TIPS FOR RELOCATING
Whether you are relocating within the same country or relocating abroad your most useful resources are your computer and the Internet.
Everything you need to know about your new location can be found on the Internet. From the laws of your new country to what is on the supermarket shelves. All of this information is available with only a few clicks of your mouse.
Travel Advice would suggest you print out and keep a folder of the most important papers, things you might need before your computer arrives. Copies of passports, birth and marriage certificates, divorce papers, adoption papers etc (Many countries require a copy of these documents so have some ready along with the originals to show the authorities), take along extra passport type photographs, details of requirements for residency, medical care and schools etc. Also lists of important telephone numbers both back home and at the new one, where to find Doctors who speak your language, pharmacies, hospitals, translators, government departments, employment offices etc. If you are shipping furniture keep a list of measurements with you so you can check out the space in your new home and make sure everything fits in. If possible get copies of medical records and school records. Also in this folder should be any important x-rays. Remember do not pack this folder it should be with you at all times.
Even for those people relocating within their own country the Internet is a useful resource. You can read the local newspapers online, check out crime or the lack of it in the area you are moving to, have a look at the local school’s website, see if there is a forum in your new area and read what the people who live there think of the area and ask questions yourself. On most forums people are very helpful and willing to pass on information. So if you need specialist help renovating your new home, or you have a health problem, or perhaps dietary needs, whatever it is you will be able to ask the questions before you go and make sure what you need is available in your chosen area. You might also make friends for yourself and your children even before you get there. Certainly the children can contact their new schools before arrival and start getting to know their teachers and classmates.
For those relocating abroad I would suggest checking out the area you are going to via the Internet. Whether you are retiring to a country you know well from holidays, relocating with your company or just packing up and moving to the sun you will find everything you need to know on the Internet.
Go to the Government or Embassy websites of your new country.
Check out the requirements for: visas, residency, receiving medical care ( you may need private medical insurance) and education, employment, the basic laws of the country, allowances for bringing money into the country, tax laws, inheritance laws (This is a very important one. Many people have been caught out if their partner passes away abroad they suddenly find out inheritance laws are considerably different from their home country), requirements for bringing any pets into the country and customs regulations regarding any shipment of household goods and personal items you want to bring to your new country.
Assuming all of the above items are satisfactory you can then start checking out the finer details of the area.
Always read the local online newspapers this gives you a real feel for your new country. After all you don’t want to end up living in the local crime hot spot!
Check out homes, whether you are renting or buying see which real estate agent has properties you like and contact them online to arrange viewings. This saves time when you arrive. You can also ask about the best areas, schools etc.
Check out schools (as above in relocating within your own country)
If you have some idea of the area you will be living in check out the facilities. Hospitals, Doctors, Clinics, Dentists etc.
Travel Advice would recommend that those people moving to second or third world countries check out the food situation and the supermarkets online. Make sure you can purchase what you need ( especially if you are on a special diet) or see if you will have to organise shipments every few months. This goes for pharmaceuticals as well. Check customs regulations too!
Join an online forum in the local area. This really can be invaluable. You can find out the average cost of utilities, groceries, school fees etc before you arrive. After all if you are moving somewhere for a better life for you and your family you don’t want to find you are actually worse off apart from the sunshine! So compare prices, taxes, etc with your current costs and see just how well off you will be.
Make use of the Internet to stay in contact with your shippers. Using your laptop or Internet cafes you can keep up to date with the location of your possessions and if there are any problems you have easy access to your removers and they to you.
If you know your new address remember to inform everyone of your change of address. If you won’t know your new address right away remember to print out sufficient copies of change of address letters plus envelopes leaving out the actual address so you can fill it in by hand later.
Use the Internet to book, flights, accommodation, car hire, etc and remember to print out the confirmation emails and keep them with you to present when necessary.
Use the Internet to learn about your new location. It is helpful to know something of the geography and history of your new home. Also to find about great restaurants or leisure facilities. If you belong to clubs or societies see if they are available at your new destination. If they are you should be able to contact them online. This is a great way to meet new friends and contacts before you arrive. It also provides another way of getting detailed local information.
