Expats World Magazine - Issue 9 - January 2019

Issue 9 / January 2019

LIVING IN HONG KONG HILARIOUS THINGS EVERYONE HAS SECRETLY DONE

A FORMER EXPAT

J.K.ROWLING

4 | Content

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Editor's letter | Issue no. 9

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Featured city | Living in Hong Kong

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Culture differences | Top 10 most caffeinated countries in the world

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Education | What skills do new graduates lack?

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Quality of life | Hilarious things everyone has secretly done Expat's nature | Being polite might not be a universal concept

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Relationships | How long distance just might be the healthiest thing for your relationship Traveling | What does it feel like to be outside the earth?

Famous expat | J.K. Rowling

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Language | The importance of learning a foreign language

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Working abroad | Singapore only has 2% unemployment Legal | Millennials are the biggest victims of social engineering

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Featured city | Modern life in one of the most ancient cities

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Taxes | Australian celebrities and Instagram stars to be hit with "fame tax"

Š ExpatsWorld 2019

Content

Statistics | Happiness around the world 70 Health | How to deal with aging parents when you live abroad 74 Millennials | UK millennials will be the most overweight generation on record 76 Practical | Why are Spaniards so obsessed with window shutters 68

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Insurance | Swedes turn against a cashless society

World | How did the cruise industry reach its prosperity?

82 Challenges | 5 challenges facing mobility managers in 2018 84 Featured city | Why Zurich is one of the best cities to live?

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Food | How to stop eating sugar

92 Relocation | London has the

highest rents in Europe

Credit: Unsplash/FlorianWehde, Hong Kong

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Business Directory | Recommended companies

ExpatsWorld International Calle Gregal 10, Santa Ponsa, Balearic Islands, Spain

Email: contact@expatsworld.com

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CLICK HERE

Editor's letter

Welcome to the 9th Issue of ExpatsWorld Magazine We are happy and excited to welcome you to our ninth edition of this magazine.

A magazine for people who live, or plan to move abroad.

In this issue you can find out about life standards in three totally different cities: Hong Hong, Rome and Zurich. Have a good laugh while reading an article about hilarious things that everyone has secretly done and count how many of them appeared in your life. Gain a useful perspective into why long distances might be the healthiest thing for your relationship. Know why millenials are the biggest victims of social engineering. Read about the generation that is expected to be the most overweight generation on record. There are many more interesting stories to read for any taste. Take a look around!

According to the latest research, it was estimated that a total of over 244 million people are living in a country other than their country of birth. Most of these people are individual workers aged between 20 to 64 years old. In recent years, the number of students, retired expats, corporate transferees and other remaining expat groups, are constantly on the rise. It is clear that the EU net migration has fallen over the last few years, however, the non-EU net migration has increased. The numbers don't lie. Expatriates are a very important part of global community and we understand that. For this reason we want to support them with our free services.

It is not only the magazine! We would love to invite you to follow our daily updated newsblog, subscribe to our newsletters, check our international and local Facebook groups and pages, watch our webTV show, and contact us with all questions and requests for assistance around the world.

As always, we manage to give all of our followers super services for free, since we have many small and large companies supporting us as sponsors and advertisers.

Welcome to another exciting issue of ExpatsWorld Magazine and don´ t forget to visit www.expatsworld.com and have a great time there!

Best regards, Peter Redrin - Founder & CEO Clients & Clubs International SL

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78 | Featured city

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Credit: Unsp

plash/Matt Wild Media

Liv ing in

Hong SOURCE: EXPATSW ORLD

This bustling city is typically described as one place where ?East meets West?, reflecting the local culture?s effervescent mix of Chinese roots with influences carried over from its period of British rule.

Somehow, Hong Kong manages to maintain its delicate juggling act, balancing traditional Chinese practices alongside a frenetic, uber-modern lifestyle. However, this standard of living has not come without a cost. Hong Kong is ranked as Asia?s third most expensive city to live after Tokyo and Seoul. Overall, food, accommodation and education costs for a typical family with children account for the major areas of day-to-day living expenses.

However, despite the surging crowds, high-rise lifestyle and its endemic high cost of living, Hong Kong continues to lure expats from around the globe with its siren song of financial success.

Economics Hong Kong is one of the wealthiest cities on the face of the planet, not just in China. The city continues its pattern of rapid growth and ever-expanding urban footprint. Some commentators see Hong Kong China as the New York or London of the East. Little wonder Hong Kong offers a plethora of fabulous professional employment opportunities and is a rich stomping ground

for expats.

However, the wealth of this shimmering city makes it an expensive city to live and work in. Consider the costs of living in New York or London. Although Hong Kong is tremendously wealthy, it still struggles to improve the lives of numerous impoverished citizens and even entire communities.

Featured city

Credit: Unsplash/Joshua Rawson Hharris

"Food in Hong Kong r emains as exot ic as anyt hing you wil l seeon a f oodiecabl e channel , wit h a st r ong dash of West er n dishes f r omal l t he my r iad cul t ur es t hat hav epacked up and mov ed t o Hong Kong."

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High Int er net Speeds

Ar chit ect ur e

For those of you addicted to your iPads and iPhones, a recent study by Ookla found Hong Kong?s ISPs provide the fastest download speeds in the world. If you live a digital life, this aspect of life as an expat in Hong Kong could make Hong Kong your version of nirvana.

What?s not to love about Hong Kong China? The city?s wealth and inexorable expansion has transformed Hong Kong into the most vertically oriented city on the globe. If you love architecture, expect to see some of the most amazing and signature works of architectural ambition erected anywhere on Mother Earth.

Cuisine If there is one thing the residents of Hong Kong love about the city, its Hong Kong?s thriving food scene. That brings with it good news and bad news. Food in Hong Kong remains as exotic as anything you will see on a foodie cable channel, with a strong dash of Western dishes from all the myriad cultures that have packed up and moved to Hong Kong. Life in Hong Kong for a foreigner is truly fabulous if you are a foodie, as you can find Chinese cuisine infused with French, Spanish, Italian, German and even American dishes.

Tr av el If your passion is travel, Hong Kong?s position on the Southern edge of China makes it a wonderful jumping off point for travel across other parts of the Eastern hemisphere. From Hong Kong, you are only a couple hours away from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Mongolia, Japan and the Philippines. For those who love the bright lights and spinning roulette wheels of Las Vegas, you?re only a short flight from Macao.

Featured city | Credit: Unsplash/Annie Spratt

"Most business peopl espeak excel l ent Engl ish, and al l gov er nment signs ar e post ed in bot h Chineseand Engl ish."

West er n Comf or t s For many westerners, life as an expat in Hong Kong can be quite a culture shock.

While there is an element of cultural dislocation attached to any overseas move, the presence of familiar Western comforts can help ease the transition shock and shorten the often-disorienting settling-in period.

Wor king In Hong Kong Most business people speak excellent English, and all government signs are posted in both Chinese and English.

Cantonese is the preferred spoken language of choice, with the more widely known Mandarin used for communication with the Chinese mainland.

Traditional Chinese concepts such as Feng Shui remain at the centre of commercial decision making and compliance, with its guiding practices often believed to make or break a potential commercial agreement.

Other traditional objects such as Ba Gua mirrors maintain a regular presence in business and social life to deflect evil spirits. Moreover, many major buildings lack a fourth floor, as the number when spoken in Cantonese is eerily similar to ?die".

Heal t hcar e There are approximately 13 private hospitals and more than 50 public hospitals serving Hong Kong?s burgeoning population. The standard of healthcare available is high.

Once a resident has an ID card, they are eligible for subsidised state healthcare. Most large, local and major international companies provide health and dental cover.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM Credit: Max Pexel

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12 | Featured city Cl imat e

Cost of Liv ing In Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate. Its summers are hot with high humidity and occasional heavy showers and thunderstorms. Typhoons regularly emerge from the South East and can threaten the city during these warm summer months.

However, Hong Kong has an efficient, proven typhoon-warning system.

One of the challenges of living in Hong Kong is its high cost of accommodation.

While the average cost varies according to the neighbourhood and the size of the apartment, it is much higher than in New York City. Most companies supporting expats offer subsidized housing, even if you are a local hire.

Winters are usually mild, although the periodic cold fronts can bring with them sweeping cold winds from the north. Hong Kong averages around 1,948 hours of

Similarly, the cost of education is also expensive, especially if you are looking to live in a nice area.

Credit: Scrolllock/Own work, Public Domain

sunshine annually. The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded were 36.1C and 0.0C, respectively.

Languages Hong Kong has two official languages; Cantonese Chinese and English. Mandarin Chinese is also widely spoken and its use is increasing as the influence of the Chinese mainland on Hong Kong?s daily life expands. All signs are in both Chinese and English and in the business world most people speak English at least to some extent.

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Hong Kong?s Tr adit ions Hong Kong has a long, lustrous and occasionally turbulent history.

Contemporary Hong Kong has retained many of its rich traditions and cultural observances.

Festivals such as Chinese New Year, the Birthday of Tin Hay, the Spring Lantern Festival and The Hungry Ghost Festival, all remain popular. In particular, life in Hong Kong for a foreigner comes alive during Chinese New Year. The city virtually shuts down to celebrate this important festival.

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Credit: Unsplash/Ryan Tang

14 | Featured city

Credit: Unsplash/Annie Spratt

"Ther ear e appr ox imat ely 13 pr ivat e hospit al s and mor et han 50 publ ic hospit al s ser v ing Hong Kong?s bur geoning popul at ion. "

Another important festival is Tin Hau?s Birthday, which takes place on the 23rd day of the third lunar month. Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea and patron saint of fishermen, enjoys a loyal following thanks to Hong Kong?s maritime history. On her birthday, locals flock to over 70 temples dedicated to Tin Hau to pray for fine weather, safe fishing and full nets during the year ahead.

colour, reverberating drumming and the shouts of desperate fans urging their paddlers on towards the finish line.

On the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, couples celebrate informal Chinese Valentine?s Day during the Spring Lantern Festival. Traditionally, on this auspicious day, singles would play matchmaking games.

Hong Kong has always been a bustling, dynamic city where ?East meets West? resulting in a local culture with a beguiling mix of Chinese roots, with distinctive influences carried over from its period of British rule. Living in Hong Kong, despite its dizzyingly high cost of living, continues to attract a steady stream of expats from around the globe with its siren song of economic success. Today?s Hong Kong is vibrant and dynamic, merging its many cultural influences to create a vigorous, energetic city.

Dr agon Boat Racing Each year, thousands of the world?s leading dragon boat aficionados compete at the CCB (Asia) Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. This three day extravaganza fills Hong Kong Harbour with fast-paced action, a dazzling cacophony of WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

The Dragon Boat Races are also an excellent opportunity to explore the local fleet of food trucks and quench the summer heat with a hard-earned beer.

Final Obser vat ion

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Culture differences

TOP10

MOST CAFFEINATED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

BY KATHY GALLO SOURCE: DAILY CUPO

A

merica is renowned for running on coffee. A Starbucks outlet is to be found within almost every corner you turn; Dunkin Donuts is a compulsory inclusion of most morning commutes and McDonalds are progressively converting into McCafe.

It is, thus, hard to believe that any country out there would outrun the US in this particular race. Yet, when the numbers are crunched and the coffee consumption per capita determined, America finds itself behind various ?superpower? coffee consuming nations. Admittedly, you might be curious to know that there are plenty of countries out there which consume more caffeine.

10. CANADA (6.5kg/Capita) According to the Coffee Association of Canada, the beverage is the most common amongst Canadians. East to West, far and wide, Canadians love a good brew.

Accordingly, all the popular coffee chains dot their streets across the country. Within the cities too, there is often some local shops that can be found playing their part to meet the seemingly unquenchable demand for the brew.

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The Canadian coffee industry was worth $6.2 billion in 2017. Of this, $1.4 billion made up retail sales from coffee that was sold for home consumption.

From this data, it is clear that a large section of the Canadian population favor brewing and consuming the drink at home. A probable reason for this has been thought to be the long winters and accompanying cold weather. You would prefer to be indoors during such times too, wouldn?t you? Coffee would be perfect.

9. LUXEMBOURG (6.5kg/Capita) Here is a challenge for you; find a map and locate Luxembourg on it.

The country might be small, and even unknown to some, but the love for coffee present within the nation is huge. At 6.5kg/Capita, they are drinking as much coffee as Canada.

For comparison, the country has a population of 590,000 as of 1st January 2017.

The nation?s capital, Luxembourg City, has numerous coffee shops fulfilling both typical coffee needs as well as exotic beverages that are brewed with an artisan?s touch.

Needless to say, Luxembourg is home to some uncommon coffee names and

you might easily be confused when reading through a menu. Here are some tips to help you get a hang of things.

Latte/Lait Russe ? We are yet to understand why, but a Luxembourg Latte goes by the name ?Russian Milk? or ?Lait Russe.?

CafĂŠ Gourmand ? This drink is often taken with desserts. Yup, you heard right, In Luxembourg, Coffee has a place at the table during dessert too.

There is no need to limit yourself to this particular coffee either; should you find yourself in the country, feel free to order any other coffee type.

Apparently, it is a thing.

Demand tends to rise at the onset of winter when the cold weather sets in.

Picnics and other summer activities are replaced with indoor activities and continuous hot beverages. It is during this time that you will find cozy bars and cafĂŠs busy fulfilling orders from various patrons.

8. BELGIUM (6.5kg/Capita) Belgium too consumes as much coffee as the entire Canadian population. Other than chocolates and waffles, history also points to a longstanding obsession amongst Belgians for coffee. It is rather appropriate, then, that all three

Culture differences

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Credit: Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao

complement each other so nicely. On average, the nation consumes 1.35 cups daily per person. According to The Coffee Club of Belgium, Coffee is the second most popular drink in the country. Which drink could be more popular you ask? Water.

Having been a colonial power previously, Belgium was able to meet its huge demand for coffee by having extensive plantations in Rwanda and Congo. Today, coffee shops are to be found in all major towns. You could easily grab a quick cup and accompany it with one of their famed waffles.

7. SWITZERLAND (7.9kg/Capita) CafĂŠs have been common is Swiss society since the 18th century. Early records point to social establishments where usage of coffee would take

place. These have since given rise to modern establishments and established brands taking over Swiss streets and continuing the tradition of providing great coffee and a place to socialize. Other than drinking tons of coffee, the nation also play a major role in coffee exportation to other counties, with quite a significant amount of the world?s exported coffee beans happening in Switzerland.

