Marie Lund
@Minerva909
Polish expat in Sweden
Forum posts
82
Contacts
3
About me
Polish
Lives in Landskrona
Speaks English, Polish, Swedish, German, Russian, Spanish + a bit of French and Italian
Registration: 19 September 2007
I am totally confused and I need help on this one by elinabio
our son is born at November 1997. when I read about maltese education system I thought he is supposed to be in form 3 in a secondary school as he is 15 and not 16 years old. however today my husband went to St Clare College and he was told that our ...
Good luck, elinabio, I am sure you made the best possible choice! :-) Read More
I am totally confused and I need help on this one by elinabio
our son is born at November 1997. when I read about maltese education system I thought he is supposed to be in form 3 in a secondary school as he is 15 and not 16 years old. however today my husband went to St Clare College and he was told that our ...
It is not an easy situation. Both I and several of my friends and former coworkers have been in your shoes when we decided to move for the sake of career in a time that was inopportune for our kids' education. The most frequent choice was to let the ... Read More
Domestic services: availability and cost by Minerva909
Hi, I am retired, recently returned to Europe after 30 years in the USA and the Caribbean, and... suffering from a climate shock and a price shock (especially cost of simple services, which in Sweden cost around $50 per hour = blatant robbery!) and ...
Thanks all for the advice. I shall heed it and ask around once established. Asking early about cost and availability of such services I wanted to avoid unwelcome surprises as I found in Sweden, where hiring someone legally (due to a combination of ... Read More
Domestic services: availability and cost
Hi, I am retired, recently returned to Europe after 30 years in the USA and the Caribbean, and... suffering from a climate shock and a price shock (especially cost of simple services, which in Sweden cost around $50 per hour = blatant robbery!) and ... Read More
details on living expenses by ravibilgi
hello all, this is ravi from hyderabad, india. i will be moving to malmo on a work permit and would like to know what is the day-to-day expense like - for e.g. : - how much does a loaf of bread cost? how much does a liter of milk cost? how about ...
here is a recent week's advertisement from a large Swedish grocery chain: coop.ecbook.se/coop/konsum/?store=101610 It is in Swedish but illustrated, so you can see what cost how much. Read More
how much is enough?! by ravibilgi
hi, again, everyone, as indicated in my previous post, i am scheduled to travel to Malmo in the coming months. i would like to know if a salary of roughly 25,000 SEK per month will suffice for a couple? i am in a position to negotiate, so would ...
Ravi, please do not overdo negotiating with a Swedish employer (if your employer is Swedish). Swedes abhor haggling. They pride themselves on being just and fair and making a fair offer, so the negotiating margin in Sweden on the average is only ... Read More
moving to malmo
Rou can google andrahandsbostader, but than all the ads there will be in Swedish Or you can go to migrationsverket.se and click on English flag to get the pertinent information from the appropriate Swedish government agency for people who want to ... Read More
moving to malmo
Stefy Swedish housing market is pretty regulated, so your best bet initially would be to try to rent a second-hand appartment (=subletting). There are Swedish webpages advertising sublets, but... do you know Swedish? To find a job, similarly, you ... Read More
details on living expenses by ravibilgi
hello all, this is ravi from hyderabad, india. i will be moving to malmo on a work permit and would like to know what is the day-to-day expense like - for e.g. : - how much does a loaf of bread cost? how much does a liter of milk cost? how about ...
Ravi, Sweden has excellent health care, don't worry. Read More
how much is enough?! by ravibilgi
hi, again, everyone, as indicated in my previous post, i am scheduled to travel to Malmo in the coming months. i would like to know if a salary of roughly 25,000 SEK per month will suffice for a couple? i am in a position to negotiate, so would ...
Uff, i worry for your wife with that super austere saving plan. She won't be working, you say. What, if I may ask, is she going to be doing? Sitting alone in a budget apartment in a strange city and a strange country, with nobody to talk to all day ... Read More
Helsingborg by ladyB
Is there anybody in or close to Helsingborg? Would love to meet some people!!
Hi, Lady B I will be returning to Sweden ( I am Swedish citizen) in a few months and living in Skane (perhaps in Helsingborg). I am half German and would like to practice it more than I do now. Read More
how much is enough?! by ravibilgi
hi, again, everyone, as indicated in my previous post, i am scheduled to travel to Malmo in the coming months. i would like to know if a salary of roughly 25,000 SEK per month will suffice for a couple? i am in a position to negotiate, so would ...
