How does a Libyan get by and raise his family

[Land is expensive there so I have come to find out, even undeveloped lots are! It will take a few centuries to save for that with the salaries there.a citizen can only own one piece, I can see why; they cannot afford more then that.

/quote]
Everybody is talking to you about Tripoli, Benghazi is a totally different story. It's not nearly as developed, a LOT less foreigners and incomers (Libyans who move from the south) and land (as well as rent) is a LOT cheaper than here in Tripoli because of it. I am no expert, but I do think Tripoli is unique in Libya in its economic circumstances. However, paycheckes are, as you mentioned, between 350 and 750 (not 250 and 450), for the most part, but most people live in double-income families (wife is a teacher earning minimum and husband has 2 jobs). So they manage, by working a lot and buying low quality Chinese-made everything (shoes, clothes, housewares, etc.). Those who go into business are doing MUCH better, nurses and doctors (with tenure) do a bit better also, but nothing like you would expect in Canada, you should count about 1/10 of what you would earn there, and that's what you'd earn here as a nurse. It's been almost a year since you started your blog, any progress on your family book?

[I pay 4 CAD a kilo for chicken breasts, almost 7 CAD for 4L of milk and 2-4 CAD for a loaf of bread!]
Oh my goodness! I've been here for 3 1/2 years (moved from Canada also), and prices weren't that high when I left! Here government subsidized staples are ridiculously cheap (2 loaves of bread for 50 cts!!!), but juice for example is more expensive than in Canada (I used to pay 97cts for McCain in Canada, you won't find a L of juice anywhere under 1.25 here, and most are around 1.75). But fruit, all flour-based goods, and local produce is laughably cheap. As I mentioned earlier, you find Chinese-low-grade everything (you'll end up buying over and over because they don't last), which is very cheap. Certainly don't recommend buying ANY toys here (especially for pre-schoolers: they're a safety hazard!). Until recently sales were practically unheard of, but now businesses are getting wiser and selling off last year's stock for 50-70% off just before the new season (like they do in Canada and most other places), so people stock up on clothes, shoes (etc.) for their kids then.

[2. Get your passport translated into Arabic by a certified translator (if you have not done so already) - he/she will basically just write your info in Arabic in one of the pages and add a seal]

DON'T DO THAT! HAVE THE TRANSLATOR WRITE DIRECTLY INTO YOUR PASSPORT OR THEY WON'T LET YOU IN, WATCH OUT!!!!

Mudman wrote:

It's been common to have people come over the wall and take your gas cylinder, easy money.

Sounds bloody familiar..

smallworld wrote:

I was also wondering how Libyans get by considering in most cases women do not work and families have a HUGE number of kids. Salaries are low but somehow people manage to have weddings (that cost up to 20K), buy expensive cars in cash, many men have 2 wives, 2 houses and 2 sets of kids.  One of the answers is business ownership.  The other answer cannot be posted[/center] on a public forum

hababbi wrote:

Well I think my luck has all run out.... It would appear that after months of getting papers stamped getting misinformed sending off the papers to what we thought was the right embassy..which turns out isnt, AND NOW ALL MY ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO GET MY VISA ARE LOOOOOOSSSSST! And no one is accountable because " we put them in the mailbox outside the embassy" HOLY $***! This has just put me over the edge. People say they are ready to help you out and then when you ask they ignore you like the plauge, or just screw things up so bad you are destroyed what a world!

Whenever anyone asks me for original documents, I give them colour photocopies. No one's noticed thus far..

SAlam Habibi,

So did you get there in the end......Have you arrived yet?

En sha Allah you will pay ME a visit, if you can?