Its exportation value is greater than both cheese and chocolate, Swiss food products that are considered more popular. I am assuming you have heard of either Nespresso or NescafĂŠ. These are two of the most common Swiss coffee export brands.

Considering the amount of coffee that passes Switzerland territory, you would expect the country to drink a

considerable amount of the beverage.

And the country doesn?t disappoint.

On average, a Swiss national will drink upwards of five cups every day and consume 7.9 kilograms of coffee every year.

It can be an expensive pastime though, for coffee prices can be over $3.5 per cup.

6. SWEDEN (8.2kg/Capita) The Swedes love their coffee so much that they have come up with a concept for it. ?Fika? is the concept, and it literally means ?to have coffee.?

If you ever get the chance to visit the country and you happen to hear the above words, just say yes. Unless you are not a coffee fan, and in that case, what are you doing here?

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Culture differences

?Fika? is considered a concept as it combines coffee with either pastries or cookies. Various situations can give rise to a ?Fika,? including work breaks and social gatherings.

The only rule applicable is that coffee should be present.

For most Swedes, coffee is a serious undertaking. Most nationals don?t consider it a beverage but a way of life instead. It is enjoyed in most homes frequently regardless of the season. However, coffee is mostly drunk as part of social interactions. Most international coffee chains have taken notice of this, and you will find that all the renowned brands have a presence in the country.

5. NETHERLANDS (8.4kg/Capita) The year 1616 saw the Dutch make history as the first Europeans to acquire live coffee bushes. These were brought back from Yemen and later used to establish a coffee plantation in the Dutch colonies, Suriname and Java. Since then, the two have become major suppliers of European coffee with Java being a global coffee outlet with franchises spanning all the six continents. However, don?t get too carried away, the coffee culture is as strong as it were thousands of years back. In the Netherlands, the average individual will drink 2 cups daily.

Coffee brewed at home is normally served with cookies and cakes. It is worth noting that in previous years, there was an interesting coffee culture split between the north and south. The north was traditionally Protestant and coffee was traditionally served with a single cookie to show modesty. In the mostly Roman Catholic south, however, coffee time was normally served with a large and sweet pie.

4. DENMARK (8.7Kg/Capita) Can we just agree finally that Nordic Countries are the genuine coffee kings? It would conveniently make this nation the Danish Prince of this beloved beverage. The subjects under this kingdom, faithfully sip an average of 1.5 cups of coffee each day. Like their fellow Scandinavians, Danes traditionally have coffee with each meal and allow the drink to take a special focus on distinct occasions.

The brew is served with cakes, small sandwiches, and cookies. Denmark also boasts another statistic, being home to the 6th most expensive coffee globally. Accordingly, each of that daily 1.5 cups comes with paying a small fortune. All the same, for some well brewed Danish coffee and vivid dreams of memorable Copenhagen, I reckon it would be worth it.

3. ICELAND (9kg/Capita) One of the coldest countries in the world had to make the top three. There is a special correlation between cold weather and a hot cup of coffee ? the former always seems to attract the latter. Make no mistake, there are few places in the world that is as cold as Iceland. It is, thus, no surprise that the nation?s citizens enjoy 5 cups on average every day. Coffee simply has a way of adding the final puzzle piece to a cozy evening in the middle of winter.

Icelanders know this, and they are keeping cozy.

The nation?s capital city ?Reykjavic? doesn?t have any of the coffee giants like Java or Starbucks dotting its streets.

However, smaller independent coffee shops are to be found in places everywhere you turn.

Often, one is just a stone throw away from the other and residents are spoiled for choice. The country takes its coffee so seriously that coffee based competitions are organized for the country?s top barristers, roasters, and brewers.

2. NORWAY (9.9KG/CAPITA) Similar to other European nations, coffee gained popularity in Norway in the 18th century. During this period, Norway, though relatively poor and under Denmark?s rule, got to

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enjoy plenty of cheap Java from its ruler. The wealthier class in Norway?s society played a particularly significant role in making the beverage popular.

Today, ?Kaffe? is normally served black during breakfast and after dinner, with every dessert. It is also a common custom amongst Norwegians to have friends over specifically for coffee. During such an occasion, visitors are typically treated to cakes and pastries alongside the brew. On average, a Norwegian will drink 2 cups of coffee every day. Considering the nation?s 5 million (roughly) people, an average of +10 million cups of coffee are consumed by Norwegians daily.

Should you ever get to visit rural Norway, ?karsk? is a cocktail you should sample. It is made from coffee that has been weakly brewed, mixed with a generous helping of moonshine or vodka.

Interesting, right? And if you find that it?s too strong, get a lighter and burn a bit of the alcohol off!

1. FINLAND (12kg/Capita) Most Finnish citizens would actually disagree with the figure above and rightly so. Finland consumes an insane amount of coffee. In fact, children were not included in the calculation national averages, or the coffee consumption figures would be much higher than 12kgs/Capita. Finland consumes coffee all day, every day. Coffee breaks are actually mandatory in most workplaces and advocated for by labor organizations.

You will find coffee in special occasions, after church luncheons, home parties, etc. A coffee table is never far away and on it will be a buffet comprising of bread, cookies, sandwiches, and cakes. All these are to be taken with endless ?Khavi?

The coffee culture in Finland has been influenced by various factors including; Swedish rule that placed prohibitions on coffee and The Lutheran work ethic.

One thing is certain though, that coffee is not about to vanish from Finnish society anytime soon. Accordingly, should you ever get the pleasure of being invited by a Finn to their home, brace yourself for some steaming coffee in endless supply. Decaf is also unheard of in this country, so don?t even bother with your request.

Conclusion There you have it, the top 10 coffee consumers? world over. If it was a sport, America would sadly be beaten

Credit: Unsplash/Chris Knight

hands down, as we take up position 26 in the world. Our friends The UK, hold steady at number 45, but that?s to be expected, right? People there love tea more than they do coffee.

This list was of particular importance to draw a clearer picture of nationals that like their coffee and the nations that consume more of the brew on average.

Breaking down the data into averages makes for interesting reading. America and Japan make up countries in the top 5 that buy the most coffee. However, when population and GDP are considered, actual consumption per person falls drastically.

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MANAGI NG TAXES in France and t he U.S.

Founded in 2000 by Eliane Rakotonoel, Elitax provides international clients support when managing taxes in France and the U.S. Based in Paris, the bilingual tax experts with 17 years of experience, specialise in tax services and consultancy for expatriates, preparing French and U.S. income tax and real estate wealth tax returns.

They are a one stop service for taxes in France.

Helping individuals wit h t heir t ax m at t er s A former financial executive at the headquarters of a French multinational, Eliane started Elitax to help individuals with their tax matters in France. ?Sometimes people discover that they have been unlawful, then have to bear the weight of the fines and penalties which sometimes double the amounts of the initial tax amount.?

Says Eliane. ?I really don?t like seeing people desperate, lost and worried about their situation, struggling with tax administration and not fulfilling their tax obligations and liabilities.?

I ncom e and r eal est at e wealt h t ax r et ur ns ?We have a variety of clients ranging from the Resource Manager of a multinational, to medium or small companies.? Says Eliane. ?Many times we are approached directly by the individual who contacts us via the website or by phone.? The company?s primary focus is on income tax returns and wealth tax returns for both residential and non-residential clients in France and the U.S. They assist in positioning, preparing and processing tax returns.

Per sonalised m eet ing

Cont act Elit ax: Phone: +33 (0)1 4371 1005 Em ail: elrakotonoel@elitax.com Web: www.elitax.com

Book Appoin t m en t

CLICK HERE >>

Tax advisors at Elitax offer an introductory welcome tax meeting for expats, to help guide you through what to expect. This could be extremely helpful if you have just moved, or are planning a move to France and you need to learn the rules. Meetings are tailored to your individual situation, so they can guarantee that you get the best help available.

For fast and friendly service, contact Eliane for your complimentary 30 minute consultation.

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22 | Education

W HAT SKILLS DO GRADUATES LACK?

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Education

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NEW ?

SOURCE: EXPATSW ORLD

ost graduates believe that they are ready to hit the job market. But hiring managers have other opinions.

In most cases they acknowledge the gap between old-timers and fresh blood in the job market.

Especially when things turn to perception of business culture and work-life balance.

M

The latest report from PayScale shows that 87% of recent higher education institution graduates feel well prepared to hit the ground running once having their diplomas in the hands. Meanwhile, only half of hiring managers feel confident to give a chance to a baby in arms.

Unfortunately, the numbers reveal a challenging situation. People who graduated in 2016 were too optimistic about future perspectives in finding a study, field related job vacancy. 51 percent of those who graduated two years ago, were and still are, struggling with

employment.

So, let?s take a look at what new graduates lack and what skills hiring managers are missing.

The most desired qualities are critical thinking, problem solving, attention to detail and writing proficiency. To the contrary, search engine optimization marketing, foreign languages and coding are at the bottom of the list.

W HAT SKILLS W OULD MAKE ANY HIRING MANAGER HAPPY? According to the research, hiring managers are missing the ability to communicate, lead, take responsibility and be a team player. ?Graduates need strong communication and problem-solving skills if they want to interview well and succeed in the workplace, because effective writing, speaking, and critical thinking enables you to accomplish business goals and get

reveals "Study th at 87% of recen t h igh er education in stitution graduates feel w ell prepared to h it th e groun d run n in g on ce h avin g th eir diplom as in th e h an ds.

"

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24 | Education

Credit: Unsplash/Caleb Woods

Graduates n eed stron g com m un ication an d problem -solvin g skills if th ey w an t to in terview w ell an d succeed in th e w orkplace.

"

"

ahead,? Dan Schawbel, research director at Future Workplace, stated.

However, age matters too. 55 percent of millennial managers who belong to this category as well, believe that fresh graduates are ready to hit the ground running more than 47 percent of generation X and baby boomers are.

Katie Bardaro, vice president of Data Analytics at PayScale, claims that the main reason in this situation is that ?managers from older generations are likely more versed in these skills and thus have higher expectations for them, than managers from younger generations.?

Since this is the first research on this subject, there is no other data to compare. ?We can say that the increase in dependence on technology and the recent Great Recession has widened the skills gap,? she says. That affected the job market and made the hiring managers selective.

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LATEST TRENDS Anyway, even newcomers are struggling with finding a job after graduation. There are a few specialties in demand. So, if you are into IT ? programming, the Scala language, Cisco UCCE/IPCC software -, these graduates usually have no bad experiences regarding job search, and are more than satisfied with the salary. Well, it makes sense, since the technology jobs are listed at the top of the list with the highest wage rates. Second and third spots belong to software development and financial management.

As we can see, sometimes career aspirations don?t go with the trends.

However, it doesn?t mean that people must blindly follow the job market movement. It is all about what makes us happy and feels good. Even though sometimes it takes more time to find a correct career path and our patience might be tested. But hey, those who seek, find!

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26 |

Quality of life

HAS

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Quality of life |

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HILARIOUS THINGS

EVERYONE

S SECRETLY DONE SOURCE: EXPATSW ORLD SOME PEOPLE HAVE SKELETONS IN THEIR CLOSET, BUT SOME OF US JUST HAVE A FEW BONES. THE W ORST THAT MOST OF US HAVE TO HIDE, IS THAT W E OCCASIONALLY TELL OUR FRIENDS SOME LITTLE W HITE LIE ABOUT HOW ?AW ESOME? OUR W EEKEND WAS, W HEN W E ACTUALLY HUNG AROUND THE HOUSE BINGE WATCHING BIG BANG. W E?RE MORE ALIKE THAN W E REALIZE THOUGH, W HEN IT COMES TO SECRETS. HERE ARE SOME HILARIOUS THINGS EVERYONE HAS SECRETLY DONE. Used a bare wrapping paper t ube as a light saber After all the gifts have been wrapped at Christmas, how can you resist? When you reach the end of the wrapping paper and you?re left holding the cardboard tube, what do you do? The obvious answer is start making lightsaber noises and twirling the tube like Luke Skywalker.

Lowered t he music on your car st ereo so you can see bet t er So, how is turning down the stereo volume going to help you see? Parallel park? We have no idea. But many of us do it.

Secret ly diagnosed everybody in t he wait ing room at your doct or?s office You scan the waiting room when you first take a seat. You know you do. That guy with the hoarse cough two seats over, he is definitely contagious.

Did t he cozy-in-bed cricket leg rub That feeling of sliding into a freshly made bed is something everyone loves. You feel so cozy that you start

rubbing your legs together, just like a cricket. Where the heck did that instinct come from?

W rot e an angry, 8,993-word email t o a family member but never hit send Although it can be therapeutic to write our emotions down, it?s likely a good thing that you didn?t hit send.

Perused your friends medicine cabinet while using t heir bat hroom If their toiletries aren?t your business, then whose business are they?

Taking a break from your comput er only t o check out t he int ernet on your phone Does the smaller version of the internet offer more interesting things than the big internet?

Used t he ?bat hroom? in t he middle of t he night but you woke up in your closet Hey, it happens to the best of us. Usually after we?ve had a few too many however.

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28| Quality of life

Credit: Unsplash/Nik Macmillan

Carried a ridiculous number of grocery bags in from t he car Make a second trip? What? Absurd. I think I can balance four plastic bags on each arm, place the smaller one between my teeth, balance the milk and keys in my hands, and hop into the house.

Read direct ions on a box of food, t hrew it in t he t rash, t hen ret rieved it because of course you?ve forgot t en everyt hing already Do we think we?ll actually remember how many spoons of milk are needed for some creamy macaroni and cheese?

Came home from work and felt immense relief when you realized t he house is empt y You do love your family. But you also need some alone time.

Hit t he elevat or but t on mult iple t imes The light on the button is lit so we know the elevator is on the way, but we can?t help ourselves. If we push it one (or several) more time will the elevator know we?re in a hurry?

Lied t o t he doct or when t hey ask about your alcohol consumpt ion Yeah, you only have one glass of red wine with dinner every other week. Sure you do.

Pret ended t o t ext while t aking a selfie WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

Spoiler alert: You?re not fooling anyone. We all know what you?re really doing. Nobody texts at an arms length, while pouting their lips.

Checked behind t he shower curt ain for serial killers Prior to using the bathroom just to make sure there were no serial killers hiding there you need to take a look. You?ve probably also checked under your bed for monsters to make sure they don?t grab your legs, too.