It depends what do you mean by "enough". Many Swedes make less, but in Sweden usually both members of a couple work, so if it is only you to make money, it might not be much, since most goods and services cost a lot in Sweden. A one bedroom ... Read More
Living in Georgia by travellers
Hello all! My husband and I are considering relocating to Georgia from Germany. Any other Germans living there? Many other Europeans? Any tips and advice on good neighbourhoods to live would be great... Also tips and ideas on how to intergrate with ...
Savannah is picturesque, historical, touristy most of the year, but particularly in the summer ... very, very southern, which means very conservative, high percentage of African Americans but very little (still) social integration crossing the race ... Read More
Book about the individual(!) states of America
And what kind of information about EVERY state you would like to find in such a book? Who should the book be addressed to? American authors write and American publishers publish to markets, consequently there are books (periodically updated) like ... Read More
who can survive in culturally different environment? by tuyatsetseg
Hello everybody It is known that some expatriates effectively survive in culturally different environment while some of them have failed. Please answer me who can effectively survive?
Oh, erin, it is not a question of understanding - patriarchalism, its causes and its manifestations have been widely studied and are well understood. My - a tad convoluted perhaps - point was: not to exaggerate open-mindedness to the point of ... Read More
Americans Living in/ Moving to Spain? by LionTV
Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can help me out... I work at Lion TV- a production company based out of NYC. We are currently casting for a new TV show which will feature and American family/ couple that recently relocated abroad. The show will follow ...
There is an active American club in Andalusia - contact them. Read More
part-time living in (south) Spain? by PUNA
Hi there! I'm from Ljubljana (Slovenia) and I'm thinking of spending half of the year (november - april) somewhere close to the sea - and where the sun is shining :) I'm after intimate places with character, good sunny weather, old and beautiful ...
Puna, do you speak any Spanish? If you do, Cadiz could be a good place for you, as there are not so many English speaking expats there. On the other hand any of so called pueblo blancos in central and eastern part of Andalusia (Malaga and Granada ... Read More
Best place to live in
It depends on what you are looking for. Costa Rica is still a nature lover's dream but it is getting expensive and has no incentives for expats moving there. Belize is small, undepopulated, in my opinion boring in the long run and has only pseudo ... Read More
job in belize by irewolede
am moving to belize next month,how can i get a job,and how long can i get my working permit?
I am afraid there is no shortage of swimming instructors in Belize Read More
job in belize by irewolede
am moving to belize next month,how can i get a job,and how long can i get my working permit?
do you have any special skills? to all you expats and Belizeans alike: an ngo I work with needs a contract communications officer for 6 months to a year, perhaps permanent, starting practically asap. Work permit no problem - they arrange it. ... Read More
Desperate expat housewives by Julien
This topic is dedicated to "desperate expat housewives" I know I am not the best person to talk about it (I am a man), but note that I moved to Spain. I left my situation in the UK, and I arrived in Madrid without a job ... I spent most of my time ...
LOL, somehow I never had this problem. For years - when we lived in Sweden - my spouse refused to join me on any assignments abroad, but he did not oppose my going (I guess he knew better ;-)), so I was picking ones not too far from home, Germany, ... Read More
who can survive in culturally different environment? by tuyatsetseg
Hello everybody It is known that some expatriates effectively survive in culturally different environment while some of them have failed. Please answer me who can effectively survive?
As a multiple expat I must say that there are cultures in which I feel more than at home (= more at home than in my native country, which is still a tad too macho and too religious for my taste), in which I love to live and there are some in which ... Read More
work in spain by sirlancelot
An alternative psychologist, numerologist, energy healer from South Africa looking to relocate to Spain...looking for work opportunities
Over 20% of Spaniards are unemployed - I read immigrants are hurting even more. Perhaps not a good time to move to Spain for someone who needs to work. Read More
Getting a loan
why don't you get a loan in UK, where you have credit? Unsecured loan, if necessary or a motorcycle loan and buy it in UK? But you might try Spanish banks, you might get lucky, but be prepared for a high down payment. Read More
How to make friends in Andalusia by expat.com
We have been talking about [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=891]loneliness when you are abroad[/url], let's now talk about how to make friends (locals or expatriates) when you're living in Andalusia :top: [b]Which are your best ...