We hope the above article is of use to you when you are moving. If anyone has any other hints or tips for relocating whether in country or abroad please let us know so we can pass them on.
VALLETTA IN THE SPRING
For those of you thinking of a spring holiday or cruise I can recommend Malta as a very pleasant and sunny destination at this time of the year. The temperature is usually in the low 70’s and the days have plenty of sunshine for everyone who is starved of sunlight after a harsh northern winter.
The cruise ships make their entrance to Malta into The Grand Harbour, which is said to be the most beautiful harbour in Europe. Holiday makers who are staying in Valletta or the surrounding area arrive in the city usually by taxi or on one of the colourful buses.
It is a relatively small and compact city center so very good for walking tours. There are plenty of sites of historic interest to visit and for photographers marvelous street scenes and unusual architecture to take pictures of. Valletta is on a hill with very steep streets that lead down to the sea, this makes for some very dramatic photographs.
It is a great place to shop for souvenirs. The local glassware is superb and very stylish and would make a great memento of your visit. Malta is also famous for its lovely gold and silver jewelry and the place abounds with jewelers shops. There are the usual souvenir shops if you want small keepsakes or presents for family and friends. Among the more popular items are souvenirs of the Knights of St. John of Malta, the Maltese Cross and of the wonderful colourful buses of Malta. Souvenirs come in every price range and there is sure to be something to suit everyone.
Lunch out in the city is also a great experience. You can chose from sidewalk cafes, elegant restaurants or little kiosks selling local favourites. The prices are very reasonable considering it is a capital city. Travel Advice would suggest looking down the side streets for local restaurants where you will get excellent food and local dishes at a very good price. If you see business people making use of an establishment you can be fairly sure the food is good. The Maltese enjoy their food and long leisurely lunches are part of their lifestyle. For lunch in a restaurant for two you can expect to pay from about 13 euros up. This would be for a main meal and a drink each. We would suggest having dessert later and trying out the local ice cream. I don’t think anyone can pass the local ice cream sellers without trying something. It is so temptingly displayed and there are so many delicious flavours to chose from.
Malta is at it’s greenest in spring and the trees are in leaf and the flowers are out. The rest of the year it is very dry and the sun usually finishes off all but the most hardy plants. So it is a good time to see the city at its best. It is better for the youngest travelers and the oldest as the temperatures are some 30 or more degrees cooler than in July and August, so much more comfortable for sight seeing and walking.
The other great plus of course is that the Maltese speak English making your holiday here that much more enjoyable. The street signs are in Maltese and English. Menus are in English and you will have no problem shopping, ordering meals or using telephones etc. If you do find it necessary to use a local Doctor or Hospital you will again have no language problems. All speak fluent English and many are trained in Great Britain or North America.
A warm welcome awaits you here in Malta. Come and enjoy Valletta in the spring. Enjoy this beautiful, friendly island in the Mediterranean.
Share ThisSPAIN - NIE/NIF FORMS
To buy property, a car, a house or a boat etc. you will need an NIE number. You will also need it, along with your bank details to get services such as water, electricity or a telephone line. It is also needed for other goods and services, the purchase of insurance, for signing on purposes at the National Social Security and to start work.
This number is required by everyone in Spain who has any official business to conduct. This number identifies them on all documents.
The NIE and NIF are the same number. The NIE confirms your identity but when you use the number for any fiscal function it is called an NIF.
To obtain a number you apply in person to the police or have your lawyer apply for you. If your lawyer applies for you he must have your power of attorney and your completed NIE form ex14/R.D.2393/2004 with section 4 completed.
If your Spanish is good you can complete the form at the police station and queue again to hand it in or if you are going to have problems filling it in order an English Translation of the NIE form. It comes complete with instructions and a list of other documents you will need to take with you. Each person then returns to the police station, signs it there and hands it in. Or if your lawyer is handling it he will complete your application.
You will also need your passport with a photocopy and two coloured passport sized photographs.
Once you have your NIE Registration document keep it safe. If it is required at any office give them a photocopy but take care of your original copy.
Share ThisSPAIN - APPLYING FOR RESIDENCY
Anyone wanting to stay in Spain for more than 90 days needs a Residencia. Without one you must return to your home country or apply for a Temporary Residence Permit. After 6 months you need a full Residential Permit which is good for 2 years initially and thereafter lasts for 5 years.
