Community Blogs

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 27

Stańczyk: Poland's legendary 16th-century court jester who used humor to criticize power. Immortalized in Matejko's 1862 painting at Warsaw's National Museum.

James Crawford

70

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 27

Eastern European dating: men take initiative with concrete plans (not vague "hanging out"), monogamy assumed immediately, family approval matters significantly, grand romantic gestures appreciated, dating viewed as path toward marriage with timelines discussed early.

James Crawford

40

Berlin, Germany

• Feb 27

There has been a move towards mobile and online banking across Europe as much of the population takes advantage of apps that enable users to do everything on th...

David Miller

24

Bangkok, Thailand

• Feb 27

Thailand's social security system covers sickness, unemployment, disability, maternity, and retirement for all legal workers. Expats employed by Thai companies are automatically enrolled under Section 33. This guide explains contribution rates, benefit amounts, and how to claim everything you're entitled to.

Lisa Thompson

43

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 26

Polish names reveal gender instantly: females end in "a" (Zofia, Katarzyna), males in consonants (Kazimierz, Tomasz). Surnames change by gender: Kowalski/Kowalska.

James Crawford

54

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Feb 26

A practical breakdown of Playa del Carmen's rental market beyond the tourist corridor — real prices for singles, couples, and families in Colosio, Playacar, and the residential developments south of centro, plus tips on navigating high vs. low season pricing.

Jimmy

21

Madrid, Spain

• Feb 26

Thinking about working in Spain? Before you sign the wrong dotted line, it’s important to understand the basics of employment contracts. Whether you’re consider...

Emily Johnson

27

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 26

Poland's most common surnames: Nowak (201k+, means "new"), Kowalski (135k, blacksmith), Wiśniewski (108k). The -ski suffix was noble/land ownership, now democratized. Surnames change by gender: Lewandowski→Lewandowska.

James Crawford

35

Doha, Qatar

• Feb 26

Although mortgages are still a relatively new option for expats in Qatar, more foreigners are using them to finance property purchases in designated zones. If y...

Ahmed Al-Rashid

22

London, United Kingdom

• Feb 26

The UK has long been one of the major financial centers of Europe. Residents have a number of different banks to choose from, each offering various packages tai...

Priya Sharma

22

Berlin, Germany

• Feb 25

Fortunately for expats, transferring money overseas in Germany is a fairly straightforward process. That said, there are several factors that you need to keep i...

David Miller

23

Brussels, Belgium

• Feb 25

For most expats, Belgium might not be the obvious choice as a retirement destination. However, with its central location in Europe, beautiful historic cities, a...

Sophie Van Den Berg

24

Rome, Italy

• Feb 25

Expats who opt for mobile banking in Italy can access various on-the-go financial services. If you’re always traveling or out and about, mobile banking gives yo...

Marco Rossi

26

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 25

Explore Poland's magnificent castles including Malbork (world's largest brick castle at 21 hectares), Wawel Royal Castle where Polish kings were crowned, and fairytale Moszna with 99 turrets - medieval fortresses telling centuries of defensive history.

James Crawford

32

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Feb 25

Why Dutch Hospitals Are ExcellentAfter six years in the Netherlands, I can confidently say that the country has one of Europe's best healthcare systems. The Net...

James Van Der Berg

22