It was easy to make friends in Andalusia - among other expats, as the expat social/club life there is intense. There are also outdoor clubs where you can join people on daylong excursions. It was convenient for me, as I was there for only part of ... Read More
Living in Andalusia by expat.com
You are an expatriate living in Andalusia, or you used to work and live in Andalusia. [b]Share your expat experience![/b] How would you describe life in Andalusia? Has it been complicated to settle down, to find a job, and an accomodation? ...
I have lived in Andalusia for nearly a year. My Spanish is intermediate and I used it in shops, restaurants etc even though there I did not have to: many expats, especially snow birds don't speak any Spanish at all. As for Spanish friends, I spoke ... Read More
Costs of moving from U.S. to Belize- Insight needed by TheBradleys
Hello. My husband and I are considering moving to Belize in the next year or so. I am reading everything I can about the country and moving there. We are too young to qualify for the QRP program and don't have the necessary [i]monthly[/i] income ...
I think I understand how you feel about leaving America - I have got so tired of tea party etc. I am tempted to move back to Europe myself (I have EU citizenship)... I work for a Belize organization and need to spend a few month a year there, yet I ... Read More
Moving overseas, leaving friends and family behind by russellvjward
Hi, Picking your life up and moving it to a foreign country is no small undertaking. It's fair to say that leaving loved ones, selling the house you've worked hard for, putting your dogs on a plane for God-knows-how-long, even giving up the job ...
Mariposa, an "interesting life" may be a curse or a blessing. Often both, sometimes simultaneously! Not all cultures, vijay, are equally family oriented, so some of us do not "run away from family" nor feel it in old age. Friends - that you choose ... Read More
A sporting dilemma - as an expat, which team should I support? by russellvjward
Hi, The recent 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa raised a dilemma for this expat that always seems to surface whenever a major sporting event takes place 聳 which team should I really have been cheering on? Surely, this is a no-brainer, I hear ...
I understand your dilemma - so much so that after living in about 50 countries I now do not watch any sports if I can only avoid it. If I can't avoid it I stay neutral... or applaud both... so the other people watching will let me go away. Read More
Moving overseas, leaving friends and family behind by russellvjward
Hi, Picking your life up and moving it to a foreign country is no small undertaking. It's fair to say that leaving loved ones, selling the house you've worked hard for, putting your dogs on a plane for God-knows-how-long, even giving up the job ...
As a serial expat I would admit that, although I think your list is well thought out, I have never followed ANY of the points on it ... and I have lived and worked in about 50 countries. Why haven't I follow them? Usually I relocated for work, for ... Read More
Possibility of moving to Puert Rico?
Sure, you can move to PR - as it is - administratively - part of the USA there is no need to get immigration and work permits. I have heard that there is market for nurses in PR (otherwise it is difficult to get a job there, especially after a ... Read More
do those of you living abroad plan to return to your home countries? by ECS
I moved abroad with no specific plan of how long it would be but as things develop it's looking more and more likely that my life won't include returning back to my home country. So I'm wondering, are those of you living abroad now planning to ...
For a serial expat like me, who spent many years in a few countries - in addion to shorter stays in a lot of countries - the queston arises where, actually the home is? The country in which I was born and raised (Poland), but have left 36 years ago? ... Read More
Fabric and craft store in PR by Paet Burcham
I am wondering if fabric shops like JoAnn Fabrics and etc. are to be found in PR? Also craft stores such as Michael's. Any info would be appreciated. We will be living in the west of PR.
I haven't found any, though it does not mean they don't exist - I was not looking for them, since I do not use them in the US either. However there are cultural differences between US an PR and these are often reflected in what type of goods and ... Read More
Buying properties in USA Florida
If there is a gain, SOMEBODY - be it an LLC, corporation or an individual - has to pay the taxes. Read More
Success Story (Employment)
I am afraid, Willow, that you are dreaming. And not being practical: unskilled jobs pay minimum wage (which in Belize is around BZ$ 20 - $25 a day, while a permit costs BZ$ 1000. So, how long would you have to work just to cover the cost of the ... Read More
What did you do with your car back home? by angela1207
Please describe. Thanks!
Angela, long term parking would be too expensive. I would suggest advertise in local classifieds for a place to park your car. Someone might have an extra parking space and like to make a few bucks. You can get your tags when you get back (if you ... Read More
What did you do with your car back home? by angela1207
Please describe. Thanks!
