Shanghai For Expatriate Beginners

There’s no two ways about it – Shanghai can seem extremely daunting at first, but after just a few weeks you will feel totally at home. Expatriates enjoy a high standard of living in Shanghai and, if you embrace everything that the experience has to offer, this will be one of the richest and most exciting times in your life.

Most expatriates arrive in Shanghai for the first time via Pudong Airport. This gleaming, light and airy model of efficiency may come as a bit of a surprise to those expecting something a little more second world, but it sure is a reassuring sign of modernity.

Drivers From Hell

Reassuring that is, right up until you are in a rattley, old taxi being hurtled at light speed down the motorway towards town. Although tired from your flight, fear will provide you with the energy to sit up in your seat and clock the way everyone drives, or rather attempts to drive. Cars swerve violently, horns are constantly beeped, no one indicates and there are no seatbelts in the back. It’s scary! Oh my, what have you done?!

High-Rise Jungle

As you enter the suburbs on the elevated highway, you will catch the first glimpse of your new city. And it ain’t pretty! Shanghai is a vast, high-rise jungle. You will be astonished by the sheer level of building work: the incredible number of building cranes – the way that forests of half-built, high-rise apartment blocks lead off in every direction, stretching endlessly beyond the horizon. But, you will also get your first taste of the ambitions that this city harbours.

Teeming Street Life

Once inside the inner-ring road, traveling at a more subdued speed, you will begin to catch an essence of the bustling, teeming street life. And it is this – not the culturally faceless high-rises – that will give you your first sense of place. You are in China!
People are carrying huge loads on bicycles, food is being prepared and eaten by the roadside, it’s rich, it’s very poor, it’s animated, and nothing is familiar. It will seem very foreign but also very exciting.

Shopping For Supplies

So, you’ve arrived at your new home and everything is in order. Or, at least it’s just a phone call to your new landlord away from being perfect, but you need supplies and to run a whole host of errands. Just hop in any taxi and say ‘Bortaman, Nanjing Shee-lu’.
The Portman Shanghai Centre on Nanjing XiLu, Puxi, was the first expat hub to be built in Shanghai and, although 15 years old, it has never been usurped as the king of user-friendly convenience for freshly arrived westerners.

Portman Shanghai Centre

There’s a City Supermarket selling everything you need including a good deli and wine selection. Plus there’s a Starbucks, the popular caf Element Fresh, a good cheese and wine shop, a florists, a dry cleaners, a post office, a chemist, a medical clinic, a host of other bars and restaurants, airline ticketing offices, an HSBC bank and several consulates, including that of the UK….it’s all here in one place for your ease!

Starbucks Expat MixIt is also at the Shanghai Centre where various groups post information on the notice board in City Supermarket about forthcoming social gatherings. Another way, in the initial days, to meet people is to head to the first floor of Starbucks, opposite Parksons on Huaihai Lu by Shanxi Lu for the Saturday morning (10am) social mixer. A nest of tables is gathered in the centre and you will be made to feel very welcome. You will find very early on, that Shanghai expats are approachable and it will be no time at all before you have more contacts than you ever thought possible.

Shopping Areas

As you become more confident about the geography of the city, your comfort zone will extend to the major shopping areas in Puxi of Huaihai Lu, Nanjing Lu, Xujiahui, and Lujiazui in Pudong. This is to name just a few and, as you can imagine in a city of nearly 20 million with a growing middle-class who like to shop – the list is endless. If you enjoy shopping – Shanghai will be a never-ending voyage of discovery for you.

By: Jacqueline Reischel

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jacqueline Reischel is the managing director of enterShanghai.info, an award-winning online Shanghai expat guide. The web site features a Shanghai property search, relocation tips, career guide and other information for expatriates.

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Posted under General

Where are the best bars, lounges and clubs are together, to French and Italian expatriates in New York City?

I have been abroad and for the French and Italians cast! I can not afford to travel this summer. Can help people here, I can place them on the search?

http://www.LetzGoOut.com has over 1100 bars in the NYC area. Enter ZIP code to find a search and I'm sure you can do more than just a few.

Pattaya Expats Club Part 1 15 06 2009 2

Posted under General

Is Hong Kong Any Place For Budget Travelers?

Backpacker savant and perpetually dusty photojournalist Tom Carter fails to make much of an impression in affluent Hong Kong, Asia’s wealthiest city.

Having spent over two-and-a-half straight years in the Chinese mainland without leave, it was with both anticipation and apprehension that I recently crossed the southern border into Asia’s wealthiest city.