Residencia Application
“Go to the Comisaria de Policia in any main town Police Station and say you wish to apply for Residencia and would like:-
A current list of the documents needed for making an application.
An application form called Solicitud de Tarjeta en Regimen Comunitario (it is in triplicate.)
Form No.790
Take the Form 790 to your Spanish bank for completion. This form confirms your Spanish Bank account number and money held there (for this service you pay a small fee.) If you are a Pensioner you must also ask the bank for a Certificado Bancario which confirms the amount of your pension and frequency of payment. You then return to the Police Station with:-
Completed Form 790 together with a photocopy
Certificado Bancario together with a photocopy. (Letter from your bank re income.)
Medical Form 121 or your Spanish medical registration card, plus a photocopy of each side
Certifica de Empadronamiento. This is a card sent to you by the local Town Hall which proves that you are on the Electoral Register
Passport and one photocopy
Four passport size photographs.
Each individual must apply personally with all the relevant documents. Once applied for, it can take several months to process. Once it is issued it is good practice to carry it with you.
Who doesn’t need to apply for a residence card?
UK nationals who are Employees, Self-employed, Students.
Dependants of an EU or Spanish national.
Pensioners who receive their pension from the Spanish Social Security system.
Who must obtain a residence card?
UK Pensioners who have retired to Spain.
Non Pensionable Persons of independent means residing in Spain.”
This is the current information for applying for Residency as with all countries requirements change and Travel Advice Pages will try to keep you updated with any changes.
Source Living in Spain
RELOCATING TO CYPRUS - EDUCATION
For those of you with families who are thinking of relocating to Cyprus the subject of education for your children is probably a very important one.
The Education System in Cyprus consists of pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher/tertiary.
It is compulsory for children to attend school for 9 years from the age of 6.
“The Ministry of Education and Culture has approval of all nursery schools (or kindergartens) operating on the island, whether a state-run public school or a private nursery school. The Ministry of Education and Culture also determines the curriculum to be followed. There are 3 categories of nursery school:
Public nursery schools operate under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Culture, working in collaboration with parents’ associations and community authorities. All teachers are qualified, while the teachers’ aids must have completed secondary schooling.
Communal nursery schools are run by parents’ associations or community authorities and are registered by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Private nursery schools are privately established and owned however they are all approved by Ministry of Education and Culture and operate according to the Private Schools’ Law, 1971, of the Republic of Cyprus.
Vaccinations
A child’s vaccination certificate should be given to the relevant school when a child is enrolled for primary school. New residents should take records of child’s health and vaccination (UK families show the “red book”) to the health visitor at the general hospital who will then provide a Cypriot vaccination certificate and advice on any other vaccinations needed. Vaccinations are only advised by schools and are not compulsory unless an epidemic of a particular illness such as measles occurs.
Primary Education
Primary education is compulsory in Cyprus, and free at state schools administered by the Government. Education at private schools is not free and fees vary from school to school (enquire from the schools directly, see International Schools in Cyprus).
The Primary education is a six-year period. Children may enter the Primary School system from the age of 5 years and 8 months.
Any town or village with more than 15 children of school going age will have a primary school (children from villages with fewer than 15 will be accepted in the regional school for a neighbouring community).
In the smaller village schools where the entire pupil population may be as little as 39, pupils will be in multi-grade classes of mixed ages and levels. (One-teacher schools are for a maximum of 19 pupils; two-teacher schools for a pupil population up to 39)
In the urban areas and larger schools, where each class is single-grade, the six-year primary school period is broken into:
Cycle A: Grades 1 to 3 (for ages 6 to 8 years)
Cycle B: Grades 4 to 6 (for ages 9 to 11 years)
When primary school is completed a child will receive a leaving certificate.
There are no completion examinations and readiness to proceed to Secondary school is assessed by on-going evaluations throughout the learning period. A child cannot continue on to Secondary school without a leaving certificate.
All-Day School
The Cyprus school day ends at lunchtime.