You were ext ra chat t y wit h airport securit y, so t hey know you?re not a t errorist This is the main criteria security looks for, you know. How friendly and personable one is when they go through security. ?Accident ally?sent a t ext t o your secret crush Of course! That selfie of you showing off your killer abs after your workout was meant for a pal and not the person you?re hoping to start dating.

Pret ended you?re in a movie while list ening t o music and walking down t he st reet It?s the soundtrack to your own action-adventure movie, in which you?re the lead character. In this scene, you?re strutting down the street in perfect time to whatever your song of the moment is.

Your secret is safe with us. We hope no one saw you laughing too hard at anything on this list.

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26 | Expatriate nature

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Expatriate's nature

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SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD

A few weeks ago, in March, a French waiter hit the headlines because he contested his dismissal from a Canadian restaurant for his ?aggressive tone and nature?. The waiter described himself as more direct than most Canadians and his behaviour was due to his French manner. Does acceptable behaviour differ according to culture? This is why being polite may not be a universal concept.

WHAT IS RUDENESS? Behaviour that violates organisational or social norms is what defines rudeness. Expectations of behaviour which is and is not acceptable are what we call norms.

For example, a norm would indicate we should be quiet in a library.

REDUCING RUDENESS There are many factors that influence rudeness. This may be a widespread problem in the workplace. Up to 98% of employees will experience rudeness at work and of those, 50% experience it at least once a week.

Reducing rudeness is a key focus for many companies because it can have a serious impact on well-being and performance.

IS POLITENESS UNIVERSAL? One train of thought on this issue is that politeness is universal. This theory is based on the fact that everyone has a public image and that people want to ?maintain face?.

It?s believed that this translates into shared rules, such as the use of tact, consideration, empathy and being civil. This is regardless of cultural background.

IS RUDENESS A UNIVERSAL CONCEPT TOO? We need to understand that rudeness is a universal concept too. This is the case particularly when someone is attempting to be deliberately offensive. On the other side of the universal argument is the notion that politeness and rudeness are concepts that differ across cultures.

LANGUAGE AND MISUNDERSTANDING In many cases, researchers use the level of directness as a measure for politeness in different languages. For example, the Japanese tend to use indirect speech tactics: ?Could I possibly bother you for a moment??, whereas Germans construct phrases more in direct and short ways: ?We need to talk?.

Politeness is not even taken into consideration here in this example.

Language pattern differences can lead to misunderstandings and offense where none was intended. It?s important to be aware of possible differences and accommodate them because many workplaces are multicultural.

SO, IS POLITENESS UNIVERSAL? It?s not likely. Is rudeness probably based on misunderstandings driven by cultural differences? Possibly.

Language-based differences are by no means the only factor, but are certainly a part of it. Exploring other factors, influencing rudeness is important. With more knowledge, we will be able to better explain this behaviour and avoid being fired from work for ?being French?.

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32 | Relationships

HOW LONG DISTANCE MIGHT JUST BE THE HEALTHIEST THING FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP

BY RJ SKINNER SOURCE: CBC LIFE

"Location settings" don't need to be a deal-breaker after all.

Many see long distance as the death knell of a relationship. It's regarded as prolonging the inevitable, a polite gesture before the eventual breakup. Telling another that your relationship is "going long" is often met with confusion, "How does it work? How often do you see each other? Don't you get lonely?"

But this once extraordinary circumstance is actually fairly common now it is estimated that the U.S. has over 7 million couples (married and unmarried) who are currently in a long distance relationship.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

Not surprisingly, university-bound partners make up about a third of these couples, with couples either in relationships before pursuing post-secondary education or meeting abroad, then moving back home.

Beyond the student experience, long distance relationships are still on the rise.

Social media and dating apps both encourage and facilitate far-away love, while current demographics and geographics (with many young people getting squeezed out of major cities) have been stretching more relationships than ever before. Recognize yourself in any of these scenarios? Worried about your chances of "making it" if your relationship has to "go the distance"? There's no reason to fear; it may work out better than you think.

Multiple studies that have compared the break up rate of long distance relationships to close distance relationships (over durations of 3 months, 6 months and 1 year) have found that there is no real statistical

Relationships

| 33

Credit: Unsplash/Jon Ly

While the change in dynamics has the obvious downside of minimal physical interaction, it heightens other relationship characteristics that may make up for it. A 2013 study published in the Journal Of Communication suggests that long distance partners might have better overall communication skills.

The study had partners of long and short distance relationships track all forms of their communication (phone, texting, email, etc.) to find that long distance partners exhibited more consistent and meaningful communication than closer couples. The lack of physical time together might cause some sort of communicative overdrive, where each partner really makes an effort to interact and interact meaningfully to compensate for other areas. Certainly, we have more avenues to communicate than ever before - it's not like our only options are either writing a letter or picking up the phone - so that strengthens the bond. Also, being in a close distance relationship might actually stifle communication; when you see or live with someone on a daily basis, you might be less likely to be up front because you have to deal with them directly. So, for this reason, distance might actually foster communicative depth.

"

This circumstance is actually fairly common now it is estimated that the U.S. has over 7 million couples (married and unmarried) who are currently in a long distance relationship.

"

difference between the two. So essentially, if your relationship ends, it's not because of the distance. A 2014 study about relationship quality (examining more than 700 long distance partners and over 400 couples in close proximity) discovered that the distance alone did not act as a predictor of happiness (as opposed to other individual and relationship characteristics), concluding that closer couples are not at an advantage to having a successful relationship. But how can this be when, on the surface, a long distance relationship seems like an inherently miserable experience?

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34 | Relationships

Credit: Unsplash/Jacob Townsend

"

Another distinguishing facet of the long distance relationship is the sense of autonomy each individual can develop.

Another distinguishing facet of the long distance relationship is the sense of autonomy each individual can develop.

Living far apart from each other really allows partners to develop their own individual identities, independence and sense of control over their own lives, which they can ultimately share in their relationship. We've all been in situations where we've felt "crowded" or overwhelmed with our partner's close proximity to our own lives and a long distance relationship can often prevent that. Of course, with such distance and autonomy comes the potential for jealousy, though, if legitimate trust is already there, the separation can strengthen it. Fully trusting your partner and their actions as they live away from you is a true act of faith and a testament to the health of your relationship.

"

So cherished are these dynamics that, when a long distance relationship becomes close, they're actually missed. A 2006 study into long distance couples that became close distanced found that, among the one third of couples who broke up, loss of independence, time management, WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

new conflicts and jealousy were all reported as contributing factors. So, in these instances, it seems like the long distance was not only working, but also valued and preferred. It could be here that, for people whose lifestyles and personalities suit such traits, a long distance relationship might be healthier than the close one. However, it seems that most long distance relationships are healthier when there's a clear future in sight. A 2007 study into college-based long distance relationships found that partners in relationships who were uncertain when they'd become close distanced felt more distressed and reported less satisfaction than those who saw a viable future of close distance.

Certainly, there are pros and cons to every kind of relationship and the health of it largely depends on the strength of the partners' bond. However, due to our modern-day lifestyles and its ability to promote communication, autonomy and strong bonds between couples, long distance should not be seen as a doomsday scenario, but a healthy and beneficial challenge for any relationship.

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24 | Traveling

What does it f eel l ike t o be out side t he Ear t h?

Sour ce: Ex pat sWor l d

It is pr obably oneof t hemost r emar kabl eand pr icel ess t hr il l s t hat only t hemost favour ed can hav e. Less t han 540 peopl ehav ebeen out sidet heEar t h.

NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. (Source: Wikipedia) It is a well known space related company, which literately sends people to the open space. However, everyone knows that not all enthusiasts are destined to become astronauts. The selection and competition are extremely high. Seven lucky people share their sensations and opinion about what it means to be outside the earth and how it had changed them once they came back.

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Traveling |

A

st r on au t s, t h e st age is you r s

t o e ?

It is quite difficult to put into words an overall impression.

Usually, there are 2 types of answers: feeling small and insignificant, or on the contrary ? feeling like a God. But there is a one common opinion ? it helps connect and appreciate your home on a totally different level.

Mae Jemison says that during her experience of being in space in 1992, the initial sensation of smallness disappears, and the connection appears. ?You feel as though you have a right to be there as any speck of stardust?.

Jerry Linenger had a totally different experience felt back in 1997. He felt like ?a cosmic creator?. At the same time, the man had the sensation of human being transitory in the scope of the universe.

Credit: Unsplash/NASA

During his trip in 2009, Mike Massimino was inspired by the beauty of our planet. The astronaut believes that even if there is any other life in the open space, their place can?t be nicer than Earth.

The other astronaut who spent some time outside the Earth in 2013 is Hadfield, who was trying to recognize the familiar parts of the world in the beginning. After this experience, Hadfield stopped sorting earth?s residents to ?us? and ?them?. The difference between all of us disappeared.

Jeff Hoffman was witnessing the slashing of the Amazon rainforest. Between 1985 and

1996 he was in space five times in total.

Human behaviour is changing the view and sadly, it is visible even from outer space.

Nicole Stott shared probably the most sincerest sensation of her experiences of being above our planet in 2011: ?Holy shit, what am I seeing out here?? Well, she was honest till the end. The woman also admitted that the Earth looks amazing, however, everything else is simply dark.

?Holy shit , what am I seeing out her e??

For almost one year in 2016, Peggy Whitson spent time in a space station. Other Americans stayed there so long as she did. In her perception, ?humans are supported completely by this planet? and her space experience helps to appreciate it. She also claims that we are living in a very complex and intertwined system.

On t h e ot h er h an d Although going to space is something truly amazing that will somehow change your life, let?s be honest, not every mortal can add it to their CV. On the one hand, life up there may seem phenomenal, but on the other, most of these people will agree that the food is much better down here, and taking showers or defecating is so much easier and comfortable on Earth. Moreover, it seems that astronauts are affected by a faster ageing process. When you think, the Earth?s gravity has many advantages.

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37

WHYGETTINGAN AGENTCANRELIEVE HOUSE- HUNTING HEADACHES Many people are exhausted when trying to find a property that suits their needs. It takes a lot of time and effort to look through online adverts with very little success, especially when adjusting to a new life abroad. An agent can surely help relieve those house-hunting headaches when looking for a place to live.

Find your per f ect communit y A great agent knows their city inside out and can help you find the perfect community to live in dependant on your needs.

These can include schooling, neighbourhood safety, commuting time to work, parking, price vs. quality of the house or apartment, landlord (friend or foe) and many other variables. These are conditions that only a local agent knows by experience, or by doing a thorough check on the property, the landlord, or potential clients before closing a deal.

Sav et ime and ener gy Although clients can search for a property themselves, many times the content is outdated, too expensive for what they're getting, or the pictures are nothing like the reality. They may also find that the property cannot be viewed after working hours, the property has already been taken or they have a bad experience with viewings. Time is money, therefore the agent saves the client much time and energy by creating a short list, and even negotiating the contract details and price on behalf of the client.

Access t o ev er y ser v iceyou need Many agents specialise in certain areas of real estate and would need a whole network of professionals to enable things to become easier in the world of expat living. They would have their own connections for property managers, mortgage brokers and relocations services. All you would need to do is connect with your personal agent and they would have access to a whole range of services to make your life easier.

Want to get matched with an agent? Visit us to find out more. This service is free!

Cont act Housing Agent : + 3120 7723915 info@housingagents.com www.housingagent.com

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40 | Famous expats Photo by Dan Hallman/Invision/AP, File

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Famous expats |

J.K.ROWLING

The success of the Harry Potter books are so astonishing that she sometimes feels it is all a dream

BY CHRIS HASTINGS | SOURCE: TELEGRAPH & BIOGRAPHY.COM

D

espite being the most famous children's author in the world and wealthier than the Queen, the author JK Rowling admits that she still cannot completely break free from her earlier poverty and the traumatic death of her mother.

Describing her life before Harry Potter as a "mess", the writer, who is worth more than half a billion pounds, talks candidly about how her experiences have shaped almost every aspect of the best-selling books.

Taken back to the tiny front room of the rented Edinburgh tenement flat where she struggled to finish the first book, she bursts into tears at the memories it holds.

Rowling was living on state benefits in the flat with her youngest daughter, Jessica, after the breakdown of her first marriage and was still grieving her mother, Anne, who died from multiple sclerosis before the book was completed.

Choking back her emotions, she says: "It was my life and it was very hard and I didn't know there was going to be this fairy-tale resolution. This room is full of ghosts."

The writer allowed herself to be filmed for an ITV documentary that followed her for a year as she completed

the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

She talks openly about her past and is persuaded to revisit her former home, which she rented after the failure of her marriage to a Portuguese journalist, Jorge Arantes. The writer, who had battled with depression, says the flat was "really where I turned my life around completely".

Even now she finds her success so remarkable that: "Some days I do feel like, 'Is it real?' " The mother of two tells fellow writer James Runcie, who made the documentary: "I feel I really became myself here, in that everything was stripped away, I'd made such a mess of things.

A graduate of Exeter University, Rowling moved to Portugal in 1990 to teach English. There, she met and married the Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes. After her marriage ended in divorce, Rowling moved to Edinburgh with her daughter.

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41

42 |

Famous expats

Harry Potter Book Series written by J.K.Rowling

But that was freeing, so I just thought, 'Well, I want to write', and I wrote the book and what is the worst than can happen? It gets turned down by every publisher in Britain, big deal."

Rowling, who was 28 when she moved to Scotland in late 1993, also reveals that her mother's terminal illness has heavily influenced the constant theme of death in her writing and talks of her decision not to kill off the boy wizard in his final battle with Voldemort. "In some ways it would have been a neat ending to kill him. But I felt that would have been a betrayal, because I wanted my hero, and he is my hero, to do what I think is the most noble thing. So he came back from war."

In another scene, Rowling and her sister Jo are shown looking at old photographs from their childhood in Gloucestershire. The pictures bring back a flood of memories and the girls joke about their "tragic childhood haircuts" and their clothes. Rowling now owns a ÂŁ6.5 million Georgian home in Kensington, West London, a country house on the banks of the River Tay near Aberfeldy and another house in Edinburgh.

In JK Rowling... A Year In The Life, the author is shown putting the finishing touches to the last book, which was released in July.