Despite its one-stop-shopping popularity with Mainland expats needing new clothes and a new visa, I truly had no idea what to expect in the former crown colony that supposedly makes even rich men feel poor. Rather terrified of exacting reverse culture shock, I hence saved English-speaking Hong Kong and its "One Country, Two Systems" self for the tail end of my journey across the 32 Chinese provinces.

And it is here I report that all my preconceptions and fears about Hong Kong were… true. To quote the under-appreciated American writer Thomas A. Carter (me!) upon his brief sojourn in the legendary Chinese city, "I’ve never felt more poor than when I was in Hong Kong… I’ve never felt more ugly than when I was in Hong Kong."

DAY 1: Cross the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border at Louhu and catch the immaculate KCR railway, immediately impressed that nobody is staring, shoving or spitting. Arrive in Kowloon’s southern peninsula and emerge from the underground into the land of lights – Tsim Sha Tsui. Blinded with excitement, I have to ask a resplendent group of Indian women draped in saris where the Mirador Mansion is. They point their gold-ringed fingers straight up. A towering, rust-stained concrete block, and one of Hong Kong’s only affordable accommodations. I check in to a claustrophobic dorm room (three times the price of a Mainland dorm and three times as small), then hit Nathan Road. Peering up into the neon lights, tripping in the crush of the crowds, I feel just like a migrant worker back in Beijing.

DAY 2: Awoken at 6am by one of my bunkmates stumbling in after a long night. His name is Pat, a young American backpacker with long red hair whose introduction is immediately followed by a long-winded narrative about his two-week romps in Hong Kong, including scoring with the mythical "Asian girls who LOOOVE foreign guys." When I counter that I never had any such luck, the fast-talking but likeable Pat proffers some off-the-cuff advise ("Dude, lose the beard") before launching into more useful information. "It’s Sunday, okay, and there’s gonna be, like, 120,000 Filipino nannies and maids on their only day off – and looking for boyfriends!" I’m a little dubious of Pat’s generalizations, but sure enough his mobile rings continuously with calls from adoring cleaning ladies he met the Sunday before. An afternoon stroll around Statue Square indeed reveals a literal blanket of thousands of picnicking South Asian women (Hong Kong’s largest migrant communities) whose collective chatter sounds just like a large flock of seagulls. When I attempt to candidly photograph one attractive young Filipino, she shouts "Hey! I klick jor ass!" So much for getting a date.

DAY 3: Fieldtrip to Shek O beach on Hong Kong Island’s south side, savoring the soft sand and splashing in the subtropical South China Sea. Supposedly this place is packed out on the weekend, but that’s what weekdays are for, no? It’s one of those moments when I enjoy being unemployed. Chase my fun in the sun with a tram ride up Victoria Peak for a breathtaking evening vista of skyscrapers, which appear to be constructed entirely out of lights. Dafnit, an Israeli girl clearly in awe of the Hong Kong skyline, remarks, "We have no tall buildings in Israel. Oh wait… we have one!"

DAY 4: Spend the day traversing Kowloon, the fashion billboards of TST turning into seedy massage parlor billboards as I descend northwest down the Nathan Road side streets, the sun lost behind precipices of neon signs stretching horizontally over the streets. The markets of Mong Kok are mobbed with uniformed students on lunch break: long-haired boys with untucked white shirts and loosened ties, and made-up girls in little outfits out of a Japanese kogal/hentai fantasy: knee-high black stockings, short skirts and a Louis Vuitton bag to carry their pencils and books. They have tattoos, tongue piercings and smoke cigarettes. After commenting that they are the hippest students in China I’ve seen, one 15-year-old boy replies in perfect English, "Yes, so cool, but so young."

DAY 5: I want to see how the other half lives and spend the day in Central, Hong Kong Island’s microcosm of capitalism. Cross Victoria Harbor by the centuries-old Star Ferry through a morning miasma of pollution and follow white-collared crowds of businessmen contending with cell phones, briefcases and latts into their respective skyscrapers. Later observe as many women shopping in designer department stores – these must be the wives. I notice that they all clutch their purses as I walk by, then realize why as I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflective fa?ade of the Bank of China tower. My head cast down in self-consciousness, I almost get rolled over by a Rolls (driving on the wrong side of the road, damn Brits!), then almost again by a double-decker cable car. Everyone in Central must be against me. My insecurities are firmed up that evening in Lan Kwai Fong, a gentrified neighborhood of upscale restaurants and bars on the Island’s northern escarpment. The steep streets are congested with young, well-to-do westpats toasting yet another successful day of money -making. I can’t believe there are so many white people in China who aren’t English teachers! They are all smartly dressed and have well-groomed hair; I am wearing cutoff army pants, low-top fake Converse, an eight year old t-shirt that I bought used, nor have I shaved or cut my locks in the eight months I’ve been on the road. I want to belong, but I don’t. It’s one of those moments when I regret being unemployed.