The All-day school system was introduced at an experimental level in 1999 to extend the day for homework and optional subjects including Foreign Languages, Information Technology, Music and Art. The system continues to expand to schools across the island. All-day schools operate on a voluntary basis for grades 4 to 6 and attendance is optional. They operate four afternoons per week until 16:00 from October to May. (Some schools have introduced All-day school for grades 1 to 3 staying open until 13:05.)
Multicultural education
State schools are increasing facilities for multi-cultural education with the aim of providing better support for foreign pupils, particularly with regards to learning Greek as a second language.
Secondary Education
A child cannot enter Secondary school without a leaving certificate showing completion of Primary education.
The Secondary school period is six-years and is for children from age 12 to 18. The first three years are compulsory, with school leaving permitted after the fifteenth birthday. There are no entrance examinations for a child moving from a state owned Primary school however, school-goers who have completed Primary school at a private foreign-language institution must undergo a series of entrance examinations to be allowed to attend Cypriot public secondary schools.
State run secondary schools are co-educational.
The school day runs from 7:30 to 13:35.
The school week is a five-day week, Monday to Friday, usually broken into seven periods of 45 minutes each.
The school year begins in September and ends in June with lessons beginning September 10 and ending May 31.
Examinations take place in June.
The school year is broken into three trimesters: September to December, December to March and March to May.
A child cannot continue to the next level without passing examinations.
The Secondary school cycle is broken into two phases:
Gymnasio Cycle (Lower Secondary)
Lykeio Cycle (Upper Secondary)
Lower Secondary School (Gymnasio)
This is a period of general education for ages 12 to 15.
Vocational Guidance
Much attention is given to vocational guidance in the last year of the Lower cycle and career guidance is available throughout the Lykeio Cycle from counsellors assigned to the role at each school. They also act to monitor students with emotional problems and pupils from dysfunctional families.
Upper Secondary School
The Lykeio Cycle comprises two types of schools: the Eniaio Lykeio and Technical and Vocational Schools.
Upper Secondary School (Lykeio) Eniaio Lykeio
Admission is available to pupils who have completed and passed the Gymnasio Cycle. The curriculum diversifies at this point into three distinct programme curricula, all leading to a school leaving certificate an Apolytition. The final examinations for the third and final year are organised externally from each school, with paper set by external inspectors. Papers are marked by teachers from schools other than where they teach - they do not mark their own pupils papers.
Secondary Technical and Vocational Education (STVE)
After completion of compulsory secondary education - the Gymnasio Cycle - a pupil can continue with three-year technical education (STVE) provided they have a leaving certificate. Both the technical (a focus on the sciences) and vocational (a focus on technology, industry and workshop training) educations look at the theoretical and practical aspects of the subjects.
Successful completion of Secondary Technical or Vocational Education allows a graduate to attend a tertiary institution.
Private Education
Private schools are not free of charge. School fees vary and you should contact the school directly for guidance on the fee structure.
Private international schools have considerable independence from the state system in both their operations and the curricula offered. The majority of private schools, however, are registered with the Ministry of Education and Culture and comply with certain curriculum and facility requirements mandated by law.
Most schools will require a child to attend an interview and/or take an entrance test for their level to be assessed before admission. Teaching at most Cyprus international schools is in English, however most will have ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers to help children from non-English-language countries.
International school curricula tend to accommodate the teaching levels of their representative country.
Special Needs Education
Recent laws in Cyprus specifically accommodate special needs children. The acts are: Education and Training of Children with Special Needs Law 1999 (113(I)/1999), Mechanisms for Early Detection of Children with Special Needs (185(I)2001) and Regulations for Education and Training of Children with Special Needs (186 (I)2001). The purpose being to detect problems as early as possible and accommodate the child’s learning in the most appropriate way available. The government provides special needs facilities for children from the age of 3 to 18 (and 21 on application).
Special needs children are accepted into the regular school system to aid integration and provide support. Children with greater needs receive extra after school education with special needs teachers assigned to a school.
Hearing impaired and autistic children are accepted to pre-primary schools with special facilities and may attend on a part-time basis. There are special schools for children with severe physical, mental or emotional needs, although the education authorities do try to encourage interaction between such schools and children in the regular system.”
