Community Blogs

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Feb 28

The Sunday tianguis is the best local source for fresh Caribbean lobster in Playa del Carmen, plus how to buy direct from fishermen and make a morning run to Puerto Morelos.

Sofia M

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

• Feb 28

Working in Luxembourg is an attractive option for an increasing number of expats. However, before you start searching for your dream job in the Grand Dutchy, yo...

Thomas W

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 28

Traditional Polish dishes: pierogi (potato-cheese/sauerkraut-mushroom dumplings pan-fried with onions), bigos (multi-meat hunter's stew simmered for days), żurek (fermented rye soup in bread bowls), Krakowska kiełbasa, dark rye bread, 12-dish Wigilia Christmas feast.

jamesmitchell

Bern, Switzerland

• Feb 28

In Switzerland, income tax is levied by federal government (30%), cantons (40%), and municipalities (30%) with progressive rates from 0-11.5% federally, varying by canton and location.

Ingrid

Warsaw, Poland

• Feb 28

Wojtek was a 440-pound Syrian brown bear who served as an enlisted Polish Army sergeant in WWII, carrying ammunition at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944.

jamesmitchell

Doha, Qatar

• Feb 28

Getting vaccinated in Qatar is a pretty straightforward procedure. And, although the county doesn’t have a mandatory vaccination schedule, vaccines are free ...

Singapore, Singapore

• Feb 28

EUR accounts in Singapore are available from digital providers and banks including DBS, UOB, HSBC, and Standard Chartered for daily transactions, savings, and international payments.

sglife

Pretoria, South Africa

• Feb 27

Healthcare in South Africa can feel like choosing between two worlds. Public clinics offer affordability and open doors to everyone, but often at the price of l...

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.

jamesmitchell

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.

jamesmitchell

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

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.

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.

jamesmitchell

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

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