DAY 6: I give the Island another chance and take the night ferry across the harbor to the north end’s older and seedier nightspot, the infamous Wan Chai. Recall it is where Richard Mason penned his 1950’s tale of forbidden love, "The World Of Suzie Wong," though a lot has changed since he wrote "take a minute’s stroll from the center and you won’t see a European." The pick-up bars still line the road, yum-yum girls luring passersby into their neon-lit dens, but these are the illegitimate daughters of Suzie Wong, not of Chinese but Thai dissent, wearing not elegant silk cheongsams but cheap miniskirts raised to immodest heights. And unlike the kindly ladies of the Nam Kok Hotel, these modern-day working girls are vicious, mercenary, cold. When a group of obviously disappointed white boys emerge from one venue exclaiming, "In Thailand they take off ALL their clothes," the brown-skinned door girl in plastic go-go boots is quick to shout back, "Then go to Thailand!" Further down Lockhart I follow a couple of older Europeans primed with drink and flirting heavily with a lovely bouquet of girls looking for generous company. After making their arrangements, one of the men leans on me and confides, "Wy mife, I mean my wife, thinks I’m *HICCUP* at a conference." The remaining girls give this poor writer a cursory glance then quickly cross the street away from me.

DAY 7: I wake up feeling dejected and classless; the expatriates of Central don’t want me, nor do the waterfront girls of Wan Chai. Take a stroll around TST, passing by friendly knots of third-world hustlers hanging out in front of the Chungking Mansions, the immigrant ghetto of Kowloon that serves as temporary living quarters for Hong Kong’s financially insolvent migrs. A street corner tout from Kashmir says to me "The Mansions is where anyone not wearing pastel shorts or a suit stay." I realize this mad cauldron of multiculturalism is the only place I truly feel at home in Hong Kong. The Africans on the never-quiet front steps always high-five me, the Pakistanis all think I’m Muslim (must be the beard), and the Indians bat their eyelashes at me. The Chungking Mansions are the international haunt for anyone who is no one, and I am one of them. It is a peasant’s epiphany – in Hong Kong, I am the ‘nongmin.’

TOM CARTER is the author of ‘CHINA: Portrait of a People,’ a definitive 600-page book of photography due out winter 2007 from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.

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Posted under General

The Top 10 Reasons to Retire in San Miguel De Allende

San Miguel de Allende is a popular retirement spot for Americans and people from the rest of the world as well. There are many reasons why this  jewel in Mexico  is the perfect retirement location, no matter where you are from. Listed below are ten reasons why many people retire here, instead of somewhere else.

1. Cost of living – The cost of living in San Miguel is much lower than the cost of living in the U.S. It costs around one fifth of the price to rent or own a home in Mexico, compared to America, and living expenses are around one fourth of the cost in comparison.

2. Weather – The weather in this Mexican region is nice almost every day of the year. With blue skies and plenty of warm sunny days, this is the perfect location for people who want to get away from the cold.

3. Domestic Help – In Mexico, retirees can afford good domestic help, such as a maid and cook, and still live cheaper than in the United States. Instead of spending time cooking and cleaning, a small price will take care of this for you, and there are always plenty of domestic workers available at a great low price.

4. Population – The population of San Miguel de Allende is friendly, warm, and helpful. Many speak the English language, as well as Spanish, so communication is normally not a problem for retirees here, and there are plenty of new friends to be made.

5. Activities – San Miguel offers a lot of activities for retirees, whether they are active nature lovers or interested in things to do that are less active physically. There are shops and historic places to visit, horses to ride, and many beautiful and exciting things to see and do.

6. Scenery – San Miguel is located in some of the most beautiful surroundings in the world. From the mountains in the background to the antique villas, buildings, and architecture, the scenery is this quaint Mexican town is exquisite.

7. Location – San Miguel is a popular location with retirees, and visitors, because it is located close to many other attractions, but retains the Old World quality and culture. The border between Mexico and the U.S. is not far away, and there are many others towns and cities, as well as natural scenery and historic sights, to see in the surrounding areas.

8. Modern Conveniences – San Miguel offers modern conveniences, such as wireless capabilities, phone service, running water, and electricity.

9. Safety – San Miguel de Allende is a very safe place to live, whether you are from  Mexico or the United States . The crime rate is very low, and there are many retirees who already live here because it is one of the safest places to live in the entire world.