If your children speak no Greek you may have to consider private schooling. It seems from researching the subject that Cypriot Schools do not all have the facilities to teach children in other languages. This is of course a very changeable situation as schools upgrade and progress. So once you have chosen your location check out all the available schools in that area and contact them via the internet and just confirm if they are able to accept your children as students.
We hope you found this travel advice useful and if you have any further queries please contact us and we will do our best to answer your questions.
Source Cyprus.Angloinfo
Share ThisOVER BOOKED FLIGHTS IN THE US
In a previous article, Travel Advice Pages, gave advice on compensation if your flight was delayed.
If you are “bumped” off a flight it is a different situation. Sadly, it is a fact of holiday air travel that over-booking of flights has become a common practice by airlines. Before resigning yourself to spending the night on the floor of the departure lounge, we offer some facts and advice.
In the US, if you are “bumped” off your flight and the airline cannot get you to your destination within one hour of your original arrival time; US Federal Law requires that you are paid the equivalent of a one-way fare ($200-400) depending on the length of delay. This is somewhat inadequate particularly if you may suffer financial loss perhaps due to missing that important business meeting. Insist on a cash payment as some vouchers come with restrictions and may be difficult to redeem. It is a good idea, while waiting for some action at the check in desk to call the airline direct for help. Most have 800 series telephone numbers and you may get ahead of fellow sufferers by circumventing airport computer systems which allocate priority to “Frequent Flyers” or those who have paid full price for a seat.
In busy holiday periods, it is wise to have a “Plan B”giving alternative flights so you can ask to be rebooked on another carrier. Many airlines will refuse but it is worth a try.
One way of avoiding being “bumped” is to research which US domestic carriers have a low incidence of overbooking. The US Department of Consumer Protection website will provide you with statistics about this practice and other facts about your chosen airline.
Remember that the people in the cheap seats have the lowest priority. ”Frequent Flyers,” First and Business Class passengers and those who have paid full fare are the most likely to win in an overbooked situation. Always aim to arrive early as late check ins are the first to suffer.
Be aware that compensation does not apply to charter flights or scheduled flights with less than 60 passengers. Also, that the above information applies to US Domestic Carriers and may vary with international flights. Unfortunately, if the airline has to substitute a smaller aircraft for the one it planned to use - there is no compensation for you.
Hopefully, with our Travel Advice you can avoid spending a night on the floor in the airport!!
Share ThisMOUNT HUASHAN
Share ThisREAL ADVENTURE HIKE - MOUNT HUASHAN
If you are tired of hiking tourist trails that are supposed to be an adventure and are definitely not, you might like to try a real adventure hike. This is said to be the most dangerous tourist route in the world.
Mount Huashan in China can have you dangling over a 2090 cliff face and there is no safety barrier!
Mount Huashan located near Huayin City is a sacred mountain and is 2200m above sea level.
To reach the summit on foot you have to navigate along a trail of narrow footpaths and very steep staircases that have been cut into the mountain.
With cliffs on all sides the North Peak section of the trail is extremely exciting. Hikers manoeuvre across the cliff face by using a rusty chain and a 30cm wide wooden plank. This is followed by a 20m descent using another chain to help you get back on the trail.
Apparently there are approximately 100 deaths per year from those falling off the trail. Despite the obvious dangers hundreds of climbers a day make the hike.
The climb takes about 24 hours if you want to visit all five peaks on foot. There is a fairly new cable car but that is supposed to be even more frightening and dangerous than walking the trail.
When and if you ever get to the top the view is worth it. A breathtaking view of waterfalls, temples and ancient ruins.
For those of you looking for a real adventure, danger and excitement you might want to consider this real adventure hike up Mount Huashan.
Share ThisHAIR RAISING RUNWAYS
From Travelandleisure
“It’s 10:45 a.m. on a cloudy day, and the crew of Druk Air flight KB205 is preparing to land at their home airport of Paro. Suddenly, ominous warnings start blaring, alerting them that their flight angle is all wrong and their rate of descent is far too fast. They fly a series of unconventional right-and-left banks through a narrow channel of hillsides before centering the swaying jet and putting it on the tarmac.
