Jennifer Stevens

JENNIFER STEVENS is International Living's Executive Editor. She's traveled through 23 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa—many more than once—writing about the best locales for overseas travel, retirement and investment. Jennifer is also the author of the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program and teaches travel writing at workshops throughout the year. In past incarnations, she wrote marketing studies for the Foreign Commercial Service in Paris and taught high school English on an East African island, where she served for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Stories from Another World Most People Don’t Know Exists

By Jennifer Stevens December 2014

Here at International Living, we tell stories about the world nobody else tells. When somebody asks me what we do, that’s what I say first. I say it because most folks carry around a worldview forged by the news they read. The headlines scream war and catastrophe…politics and disease. But calamity gets outsized attention. Our news comes to us through a mainstream media lens and it’s filtered by a measure of superiority. What you realize, though, once you pick up your passport and get on a plane, is that beyond our borders there exists a whole other world that the shock-seeking headlines ignore.

Toss That Snow Shovel and Savor the Sun All Year

By Jennifer Stevens November 2014

"I never want to shovel snow again.” When you ask somebody who is thinking about life overseas why they’re investigating their options, more often than not their response has at least something to do with escaping the cold. So it makes sense that when you ask expats what they most appreciate about their lives overseas—they almost always include an enthusiastic nod to the pleasant climate. It’s convenient then that so many places where your dollars stretch also happen to be spots where snow is unheard of.

The Freedom to Make Your “Home” Anywhere Your Heart Desires

By Jennifer Stevens October 2014

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself,” said the poet Maya Angelou. I suppose she’s right…we all aspire to a certain comfort in our own skin. I’ve always felt travel encouraged it, in fact.

Why “Cheap” Alone Is Not A Worthy Objective

By Jennifer Stevens September 2014

“Cheap” alone is not a worthy objective. We don’t look for it here at International Living—and nor should you. Just because you can buy a coffee for a dime or stay in a hotel for $20 a night—that’s not reason enough to go. Plenty of “cheap” corners tenant this world—many, quite frankly, just plain undesirable. What we chase—and what you should be after, too—is good value.

The Come-Hither Allure of an Overlooked Gem

By Jennifer Stevens August 2014

You might imagine that, with 12 monthly issues of our magazine and 365 daily IL Postcards to dispatch each year, we might find ourselves occasionally at a loss for words. But we never are: we have more ideas and recommendations than we have space. It’s a never-ending game of triage, each new destination vying for attention with its own come-hither look.

Only With Boots on the Ground Can You Uncover Secret Finds

By Jennifer Stevens July 2014

Atlantic beach towns that take you back in time…a foodie’s paradise in Southeast Asia where dim sum stalls beckon…an arts-rich bohemian haven in South America full of cafés and concerts... All over the planet you’ll find hidden gems like these—spots that rarely, if ever, earn even a passing mention in the popular press. It’s not surprising. Almost no publications bother to keep outposts abroad anymore. The quality and scope of international news coverage—and our understanding of and empathy for the world—has suffered for it.

Take a Romantic Notion and Make it Your Reality

By Jennifer Stevens June 2014

For 25 years, I’ve been designing an apartment in Paris—in my mind’s eye. I mentioned it to an acquaintance at a party recently who said, “That’s such a romantic notion.” What she meant was “dream on…it’ll never happen.” This knee-jerk dismissal of the romantic notion as something fundamentally frivolous—or, at the very least, unrealistic—is typical. But at the risk of causing offence, I’d like to say: I think it points to a lack of imagination. To my mind, romantic notions provide the fuel for a life lived rich with adventure.

A Bounty of Choice Overseas Today Delivers Plenty of Options

By Jennifer Stevens May 2014

Everybody comes to the “Where overseas?” question with his own set of preferences. This one wants beach, that one cool weather. This woman wants to be four hours from home. And that guy is looking for a place to dock a sailboat. When you’re pinpointing your ideal destination, start with list of what’s most important to you. And understand: No place is perfect. You have to prioritize. For a community she loves, “madame must-be-close-to-home” might just stretch her travel time to four-and-a-half hours.

A Gentler Life Abroad: When Your Dream Takes You Off the Beaten Track

By Jennifer Stevens April 2014

As this idea of living better for less overseas tiptoes into the mainstream, newspapers and magazines mention places like San Miguel de Allende in Mexico or the Central valley in Costa Rica. These communities have long attracted foreign retirees. They’re the “old guard” in expat havens. You can slide into them easily, what with active expat groups, supermarkets, and plenty of homes to rent. They’re convenient, proven, attractive.

Europe’s Seductive Tug: How to Indulge without Breaking the Bank

By Jennifer Stevens March 2014

Europe may be the second-smallest continent by land mass, but it’s extravagantly diverse in geography, climate, language, and culture. From the flamenco-dancing south of Spain to Rembrandt’s tulip-filled homeland, to the rugged cliffs of Italy’s Mediterranean coast, it’s equally rich with opportunity…for gracious travel…comfortable living…even for good-value investing.