Introduction, Permanent move from the US in 1 year

[christineb]

Greetings to All!

My name is Christine and I am moving with my husband, James, to Limassol in one year (hopefully). We had a two year moving plan but recently came up with a way to fund both my certification in TOEFL business English AND our move much faster than we originally thought. <snip>

I want to get my TOEFL cert because it will allow me to spend four weeks in Limassol over the summer, and the program also offers job placement. My husband is a graphic designer with 15 years of experience in large format printing and digital graphics as well as extensive knowledge of full color LED video/message displays, so I don't think he'll have much trouble in the gainful employment department.

We made this decision because we are both still young enough to start over and we wish to change our lives for the better. (I am 33 and he is 40.) I have a very good friend in Limassol who moved from the US 12? years ago. She is willing to host us on the short term and even put up with my cat if I can figure out how to bring the cat with me.

Do people move to Cyprus from the US often? Most comprehensive info I find in English is geared toward UK citizens. I will need to know about banking and transfers, importing my kitty cat, and shipping a pallet worth of items. We are only bringing sentimental items, two bicycles, two weeks worth of career wardrobe, two netbooks and a desktop computer. I will probably ship any books I can't part with to my friend, if she's okay with that.

I know this has been a very long post. Thank you for your patience. I will try to be more brief in the future. Any input y'all may have is completely welcome. Hope to see you all soon!

[Cleo Shahateet]

Hi and welcome from a fellow American! There are quite a few Americans here if you know where to look. If you have kids you will find them much more easily as you will be involved with all the kids groups, schools etc.

As for jobs, you seem to have checked out your employment options over here however, I would still make sure you have back up funds just in case. Cost of living is also more expensive than the US especially Austin. Two questions I have are: Have you visited Cyprus before?? And, do you speak Greek? Not that it is necessary but it makes it easier.

As for shipping, we used a company called UPakWeShip that was great and not very expensive compared to all the others and we checked a lot. I don't about pets though.

[christineb]

Hi Cleo,

Thanks for your reply! We don't have kids, but maybe we can meet people anyway.

We have not visited Cyprus before. I have been to Greece and Turkey, though! Also, I plan to get my TOEFL certification in a four week program in Limassol. Hopefully my husband can join me there for part of that time. I have done a lot of research on Cyprus, and have talked to my friend there a great deal over the years.

We don't speak Greek. I can understand a little and I know a few words and phrases I used when visiting my Aunt in Greece. We are trying to learn as much Greek as possible. I have enrolled in an online course and we plan to enroll in a course in the spring.

[Veronica]

You should bear in mind that the Greek which is spoken in Cyprus is not the same as that spoken in Greece.
The Cypriot form of Greek is much closer to the old form of Greek which is only spoken in some small remote villages on the Greek mainland while most of the country speaks a more modern version.

Veronica

[christineb]

Hi Veronica!

Thanks for replying to me! I saw some Cypriot news on the internet, and the Greek definitely sounds different from what I heard in Greece. However, I think that some Greek is better than no Greek at all, right? I am able to speak French (Parisian) with Haitian Creole speakers and we understand each other, so I might be able to work it out in Greek after a few weeks...

I was wondering: when Cleo says that the cost of living is higher in Cyprus than in the US, especially in Austin, what does that mean? I currently pay about $925 (EU622) in rent for a 3 bedroom apartment, $200 (EU134) per month for groceries for two people, $100 - $150 (EU67 - EU100) for energy, $60 (EU 40) for broadband internet, and around $140 (EU94) for 2 mobile phones with data and text services. Of course, we also make a certain amount of money per month here, too. What can I expect when I get to Cyprus as per "average" income and expenditures per month? I know certain groceries are actually less expensive, but other items cost more. Any info on this would be appreciated, as some of the cost of living info I have found is outdated or geared toward UK expats. It will help me plan our budget accordingly.

Ack, sorry, I wasn't very brief. Again. I guess I'm just a wordy person.
Thanks for all the info and your patience, guys.

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by christineb

Hi Veronica!

Thanks for replying to me! I saw some Cypriot news on the internet, and the Greek definitely sounds different from what I heard in Greece. However, I think that some Greek is better than no Greek at all, right? I am able to speak French (Parisian) with Haitian Creole speakers and we understand each other, so I might be able to work it out in Greek after a few weeks...

I was wondering: when Cleo says that the cost of living is higher in Cyprus than in the US, especially in Austin, what does that mean? I currently pay about $925 (EU622) in rent for a 3 bedroom apartment, $200 (EU134) per month for groceries for two people, $100 - $150 (EU67 - EU100) for energy, $60 (EU 40) for broadband internet, and around $140 (EU94) for 2 mobile phones with data and text services. Of course, we also make a certain amount of money per month here, too. What can I expect when I get to Cyprus as per "average" income and expenditures per month? I know certain groceries are actually less expensive, but other items cost more. Any info on this would be appreciated, as some of the cost of living info I have found is outdated or geared toward UK expats. It will help me plan our budget accordingly.