10. Festivals and Culture – San Miguel has more festivals through the year than almost any other city in Mexico. This location contains a lot of culture and history still, and many retirees and visitors enjoy the cultural displays and traditions.

If you would like to know more about how to retire in San Miguel de Allende, please do visit our site.

The author is a Professional Internet Marketer with PowerHunters helping firms get their site noticed online.

 
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Posted under Money

Expatriates were asked to take advantage of Internet savings accounts to ensure their cash reserves grow as much interest as possible.

A survey Alliance & Leicester has found out that over two thirds of the expatriate UK citizens not to save their wages in savings accounts. To do In all, 70 percent of expats is not setting up an offshore savings account in the immediate aftermath of the move. This is true despite the fact that the majority of reasonable opportunity have to do this.

Almost three quarters (70 percent) of expatriates use the internet each day as if, so far away from home, they have to rely on e-mails to keep in touch keep up with friends and families, and the Web to keep up to date with international news and views.

In fact, 40 percent of expats use the Internet for daily up to one hour, ie they have a limited basis for the possibility of calling as an excuse for not setting up a web – Savings account.

In addition, 46 percent of the current one to five expatriates spent years abroad, suggesting have to pay money into an offshore bank account would be a long-term, but do not do as a short term measure – again limiting the scope for choice.

The opening of an Internet savings account would be particularly relevant to expats because many wanted to move abroad in the first place, as part of an attempt to increase professional development and earning potential – that is accelerating, ensure that the money is well looked after should be on their list of priorities.

The survey also found that the British move to more distant Corners of the world in an effort to land their dream jobs. Although around 40 percent move up destinations like the Middle East, Australia and the U.S., there was an increase in the number of British move to Africa, Singapore, Thailand and Russia.

A further study by the Alliance & Leicester has emphasized that not all expats career-driven, though. Weather proved to be the decisive factor in the decision of 40 per cent of expatriates to relocate to a foreign country.

This demonstration was of website Propertymartoverseas, which states assured that "the rising prices, spiraling debt, rising interest rates and a seemingly ineffective government, other factors for this mass exodus with expats, the better quality of life, lower living costs and more reliable weather. "

About the Author:

Elisha Burberry is a freelance writer who loves her job and the occasional glass of red wine.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Expats Should Open Internet Savings Accounts

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Posted under General

5 Easy Stress Management Tips For Children

Is your child stressed out? Some people think only adults experience stress, but it affects our children too. Here’s how to help your child manage their emotions.

We often view our kids as happy-go-lucky beings without a care. But children can also experience stress. Not only do they get anxious about things in their own young world– school, friends, peer pressure–but they also can be deeply affected by outside factors such as war, natural disasters and other unsettling world events.

In fact, the list of contributors to childhood stress can be quite long. Many stressors are the result of family problems, like divorce, a death or a parent’s job loss but here are also less obvious triggers such as moving to a new city or the birth of a new sibling.

As a parent, you can become attuned to what’s a normal amount of anxiety for your child and what is not. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, use the following tools to help your child handle it better.

Tuning into Anxiety Attack symptoms

1. Tune in to their moods.

Pay attention to your child’s behavior. Take the time to talk to your child to get to the root of the problem.

Ask questions like:

"How are you feeling?"
"What’s happening at school?"
"How are things with your friends?"

When you show concern for their problems and issues, it’s reassuring to them and they’ll be more responsive to that attention.

2. Watch the same shows they do.

If you have younger children, you certainly don’t want them watching the doom and gloom of daily news shows. Children’s minds are like sponges in they absorb almost
everything they see or hear.

They are especially sensitive to negative energy, pain or suffering. Shows like the news can be traumatizing and anxiety-producing for younger children.

It’s important to discuss with them what they’ve seen. You can’t tell them that it’s never going to happen to them but you can say, "We’re going to do everything we
can to protect you". It’s also a good idea to let them know whom to call and what to do in case of an emergency.

3. Focus on the positive.

There is obviously no way a child can be shielded from a major trauma such as a death in the family, a house fire or a natural disaster. Instead, help children count their
Blessings!

Comfort and reassure them by saying, "We’re strong and we’re going to make it." And as difficult as it may be, try to maintain everyday routines.

For many young victims of floods or fire, for example, going back to school, even in another city, can help bring some normalcy back to their disrupted lives.

What can also help is to make sure children have positive outlets like physical activity, going to the movies or spending time with friends.

4. Lead by example.

Children often learn to deal with stress by mimicking how you respond in challenging times. Even if you don’t tell your child that you’re about to be laid off from your job
or that you’re worried that your marriage is on the verge of breaking up, they can still pick up on your stress.