I have been switching living/working between USA and Europe a lot during the last 20 years. I left my US car first in my own garage in my house (occupied by my then studying daugher) and then, when she graduated and I sold the house I kept leaving a ... Read More
PR cookbooks with photos
Barnes and Nobles in PR had several PR picture cookbooks. I am sure they have them in the USA as well. Search them. P.S. A great source of all kind of unknown otherwise fruits (since they do not transport well) on the West xcoast wa Mayaguez ... Read More
How to make friends in Texas by expat.com
We have been talking about [url=/forum/viewtopic.php?id=891]loneliness when you are abroad[/url], let's now talk about how to make friends (locals or expatriates) when you're living in Texas :top: [b]Which are your best tips to ...
I have lived in Austin, Texas and also later on North Padre island near Corpus Christi. Austin is a high tech mecca + administrative center = lots of professionals, most of them geeks, most of them young + a lot of students (4 universities). Never ... Read More
advice on employment
It is neither easy - nor very profitable - to work in Belize, even though they badly need qualified professionals. Even when you find an employer - or an employer finds you - it is not easy to get a work permit, as there is a long list of ... Read More
Cost of living in Puerto Rico by expat.com
Hi everybody, It would be very useful to talk about the cost of living in Puerto Rico. Don't forget to mention where in Puerto Rico you are living. How much does it cost to live in Puerto Rico? > accommodation prices > public transportation ...
Puerto Rico is not a bargain budget Caribbean destination. There are no charter flights, few - if any - packaged tours, hotels are pretty expensive, especially in the winter season, though there are bargains. I payed $220 a night (with all taxes, ... Read More
Living in Grenada Spain by kendra
hi everyone, im seeking advice on makeing the move to the grenada region of spain and setting up a b&b,with my husband and 3 children. Are the schools good at intergrating english children?:sleep
Granada is close to the coast, where expats constitute up to 25% of population. There are English schools in area, as well. There are expats in the Sierra de Grazalema between Granada and the coast, and in Granada as well, so you should not have ... Read More
looking to live in europe for 3 - 6 months by shrimp
Hey, my graduation from college is approaching soon, and I would really like to get out of the states for a few months afterwards. I really want to live (and work hopefully) in Europe, preferably Switzerland, Sweden or Iceland, but am not limited to ...
Well, if you were from an EU country you could - theoretically - work in any of them. Otherwise, don't count on working legally - and even black market jobs would be hard to come by due to the influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe. But as a ... Read More
Living in Munich by Fandor59
Hallo All, I will move from the Netherlands to Munich in 2 months and I would like to know if someone in the forum could give me some help ... concerning the accomodation, the settlement tips and the social activities available in Munich Thanks ...
I have lived - and worked - in Munich a few years ago. I wanted to live outside the city, closer to nature and Alps. I had a car and gas paid by the company, so I got a good deal: a cute, but thoroughly modern and comfortable apartment over a barn ... Read More
Working as a tourist in the US
If you are a student there are special visas/arrangements. Many resorts - especially in the northern part of the USA - in the southern part there are thousands and thousands of Latinos willing to take any job - are understaffed and hire students ... Read More
Cost of living in the Caribbean by Julien
Hi everybody, This topic is dedicated to your experience of the cost of living in the Caribbean.It would be interesting to gather everything in one unique post. Don't forget to mention where you're living: country, state and city (is it a ...
This is not exhaustive, because I haven't yet actually moved to Puerto Rico, only what I managed to arrange (or find out) before actually moving. I got a job offer, and although I am early retired, I entartain job offers if the place is interesting ... Read More
I'm searching for paradise, please help me find my new home. by statigar
I've been working really hard and I've saved up a large chunk of money. I'm looking to invest it and live off the dividends in a very inexpensive area. I don't know if the land I'm looking for exists anywhere besides in my dreams, but i know i ...
Statigar, paradise is relative, and to find your paradise which would allow you to live on $200-300 a month ( not an easy task) you'd have to seriously go native = learn a native language and live like rather poor natives live. Islands, especially ... Read More
the cheapest cost of living in the caribbean or some where else
Puerto Rico is not the cheapest place in the Caribbean, but its cost of living seems to be mostly based on San Juan, where at least 1/3 of Puertoricans live abd which is pretty expensive, even housing. But away from San Juan the prices are lower. I ... Read More