Ack, sorry, I wasn't very brief. Again. I guess I'm just a wordy person.
Thanks for all the info and your patience, guys.

Yes you are right that some Greek is better than none and you can adapt to Cypriot Greek once you are here, in fact even different parts of Cyprus have thier own dialect.
As for the cost of living here, it does sound as though it is more expensive than the USA. Rent wont be a lot different but other costs are certainly higher than those you have quoted.
The internet and mobile phones wont be any higher but groceries will be a lot higher.

Veronica

[Cleo Shahateet]

Originally Posted by christineb

Hi Veronica!

Thanks for replying to me! I saw some Cypriot news on the internet, and the Greek definitely sounds different from what I heard in Greece. However, I think that some Greek is better than no Greek at all, right? I am able to speak French (Parisian) with Haitian Creole speakers and we understand each other, so I might be able to work it out in Greek after a few weeks...

I was wondering: when Cleo says that the cost of living is higher in Cyprus than in the US, especially in Austin, what does that mean? I currently pay about $925 (EU622) in rent for a 3 bedroom apartment, $200 (EU134) per month for groceries for two people, $100 - $150 (EU67 - EU100) for energy, $60 (EU 40) for broadband internet, and around $140 (EU94) for 2 mobile phones with data and text services. Of course, we also make a certain amount of money per month here, too. What can I expect when I get to Cyprus as per "average" income and expenditures per month? I know certain groceries are actually less expensive, but other items cost more. Any info on this would be appreciated, as some of the cost of living info I have found is outdated or geared toward UK expats. It will help me plan our budget accordingly.

Ack, sorry, I wasn't very brief. Again. I guess I'm just a wordy person.
Thanks for all the info and your patience, guys.

Hi Christine,

We moved from Washington DC area and I am from Chicago both of which are much more expensive than Austin and Cyprus is more expensive than DC. We are a family of 4 - two being toddlers - and we pay about 200 Euros A WEEK for groceries and of course that is in addition to all the free/inexpensive fruits and veg. Gas is about 80 - 100 Euros a week for one car. Restaurants are much more - even American chains like TGIF are much more than what they are in the US. Restuarants in general are much more - there is no quick, inexpensive on the run food like Panera, Subway, Chipotle etc. except Mcdonalds Electricity is more too.
Average income I would say is about 1000 Euros a month.

I am not trying to be a downer but I don't want you to be shocked either.
I would suggest coming over for a month or so if you can to really investigate it all and the job situation before you make the big move.

[kimonas]

Our grocery bill is probably in excess of 250 a week (but we have two infants gobbling up formula and experimenting with finger food like a couple of trainee Sumo wrestlers). It'll be cheaper if you have no kids to worry about but you're still probably looking at over 400 a month for groceries. I'd agree with Cleo about the salary - wages here are very poor compared to the rest of the developed world. The average has probably increased a little in the last year or so, but it's probably not much more than 1000 a month. Many people have two jobs - when I first arrived in Cyprus a few years ago, I worked as a teacher in the mornings, and gave lessons in the afternoons at a Language Institute, and then gave some evening classes and one or two Saturday lessons. It meant that I worked in excess of a 48 hour week, but my take home was about 2300 Euro a month. I couldn't keep that up though as it was exhausting. I now have one job (38 hour week) but earn about the same - but such 'well paying' jobs are difficult to find, but they are there if you are determined enough.

Good luck!

[christineb]

This thread has been more informative than most of the research I've done in the past year!

I expected a lot of what most of you are telling me, but I was nervous: I knew the cost of living was higher and that wages were lower, but I didn't know to what degree. Now I can make better plans! My friend owns several businesses in Limassol, but I want to try to get us jobs "under our own steam," as it were.

I am hoping we have something before we go, but just in case, how long do some people wait before getting employed once they move to Cyprus? (More budgeting! )

Also, I have an MA in English, and will be getting my cert in TEFL. Any chance I could teach at a regular school, or will I be relying solely on TEFL placement services? (It's ok if no one knows anything about this.) Thanks to all!

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by christineb

This thread has been more informative than most of the research I've done in the past year!

I expected a lot of what most of you are telling me, but I was nervous: I knew the cost of living was higher and that wages were lower, but I didn't know to what degree. Now I can make better plans! My friend owns several businesses in Limassol, but I want to try to get us jobs "under our own steam," as it were.

I am hoping we have something before we go, but just in case, how long do some people wait before getting employed once they move to Cyprus? (More budgeting! )

Also, I have an MA in English, and will be getting my cert in TEFL. Any chance I could teach at a regular school, or will I be relying solely on TEFL placement services? (It's ok if no one knows anything about this.) Thanks to all!

Kimonas is the one who can tell you about jobs in education here.
I expect he will soon be along to tell you