They may not understand the underlying causes but they can hear the strained tone and elevated volume of your voice, which gives them the message that something’s going on that may affect them too.

That’s why it’s so important to show them good coping skills. If you light a cigarette, have a drink, or use foul language when you’re under pressure, your little one may
internalize that as a coping method.

Instead, model healthy behavior during difficult times, such as writing in a journal, de-stressing in a hot bath, sharing how you feel without blaming, or taking a walk.

5. Instill confidence.

When children are young, there are times when you will have to come to their defence and help them handle tough situations. But as they get older, you also have to let them champion themselves, which builds their confidence in their ability to resolve problems on their own.

One of your missions as a parent is to know when to step in and when to stand back. Your response will depend on the child’s temperament, maturity and the situation.

For example, your third grader may be able to confront a taunting classmate on their own, whereas a serious case of bullying may warrant your intervention.

Still, always make sure your child knows you’ve got their back. Tell them, "Try it on your own first, but if you need help, let me know and I’ll be there."

Michael Atma, author of numerous personal development books and audios, helps thousands of people every month to enjoy easy stress management tips for improved health, happiness and peace of mind. In less than 3 minutes you can get started on instant relaxation techniques for your mind, body and spirit.

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Posted under Health Issues

Relocation: Helping Your Children Make the Move

Moving your family to a new home can be difficult for children; here are some tips on making it a more positive experience for everyone in your family!

Charles Dickens wrote "Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration." As accurate a description as that may be for many of us, the feel of "home" is especially important for children, making the decision to move your family to a new home a weighty matter indeed. For adults without children, moving to a new place can feel like a fresh start, an exciting adventure. For children, moving may be unsettling or even frightening, but there are some positive and reassuring ways to help guide your children through the moving experience.

If you are moving by choice and not out of necessity, first, consider the timing of your move in terms of the impact on your children. Summer can be a relatively good time to move in to a new neighborhood: children are out of school, allowing for plenty of time to make new friends before the next school year begins. However, if all of the neighborhood children are already signed up for organized summer sports and activities, summer can turn out to be a lonely season for your child, so make sure to look into those activities well ahead of your move, even registering them for some if you can. Park Districts and faith communities in your new city are a good place to start looking.

It is also wise, if moving by choice, to consider the ages of your children when contemplating a move. While moving with a baby can be higher stress for parents, as a rule, babies seem to experience less moving-related stress than older children. The prevailing rule of thumb used to be that the older the child, the more difficult the moving experience will be. Indeed, many experts agree that adolescence is not the ideal age for a child to be moving away from their established peer relationships. However, a new school of thought is emerging regarding the impact of moving on younger children as well. In his article "Best Practices in Assisting Relocating Families", Frederic J. Medway cautions that preschoolers, in particular, are also quite "vulnerable to moving-related stresses." Medway attributes preschoolers’ increased vulnerability to their lack of fully developed coping skills; their inability to completely understand at a cognitive level the need for their family to move; and an inherent difficulty in dealing with changes to familiar surroundings. The bottom line is that moving can be stressful for children at all ages, but seems to affect preschoolers and adolescents to the greatest degree.

Moving does not have to be traumatic for your children, however; there are many things that you can do as a parent to help reduce the impact for them, right from the moment you share the news with them.

Sharing the news: Your demeanor as you tell your children of the move will greatly influence their reaction to it. If you are glum or morose, they will view a move as a negative event; if you are upbeat and positive, they are more likely to receive the news in a similar fashion. If possible, be prepared with information about when the move will occur and what your new city and home will be like should your children ask.

Reassure your children: Younger children tend to be very concerned about what possessions may be left behind, so be prepared to answer repeatedly the question "Will we be bringing this?" Even if it is an item of little or no value to you, to your child, the item may represent security and a sense of permanence; now is not the time to break your child of his security blanket habit. One good idea is to make a "Same and Different" book for your child, highlighting what things will be the same after the move and what things will be different. Take some pictures of your old house, your child’s school or teachers, and your neighborhood. Try to get some pictures of your new house, school, etc., and place them in a booklet, labeling them, for example, "This is the park by my old house. This is the park by my new house." This will help reduce your child’s natural fear of the unknowns that lie ahead, making the new already seem familiar.

Make time for goodbyes: As busy as you are with all that a move entails, continue your child’s activities and playdates as much as possible. It’s very tempting to declare that you’re just too busy, but it’s important for them to maintain their scheduled activities. It absolutely may be difficult to schedule individual playdates for your children to say goodbye to their friends; in that case, schedule one large playdate for your children and a few of their favorite friends. Hold it at a park or a restaurant playland and distribute your new address and telephone number to children and their parents as they leave.

