CYPRUS - Expat Contests

Expat Blog Awards 2013

12 tips for easy expat life in Cyprus

1: Learn the LingoMy main regret about my expat experience is not learning Greek earlier on. It would have made such a big difference to the first few months of my life here in Cyprus. I say this because, whilst the majority of people on the island speak English, moving to a new country can feel totally isolating whether you speak the same...

Writing Contest March 2013

An insider’s top 10 for expat life in Cyprus

For traditional Meze – Kypriaki Taverna: Agios Dhometios, Nicosia I’m a foodie at heart and therefore my stomach simply sings everytime someone mentions a Meze. To properly enjoy a Meze you should be hungry, because the small plates of food (think tapas style) seem endless; it is not uncommon to find 20 or more dishes arriving at your...

Expat Culture Shock

Classic Cyprus Culture Shock by a British Expat

Culture shock is an inevitable part of expat life. If you are brought up in one specific culture and decide to embark on an expat adventure, transplanting yourself to another geographic location, there is no doubt in my mind that you will experience a sort of WTF culture shock moment, at some point along the way. But since you embarked on...

Writing Contest October 2012

Life on a Sunshine Island

Growing up I was unbelievably shy; I say unbelievably because if you meet me now, you would never guess that I was the quiet little girl hiding behind my mother’s skirt. Over the years I have come out of my shell, developed a sense of myself and become fiercely independent. And I guess my journey really started at the age of ten when I lost...

Education and International Schools

Personal Reflection: Language Immersion Programs in the U.S. vs. International Schools in Cyprus

Last year, our older son (alias name is Piano Man) attended his first day of school in the States at a Spanish language immersion pre-school program. On the first day of sign-up, I waited in line at three o’clock in the morning to get our son into this specialized program because it was on a first-come, first-serve basis. He got into the...

Writing Contest October 2012

Some 'Friendly' Advice

When you decide to live in another country for no apparent reason other than ‘because you can’ there are obviously lots of things to consider but there is one very important thing you need to do, it’s not deciding where to live, getting a job or learning the language although these are very good things to have on your ‘to do list’. ...

Expat Blog Awards 2013

Top 10 Reasons Why Koreans + Americans + Cypriots = A World of Cultural Fusion

Although my family and I moved back to the States in July, we fondly look back at our time in Cyprus as a major milestone in our lives. My husband completed his book, which was the initial reason why we moved to Cyprus last year. Our older son moved into first grade at a new elementary school. I discovered the joy of blogging through The...