Thank you for visiting the Expat Arrivals Forum. We have thousands of local expats waiting to answer your questions on living and working abroad.

Read our terms of use.

Filter by Destination:

Mission trip to Ibidan

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Nigeria
My family is looking into possibly spending a few months in Ibidan, about 80 miles from Lagos, on a mission trip. We have 4 children, ages 2-16 and will be assisting at a Christian based church/school. We are both well travelled and lived abraod before, so a basic, condervative lifestyle would suit us. We have some queries though: 1) What kind of monthly expenses should we budget for with regards rent in Ibidan? 2) How is the sanitation? 3) Is it difficult to obtain visas? 4) What kind of food costs should we expect (compared to US prices)? 5) Is the area safe?

Shipping company from Philadelphia to Abu Dhabi

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Abu Dhabi
We are moving to Abu Dhabi from Philadelphia in early January. First of all I am thinking if we should bring along all our furniture - we heard things are expensive there. Have anybody shipped stuff to Abu Dhabi? Second, I would appreciate if one could suggest any shipping company for the job. Any idea how much it would cost to ship a total of 800 to 1000 cubic ft of furniture? Thanks,

I get a job offer from a Bank in Doha, Qatar, is it enough salary for family of 3 kids?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Qatar
Hi.. I got job offer in a Bank, in Doha. The salary is QR 20K/month. All include in it (house allownc, transportation, utilities, air ticket). No school allowances for my sons (9,7,5 years old). Is it OK with the salary to have a decent life? Or is it too small amount? Regards,

Settling in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Abu Dhabi
Hello, I am 25 years old, married person staying in India, and wanting to relocate to Abu Dhabi as a new job is awaiting there for me. Offered salary is AED 7000/- per month. My wife is a professional kid-garden teacher and has a 4 years of experience. She will find a job after reaching there. What should i keep in mind before confirming the job ? Off-course accommodation, transportation, driving license expenses etc. are on my account. Will i be able to save a minimum of 2500 AED per month ? And what about Health insurance ?

Ahmedabad - Cost of Living, Quality of Life

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: India
Hello, I am an IT professional relocating to Ahmedabad from BANGALORE in October 2012. My wife is a Home-maker. We are pure vegetarians. Please let me know the information pertaining to my below queries: A. How is the COST OF LIVING standards in Ahmedabad? B. I am looking for Multi-storeyed Apartment (2/3-BHK) in and around Ellis bridge, Ambavadi areas. What could be the approximate rent in these locations? Are there accessible amenities nearby? (such as Super-Market, Hospital, Bus-stops, Parks etc) C.

Shipping company from Miami to Perth?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Perth
Hi I really need assistance to find a reliable and affordable shipping company to move my personal effects to Perth. I'm currently in Miami and heading to Perth- Permanent Residency- in December this year. I've been searching for shipping companies and am rather confused by it all. the first offered to ship everything door - to door for 2,000 USD without looking at my shipment (approximately 120 cubic feet), asking me basic questions about my visa, they didn't send me any forms to complete etc..

Good health insurance in Belgium?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Belgium
Good Morning, I would like to know if you can help me to find a very good health insurance in Belgium ... with good covering, and especially in hospitalization, dental and orthodontic ... oriented to the expats concerns ... I found this very interesting site: welcometobelgium.net with a lot of tips and information ... Any help, comments and suggestions ? Thank you very much Cheers, Mary

Where to find information on retiring in Ghana?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Ghana
Is it possible and where do I find information on retiring in Ghana? I believe that having Social Security direct deposited in international banks is approved and acceptable. My wife is from Ghana and I would like to relocate there to be with her and my family. Is this a major undertaking? Is immigration too much to deal with for me to live and retire in Ghana? Or is it recommended that I bring my family from Ghana to the USA?

How long does it take to get a job offer in Hong Kong?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Hong Kong

Hello I am planning to shift to HongKong next year on quality migrant visa from India. I have two ueries: 1. How much time does it usually take to get job after moving to HongKong. 2. I noticed the International / English school have long waiting list. Will there be waiting list for admission in these school for grade 11 as well? Thanks VV

Moving to Albufeira and open a shop?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: The Algarve
Hey there, Im from Bucharest, Romania. Currently i have a hippie shop in Bucharest, Romania and i want to move completely in Albufeira. I want to ask you some questions about my intention to move in Albufeira and to open a hippie shop there and i hope do not mind if there are to many questions, it is very important for me to know the opinion of someone who already lives there and give me some very useful tips.