Introduce the pen-pal concept: Work with your friends, your children’s teachers, and your neighbors to create a photo address book for your child. Ask your children’s friends to provide a photo and their name, address, and phone number (you may even provide a sheet for them to use, so that the pages of the book will be uniform) and make a book. It doesn’t have to be fancy; in fact, if you use a simple paper folder, your child can have fun decorating it while you’re working at unpacking boxes in your new home. Present the pages and folder to your child after the move, just as they may be beginning to miss some of their old familiar friends. Encourage your children to write letters as often as they like, providing them with special stationery, stamps, or even address labels. It’s great writing and reading practice, it helps your children learn their new address quickly, it really helps keep those old friendships alive, and children love to receive their own letters in the mail! For younger children, allow them to send drawings or to dictate their letters to you, and help them read the letters they receive in return.

Get a sitter for moving day: For children, seeing their home, in their minds, "torn apart" piece by piece on moving day can be a very traumatic experience, whether you move yourselves or have a professional moving company doing the job. In addition, professional movers move quickly and have their own systems for getting the job done; children in the way will slow down the movers’ progress, and may actually present a dangerous situation for your children as well as for the movers. If you can, arrange for a babysitter to have the children away from your house until it’s all over.

Getting settled in your new home: While it’s important for children to see their new house start to feel like a home quickly, it’s also important for them to make new friends and explore the new neighborhood, as well as to have your attention and caring during the moving transition. So have one box or bag set aside full of a couple of your children’s treasured itemsmaybe a special nightlight or a figurine from a beloved grandparent. Unpack that box or bag first, along with the minimum items you need in order to get along for the first day or two. Then set unpacking aside to go exploring and to begin meeting new neighbors and friends. Those boxes will be there tomorrow (and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow), but your children need to settle in now. Be flexible about the rhythms of life in your new community, especially if there is a time change. Maybe your children always go to bed early, but in your new neighborhood, they play until much laterrelax your schedule a little bit, and let them make some new friends.

Set a good example: If you want your children to explore, to make new friends, to learn about their new community, they will need to follow you as an example. Even if you are normally a shy person or don’t read maps particularly well, this is the time to learn to strike out on your own, to start utilizing online maps, and to try new activities yourself. How you handle the transition will help your children learn how to handle it as well, so remember that your children will be looking to you for their cues.

Listen to Pliny: The most important bit of advice about moving is an ancient one, from Pliny the Elder: he wrote "Home is where the heart is." No matter where your family moves, or the reason why you move, remember that it is not the walls and the roof that make your house a home: it is the love shared within those walls. Be extra patient and extra loving with your children throughout your move; everything will eventually fall into place, and your new house will transform itself into a new home for you and for your family!

 
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Posted under Health Issues

Everything You Need to Know about Nanny Salaries

If your family is looking to hire a nanny, you may have questions about what an appropriate nanny salary is. There are several factors that you should consider when determining the salary range that you will offer. Nanny salaries vary depending on the area of the country, whether the job is live-in or live-out, and what experience the nanny brings to the table. Learn more about how to determine the appropriate salary for your nanny. 

When a family is considering hiring a nanny, one of the main issues that must be taken into consideration is the salary that the nanny will receive. The amount of a nanny salary can depend on a range of factors, from the nanny’s experience to the location in which the family lives. In addition, a nanny salary will depend on whether she lives in or out of the family’s home. And a nanny salary must always comply with the state’s minimum hourly requirements and federal regulations. Nanny salaries, in general, will range from $275 to $800 weekly, with the range of $400 to $500 per week being most common, and $7 to $18 per hour.

Figuring Out the Right Range for a Nanny Salary

There are several ways that a family can determine the appropriate nanny salary. First, the family can ask other families in the area what they are paying their nannies. Next, the family can talk to a nanny agency to see what the going rate is for nannies. The family can also do some online research to find out what nanny salaries are in the state – there are many parenting message boards and online nanny agencies that have informative articles and discussions that can help narrow the range. One can safely assume that a nanny salary will be higher in an urban area that has a higher cost of living and lower in a suburban or rural area that has a lower cost of living.

In addition, look for studies that have been done to see what an appropriate range might be for a nanny salary. For example, a recent study done by the International Nanny Association (INA) reports that nanny salaries across the country can range from $300 to $1000 a week and from $12 to $15 per hour (1). The survey also states that nannies who provide extra services get paid more – between $25 and $100 per night for overnight care (with some nannies receiving nothing extra for overnight care) and between $50 and $200 per day for travel (2).

