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

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Mar 10

Xcaret Children's World: splash pads, shallow pools (2-3"), mini slides, adventure playgrounds, animal encounters (butterfly pavilion, touch tanks, aviary), underground river floats (78°F, life jackets), calm beach snorkeling, Mexico show-ages 2-12.

Pretoria, South Africa

• Mar 10

SASSA administers social grants in South Africa - 14 million beneficiaries. Foreigners working legally must pay social security. UIF covers unemployment, maternity, illness. Older persons grants available to citizens.

London, United Kingdom

• Mar 10

UK National Insurance is mandatory social security for employees and self-employed. Covers state pension, unemployment, disability, maternity benefits. Apply online for NI number with passport and proof of address.

Priya

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

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

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

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.

Bern, Switzerland

• Mar 9

In most of the world, the phrase “Swiss cuisine” often means just two things: cheese and chocolate. However, while these are two integral parts of the countr...

Ingrid

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

Bern, Switzerland

• Mar 9

Foreigners can marry in Switzerland with few restrictions. Same-sex marriage is legal since 2021. Civil ceremonies cost CHF 300-400. Average weddings cost CHF 30,000-40,000.

Ingrid

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

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Mar 9

Ek Balam: hidden Mayan ruins 2 hours from PDC. You can still climb the pyramid. Less crowded than Chichen Itza. 30 min north of Valladolid.

Paris, France

• Mar 8

Can a foreigner buy a car in France, and if so, how? This guide covers all you need to know. Plus we’ll touch on how These services can help expats and resident...

olivia