Community Blogs

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 10

Sto Lat is Poland birthday song meaning "100 years." Sung at birthdays, weddings, namedays. Lyrics: Sto lat, niech zyje nam!

jamesmitchell

300

Brussels, Belgium

• Mar 10

Belgian hospitals need doctor referrals for non-emergency treatment. Belgium has 103 hospitals with 6 beds per 1,000 residents. Health insurance (mutuelle) is required and covers most costs.

Sophie

61

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Mar 9

Dutch bank accounts are practically essential - landlords and employers need them. ABN AMRO and ING are expat-friendly. You need ID, BSN, and Dutch address. Some banks allow opening before arrival.

Vienna, Austria

• Mar 9

Austrian CVs should be in German, 2-3 pages, with photo. Wear formal business attire to interviews. Salary discussed in first/second interview. Job ads show minimum salary.

viennalife

38

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 9

Polish soups are hearty main meals: barszcz (beet with uszka dumplings), żurek (fermented rye with kiełbasa in bread bowl), rosół (healing chicken broth), grzybowa (wild mushroom).

jamesmitchell

81

Lisbon, Portugal

• Mar 9

Portugal has progressive tax brackets for 2025. Non-residents pay 25% flat rate. IFICI (NHR 2.0) offers tax benefits for skilled workers. File returns by June 30.

Rome, Italy

• Mar 9

Call 112 for emergencies in Italy - the Europe-wide number connects to ambulance (118), fire (115), or police (113). Life-saving treatment is free. English support varies.

Marco R

94

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 9

Polish breakfast: jajecznica (creamy scrambled eggs with mushrooms), żurek (sour rye soup for breakfast!), placki ziemniaczane (crispy potato pancakes), open-faced sandwiches—hearty meals.

jamesmitchell

116

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 8

Best Polish dishes: pierogi (potato/cheese dumplings with sour cream), bigos (hunter's stew), kielbasa (smoked sausage), żurek (sour rye soup in bread bowl), sernik (twaróg cheesecake).

jamesmitchell

82

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Mar 8

The Dutch Physiotherapy SystemAfter six years in the Netherlands, I've been impressed by the quality and accessibility of physiotherapy here. According to 2020 ...

Rome, Italy

• Mar 8

Among expat parents’ most pressing concerns is how they will find healthcare for their child when moving abroad. Between a different language, customs, and h...

Marco R

67

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 8

Reverse culture shock lasts 6-12 months: feel alienated from home, identity crisis between two cultures, family expects old you. Often harder than original culture shock.

jamesmitchell

69

Europe

• Mar 8

The European Health Insurance Card – or EHIC – is a vital card for European citizens and residents traveling within any member country of the European Union (EU...

The Expat Collective

56

Washington, United States

• Mar 7

For day-to-day money management, you may want to choose between opening an account with a US bank, one of the big international providers, or a digital-only ser...

Warsaw, Poland

• Mar 7

Poland's greenest cities: Warsaw (Vistula parks + bike lanes), Wrocław (parks + Oder River), Kraków (Planty Park), Gdańsk (Baltic coast). Strong public transit and sustainability focus.

jamesmitchell

84