Live-In vs. Live-Out Nannies

If one is hiring a live-in nanny, one should also take into consideration that the nanny will be getting room and board as well as her pay, and should adjust the salary accordingly. A higher nanny salary might also be considered if the nanny is offering services other than childcare, such as housekeeping or cleaning. For a live-out nanny, her salary will be higher if she has a car that she can use to pick up the children and take them to school or to activities. She also may be asked to do such tasks as cook a meal or two for the children, and her salary should also be adjusted for this.

Experience

The range for a nanny salary will also depend on a nanny’s level of experience. A person who has worked as a nanny for several families in the past will command a higher nanny salary than a person who is seeking her first nanny position. Nannies with previous experience will also, of course, want to make as much as or more than they had made with their other families.

Extras

Another factor that could raise a nanny salary is anything extra that she brings to the table. Does she speak English fluently? Does she know CPR and first aid? Is she a specialist in something that she could tutor children in (math, science, a foreign language)? All of these things can contribute to a higher salary – and are likely worth paying the extra fee.

What If You Can’t Afford the Nanny You Like Best?

So what does a family do if they find a nanny they love and want to hire but they find her salary range to be higher than they expected? In a case like this, the family could try to bargain with the nanny, offering her extra services in trade for a slightly lowered hourly or weekly rate. For example, a dentist could provide free dental work. In addition, some families share their nannies, splitting the cost of the nanny salary over several children. The family could also offer extra perks to the nanny, such as extra time off, use of the family car, or use of a second home. In this way, the nanny feels that she is still valued but may be willing to negotiate to a lower weekly or hourly rate.

Conclusion

It is very important to investigate nanny salaries before you begin interviewing candidates so that you know ahead of time what you can afford. Knowing about a nanny salary first also gives you the ability to bargain with your ideal candidate if you cannot afford the top of the range by offering additional perks or trades. If you base your salary offers on where you live, the nanny’s experience, and additional benefits the nanny can offer your family, you’re sure to find the perfect candidate.

Sources

1. http://www.nanny.org/2006salarysurvey.htm

2. Ibid

About the Author

Steve Lampert is the president of eNannySource, an online nanny agency that brings together families and nannies. Lampert previously ran a successful, award-winning nanny agency in a major city for over 10 years, during which time he worked with thousands of families and nanny candidates. Through this experience, he became familiar with the important steps in a nanny search, which he continues to apply to his business today. To learn more, please visit www.enannysource.com.

Posted under Employment

Retire In Mexico, What’s The Pull Factors? Here Are 6 Irresistible ones For You

Why retire in Mexico? I can count these attractive factors for you: easy distance from the US; low cost of living; a food haven; rich and interesting culture; lively social and entertainment hub; good infrastructure

Why do you think so many people want to retire in Mexico?

It must have many, many irresistible "pull" factors for people wanting to flock there in droves.

Let’s see what are these "pull" factors and whether you buy into them and want to join the crowd as well, I mean, to retire in Mexico.

1. Short Distance From The US

Distance wise, Mexico is near. You can drive to Mexico. Save you some money on the air ticket. It’s convenient and cheap for you to cross border, should you want to visit your family in the US or they to visit you.

2. Low Cost Of Living

Mexico is a steal of a place for affordable living as you pay almost half (sometimes even more than half) of what you pay in the US for housing, food, transportation, entertainment, utilities and health care.

Feel the desire to splurge a bit? You can hire daily domestic help to take care of the mundane household chores for a low,low fee per hour. See, the low cost of living allows you to splurge on luxuries that otherwise could be steep in the US……

3. A Food Haven

You get an abundant of fresh fruits and vegetables all year round and they taste great because of their freshness. The freshness is because Mexican farmers pick their produce at the peak and sell them in the market the very next day, unlike the practice where farmers pick their produce green and let them ripen in transit.

As for food, the melding of cultures contributes greatly to the melding of foods and food preparation. Mexican cuisine is enhanced by an incredible array of fresh fruits and vegetables. Herbs like cilantro, thyme, marjoram and the pungent epazote and spices like cinnamon, clove, anise and cumin frequently flavor your pot too.

The food almost certainly contains good ingredients and Mexicans are gifted cooks and seem to know how to give a dish that extra zing to make it special. They can take a simple salsa Mexicana to new heights with a touch of cilantro and lime, while a complex mole sauce always tastes heavenly thanks to over 30 carefully-chosen herbs and spices thrown in and left to slowly simmer in the pot.

