Norwegian media have reported a number of violent assaults in the Oslo area over the past several months. These include a daytime knife attack on a tram near Solli plass on January 5th and two stabbings near Oslo Central Station on January 10th. Parks can be especially dangerous, even Slottsparken (The Palace Park) across from the U.S. Embassy, which has been the site of multiple assaults. Read More »
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General issue the following emergency message for U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Nigeria.
International and domestic air travel remain disrupted on day three of a nationwide strike protesting the Nigerian government’s decision to end its subsidy on gasoline. While the international airports in both Abuja and Lagos remain open, most airlines have cancelled incoming and departing flights. All domestic airports nationwide have closed, with all domestic flights grounded. Given the fluid situation, we advise U.S. citizens to confirm flight schedules directly with airlines before they travel to the airport. Read More »
I enjoy culture shock from time to time. Traveling abroad is a welcomed interruption in my otherwise ordinary life. New foods, exotic traditions, foreign languages—these are some of the things I love the most about visiting a new country. Whether I travel off the beaten bath or into a thriving metropolis, the adventure of a new place prods me to book my next overseas flight.
A few of my fondest memories include getting lost in the Tahitian rainforest only to stumble upon a picturesque waterfall; sharing a single bus seat with two adults, children, and chickens in Mozambique; and touring underground cities thousands of years old in Istanbul.
Along with fond memories, I’ve also experienced some pretty nerve-wracking situations. Read More »
Author: Adam Bates
Brazil will host the football World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. The country has launched many large-scale infrastructure projects for these events that offer lucrative business opportunities for foreign companies. Take a look at the US Commercial Service’s special web pages that list opportunities related to these events.
According to the FITA, The Brazilian Ministry of Commerce recently announced that the country had a trade surplus of around 30 billion USD in 2011, an increase of 47.8% over 2010. Exports of goods increased by 26.8% to USD 256 billion, while imports rose 25.7% to USD 226 billion. It is the largest trade surplus since 2007.
In 2011 Brazil became the sixth global economy in terms of GDP, ranking ahead of countries like the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and Spain. The country has particularly benefited in recent years from strong global demand for soybeans and iron ore, which are among its leading exports. In addition, the Brazilian government has implemented tax incentives to promote exports.
An expat living in Santiago, Chile wrote a very interesting post over Expat Exchange. Chile is south of the equator so Christmas is right in the middle of summer and end of the school year. Traditional US festivities, baking cookies and decorations are not the norm. The focus of Christmas in Chile is mostly religious. As the Expat Exchange post explains:
The main attraction in the home is the creche or “pesebre” with the baby Jesus missing from the manger until midnight Christmas Eve. Families will have holiday meals. Frozen turkey is beginning to become popular, but given it’s summer many choose cold plates of meat, or asados/barbeques. The holiday drink is cola de mono, made with aguardiente, sugar, milk, coffee and spiced with cloves, cinnamon and orange zest. As midnight arrives the families may attend midnight mass. When they return the baby Jesus is placed in his spot and the presents are ripped opened.
Bathing suits are more popular than scarves, gloves and coats and water skiing is more popular than snow skiing as families head to the beach to try and cool off.
Read more about Christmas in Chile at ExpatExchange.com.
Have a Merry Christmas!
One of the single most important issues for all families across the world is protecting them against the challenging surprises of life. This can become a particular concern for expats, as each country is different.
There is a wide range of policies on the market that should suit everyone; the tricky bit is picking which ones are suitable! Christopher Wicks director of Bridgewater Financial Services says:
“It is imperative that an assessment is carried out by either an international bank, or an independent specialist protection adviser to avoid over- or underinsuring.”