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"Even now she finds her success so remarkable that: "Some days I do feel like, 'Is it real?' " In contrast to her earlier poverty, Rowling and her second husband, Dr Neil Murray, are shown flying to America by private jet so they can attend the book's launch there.

In another interview for the internet fan site The Leaky Cauldron, released last week, Rowling talks about her next project, a Harry Potter encyclopedia, which she warns might take 10 years to complete.

She says: "I absolutely do intend to do it, but I can't pretend I'm in a hurry right now. It's going to be an awful lot of work, but I have kept everything.

"There is no point in doing it unless it is amazing. The last thing I want to do is to rush something out".

J.K. Rowling?s Net Worth According to The Sunday Times 2017 Rich List, J.K. Rowling?s net worth is ÂŁ650 million (about $850 million) ? making her wealthier than even Queen Elizabeth II. Forbes put her wealth at $650 million in 2017, in large part due to the 450 million copies of Harry Potter sold to-date

Daniel Ogren [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

44 | Famous expats and the subsequent movie franchise that has grossed $7.7 billion. (Her worth would've been more in Forbes if it were not for the $150 million she has donated to various charities.) In the first half of 2017, Rowling took home an estimated $95 million thanks to her new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

"According to The Sunday Times 2017 Rich List, J.K. Rowling?s net worth is about $850 million ? making her wealthier than even Queen Elizabeth II. " Harry Potter Book Series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer?s Stone After a number of rejections, J.K. Rowling finally sold her first book for the equivalent of about $4,000. The book, which first hit shelves in June 1997, was the start of a seven-book series chronicling the life of the young wizard Harry Potter and his motley band of cohorts at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets The second book in the Harry Potter series came out in July 1998.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The third book in the series hit shelves in July 1999. By the following summer, the first three Harry Potter books had earned approximately $480 million in three years, with over 35 million copies in print in 35 languages.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire The phenomenal response to Rowling's books culminated in July 2000, when the fourth volume in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, became the fastest-selling book in history. The book saw a first printing of 5.3 million copies and advance orders of over 1.8 million.

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J.K.Rowling became a Companion of Honour for her services to literature & philanthropy

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

After a postponed release date, the fifth installment hit bookstores in June 2003.

Prior to its July 2007 release, the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series was the largest ever pre-ordered book at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and at Amazon.com. Rowling does not plan to write any more books in the series, although she has not entirely ruled out the possibility.

Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince The sixth installment, released in July 2005, sold 6.9 million copies in the United States in its first 24 hours, the biggest opening in publishing history.

The Hidden Benef it of Tr av el Insur an Let?s talk about the hidden benefit of travel insurance.

It?s a benefit that doesn?t have a cash value, because you can?t put a price tag on having someone in your corner watching your back with your best interests at heart.

When most people talk about the benefits of travel insurance, they tend to think how much money you will get reimbursed if you lose a bag, your trip gets cancelled or a medical mishap interrupts your holiday.

But those are just the ?tangible?benefits you can see and quantify, the intangible value of travel insurance is

having an advocate when you need it most, someone on your side the whole way through.

Unfortunately, we don?t usually see this value until the worst has happened, and you find yourself in an emergency or in need of medical attention. If you are stuck in a hospital in a foreign country and you don?t speak a word of the local language ? what do you do?

How do you know what?s going on? How can you be sure you communicated your allergies properly when asked?

What if you don?t have a language barrier to deal with ? do you still need an advocate when seeking medical attention abroad? One of the most important aspects of a travel insurance emergency assistance team is trying to ensure you receive ?Quality of Care? throughout your treatment, which means being a medical and financial advocate for you too. Through experience reviewing medical treatment costs and dealing with medical facilities across the globe, your emergency assistance team can help to make sure you receive the necessary care from start to finish ? here are some examples: LOCATION & REPUTATION ? Ensuring you have access to the care and treatment you need for the area you are in. And when that isn?t available, arranging transportation or even an air ambulance to a facility that can provide the necessary treatment.

t nce

OVER-TREATMENT ? Knowing you are getting the right treatment without unnecessary expense and knowing what options are available. Most individuals won?t know if they are being over-treated for a condition or if there are alternative options available, but your travel insurance emergency assistance team can help answer your questions, liaise with the local treating doctors and assess the right course of action.

BILLING ERRORS - Medical facilities across the globe will vary a lot but at the end of the day they are all going to bill you for your treatment. Travel insurance emergency assistance teams are experienced with viewing medical billing and average costs for treatments geographically so they are equipped to review invoices for discrepancies and/or errors.

By Status Global Insurance

If you have the right travel insurance in place then you already have an advocate on your side ? your emergency assistance team is available 24/7 every day of the year to help with arrangements, communication, translations and generally keeping you informed about your situation and the options available to you.

Additionally, they can even liaise with your family and doctor back home as needed on your behalf.

So, the next time you are wondering if you should buy travel insurance and if it?s ?worth the money?, just imagine getting injured abroad and having to deal with the hospital, doctors, medical bills, etc all on your own.

In that situation what do you think you would be willing to pay for support and guidance? Chances are it is a lot more than you would have paid for travel insurance.

To get peace of mind and protection when you travel, simply Contact Status Global Insurance for a free no-obligation quote on expat travel insurance. Visit the website www.st at usglobalinsurance.com or email paul@st at usglobalinsurance.com

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48 | Language

"Today, even a sm all busin ess can fin d th em selves com petin g overn igh t th an ks to th e pow er of eBay an d Am azon .com ."

The world is shrinking as globalization and the Internet brings people together like never before. Yet the value of learning a foreign language remains as hotly debated as ever.

SOURCE: EXPATSW OLRD

THE IMPORTANCE

OF LEARNING

A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Today, even a small business can find themselves competing overnight thanks to the power of eBay and Amazon.com. Moreover, Google translator and others are getting better.

So, do the benefits of a foreign language still hold up?

FOREIGN LANGUAGE STAYING POW ER Despite all the reasons you?ve heard about the benefits of learning another language, good for your degree, great for travelling, helpful for fast-tracking your career, many people still seem to believe being multilingual isn?t all that important anymore.

We?re here to remind you that an ability to speak languages remains important, even in a shrinking world.

So, despite more and more people learning to speak English, what are the most effective ways to learn a foreign language?

Credit: Unsplash/Hannah Busing

LANGUAGE ARTS

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE

Foreign language studies remain a neglected sphere of academic development in many country?s education systems. The traditional approach to encouraging students to speak a range of languages continues to be the language arts model.

A less academic model for learning a foreign language is the language exchange experience.

Language exchange is a learning method based on pairing learning partners who each speak a different language. The interaction enables participants to refine their language skills with the help of their learning partners.

Language Arts is the formal study of languages. Traditionally, the primary focus of a language arts curriculum, comprise the literature and linguistic structure of a chosen language.

Language arts programs typically comprise a blend of reading the foreign language, writing in the chosen language, pronunciation and listening and comprehension skills.

In this form, learning a foreign language forms a curriculum of similar academic status to Mathematics, Science, History and Social Studies.

While remaining the mainstream gateway to learning a foreign language, the efficacy of these programs, particularly at high school level remains debatable.

This most common language exchange approach is typically based on assigning two native language speakers to a team. They then teach each other in their own native language. The primary difference between a language exchange and other language learning strategies is its lack of a structured syllabus or set formal learning activities.

Language exchanges have been found to be effective in contemporary contexts for developing language skills as the emphasis is placed on comprehension and speaking fluency.

Some language exchange programs also harness the exchange of writing or

instant messages to improve participants? grasp of reading and written language skills.

The general orientation of language exchanges is to stimulate the development of fluency in a language together with intercultural skills. This is generally accomplished predominantly by means of casual social interactions between the native speakers. Improved cross-cultural communication is also one of the primary side benefits of language exchange programs.

LANGUAGE IMMERSION Language immersion is a great technique mostly applied to facilitate bilingual language skills development.

Despite the millions of students who go through public school systems, learning a foreign language remains fraught. Despite the best intentions of conventional education systems most classroom learning situations come up short.

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50 | Language

Few students emerge from high school language courses fluent in their chosen second language. Most manage to memorize by rote a few scattered words and phrases, but there it stops.

FOUR REASONS W HY IMMERSION LEARNING W ORKS While learning a language in an immersion environment is increasingly common amongst college students studying abroad, it remains far from the norm. Here are four reasons why learning a language in an immersion environment, even if only for a few months, can prove transformational in your approach to learning your target language.

You Learn To Sh ed Your Fears Learning a language in a classroom is inevitably a fragmented process. The emphasis is on memorizing a basic vocabulary, exploring basic conversation skills, and short writing and comprehension exercises.

In an immersion environment, you are forced to quickly learn to speak the language, or else suffer from a degree of isolation. This can be especially true in countries where English is not

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widely spoken.

After a while, participants, begin to shed their initial inhibitions and become less afraid of making basic mistakes in pronunciation or grammatical errors. Once the fear factor diminishes, participants, open up to authentic conversation practice, where students learn as they go and interact daily.

Use Th e Lan guage Th e W ay It Is Spoken In ?Real Life?

There is more than just colloquial slang when learning to be fluent in a living language, as it is actually spoken in real life. There?s the nuanced learning that comes with experiencing the way people tell jokes, and the style of local humour considered funny. Participants also encounter the local idiomatic ways of speaking that aren?t considered slang.

You Learn Lan guage Elem en ts Th at Rarely Feature In A Classroom Conventional classroom education models provide students with a necessary grounding in their chosen foreign language. Many students are amazed by how much they learn about

a foreign language, from pronunciation, the intonation, vocal and facial emotions accompany some expressions immersed in a local environment.

the the that by

Even if you can?t afford to fly across the world to learn a new language, you can create your own immersion environment.

Seek out native language speakers in your vicinity.

Talk to native speakers via Skype, or subscribe to a foreign language channel through your cable company.

Whatever you do, try to replicate the immersion environment as best as you can. You?ll be surprised at the results.

You Learn Th e W ay Ch ildren Learn The quickest and most effective way to learn a foreign language is to approach the learning process as children do. They simply listen, absorb, and speak naturally. They don?t fret over homework or assignments or worry about memorising cards. Being in an immersion environment plunges language students into learning a foreign language naturally, as a child does.

CLICK HERE

SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD

Working abroad

| 53

SINGAPORE ONLY HAS 2% UNEMPLOYMENT AND THIS COULD BE WHY. IT?S CALLED SECOND-SKILLING ? ON THE JOB DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR SKILLS FOR A NEW JOB. SINGAPORE IS INVESTING IN ITS CITIZENS SO THEY CAN REMAIN FLEXIBLE AND EMPLOYED. COULD SINGAPORE HOLD THE SECRET TO PREPARING W ORKERS FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE? Unemployment in Singapore was in the double digits in 1965. Workforce literacy was 57 percent at this time.

Today, the unemployment rate is about 2%, among the lowest in the world. The GDP per person is more than 300% of the global average.

Local students regularly score among the top students in the world in the PISA (an international assessment of 15-year-old students? in certain subjects). So, it seems they?re doing many things right.

There are more professionals, executives and managers in the workforce due to an emphasis on education. And as the workforce is aging, people must keep up with skills and master new software, methods ? and even different ways of interacting with colleagues and clients.

CONVEYOR BELT CAREERS In the past, one would likely linger a few years at each step of their career, however modern careers are similar to conveyor belts. No matter what

your age, you need to keep learning.

People need to be upskilled to fit into changing roles. The worker, the employer, the government, all need to play a role.

SECOND-SKILLING Developing your skills in a sector other than the one you work in originally, is necessary in order for ones? career to be resilient. This offers flexibility and options. Second skills can be complimentary to the ones you already have or be completely different.

W HO PICKS UP THE TAB FOR SECOND-SKILL TRAINING? The answer may surprise you. In Singapore, each person 25 and older receives S$500 (about US$350) from the government (through the Skills Future program) for skills training of their choice. And it truly is up to personal choice, not just what your company may need. Virtual credit accounts are enabled for the program and the government provides periodic top-ups. Most of these programs are funded up to 90% so the individual allowances pay for the unfunded part.

TRIPARTISM Tripartism is when the government, employers and unions have a ?meeting of the minds?. It is not a new concept but it seems unique in Singapore. They are one of the few countries where all three of these groups are represented in the same room with one common goal ? how to grow the economy. It?s not about one or the other getting a bigger piece of the pie, but more of a joint effort.

W ORK AND PASSION When considering a second skill to learn, it is suggested to consider both, that which you love to do, and the jobs that will be available in the next few years.

One can predict which jobs will be available in the future by paying attention to job trends and hiring forecasts. The next five to ten years in Singapore predict that advanced manufacturing and health care will be areas of expansion.

Most people have more talent and ability within them than they think.

Second-skilling is exciting because it?s not just about a job, but also about respecting your multifaceted ability to be good at different things.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

LIFE IS FULL OF CHOICES.

CHOOSE W ISELY W it h 5-st ar t herapy and coaching, Sam Nabil Counseling provides except ional counselling t o expat s t hat suit s t heir unique individual t herapy needs, ult imat ely empowering t hem t o creat e and live t heir ideal life. W hen in need of some ext ra support , t hey have your back.

There is help available though. Sam Nabil is an experienced professional counsellor, therapist and life coach. Having lived, studied and worked in a number of countries around the world, he also brings broad multicultural experience and fully grasps what challenges expats are facing.

Expats have a unique lifestyle. They have left their home country, temporarily or permanently, to start a new life elsewhere. At times, challenges can cast a dark shadow over this exciting life overseas. For instance, expats may experience feelings of loneliness or struggle adapting to the local culture, they may miss their personal support network at home, or have trouble maintaining their relationships.

?Expats can certainly benefit from some support,? says Nabil and elaborates on the unique circumstances. ?They may experience feelings of isolation and depression if disconnected from their usual social circles, their relationship with a partner may be under strain when travelling together and trying to acclimatise simultaneously, or if facing the adventure alone and trying to re-connect with loved ones.?

POSITIVE EXISTENTIAL POSITIVE EXISTENTIAL THERAPY THERAPY

With more than 15 years?experience in counselling, business, marketing and sports, Nabil has a firm base in human behaviour and performance. In order to effectively deal with client challenges that were no longer responding to outdated counselling techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy, he also pioneered Positive Existential Therapy (PET).