Yummy, yummy, yummy Mexican food……

4. Rich Culture

Mexico is rich with history and steeped in culture since it has a more pronounced culture than any other countries in Latin America (with the exception of Brazil and Argentina).

The culture reflects the complexity of Mexico’s history through the blending of pre-Hispanic Meso-American civilizations and the culture of Spain, imported during the Spanish colonization of Mexico, which lasted for more than 300 years. Hence the Spanish influence and heritage are deep and rooted here.

You’ll enjoy this richness of history and culture and experience the splendour of Spanish culture’s unique offing. You’ll have a wonderful time getting acquainted with the beautiful people and local buzz in terms of literature, arts, music, dance and songs.

5. Good Infrastructure

Mexico is modern, with better highways than many parts of Latin America and an excellent telephone and Internet infrastructure that connects you pronto with the rest of the world. This level of infrastructure would be important to you if you don’t want to be "inconvenienced by inconveniences", so to speak.

6. Plenty Of Socializing And Entertainment

If you love to socialize and entertain, Mexico is the best place for you to make friends and get merry. Here, eating out is an important form of entertainment.

The Mexicans have turned Mexico and their cities into world-class sources of art and entertainment for virtually every taste.

Whether you’re into modern art museums, avant-garde theater, gallery exhibitions, cult cinema, mariachi bands, dancing to every kind of music from salsa to techno, or just a great corner cantina, you’ll find some parts of the country dedicated to that particular form of expression.

Any urge to do salsa dancing? Cabaret? Singing? No problem at all.

Does retire in Mexico sounds exciting to you? Welcome on board, mate!

Due to her strong yearning to retire early in life, Cecelia Yap has been researching on the subject of retirement. She has found the most "viral" way to grow her retirement nest egg and you too can do what she does, here

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Posted under General

The Wide World Of Golf Jobs

For many outsiders, when asked what golf jobs they can name, a caddy is usually all that they can come up with. The fact is that there are hundreds of different golf jobs on the market today. Obtaining a golf job is as easy today as ever before with the right experience. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what golf jobs are out there, or what ones career choices in golf are, this article is for you.

Golf courses are businesses, and as with any other business, they need lawyers. That’s right, some golf jobs are legal ones, and a lawyer can be a full time employee of a golf course. Golf lawyers typically deal with contracts for members, real estate deals, and other legal related business.

If you have a CPA, and love golf, why not become a golf course accountant? There are many careers for those in the accounting profession. Golf courses typically have a currency of credit that its members use. This in turn requires full time accountants to keep the books in order. This is a special golf job since the accounting is not just the run of the mill tax related tasks; it encompasses dealing with member dues, pro shop revenue, club house restaurant and bar revenue, and much more. This golf job is a great one for anyone that is interested in being an accountant for a golf club.

Another exciting golf job is that of event planner. There are many golf and non-golf related events that occur at a golf course each year. There are tournaments, weddings, and private parties to be planned. This fact creates a need for full time event planners to cater to the needs of the course. This golf job allows one to enjoy working in a fast paced environment with new challenges coming forth daily.

Since golf courses employ a group of staff members, there is a need for a human resources professional at many golf courses worldwide. If you are interested in human resources, this golf job could be for you. The job fits those that are interested in helping others, and administering benefits, rules, and other important elements to each staff member of the course. This golf job is one that will keep you on your toes, and is in great demand today.

If retail is your thing, than consider working in a pro shop at a golf course. The pro shop can be a lively place for customers, and members of the course to spend their hard earned money on equipment for their hobbies. Pro shops typically allow one to enjoy the satisfaction of a thriving retail environment, without having to work late nights, or major holidays. This golf job is one that can quickly help you transition to management for the shop.

Food and beverage is another segment of golf jobs that are easily obtainable. The food and beverage industry is one of the main components of most golf courses in the U.S. today. One can become a catering expert through working at a course, and serving the various parties, and gatherings that they have each week. This golf job is great for anyone that is interested in working in food service with a twist.

There are literally hundreds of other jobs for those wanting to work on a golf course or in a country club environment. The golf jobs listed above are just a small sample of what great jobs are out there for you to obtain. While being a caddy can still be a rewarding career, people should realize that there is so much more to golf jobs than just being a caddy. For those with the passion to discover the jobs that are out there, a rich reward awaits them.

By: Andy West -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Andy West is a freelance writer and communications specialist for SDGA. San Diego Golf Academy is a premier golf school with five locations across the United States. For information on how you may obtain a golf job, please visit www.sdgagolf.com .

 
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Posted under Employment