of the Pudding Guy? His name is David Phillips and among airfare junkies, he’s a legend. In 1999, he spotted a promotion: In exchange for every 10 Healthy Choice brand barcodes it received, the company would reward 500 frequent flyer miles. So he bought 12,150 pudding cups.
Here’s a round-up of some of the weird and wonderful events taking place across the globe this September.
From Singapore to Sydney, Athens to Auckland, hundreds of opportunities exist for travel to exotic places, without paying for accommodation. Just take care of the morning paper, the pets, or the garden and you can stay in homes when the owners are away…at no cost. 55-year-old Mike Hopkins is a veteran house-sitter who loves the Caribbean.
When Pat Cornwell gets up, it’s not a blaring alarm clock that wakes her. And it’s not the need to hustle to a job. Rather, it’s the crow of the neighborhood roosters and the warm sun on her cheeks. With the U.S. rat race behind her, just cool Mexican breezes, lush landscapes and endless possibilities lie ahead.
In the West, we have Valentine’s Day. In Hong Kong, they have the Seven Sisters Festival. Kicking off on the seventh day of the seventh moon (August 6), single girls attempt to woo potential suitors by weaving, offering fruit, and waving incense near the famous Lover’s Stone.
IL’s Darius Fisher discovers an online community of mileage maniacs who have come up with a number of ways of flying for free.
Of the grand capitals of Europe, Lisbon in Portugal is unjustly neglected by North Americans visiting the Old World. At the edge of the continent, facing the Atlantic Ocean, it’s just a little off the beaten track.
Celebrate the arrival of a fleet of sailing ships in Waterford, Ireland, to kick-start the Tall Ships Festival June 30 to July 2. Three days of live music, theater, dance, and cultural events culminate in the “parade of sail” when the 70 ships start their race to Halmstad, Sweden.
Do you use frequent flyer miles? Then you’ve experienced the annoyance of keeping track of various account numbers, passwords, and accumulated miles with different airlines. Or worst yet, you may have painfully realized that your miles expired for one reason or another.
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