PET is an innovative and avant garde counselling approach which is more humane in nature. ?Instead of focusing on negative patterns and trying to change how people think, the therapy centres around the experience of the client ? here and now,? he explains. ?We find that positive psychology is more successful and relatable. The therapy has a deep meaning but with a positive message that fits well with expats.

Basically, we re-frame the challenges they have, so that they can find their own solutions.?

No matter where you are in the world, Sam Nabil Counceling has flexible therapy options online that fit well with an expat lifestyle of frequent travels and fluid schedules. In addition to five US locations, therapists are available for online counselling, in particular suitable for these international clients. 555555 THERAPY AND COACHING SPECIALITIES AVAILABLE: Relationship counselling, couples counselling, marriage counselling; Life transitions counselling, personal growth, anxiety counselling, stress counselling, loneliness counselling, trauma, sexual trauma, sexual intimacy, depression counselling; self-esteem counselling, grief counselling, sports & performance counselling; Online counselling, online marriage counselling, online life coaching, career coaching, reiki healing .

For more information and to get in touch: www.samnabilcounseling.com www.nayaclinics.com

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56 |

Legal

Mil l ennial s Ar e T Biggest Vict ims O Social Engineer in

BY STU SJOUWERMAN SOURCE: KNOWBE4.COM The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued it s annual report of consumer complaint s, which shows t hat young adult s are more likely t o lose money t o fraud t han older adult s.

A report from the FTC found that 40% of adults age 20-29 lost money to fraud, while only 18% of adults over the age of 70 did so, challenging the narrative of older adults falling victim to scams.

Report after report has found that younger adults are the biggest victims of scams. IT leaders need to make sure those users are properly trained on cyber security policy and treated like all other employees in regards to security.

TOP3 cat egor ies

2.7

1. DEBT COLLECTION 2. IDENTITY THEFT 3. IMPOSTER SCAMS

Mil l ion r epor t s

$492

$905 mil l ion

TOTAL FRAUD LOSSES

1.1 mil l ion f r aud r epor t WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

median

l oss

Legal | $1,092

The Of ng

40%

$621 $400

Age 20- 29

18% Age 70+

YOUNGER PEOPLE REPORTED LOSING MONEY TO FRAUD MORE OFTEN THAN OLDER PEOPLE

impost er scams

Age 20- 29

Age 70- 79

Age 80+

BUT WHEN PEOPLE AGED 70+ HAD A LOSS, THE AVERAGE LOSS WAS MUCH HIGHER

Ident it y Thef t

23% CREDIT CARD FRAUD

15 in

peopl e

l ost money

$328 mil l ion REPORTEDLOST

46% TAX FRAUD

$500 MEDIANLOSS

21%

r epor t ed a l oss

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

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58 | Featured city

SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD It seems just about anywhere you care to dig in modern Rome, you find its ancient origins buried underneath just waiting to be rediscovered. Unlike many ancient cities however, Roma, the eternal city, is a bustling modern city with all the attendant issues we associate with contemporary life; traffic, urban sprawl, parking shortages and garbage collection. All these play tag with Rome?s past.

A giddy mix of magnificent Renaissance art, evocative ruins and a dynamic, vibrant contemporary culture make Rome the world?s most inspiring, romantic and zestful of cities, with an undeniable lust for life all of its own.

Featured city |

Por t r ait Roma One of the world?s most impossibly romantic cities, immersed in a history that spans millennia, and with a heartbeat fuelled by divine cuisine and fabulous fashion.

Rome is an easy city to plunge joyfully into and its history just keeps going down and down, ever deeper. Each contemporary building squats unapologetically upon a renaissance structure, and under that, you discover a medieval site, which itself sits on top of the remains of the ancient Roman Empire itself.

Ancient Rome was home to a million residents, Europe?s largest city, until Victorian London. Most of its million

inhabitants, from its merchants to its butchers, didn?t abide in spacious marble-covered villas. Instead, they were crammed into five-story tower blocks with a penchant for falling down or catching fire, making life interesting for those living in Roma?s narrow streets.

La Dol ce Vit a An ever-present feature of Roma is its passionate embrace of the la dolce vita lifestyle. Enjoy some time out to people watch, taste a tempting local delicacy or linger over a glass of fine Italian wine, it?s all part of the Roma experience.

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60 | Featured city Credit: Unsplash/Theo Roland

" One of the world?s most impossibly romantic cities, immersed in a history that spans millennia, and with a heartbeat fuelled by divine cuisine and fabulous fashion."

Explore majestic Rome?s picture-postcard streets, watch the crowd ebb and flow around a packed piazza before getting ready to explore Rome by night. As the heat of the day cools and the evening arrives, a fresh crowd of fashionably styled residents turns out for a pre-dinner drink in one of the city?s chic bars and cafes. In addition, you?ll discover trattorias and restaurants buzzing with activity as cheerful hordes flock to popular haunts before heading out for a hedonistic cocktail at a rooftop bar or late-night club.

Rome At t r act ions In a majestic city overflowing with marvels from antiquity and icons of Christianity, choosing where to start on your visit around ancient Roma is a challenge. Some sites are virtually mandatory for anyone visiting Roma.

Landmarks like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps are ?must-sees? on anyone?s Rome bucket list. Don?t forget to take time out from your exploring, to sit at a sidewalk cafĂŠ with a glass of Orvieto, Barbera or Sangiovese enjoying WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

la dolce vita and watching the world and the scooters go by!

Best Pl aceTo St ay In Rome When visiting the Eternal City, where better to stay than in a fabulous hotel where Roma history and culture is just a short stroll away. Gourmet dining and rooftop bars complete their sumptuous amenities and antique decor.

VILLASPALLETTI TRIVETTI Centrally located and oozing in antique flourishes, this opulently renovated Roman townhouse offers its guests 12 stunning classical rooms. Each room in the Villa Spalletti Trivetti has delightful marble fireplaces, Doric columns, tapestries and oil paintings. Manicured formal gardens, a heavenly spa, indulgent restaurant and quiet library complete the villa?s services.

CASAFABBBRINI This four-room treasure is an up-market guesthouse-style hotel, tucked away in a picturesque cobbled cul-de-sac in Rome?s Centro Storico. Just a five-minute stroll from the iconic Spanish Steps and the Via

Credit: Unsplash/Igor Ovsyannykov

62 | Featured city

Credit: Unsplash/Joshua Newton

"Ancient Rome was home to a million residents, Europe?s largest city until Victorian London."

Condotti?s seductive boutiques, the mix of vintage design pieces and modern country touches creates a chic urban Roma vibe.

Moreover, star of any stay is the homemade cakes and jams on offer during breakfast, sourced with love from the Fabbrini family hotel in Tuscany.

service and small indulgences such as free Wi-Fi, safe luggage storage and a 1:00 pm check-in time add to the attractiveness of this property. All the Nerva?s rooms enjoy lively colour schemes and sumptuous furnishings by Gervasoni, Dedar and other Italian style icons.

J.K PLACE

HOTEL DERUSSIE Roma's first truly concept-driven hotel.

This sublimely retro gem is set in the Centro Storico between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. The De Russie?s unashamedly Roma history and culture meet Art-Deco dĂŠcor somehow manages to swerve successfully between styles while always remaining fresh and vibrant.

Therefore, the highlight for many guests is the delightful courtyard, the hotel?s stylish cocktail bar and vivacious restaurant residence. It provides a welcome relief from Rome?s occasionally over-lively street life.

Another delightful treat close to the Spanish Steps and its thriving markets.

J.K. Place?s warm, suave elegance has been much imitated but never surpassed.

Its rooms draw much of their allure from the no-expenses-spared approach to furniture and fittings throughout the venue. Here, antique fireplaces and original framed fashion-house sketches run riot.

NERVA BOUTIQUEHOTEL Seductively beguiling, this inviting, cheerful three-star hotel nestles right up against the Forum. Faultless staff, friendly WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

Featured city |

THEFIFTEENKEYS Set in Monti, a delightful and increasingly stylish residential sector in Rome just to the east of the Colosseum. A mere seven-minute walk from Roma?s Termini station, this oasis is not just for urban sophisticates.

The Fifteen Keys picture-perfect, full-service 55555 townhouse-style hotel has at last bequeathed Roma?s villagey Monti district with the cosmopolitan accommodation alternative it has been crying out for. Urbane colour schemes, vintage light fittings and 1950s-style comfy armchairs set the vibe of a savvy insider property for those independent travellers who are in the know.

MARIODE?FIORI 37 Located in the very heart of the Spanish Steps? thriving shopping zone, Mario de?

Fiori 37 is the perfect venue for those seeking advanced retail therapy in the form of Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Battistoni and other Italian sublime brands. This boutique hotel with its seemingly endless labyrinthine network of winding hallways occupies one full palazzo and sprawls over onto part of the next-door palazzo. Expansive Frette linen-laden canopied beds dominate the rooms. Meanwhile, guests are able to recover from the rigours of body-contact shopping with a refreshment in its quaint open sitting areas.

Credit: Unsplash/Mauricio Artieda

Final Wor d For centuries, visitors have flocked to Rome, the ?Eternal City?. Meanwhile pilgrims have been journeying to the centre of Catholicism ever since the Middle Ages. With the surge in popularity of the Grand Tour amongst the wealthy and the aristocracy, travellers have fallen in love with the city?s ancient heritage. As the capital of the mighty Roman Empire, and its rich cultural legacy bestowed upon the city by many of the great Renaissance artists. Therefore, fabulous cuisine, superb wine, outstanding shopping and Roma?s typically sunny weather hasn?t hurt Rome?s allure either.

Credit: Unsplash/Kevin Grieve

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Credit: Unsplash/Alessia Cocconi

INVESTING IN THE US USING US TRUSTS & US CORPORATIONS If you?re interested in investing in the US or want to use US trusts or corporate entities for investment purposes, please read on to find out more. ?Clients come to us for our legal and tax expertise related to US trusts and US corporations? states Ed Rogers, the CEO of US Trust Advisory Services LLC (UTAS). ?We advise on how to structure investments, in accordance with current tax compliance rules, and we also assist our clients to choose the best investment and asset managers that ensure investment growth. It is important to ensure that your investments are tax compliant, as there can be severe financial penalties, and even criminal consequences, if you get it wrong.?

ASSISTING NON- US PERSONS TO INVEST INTO THE US UTAS was founded by a company called Offshore Consulting Services Limited (OCSL), in 2016. It was founded for the specific purpose of assisting non-US persons to invest into the US, or through the US, by using US trusts and corporate entities. OCSL has a 20 year+ wealth planning track record, as its own founder and CEO is Ed Rogers, a British citizen, with vast financial services experience. He has held senior level positions with trustee and corporate service companies, in 16 jurisdictions, during a 30-year career.

US TAX AND VISA ISSUES UTAS was formed to ?ring fence? US trust and tax advisory services from OCSL?s usual international wealth planning business, as we offer advice to non-US persons, on US tax and visa issues. UTAS advises on ?immigration by investment? programs and also the reporting and tax issues for non-US resident ?green card? holders. We also deliver legal and tax advice related to US trusts and US corporations, plus we can assist in establishing US (and non-US bank) and investment accounts, for US trusts and corporations. We also furnish advice on how to comply with FATCA, and CRS, reporting requirements because of establishing such accounts.

Please visit our website or contact us for more information.

Contact US Trust Advisory Services: +1 954 442-7861 info@ustrustadvisory.com www.ustrustadvisory.com

LEARN MORE

66 | Taxes

Aust r al ian cel e t o be hit wit h ?fa SOURCE: HERALD SUN

"

The money raised from the change is ?unquantifiable?, the budget said, because it?s not known how much some of these celebrities are making.

"

C

elebrities and athletes, including Instagram influencers, will be hit with new rules on their image rights to make sure they?re not dodging their income tax.

The Federal Budget contains a ?fame tax? that will make sure celebrities and high-profile people who licence their image rights to other companies pay tax on all the income and non-cash benefits they receive.

Celebrities can currently licence their image rights to a business, which can claim losses on the investment, and then pay just 30 per cent tax on the profits.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

Taxes |

ebr it ies and Inst agr am st ar s amet ax?

Credit: Unsplash/Toni Hukkanen

?This measure will ensure that all remuneration (including payments and non-cash benefits) provided for the commercial exploitation of a person?s fame or image will be included in the assessable income of that individual,? the 2018/19 budget says.

The money raised from the change is ?unquantifiable?, the budget said, because it?s not known how much some of these celebrities are making.

The budget was handed down by Treasurer Scott Morrison last night, with Aussie battlers and pensioners among the winners.

Australian workers earning between $48,000 and $90,000 are the biggest winners receiving a tax break of $530 a year.

Individuals will receive the payment as a lump sum after they lodge their tax return from next year.

Meanwhile, pensioners who work part-time will earn an extra $25 a week without it affecting their pension payments.

There will also be a crackdown on companies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple, which is expected to return $7 billion in corporate tax income each year.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

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68 | Statistics

SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD 1. Finland 2. Norway 3. Denmark 4. Iceland 5. Switzerland 6. The Netherlands 7. Canada 8. New Zealand 9. Sweden 10. Australia

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

The World Happiness report ranks 156 countries by their happiness level and helps to track the changes and identify its reasons. The report covers six key focus points which are: income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity, which helps to indicate the level of happiness. Interestingly enough, this year the research also concentrated on immigrants and their satisfaction level as an additional focal point.

Not surprisingly, the top ten positions remain the same as in the last two years.

Seems like there is a stable pattern with just a few swaps between ranked countries.

Since the differences among these countries aren?t big enough, this is why the list looks like it has done in previous years.

The first top 6 places are taken by countries located in Europe. The number one place with the most happiest residents both for locals and immigrants is Finland.

Norway takes the second place, then Denmark and Iceland come next. Number five on the list is Switzerland. Canada and New Zealand add variety in the list and take seventh and eight positions, and number 10 is taken by Australia.

The ranking of immigrants is almost identical, with just a few small non significant swaps among the above mentioned countries. This situation shows that their satisfaction is related with the quality of life in the country they currently live in. In addition, countries with the most happiest immigrants aren?t the richest ones, instead they provide a higher quality standard of social and institutional grounds.

COM PETENT, RELIABLE

TAX SERVICES or exp at s f

Based in Bern, Switzerland, Taxbutler helps expats with various services such as tax returns, declaration, deductions, and other advice you may require. Taxbutler is competent, reliable and cost-efficient and their customers benefit from the company?s long-lasting collaboration with a reputable tax law firm in Switzerland. This background ensures that their team is always up-to-date with the most recent developments in Swiss taxes.