Monthly expenses estimation while doing Masters at University of Cape Town

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Cape Town

I am going for my Masters education in Cape Town University... PLease tell me what would be the estimate for monthly expenses if I live in most economical fashion? And what are the job prospects for public health practitioners there???

Cost of Living Comparision - Doha vs Riyadh

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Qatar

Hi, I have 2 job offers at the moment, one in Doha and the other in Riyadh, the salaries are roughly the same with Saudi paying about 3k riyals higher. I have Saudi is very strict with rules for Women and they cannot work or drive there. I might choose to opt for qatar (Doha). What the current prevailing rent rates in Doha for a one bedroom hall kitchen and cos of living compared to Dubai or Saudi. The salary being offerred is 16k and we are a couple. Wife would surely work but that would be at a later date. Thanks and looking forward to your reply as I have a couple of days to respond.

Should I learn Egyptian Arabic or Eastern Arabic to speak fluently in Qatar?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Qatar
I am already living in Doha, Qatar and want to learn Arabic. The course I am about to take is either Egyptian Arabic or Eastern Arabic and I don't know which one would be best to learn seeing as we live here and will be for some years to come! I hope a kind Qatari will answer my query or someone who really knows which one to choose? please? Many thanks for your help. Kind regards, Helen (an Aussie who loves Doha!)

Moving household goods to Zambia from U.K

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Zambia
Hi, I plan to move to Zambia next year. I have heard there is import tax even on used goods. I would just like to know other expats experiences. Did you have to pay tax on your used household goods when shipped to Zambia? Would it be better to buy everything anew, is the quality good? Thanks :)

Do I have to open a Taiwan bank account?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Taiwan
I read on a Taiwan tourism website that I can draw money straight out of my account at home and some ATMs will even show my bank balance in my home country's currency (which in my case is South Africa). I'm not sure I believe this - I have a friend in Taiwan who is teaching English and she said she had to open a Taiwanese bank account. Who is right?

Moving to Stockholm...is my salary enough?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Sweden
I'm thinking of taking up a teaching contract at a university in Stockholm but I've heard the cost of living in Sweden is very high, and I'm not sure my salary will cover everything. I've got two kids who will need to go to a good school, which is an additional worry....Anyone got any insights?

Regarding a Visa for Bahrain

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Bahrain
I dont know where to start but i'll give you a brief description . Mother and her 2 sons are in bahrain . visa expired since 2005. due to the husbands death in India couldn't resolve the visa matter. Mother is housewife. Sons were born in bahrain. they have applied for bahraini nationality. one son is 24 and other is 20 . all were educated at the ISB Now the solution looking for is . Is there a way they can legalize their stay in bahrain. is there any way they can be sponsored all three by a family visa .

St Johns College in Johannesburg - is it worth the high fees?

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Johannesburg
St Johns college seems to cost as much as the American International School does - almost 130,000 a year for the senior grades! I have to ask - is it worth it? What's the school like? Since the kids are getting the same SA school leaving certificate as anyone else, is it really worth paying five times as much as a decent public school?

British International College in Johannesburg

Expert Info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Destination: Johannesburg
Does anyone have kids or have friends with kids at the British International College in Johannesburg? What is the standard of teaching there? Does it compare well with schools in the UK? What are their IGSCE and A-Level results like by UK national standards? What are the teachers and class sizes like?

Any comments and insights welcome.

Expat Health Insurance

Cigna Health Insurance

Cigna Global Health Insurance

Moving your family abroad can be intimidating, but learning about medical options such as family health insurance early on can help you successfully settle in.

Limited-time offer: 10%* off for life!

Get covered today and enjoy 10%* off your health insurance policy!

Get a Free Quote

*T&Cs apply

Moving Internationally?

Sirelo logo

International Movers. Get Quotes. Compare Prices.

Sirelo has a network of more than 500 international removal companies that can move your furniture and possessions to your new home. By filling in a form, you’ll get up to 5 quotes from recommended movers. This service is free of charge and will help you select an international moving company that suits your needs and budget.

Get your free no-obligation quotes from select removal companies now!