An emergency situation? Not quite. In fact, this is a completely normal—however nail-biting—landing at Paro Airport, Bhutan, set 7,300 feet above sea level. Because of the airport’s tightly cropped valley, surrounded by 16,000-foot-high serrated Himalayan peaks, this drama replays itself on every flight.
There’s a sobering saying among pilots: “Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.” And it’s not until you fly into places like Paro, or Toncontìn Airport in Tegucigalpa, that the adage starts to make sense. Both are surrounded by mountains, and Toncontìn has one of the world’s shortest international runways; each requires a series of hard last-minute banks. It’s no wonder both give even the most seasoned pilots—not to mention their passengers—the sweats.
While Bhutan is the most extreme example—only eight pilots in the world are qualified to fly into Paro—a number of the world’s airports, can present challenges for pilots. “A lot of these airports require additional training and route familiarization because they’re so crazy,” says one commercial pilot who flies international routes.
According to aviation experts, mitigating factors range from the truncated length of runways to unique atmospheric and meteorological conditions, dramatic geographical settings, heavy air traffic, or a combination thereof. “Sometimes it’s just the way the airport is laid out that makes it a pain,” says the pilot, referring to whether an airport is situated askew.
One such tricky spot: Reagan International Airport. That’s not because of strange Potomac River winds . It’s the excess of government buildings and restricted airspace that makes setting down there like threading a needle with a 200-ton hunk of metal.
In fact, cities are often tough: for years (73, to be exact), the honor of the world’s most harrowing airport was reserved for Kai Tak, in Hong Kong. Whose single runway was jammed in between Victoria Harbor and densely populated Kowloon. Pilots had to battle crosswinds and fly a complicated curved approach, all while dodging mountains and high-rises. Kai Tak was shuttered in 1998 and replaced by a modern mega-port located on a reclaimed island out in the South China Sea. But many locales don’t have that luxury, and continue to operate with their existing facilities, many of which include palm sweat-inducing approaches and photo-worthy opportunities.
And it’s not always the landing that’s the stuff of lore. Matekane Air Strip, in the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho, features a stunted 1,312-foot-long runway perched at the edge of a couloir that sits at 7,550 feet. According to celebrated bush pilot Tom Claytor, depending on the wind during takeoff, it’s entirely possible for the aircraft not to be airborne by the end of the airstrip. “Instead,” he says, “you shoot off the end of the airstrip, then drop down the 2,000-foot cliff face until you start flying.”
It’s enough to make you take the train.”
Share ThisGREENLAND - SEE THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
After seeing a great many documentaries on global warming it seems like an interesting idea to go to Greenland to see the effects of global warming.
Greenland is beginning to draw attention from tourists who want to see the effects of climate change for themselves.
Visitors fly into Kangerlussuaq, the site of a former United States military base. The foot of the polar ice cap there is a popular picnicking spot for tourists, where they stare at a 250-foot wall of ice that, if it melts, has the potential to raise the world’s oceans by 24 feet, some researchers have estimated.
A popular destination is the Ilulissat ice fjord, a 45-minute flight from Kangerlussuaq and the site of the fastest retreating glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. A few years ago, the fjord was 25 miles long, but the melting of the glacier has lengthened the fjord to 31 miles, a change that has made it one of Greenland’s most visible examples of climate change.
The fjord is full of icebergs calving from the bordering mountains of ice. Cruises to see the ice cracking and falling are very popular at the moment.
A melting Arctic means that its ecosystem will not last forever, and the threatened wildlife is another draw. Polar bears, which have gotten the most attention as victims of global warming, are rarely sighted, but excursions to see whales — including the narwhal, with its nine-foot unicorn horn — and musk oxen are usually successful. These animals are not yet endangered and tourists can enjoy many of them, including seal and reindeer, in the wild.
Perhaps the greatest visual evidence of global warming in Greenland is Warming Island, a hand-shaped island off the east coast discovered in 2005 by an American, Dennis Schmitt. In years past, it was connected to the mainland by ice and presumed to be part of the same mass.
This is all evidence of climate change and global warming. It is a very delicate topic in Greenland as they of course would like to have greater numbers of tourists but of course this must be handled very carefully so as not to add to the problem.
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