Sim ple, on lin e an n u al t ax f ilin g ?Our team has long-term experience with the preparation of tax returns and giving tax planning and legal advice to taxpayers in Switzerland.? Says Alexandra ZuberbĂźhler, Tax Expert at Taxbutler. ?We noted that a growing number of taxpayers look for a simple way to comply with their annual tax filing duties without having to schedule a physical meeting with a tax accountant first. In particular, expats in Switzerland feel comfortable with sending tax information by e-mail or post, and communicating by phone or e-mail if necessary. Our idea was to create an online tool which generates offers and a checklist for taxpayers with standard situations, for example: a taxpayer with a salary and a couple of bank accounts and securities.?

Aim in g t o m eet cu st om er ?s deadlin es Taxbutler works on your tax declaration as soon as possible and is considerate to deadlines. The team makes sure that you fill in and send the correct documents, as well as any additional information. All data is kept strictly confidential and will be used solely for the purpose of your tax return. Costs are calculated depending on the complexity of your tax situation and after all is submitted, a quote will be given, and you will then decide whether it?s right for you to go ahead with. ?Our mission is to have tax-compliant customers who pay the tax office just what they have to.? Says Alexandra. ?Our aim is to establish a long-term collaboration with our customers.?

Taxbu t ler con t act s: Em ail: office@taxbutler.ch Web: www.taxbutler.ch

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70 | Health

BY ANA MCGINLEY SOURCE: HUFFPOST

"Discussion about moving from the large family home with multiple stairs, a high maintenance garden and impractical bathroom with spa should happen years before a move is necessitated. "

E

very year the number of people embarking on exciting expat assignments increases.

For many expats this excitement is dampened by the loss of family we leave behind. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it is difficult to deny the poignancy of saying goodbye to aging parents.

Relationships with family members are crucial in the preservation of self-identity in expat adults and children ? especially when the culture of the host country is unfamiliar or confronting. Being able to ?be yourself ? with the people who know you, is a wonderful comfort often available in the company of family members.

Our relationships with family members face constant change. Most of us remember being dependent on our parents as children, yet independent of them as adults. What most of us don?t consider is that age and illness may result in aging parents becoming increasingly dependent on us, their adult children. Being an expat does not change this dynamic.

So how can you maintain relationships and provide support with aging parents while living on other

WWW.MYEXPATSWORLD.COM

continents? Every situation will be unique but this list is a starting point that emphasizes the two most important factors in caring for parents as an expat: communication and planning.

Use th e Tech nol ogy Distance does not need to be the demise of relationships. Scheduling a weekly Skype call with parents and grandparents is an ideal way to keep in regular contact. Grandchildren can share the highlights of their week.

Practical issues, like health care treatment plans and holiday arrangements, can be discussed at length. Family members can remain actively involved in one another?s lives without being physically in the same house.

Tak e a step b ack i n ti me For older people who have not embraced the Internet and mobile telephones, maintaining contact will take more time, effort and planning.

Weekly telephone conversations, cards on birthdays and special events, letters with photos and drawings from grandchildren, holiday postcards ? all signal to parents/grandparents that you are thinking of them and making the effort to keep in touch.

Health

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| 71

Hol i days Being able to spend physical time with aging parents is going to depend on distance, finances, desire and available free time. For many expats, budget cuts to employment contracts have resulted in the loss of previously funded annual family holidays to the employee?s country of origin. As a result, many families are no longer able to afford annual trips home to visit aging relatives. Alternative options worth considering include making plans to visit once every five years; contributing to the cost of parents coming to visit; or choosing mid-way holiday destinations with both parties sharing the costs of traveling only half the distance.

A ppoi nt a f ami l y manager Family dynamics are complex and the basis for films, books, and mental health problems. Nevertheless, in every family there is generally one individual with a practical streak that identifies them as the person everyone turns to in times of family stress.

Hopefully they live close to your parents and are willing to take on the role of family manager. Make sure they are aware that you will be relying on them for factual information about your parents, should their independence and health deteriorate.

Most importantly ensure that the family manager knows that you appreciate them and the difficult role they have been allocated.

I t i s al l i n th e pl anni ng Encourage parents to be proactive in planning for their own aging.

Discussion about moving from the large family home with multiple stairs, a high maintenance garden and impractical bathroom with spa should happen years before a move is necessitated. Similarly legal WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

arrangements including appointing a For expats who grew up in a one-child family member power of attorney, family, a sick parent will generally writing a living will, making clear demand that you make a visit plans for the care of a surviving promptly to assess the situation. From spouse, and having a current will ? then on, request that you be included, are all tasks that need to be completed via Skype calls if possible, in all while your parents can express their interviews and case conferences with wishes fully. Remember health care professionals that dementia can sneak "Encourage to ensure that you have up slowly and render parents to get up-to-date information the person incapable involved in social about the prognosis, of making their future treatment plan and clubs, voluntary short-term wishes known. work, churches, recommendations for Th e M eani ng of exercise programs your parent. This Li f e ? things that they information is crucial in A significant problem have expressed making your own plans for elderly people is interest in but about future visits. isolation and loneliness. need a push to Sayi ng goodb ye This is the time that their join." Every expat should peers, friends and family members, die or become consider how and when incapacitated through they will go home should a parent illness. Social contact and a life become seriously unwell or die. Do purpose are important to everyone at your research on the fastest route you all stages of life. Ask about who is can return home; where you will actually visiting? Encourage parents access the funds to make this trip; and to get involved in social clubs, who will take over the roles you voluntary work, churches, exercise currently fill in both your personal programs ? things that they have and professional life while you are expressed interest in but need a push away. The death and funeral of a to join. This will hopefully propagate parent is an unpleasant but inevitable new connections and regular social fact that requires planning. events within their own local Go easy on yoursel f community.

Being a local or distant family carer is I ncrease i n demand stressful. Living in a different country When a parent does become means that you can?t visit to check incapacitated and requires help ? your parent is receiving adequate care make sure health professionals have and that services are performing as your contact details and know that expected. Not being able to spend you want to be part of the care plan, quiet time together with an aging even though you live in a different parent can cause frustration and country. Your family manager should anxiety that will distract you from attend all medical appointments to your daily life and become an support your parents, to provide unconscious source of stress. Take information, and to brief you about time to also look after yourself, enjoy the outcome. your life and keep things in perspective.

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74 | Millennials

UK MILLENNIALS W ILL BE THE MOST OVERW EIGHT GENERATION ON RECORD WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

Millennials |

New projections are showing that approximately three quarters of millennials will be overweight or obese by the time they reach 40. Millennials will be the most overweight generation on record.

Millennials generally seem to follow healthy food trends but these trends may not be well-rounded and healthy.

There is nothing that beats a balanced diet. A diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and fibre filled foods is the best way to keep a healthy weight.?

Recent research by Cancer Research UK shows that six million Britons who came of age around the millennium are more likely than baby boomers to have a weight problem. Among baby boomers it was approximately 54 per cent that were overweight, compared with a suggested 74 per cent of millennials.

Recent data from a Health Survey for England showed that 40% of 16 to 24-year-olds are now overweight or obese. It?s even worse for those that are older, as 52% of those aged 25 to 34 are overweight.

HEALTH CONCERNS Obesity is now the second leading cause of cancer, second only to smoking, and millennials are in for future health problems if lifestyle habits aren?t going to change soon.

And despite new health food trends, the problem of obesity is actually increasing.

ELIMINATING JUNK FOODS A new campaign will be launched to alert the public to links between obesity and cancer. It will call for a decrease in the marketing of junk foods and action for people to take on healthier lifestyles.

BODY FAT MAY CREATE HARM

SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD

Fat doesn?t just sit around making our pants feel tighter. Extra body fat can actually cause damage to cells. Over time, damage can build up just like the damage caused by smoking. Following healthy trends may just be? well.. a trend. Millennials generally seem to follow healthy food trends but these trends may not be well-rounded and healthy. There is nothing that beats a balanced diet.

40% OF TODAY?S MILLENNIALS ARE OVERWEIGHT IN THE UK

MORE CALORIES THAN NEEDED The average Briton consumes 50 per cent more calories than they need to.

Men seem to be the worst at kidding themselves, and typically consume 1,000 more calories daily than they think they actually do. Women on average consume approximately 800 calories more than they account for.

2000 CALORIES Public Health England will launch a campaign to try and urge people to limit lunch and dinner to 600 calories, with 400 calories for breakfast. The aim is to try to get people to cut back.

There is a danger that people will become accustomed to being overweight and it will become ?normal?. Because many people struggle with their own obesity, they may not see that of their children for example.

PREVENTION As there is a growing body of evidence linking obesity to cancer (along with heart disease and type 2 diabetes) this new campaign is very much needed.

Education has helped drive down smoking rates among young people and this may help do the same with the consumption of junk foods.

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76 |

Practical

Spain enjoys plenty of hours of sunshine. The opportunity to have light-filled homes is available the majority of the year, yet homes are often completely shut off to natural light. Why are Spaniards so obsessed with window shutters?

AFRAID OF THE LIGHT? It seems like Spaniards are afraid of light.

As a foreigner living in Spain this is one of the first things one notices. When walking or driving either in a big city or a quaint village, one will notice that almost all of the homes will have their shutters drawn.

DARKNESS EVEN IN WINTER Most shutters in Spain are kept closed all year. Even in the winter months when it?s not so hot. Many expats living in Spain are attracted by the countless days of sunshine the country receives and need light all the time.

POPULAR CULTURE In most of Europe the use of shutters is only anecdotal. In Spain they are part of popular culture. They are kept closed, not just because Spain receives more hours of light ? between 2,500 and 3,000 hours in an average year, but for other more interesting reasons.

Spaniards who have travelled to other European countries can testify that the daily life of their neighbours can be seen through the windows. In many cases there is an open display of the home without shutters or curtains. This open display would not be possible in Spain.

ARABIC CUSTOMS Today?s customs date back to Arabic culture.

Many of Spain?s customs are deeply entrenched with the Arabic influence of the past. People lived towards the inside of their homes. Interiors were kept pretty, such as a central courtyard and one would peek through the window pane.

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Credit: Pixabay

Why Ar eSpa Obsessed W Shut t er s?

SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD CALVINIST CONTRAST This way of living is a stark contrast to the Calvinist idea. It is most common to protestant countries in the centre or north of Europe, that homes are kept more open. The thought is that this shows the honesty of its guests and proving you are not afraid of showing if you are rich or poor. In Holland for example, the Dutch do not have shutters (and leave the curtains open).

This shows openness, a willingness to share information, and shows there is nothing to hide.

WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

WHAT HAS RELIGION GOT TO DO WITH IT?

aniar ds so Wit h Window FAMILY BUSINESS The shutters industry in Spain is dominated by family run businesses. One of the largest companies, Persax, founded in 1976, sold ?21.5 million-worth in shutters in 2017.

Spaniards are known for being warm and open people, however they are protective of their private life. Although they may be friendly with their neighbours they are less likely to invite them into their homes for a cup of tea. In Spain, much of life takes place outdoors and the more one is in the street, the better they get to know their neighbours.

There is greater closeness in Spain and more interest in learning about other lives but less interest in sharing details about ones own.

Therefore, barriers are used. Hence the shutters.

Generally speaking, Catholic ethics imply there is greater concern for that which will be said and what is socially expected of you. For this reason barriers were used. Shutters and curtains were used to separate TheNew Yor k Times the house from outside. This way you had the freedom to do pr oper t y sect ion that which you didn?t want r eceiv ed a l et t er f r om others to see you doing. And a 70- y ear - ol d man who Spaniards do spend much of ex pl ained t hat a their time at home.

LEGAL ISSUES

neighbour had accused himof ex hibit ionismin his own house.

What neighbors are up to at home has even raised legal issues when it comes to shutters The Standard Hotel in New York?s meatpacking district has wall-to-wall glass windows for example. Here it?s common to see people looking up from the street to catch a glimpse into the rooms of scantily clad guests.

Last February, The New York Times property section received a letter from a 70-year-old man who explained that a neighbour had accused him of exhibitionism in his own house. Perhaps this problem could have been solved with some curtains or shutters.

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YOUR LOCAL EXPERT IN BARCELONA If you?re looking to visit Barcelona to see the GaudĂ­ architecture, lay on the beach or enjoy the Mediterranean cuisine, BCN Travel is your perfect go-to. They will be your local travel expert making sure that you enjoy your stay and keep visiting, as millions of other fans of Barcelona have done before.

Passion for travel BCN Travel was founded by Christian Petzold, an avid tourism enthusiast. ?Looking back to when my passion for travelling was developed, I think this must have been in my early childhood.?

Says Christian. ?My parents always used to travel with me and my siblings by caravan into a neighbouring European country. Eventually this lead me to study tourism management in Germany and the UK. Implementing at least some elements of this experience in a mass tourist destination like Barcelona, is one of the aims of our activity.?

BCN Travel services: Full service ground transportation in the whole of Spain (airport transfers, hosts, transport service at trade fairs, round trips through Spain) Accommodation in Hotels and Apartments, extensive corporate hotel portfolio Business event services (venues, catering, audio-visuals, entertainment) Tours & Activities (Daytours, Team-building, Exclusive visits,? ) Related services: Admissions, Restaurants, etc.

Get insider tips Trust our experience like numerous clients before from multinational corporations to ambitious independent travellers. We will accompany you from the early planning stages until the successful completion of your programme ? always dedicated to supply your requirements in order to help you reach your targets and your return on investment From an executive meeting in a well-connected business hotel to an industry leading conference in a historic palace. From a private football match in Europe?s largest stadium, Camp Nou, to a tailored city tour in Toledo, the ancient capital of the Spanish empire during its golden age. From a luxury resort in Ibiza, the favourite summer destination of the jet set, to a mountain villa in a ski-resort in Andorra. From a traditional Andalucian flamenco show to an exclusive tapas tour in Madrid ? we?ll get you the best of Spain, without a doubt.

Barcelona is full of culture and passion. Contact us for advice on your stay.

Contact BCN Travel: Phone: +34 934 12 15 97 Email: info@bcn.travel Web: www.bcn.travel

Insurance |

Sour ce: Ex pat sWor l d

Swedes Tur n Against a Cashl ess Societ y Cur r ent ly Cashl ess Many consumers already say they manage without cash. And most shops and cafes increasingly refuse to accept notes and coins because of the costs and risk involved. However, in other countries there is distrust towards their governments all the time, furthermore, their governments control of the banks and what could possibly happen to their funds.

