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Everyday life
The Friday the 13th superstition is thought to originate from the last supper of Jesus where 13 individuals were present. Today, the superstition is alive and kicking and the fear of Friday the 13th even has a scientific name- triskaidekaphobia. It has given rise to a famous and very successful franchise of movies and it is also known to cause significant loss to businesses in the United States as a lot of people refuse to travel to work. But this is not the only, or even the strangest superstition. What are other superstitions around the world you should absolutely know about?
China
Ahead of the Expat Show Shanghai which will be on from the 20th to the 22nd of september, Expat.com has met entrepreneur Mike. After four years of living and working in Shanghai, Mike decided he wanted to offer visitors a unique way to discover the city. In 2015, he created Culture Shock- a company offering bike tours to visitors but most importantly, a complete immersion in the day-to-day life of this vibrant city.
USA
The changes will only be operated as from the 26th of September. From this date on, visas E1 and E2 granted to French entrepreneurs will have to be renewed every 15 months instead of every 60 months. What are the implications of this change? Two experts give us their insight.
Work
Countries on the African continent have come a long way from being a slow growing economy to a rapidly growing one capable of joining the rest of the world's giants in the global economic arena. Today, it is a continent to watch for as investors continue to be drawn to African countries. What makes Africa so appealing? And what countries should we watch out for?
Spain
Almost half of Barcelona's residents are foreign-born and this is a record. This was revealed last week by the Municipal Register of Inhabitants of the city. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region in Spain, seems to be a haven for expatriates. This is due to two reasons: firstly there is record growth of expats joining Barcelona's multicultural composition that is rapidly changing the face of the city and secondly there are the deliberate efforts by the City Administration to transform the existing multiculturalism into an interconnected, intercultural community for all its citizens.
Everyday life
Announcing your moving abroad plans to your loved ones is no easy feat. Apprehension, fear of hurting them and causing sadness, fear of not being understood… It is often a difficult first step and you will almost always have to deal with a few very simplistic reactions. Reactions that expats could definitely do without! Here are ten things that expatriates hate to hear when announcing their departure.
Formalities
Parliament has been suspended by Boris Johnson and whether Brexit is a deal or no deal remains to be seen. Keep an eye on the news to find out more about recent developments and what they could mean for the future of UK and EU relations.
Health system
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared their 10th Ebola outbreak in 40 years on August 2018. Since the beginning of the outbreak, over a thousand of confirmed cases of the disease and over 700 deaths have been reported, making it the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. And, on July 17 of 2019, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC a public health emergency of international concern.
Brazil
It has been more or less a month since the Amazon rainforest fires have started. While fires happen in the rainforest every year, it has been reported that there are more than 80, 000 fires which is 85% more than what was recorded last year. So, what do expats on ground have to say?
Work
Programa regressar or the return program has recently been put in place in Portugal to encourage skilled expats who have left the country to get back. Indeed, with the creation of the European Union and other agreement of this kind and the loosening of visa restrictions in bilateral agreements between many nations, people are able to travel to other countries whether for work or leisure purposes. International emigration translates to the movements of millions of people who move to other countries for any of a number of reasons. However, emigration can easily result in a ‘brain drain' as a country begins to lose its skilled workforce. What are other countries doing to counteract this phenomenon?
Everyday life
Making the decision to live abroad can be an exciting moment. When it comes time to announcing it to your loved ones, however, sadness or guilt can take over. So how do you say goodbye? This article gives you some tips for managing this situation.
Hong Kong
It has been six months since the unrest started in Hong Kong. Caused by disagreements over an extradition bill, confrontation between protesters and the police have been never-ending since February in the region. Does that mean expats could be considering leaving Hong Kong? It does not look like it just yet…
Everyday life
Gone are the days where the only way expats had to keep in touch with their relatives back home were letters that could take weeks and at times, months. Technology is revolutionising expatriation. In this piece, Expat.com focuses on the mobile apps that you should not miss out on.
Everyday life
Vancouver is the world's friendliest city, according to Big 7 ranking. But this news has not been unanimously welcomed with the pride one would expect from Vancouverites. Here is the top 10 and here is what Vancouverites had to say about the ranking.
Canada
Quebec appears third in the ranking of the world's most secure cities in 2019 by CEO Magazine. Interesting fact: it is the only city in North America in the top 30 of this ranking. What makes it stand out?
Japan
Tokyo is the second best city for students according to the QS World Best Student Cities ranking 2019. Tokyo takes the second place for the second year in a row. Two years ago, that same city was stuck at the 7th position. How can one explain this sudden interest international students seem to show in Tokyo? What are they coming to Tokyo for?
Children
You can live for years in a foreign country and still never feel completely at home. And when you go back home, it is not a done deal either. Indeed, it is not always easy to find your bearings and feel like you belong in the country in which you grew up.. Does going abroad mean you will never stop struggling with your sense of belonging? Expat.com tries to answer this question.
Work
There is no way around it. If you're uprooting your life to a whole other country, you are going to want to make sure your quality of life is better after your move. And chances are, one of the factors you will take into consideration is work-life balance. Will your new job, your new work culture allow you to spend enough quality time outside of work? Here are five cities where you will find work-life balance is taken to a whole other level. They are the best five cities for work-life balance according to Kisi, the world renowned security experts.
Other Types
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If you've been searching for a stable, profitable, and strategically located country to grow your business or diversify your investment portfolio, Panama should be at the very top of your list. Panama is not just a country with a famous canal. It is one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, a regional financial hub, and a proven gateway for companies looking to expand across North and South America. With a dollarized economy, a territorial tax system, world-class logistics infrastructure, and investor-friendly immigration policies, Panama offers a unique combination of advantages that few countries in the world can match.
Everyday life
Moving abroad is often associated with adventure, discovery, and new opportunities. While it can be a deeply enriching experience, there is often a less visible reality behind the excitement of starting a new life abroad: exhaustion. In my consultations, expats sometimes describe a fatigue that never seems to lift, unusual irritability, a sense of disconnection, or the feeling that they are no longer quite themselves. What I have also observed is that this distress is rarely confined to one person. In expat families, when one parent begins to struggle, the entire family often has to adapt. Partners may feel isolated or lose their sense of direction, while children can pick up on their parents' stress, worries, or emotional fatigue, even when these feelings are never openly discussed.
New Zealand
Since June 1, foreign workers seeking certain work visas in New Zealand have been subject to new English language requirements. The government says the changes are intended to improve migrant integration and help prevent workplace exploitation.
Sweden
Since June 1, Sweden has tightened its work permit regulations. The new rules introduce higher salary requirements, stricter conditions for seasonal workers, mandatory health insurance in some cases, and increased scrutiny of employers.
Belgium
Belgium's latest reforms, which took effect on June 1, bring greater flexibility to the labor market in an effort to support job creation. At the same time, the government has introduced stricter requirements for non-European students.
United Arab Emirates
Foreign residents in the United Arab Emirates should take note: under UAE regulations, residence visas are generally canceled if the holder remains outside the country for more than 180 consecutive days. In most cases, affected residents must apply for a new visa before returning. However, several categories of expatriates are exempt from this rule and can retain their residency status despite an extended stay abroad.
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