Pr ivat e Sect or Banks Earlier this year, the head of Sweden?s central bank warned that Sweden could actually face a situation where all payments are controlled by private banks.

Riksbank governor, Stefan Ingves, called for new legislation to secure public control over the payments system. The argument here is making and receiving payments is a ?collective good? like defense, the courts, or public statistics. The belief is that most citizens would feel uncomfortable to surrender these social functions to private companies.

In a serious crisis or war however, Sweden?s preparedness would be weakened. It would need to be decided in advance how households and companies would pay for fuel, supplies and other necessities.

Cash Rebel l ion While most news channels focus on disaster stories there are also many journalists looking for stories of trailblazers, best practice and heroes.

The Swedish central bank?s governor is trying to bring concerns about a cashless society into the mainstream.

The group called Kontantupproret, or Cash Rebellion, has been dismissed as the voice of the technologically backward and elderly until now. The main concern of this group is that there is no weapon to defend yourself if someone turns off a fully digital system.

Currently the Swedish are investing more faith into its banks than would be considered the ?right amount? by this group. They don?t want these decisions to only be made by the four

major banks who form a monopoly in Sweden

Popul ar Opinion An opinion poll last month revealed some unease among Swedes. Almost 7 out of 10 saying they wanted to keep the option to use cash, while only 25% wanted a completely cashless society. The Swedish Parliament is conducting a cross-party review of central bank legislation that will also investigate the issues surrounding cash.

While Sweden?s government might be relatively benign, a look at Europe suggests there is no guarantee how things might develop in the future.

Concerns lie around controlling digital payments. If servers belonging to the large credit card companies become hacked or controlled by someone outside of the country they can completely take control.

For now though, people will continue to give money to the banks. However, it may be wise to keep some cash on hand should the ATM not work.

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World

HOW DID THE CRUISE INDUSTRY REACH ITS PROSPERIT SOURCE: EXPATSWORLD

If you still think that cruise holidays are only for seniors, you are wrong. In comparison with the old-fashioned style, nowadays cruise ships remind us of floating cities with high-quality entertainment and services.

THE CURRENT SITUATION The cruise industry has changed a lot. Nowadays, it doesn?t sound like a pensioners? thing anymore. And the Symphony of the Seas is living proof ? it is the largest passenger ship ever to be constructed. In addition, some current large cruise ships contain skydiving simulators, go-karting, bumper cars and ice WWW.EXPATSWORLD.COM

bars, and provide top-quality food services that meet land standards. Millennials and Chinese tourists have dramatically increased the number of guests on board: in the last year there were over 25 million people.

As the numbers reveal, many passengers are keen on repeating their adventure. As the industry experts claim, ?ships are packed with repeat customers?.

Industry satisfaction ratings confirm that ? usually the satisfaction is above 94%.

A CRUCIAL STEP Fan was one of the first ones who saw an opportunity in the cruise industry?s image problem.

The cruise adventure was associated with ?the newlywed and the nearly dead? participants.

TY?

World |

He realised that neither services, nor the whole concept were an issue. It was only a pure misleading public opinion. Fan has been in the cruising business since 1988 and his responsibilities are related to the ?transformation of cruise ships from modes of transport to mega-attractions.? Symphony of the Seas is one of the well-known works of this man, including second-, third- and fourth-largest cruise ships in the world.

He initiated these extraordinary projects, because he had realised that the old-style cruise ships are not suitable to target the desired audience.

THE TECHNICAL SIDE North Atlantic storms, Baltic snow and blistering Caribbean heat must be taken into consideration when building these kind of floating monsters. Even though the weather conditions have great importance, the number of passengers and crew members shouldn?t be underestimated ? ?distributing attractions evenly across the ship is crucial?. For instance, if the ship has two theatres, they will be located at opposite ends. Or corridors, their width is based on the calculations that ensure the suitable flow of passengers during emergency situations.

Both cases are examples of Symphony of the Seas.

How builders say, ?The big part of building a ship, 85 per cent, is what we don?t see?.

ASTONISHING SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS

He managed to match up services with the interior and exterior, recreating the feeling of ?a natural, street-like hub for passengers?. For this and many other reasons, industry-standard measurement was exceeded.

Obviously, it was a very successful decision.

Increased space lead to the involvement of other type of entertainment and services, as was mentioned above ? an ice-rink, climbing walls, water slides, etc.

Over-sized boats won the worldwide recognition of their performance and appearance. That activated the competition among industry players. Everyone wanted to catch up and get their piece of the cake.

Gladly, the concentration was focused on making the best ship instead of the largest ship.

Symphony of the Seas belongs to Miami-based cruise line Royal Caribbean and is the number one recently built best cruise ship around the globe. It made its first voyage in March 2018 and already has bookings until the end of 2019.

When you compare, the Titanic could be called only a little brother, the ship is 5 times bigger ? 362 metres long in total! The cruise ship can accommodate around 9,000 people and has room for 40 restaurants and bars, including 23 pools and water slides and two theatres. Active people can enjoy an ice-rink, two climbing walls, a ten-storey fun slide, and mini-golf. They can spend their savings in the numerous amount of shops, and of course, make use of the other standard services and entertainment opportunities. In short, it is the largest new generation luxury floating hotel.

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Challenges

By Br enda Bar r on Sour ce: Cl ick Time Mobility is a necessary part of running a business, from offering better customer support to making employees happier and more productive. Mobile devices improve the way your employees interact with each other, and you?re able to produce an environment where those employees are better equipped to help out customers no matter where they are. Enterprise mobility seems like a no-brainer, but there are several challenges facing mobility managers, and it all starts with understanding how people use these mobile devices and how to go about implementing them.

Since mobility in the workplace is still a new concept, there?s no standardized way to go about making your employees more mobile. Sure, you want to allow your employees to work from anywhere, but every individual has their own idea of what this means. Not only that, but some workers like using personal devices, while others are more accustomed to taking advantage of equipment provided for them.

In short, mobile phones, laptops, and tablets are meant to make our lives easier, yet mobilizing an entire workforce comes with all sorts of challenges. So, we want to outline some of those challenges facing mobility managers and talk about how to get past them.

1. Decr eased Regul at ion and Secur it y Companies want to make sure their systems are secure, so as not to release valuable information, cause harm to customers, or compromise any corporate systems.

Mobility managers have to worry about employees using personal, or less secure, devices for company communications. And it?s not exactly an easy thing to regulate, considering most people are more familiar with their own devices, and having two cell phones often doesn?t make sense.

Another problem is that mobile file sharing is typically done through the cloud. Cloud computing isn?t subject to the same type of regulations or security measures you have on a regular computer in the office.

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Chal l en Fac Mobil Manag

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Overall, mobility managers are going to have a tough time forcing people to move away from personal devices. Therefore, it?s important to have your own security policies that each employee?s device has to pass. Multi-factor authentication is a good place to start, but the key is to make it clear that all devices, whether company-owned or personal, get run through the security protocol.

2. Poor User Ex per iences When transitioning to a mobile workplace, the process involves adopting a range of apps and mobile interfaces that some employees might not be used to.

However, it?s essential to have all of your workers adopt the apps as a unit, otherwise you won?t see the ROI expected from moving to a mobile environment.

Studies show that users are far more likely to adopt an app when the user experience is friendly and understandable. People are bound to be intimidated by new technology, but it?s your job as a mobility manager to rigorously test new apps before implementing them

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company-wide. This also includes speaking with companies currently using the system and outlining a plan for teaching everyone about the new app.

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3. Managing t he Dev ices Mobile devices and apps with great user experiences should improve employee productivity. However, mobile devices are often easier to lose and break compared to computers in the office.

Furthermore, these devices are harder to manage in terms of the systems placed on those devices.

A good first step is to invest in a mobile device management software, where you?re able to keep track of the increasing collection of devices in your system. Some of these programs have tracking for locating lost or stolen devices, while you can also find software for wiping and locking devices. What?s more is that the mobile device management software serves as a method for checking the health of each device and seeing if all of your employees are equipped with the right apps.

Since organizations are comprised of numerous people from all walks of life, changing to a completely mobile infrastructure isn?t always communicated properly. For instance, a senior executive might task the mobility manager with creating a mobile strategy. However, if the rest of the executives are left in the dark, there?s a small chance they keep a positive mindset about the transition.

That?s why it?s so important to create a robust, overly descriptive version of your mobile strategy. It brings legitimacy to a process that some business people might see as wasteful or even silly.

Nav igat ing t he Chal l enges These are only a few of the challenges facing mobility managers today. From making an excellent strategy to figuring out device management, it?s a tough job, but one that needs to be done. With limited mobility budgets and confusion about the entire process, hopefully some of these tips will guide you during the change.

Credit: Unsplash / Icons8-team

4. Pr ev iously St or ed Inf or mat ion An information silo is where a large collection of enterprise information is stored in one location. In the past, your company might have logged databases on certain computers or hard drives. The only problem is that the information may still have some use for your current employees on the mobile network. An example would be a customer relationship management software. Some older systems might have trouble adapting to cloud applications, so there?s going to be some challenges bringing that information into a mobile-friendly infrastructure. Luckily, most software has exporting tools of some sort, or you might be able to speak with your current provider about a cloud solution.

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50 | Featured city

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Credit: Unsplash/Willian Justen de Vasconcellos

Featured city |

Sour ce: Ex pat sWor l d et in t hehear t of Eur ope, Zur ich has a wel l - ear ned r eput at ion f or being a saf e, subl imely ef f icient and v er y cl ean and or der ly cit y. Yet beyond it s r eput at ion as a gl obal f inancial cent r e, Zur ich enj oys a v ibr ant cul t ur al l if eex empl if ied by it s ebul l ient summer St r eet Par ade.

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Towards the end of the 20th century, Zurich cast off its dire workaholic tendencies to emerge as one of central Europe?s coolest destinations.

This is in large part of its discovery of an artsy, post-industrial edge that rapidly became the envy of much of Europe.

Liv ing In Zur ich, Swit zer l and Zurich has also kept in touch with its roots, preserving its ancient centre.

This maze of winding lanes and tall church steeples is endearingly intact.

Yet ZĂźrich also passionately embraced emerging architectural and cultural trends. Once dilapidated old factories have now been converted into thriving cultural centres and creatively designed new living spaces. Nowhere is this embrace of the modern, clearer than in ZĂźri-West, the new epicentre of Zurich?s vibrant nightlife.

Another aspect of Zurich, expats and visitor alike quickly come to embrace its phenomenal gastronomic diversity. From opulent fine dining to intimate cafĂŠs and quirky markets, Zurich?s cuisine is winning hearts and minds as well as visitor paletes.

Today, Zurich?s lifestyle reflects its diversity, making it an appealing destination for people from many countries, backgrounds and interests.

Moreover, the sense of easy connectivity supports its famously efficient transport infrastructure boasting links connecting Zurich to many continental capitals.

For those who harbour a fervent love of the great outdoors or sports, Zurich is a very special place. Here, residents can enjoy exploring a bewildering array of enchanting lakes and mountains, together with sports ranging from skiing to hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding.

There is something to lure expats out of doors in all seasons.

Zur ich Qual it y Of Lif e Swiss cities consistently receive the highest rankings amongst the very best places to live in the world. In annual surveys, Zurich scores exceptionally highly for personal safety, infrastructure, natural beauty and financial earnings potential.

Five aspects of Zurich?s quality of life stand out from the pack: - Embracing environmental issues - Fast and efficient transport network - Free education - Outdoor sport and recreation options - Embracing Environmental Issues According to the annual Mercer Quality of Living Survey, Zurich consistently ranks in the Top 10 international cities, when it comes

to quality of life. Part of this continued livability is due to Zurich?s commitment to environmental sustainability. Issues such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of green space within the city are all areas where Zurich is actively engaging with the community to maintain its high quality of life.

Fast And Ef f icient Tr anspor t Net wor k Zurich has also exploited its central location in Europe to develop an excellent road network supported by a comprehensive and efficient public transport system that makes travel within Zurich itself simple, while a web of fast, efficient transport options connects Zurich with the wider world.

Fr ee Educat ion Education in Switzerland has long been lauded for its exceptional standards. One of the cornerstones of Zurich?s education system is that education is free up to compulsory levels, with comparatively low tuition fees to encourage further academic study.

Out door Spor t And Recr eat ion Opt ions Zurich enjoys easy access to its own wilderness region. Aside from its embrace of winter sports, its options for outdoor recreation span hiking, kayaking, bird watching, mountain biking, para-gliding and windsurfing.

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Cost Of Liv ing The downside of living in one of the world?s most livable cities is the inevitable cost that accompanies that livability. The cost of living in Zurich is high, even by the lofty standards of Switzerland?s eye-watering benchmark. Aside from the usual expat expenses of food, accommodation, education and transport, expats will find themselves having to pay a slate of taxes, licence fees and hideous insurance premiums.

Heal t h Insur ance Swiss law mandates private healthcare in Zurich. Consequently,

expats should look to arrange cover within three months of their arrival in Zurich. As with other aspects of living in Zurich, health insurance is not cheap. However, shopping around will help new arrivals find a package that meets their personal needs. Expats requiring long-term medication should ensure this falls under their cover. Dental treatment is also not part of the standard coverage offered by health insurers in Zurich.

Final Wor d As a well-established international city, Zurich is home to a large range of international firms, imbuing it with a substantial and vibrant expat

community. Despite its growth and popularity over the decades, Zurich remains a very easy place to live. The day-to-day pace of life here runs as smooth as a Swiss watch. Little wonder it is a popular destination for potential expats, looking to make the big move overseas. Whatever your nationality, you should brace yourself for Zurich?s endemic paperwork!

Underneath the international glitz, there are Zurich?s hidden gems, its intimate bars and cafĂŠs hidden in parts of ZĂźrich that are off the well-worn tourist trail. This is a city that rewards its expats with fabulous professional opportunities coupled with a great quality of life.

Credit: Unsplash/Dimi Katsavaris

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Credit: Unsplash/Jordan Credit:Pulmano Pixabay

88 | Food

St op

How t o Eat ing Sugar SOURCE: MXPATSW ORLD

If you live in the United States (or are used to this type of diet), you eat much more sugar than is good for you. It?s entirely possible to eat less sugar without sacrificing much of the pleasures of eating though. It may sound surprising but many people who have cut back on sugar say they find their new eating habits more pleasurable than their old ones. This guide will explain why sugar matters, how you can make smart food choices, how you can keep your life sweet, even without so many sweets.

The Added- Sugar Pr obl em Most of us consume more sugar than we realize and this is why it?s a problem.

Added sugars are almost everywhere in the modern diet.

We can find them in sandwich bread, chicken stock, pickles, condiments, crackers, yogurt and cereals. This is in addition to the obvious foods and drinks, like soda and desserts.

Added sweeteners create an additional issue because they make it easy to overeat. These foods are generally tasty and highly caloric but they often don?t make you feel full.

Instead, they can trick our bodies into wanting even more food. We are surrounded by added sweeteners. They appear in our kitchens, in restaurants, at schools and offices. And most of us will eat too much of them unless we make a conscious effort to do otherwise.

How Did We Get Her e?

It?s no accident. For decades the sugar industry has conducted aggressive campaigns blaming obesity on fats.

After all, fats seem to be quite an obvious cause. Sugar consumption in the United States soared thanks partly due to this campaign. People were trying to lose weight with low fat diets which weren?t working.

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90 | Food

Research increasingly indicates that overdoing simple carbohydrates (sugar in particular) is the number 1 problem in modern diets. Sugar is the culprit behind the obesity and diabetes epidemic. Most people are thankfully catching on though and are cutting back on sugar, realizing the harms of over-consumption.

What t o Cut Reducing added sweeteners ? like granulated sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, stevia and molasses are what health experts are recommending you focus on.

Natural sugars which occur in fruit, vegetables and dairy products are not a cause for worry. Most people are not overeating naturally occurring sugars. The vitamins, fiber and minerals in these natural foods will fill you up.

The first morning strategy is for people who can?t imagine moving away from a grain-based breakfast. If you like cereal or toast in the morning, you have to be quite careful, because processed grains are often packed with sugar.

"One16 oz bot t l eof Coke has 52 gr ams of sugar which is mor et han an adul t shoul d consume in a day."

A typical adult should not eat more than 50 grams (about 12 teaspoons) of added sugars per day.

If you can keep your intake closer to 25, it is of course healthier. The average American adult would need to reduce added-sweetener consumption by about 40 percent to get down to even the 50-gram threshold.

The Game pl an Changing your diet is hard for most of us. You?ll likely fail if your strategy involves thinking about sugar all the time ? whenever you?re shopping or eating. You?ll also find yourself miserable in the process.

Only a few grain-based breakfasts are very low in sugar. Good options would be plain Cheerios, plain oatmeal (which can be flavored with fresh fruit) and whole grain breads which have less than 1 gram of sugar per slice. Good options can also be Middle Eastern breads like pita and lavash. You can also make your own granola and limit the sugar amounts.

The second morning strategy is to move away from grains. It?s much easier to stay away from sugar this way, and may actually feel more indulgent. Try scrambled or fried eggs, plain yogurt with fruit and nuts and whole grain toast. Vegetables go well with eggs in the morning too. In many parts of the world, breakfast is a savory meal, not a sweet one.

If you must drink juice in the morning, keep the portion small, a maximum of 6 ounces. Better yet, have some water with fresh lemon.

Fr om t he Can

It?s much more effective to come up with a few simple rules and habits that are easy to follow. With time, these will become second nature. For example, eliminate all added sugars for one month, and then add back only the ones you miss. It?s easier than it sounds. Make sure to read ingredient labels to see where sugar is hiding.

Beverages are likely the largest source of added sugars in our diets. Soda should be eliminated from your diet. This includes diet soda also. These drinks are essentially flavored liquid sugar and don?t have any nutritional value.

One 16 oz bottle of Coke has 52 grams of sugar which is more than an adult should consume in a day. The verdict on diet sodas is still out, however there are enough studies that suggest sweeteners also lead to weight gain and metabolic abnormalities.

Most importantly, one?s goal should be to find a few simple, lasting ways to cut back on sugar. Once you?re done reading this guide, we suggest you choose two or three of our ideas and try them for a few weeks.

If you like the caffeine in sodas, switch to coffee or tea. If you like fizzy drinks then add a little juice to sparkling water and play around with flavors. You?ll be surprised as to how creative one can be.

Fir st Thing in t he Mor ning

Check Your Pant r y

Breakfast shouldn?t taste like dessert. This is likely the most dangerous meal of the day for sugar. Many healthy sounding breakfast foods are in fact laden with sugar.

Many brands of granola may contain more sugar per serving than Froot Loops. In the United States, breakfasts have become lower-fat versions of dessert.

Check the labels of the foods in your pantry for some easy places to cut the sugar. More foods contain sugar than you may realize. Even savory foods like chicken broth, cold cuts, and crackers. Find alternatives without sugar.

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Read the labels at the supermarket and compare brands.

You won?t need to do this every time, but soon you will get to know which ones are lower in sugar and healthier.

Food

The Sauce Risk Have you noticed what?s hiding in your ketchup or barbecue sauce? Sugar (or corn syrup), most likely. Sauces and toppings are the biggest stealth sugar risk after breakfast foods. Reading the labels are again key with sauces. Good options are Dijon or yellow mustard, no sugar pasta sauces and Kosher dill pickles.

The End of a Meal Eating dessert is one of the great little joys of life and it doesn?t have to be any less sweet. Have dessert! Just keep three rules in mind: 1. Portion size. Many standard desserts have become grotesquely large. Some restaurant cheesecakes can have 1,000 calories (which is half the calories a typical adult should eat in an entire day) and a whopping 21 teaspoons of sugar, in only 1 slice. A piece of chocolate marble loaf at Starbucks, has 490 calories and is also packed with 43 grams of sugar.

The desserts of yesteryear were not nearly so monstrous.

Oreos, which have been around since 1912, are a good example of a sweet treat. A single Oreo cookie ? the regular kind? has only one teaspoon of sugar. You should think of two or three Oreos, or a different dessert of similar size, as a normal dessert. Anything larger than that is a big splurge, and should only be reserved for special occasions.

2. Habits. I?ve eaten a bowl of ice cream every night a week straight during some periods. It?s not a great idea. To keep your sugar consumption under control, and if you must have something sweet, then opt for something with artificial sweetener, although not healthy but better than its sugary counterpart. Better yet, try an end-of-day ritual like a cup of tea.

3. Fruit. Fruit is really a miracle food. It?s delicious, sweet and full of nutrients and fiber. It is possible to eat so much fruit that you end up getting too much sugar in your diet but very few people have this problem. For people who want a sweet every day, fruit is the way to go. Eat it fresh, dried or even frozen (try blending a fresh banana with frozen berries for ?ice cream?).

It is normal to have some sugar in your diet. The modern diet however has snuck too much sugar into places it shouldn?t be. It?s at the point where you need a strategy for avoiding it. Once you come up with a strategy though, eating a healthy amount of sugar won?t nearly be as hard as it sometimes seems.

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92 | Relocation

"In London howev er , t henumber of peopl e shar ing f l at s ov er t he ageof 40 has r isen dr amat ical ly ov er t he l ast f ew y ear s."

Credit: Unsplash/Clifford Yeo

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LONDONHASTHE HIGHESTRENTS 3rd year in a row

Sour ce: Ex pat sWor l d

London has been named Europe?s most expensive city in which to rent a flat.

Uncertainty around Brexit and the future of the financial hub haven?t seemed to alter the rental market at all. London has the highest rents in Europe 3rd year in a row.

Just how much mor e?

London is currently almost ÂŁ3,700 higher than the average monthly cost of renting across Europe. A mid-market three-bedroom apartment in prime areas of London costs around ÂŁ5,398 a month. And that?s unfurnished.

Rent in the capital is almost four

times higher than the average rent in other major UK cities, although rent in other cities is also increasing.

Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow have all seen larger rent increases due to high demand.

over the last few years. The soaring prices of rent have forced people to move in with friends or live with strangers.

Ot her EUcit ies wher et her ent s

Sur ge in pur chases of buy- t o- l et pr oper t ies In 2016 the changes to stamp duty led to people rushing to purchase buy-to-let properties. This increased rental accommodation supply in the prime areas of London. Competition among landlords increased and although some modest falls in rent were seen, London still remains the most expensive place to rent a flat in all of Europe.

Fl at shar ing in your 40s In most parts of the world, once you?re past your university years, flat sharing isn?t even given a second thought. In London however, the number of people sharing flats over the age of 40 has risen dramatically

ar ehigh Moscow is second in line to London as the most expensive European city to rent in. Then follow Zurich, Geneva, Istanbul, Kiev, Paris, Amsterdam and Dublin.

The most ex pensiv e r ent al mar ket Hong Kong tops the ranking globally for most the most expensive rental market. Monthly rent for an unfurnished mid-market, 555555 three-bedroom apartment in a prime location averages about $10,461. In Hong Kong however, there is always a limited supply of property due to high population density.

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Business Directory AL PHA-L I NGUA Kattesundet 12A, Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, 1458, Denmark T. +45 33 14 66 26 info@alpha-lingua.dk www.alpha-lingua.dk Alpha Lingua is translating and interpreting to and from English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish. We are eight state-authorized translators and interpreters in the same house.

AOC I NSURANCE BROK ER 60 Rue de Strasbourg, Courbevoie, Ile-de-France, 92400, France T. +33 (0) 1 76 21 10 66 / 65 expat@aoc-insurancebroker.com www.aoc-insurancebroker.com Compare your expatriate health insurance based on your needs and your destination. Take your health in your hands and get discounts.

AM STERDAM REM OVAL Izaäk Enschedéweg 50, Haarlem, North Holland, 2031 CS, Netherlands T. +31 (0)23 8200218 info@amsterdamremoval.nl www.amsterdamremoval.nl If you move in, or to Amsterdam we are glad to be your moving company. We know our way to apply for permits, hoist to higher floors with a moving lift and know which trucks to use in different neighborhoods.

TOURS & TI CK ETS Damrak 26, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012, Netherlands T. +31 20 420 4000 customer.service@toursandtickets.nl www.tours-tickets.com As a tour operator, we specialize in providing excursions in The Netherlands and Belgium, offering various tickets for museums, attractions and all kinds of canal cruises.

DAYARAJA Hessische Str. 12, Berlin, Berlin, 10115, Germany T. +49 0163 98 95 370 post@dayaraja.de www.dayaraja.de People are never too old to take up meditation or yoga. Even if you may feel stiff and heavy now, you will soon notice the beneficial effects of this practice.

K ANGA SERVI CES Virginias Benaki 15-17, Athens, Attica, 104 36, Greece T. +30 210 64 66 400 kanga@otenet.gr www.kangaservices.gr Door to door, around the corner, across the nation or oversees. Our services: express courier, freight forwarding transport services and, biocourier.

HOUSESI T M ATCH Hessische Str. 12, Berlin, Berlin, 10115, Germany T. +34 671 45 04 34 lamia@housesitmatch.com www.housesitmatch.com Leaving the house in the care of a stranger is something that naturally can make you nervous and should not be taken lightly.

We offer a range of guidelines and legally approved template contracts and documents for registrants that will help to make this a smooth process.

CENTERDENT Giesshübelstrasse 15, Zurich, 8045, Switzerland T. +41 44-342 44 44 info@centerdent.ch www.centerdent.ch Quality, 365 days a year, online diaries, all disciplines of modern dentistry under one roof, top modern, unique practice setting, and more, awaits you on a visit to the attractive new practice CenterDent.

DAYARAJA 438 Retaheim Way, San Diego, California, 92037, USA T. (888) 750 1070 - toll free arno@healthisinternational.com www.healthisinternational.com International Travel Insurance is more affordable than you think. We can help you navigate the confusing terms and jargon, giving you an education about the products that are available to get you the insurance you need.

ORANGE TAX SERVI CES Arnold Waal, P.O. Box 75524, 1070 AM Amsterdam,The Netherlands T. +31 (0)20 520 7991 info@orangetax.nl www.orangetax.com Dutch tax services for international clients seeking local Dutch assistance. We helped many expats and foreign companies in Holland with their Dutch tax services and other fiscal challenges.

NEVADO REALTY M ARBEL L A Camilo José Cela 18, Marbella, Málaga, 29602, Spain T. +34 952 82 55 17 info@nevadomarbella.com www.nevadomarbella.com Specialists in selling and renting luxury villas, penthouses, apartments and plots in Marbella center and Marbella?s Golden Mile. We have a large portfolio of exquisite properties in Marbella centre beachfront, golf and mountain.

COACH EL SPETH Palma de mallorca, Balearic Islands,07001, Spain T. +44 797 151 3497 www.coachelspeth.com A personal trainer who focuses on strength and conditioning. 1-1 personal training and group training for up to 4 people from Megasport.

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Business Directory | VI VI FI NEART Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA T. +1 303 875 0661 cindi@vivifineart.com www.vivifineart.com Art is about learning. Learning to be quiet and learning to be loud. Learning to explore and to accept, to sit and observe, feel and touch.

WHI ZWORDZ 151 Chin Swee Rd, #13-04 Manhattan House, Singapore 169876 T. +65 6600 3798 sales@whizwordz.com www.whizwordz.com.sg A translation services agency in Singapore dedicated to providing an outstanding level of service.

ACE OF BRUSSEL S Drève du Prieuré 19, Auderghem, Brussels, 1160, Belgium T. +32 2 420 02 04 info@aceofbrussels.com www.aceofbrussels.com A family-centred, international, English speaking school community in Brussels, Belgium.

We develop character as well as academics.

AUPAI RWORL D Wolfsschlucht 9, Kassel, Hessen, 34117, Germany T. +49 561 310 561 17 support@aupairworld.com www.aupairworld.com AuPairWorld is the greatest resource for au pairs and host families to find each other and live the utter au pair experience.

OTC GL OBAL GM BH Helmholtzstraße 2-9, Berlin, Berlin, 10587, Germany T. +49 30 639 686 44 anfrage@otc-global.com www.otc-global.com We specialize on niche markets, yet offers a great expertise globally and therefore positions itself as your global removal and transportation specialist.

SARRI À QUI ROPRÀCTI CA Carrer Caponata 3,Spain T. +34 646684402 info@sarriaquiropractica.com www.sarriaquiropractica.es For lower back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headaches and general health issues.

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