Watch out for a major change in July this year. Yes folks, this is the month that Cyprus will cease to broadcast analogue television channels. So what do you do? First of all, don’t believe all the rumours that are circulating – and there are many. Do you really need to buy a new television? Do you really need to buy a new aerial? Help!
Well don’t panic. It is true that if you have an old analogue television, you will not be able to receive television programmes without making any changes at all.
But the biggest scam at the moment – and one you should watch out for - is over aerials. There is a lot of confusion. The truth of the matter is, that if you have already have a perfectly good television aerial that is working, then the chances are you do not need to buy a new one.
Don’t be taken in by fearful sales tactics, because you could end up spending a small fortune for something you already have.
And watch out for this one too.
If you are persuaded to buy a top box which will, in all fairness, enable you to receive a digital signal and convert it so you can view television programmes, you will not be able to see any programmes in high definition. And as high definition is the way forward, it doesn’t seem to make any sense to do this …
The perfect solution is to buy a new high definition television set which already has a built in digital receiver and a built in digibox. Research these on the internet first and double-check forums, they are full of useful information that may help you.
Although buying a new TV does mean you incurring more expense - amongst other advantages - the picture quality will be much better than you would have received before.
By the time July comes, I’m told all the necessary transponders should be place. In fact, in most of the larger towns, digital signals are already being transmitted, so if your television is quite new, and has an auto scan facility, you may already be able to tune in.
Why not give it a try?
Until next week
Best wishes
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Important information about schools in Cyprus
Due to the way the education system works over here, if you are moving to Cyprus with children, it is very important to arrange their schooling before you arrive. If you are a parent, you need to find the school first because there are often waiting lists. You should also be aware that at private schools, both parents and children are carefully interviewed for suitability. At these particular schools, potential pupils will also need to undergo entrance examinations, which they must pass in order to gain admittance.
Right, now let me tell you more.
Education is mainly free at Greek state schools - but is compulsory. If you have children who don’t speak Greek yet, special lessons will be given to them to make integrating easier. By the way, foreign children are actively encouraged to join state schools.
Attendance at all schools in Cyprus, whether private or state, is required on five days of the week – Monday to Friday. A school year in Cyprus is divided into just three terms of three months. Classes tend to be small in numbers.
Education is provided free of charge at state schools as follows:
1. For primary education, for children who are aged between five years and eight months and 11 years and eight months. There is, however, a condition for enrolment into primary state schools. As a parent, you must provide proof of pre-school attendance for your child for the 12 months from four years and eight months to five years and eight months.
2. For lower secondary education, for children aged between 11 years and eight months and 15 years of age. Children are admitted to lower secondary education on age, but they must be in possession of a primary school leaving certificate.
3. For upper secondary education for children aged between 15 and 18 years of age. Any children who want training for a technical occupation are able to attend a technical school, where the diplomas are equivalent to upper secondary education.
In Cyprus, there are currently 188 private nurseries, 26 private primary and 31 private secondary schools operating with Ministry of Education and Culture approval. You can call them on (00 357) 22 800 600 for further information.
Let’s move on to fees so you can get an idea of costs. For pre-school children, at private nursery school, you will need to budget approximately €1500-€3000 per child, per year. For older children, private school fees range between €4500 and €6500 per pupil, per year.
Fees do vary from school to school and the more popular the school, generally the more expensive the fees. Remember you also need to budget for after school activities, school uniforms, books, additional private lessons (which are very common in Cyprus) and the one to watch out for – examination fees. These can be quite hefty and if a re-take is necessary, a further fee is payable.
My best advice is to always visit several schools before you make your final decision. Good schools will allow your child to attend for a day to see if they like it. Oh, and make sure you get a written contract showing what your fees cover and then there are no nasty surprises!
Finally, if you do decide to go the private route for education, and you are paying your fees from the UK, don’t move the money over using a bank as you could unknowingly lose hundreds of pounds in the process. Why not try Smart Currency Exchange? That’s who I use – www.SmartCurrencyExchange.com – they move money all over the world in numerous different currencies - and I guarantee you will get a far better exchange than the bank!
Have fun finding your schools, if you need any further information, remember to email me.
Until next week
Best wishes
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Right, now let me tell you more.
Education is mainly free at Greek state schools - but is compulsory. If you have children who don’t speak Greek yet, special lessons will be given to them to make integrating easier. By the way, foreign children are actively encouraged to join state schools.
Attendance at all schools in Cyprus, whether private or state, is required on five days of the week – Monday to Friday. A school year in Cyprus is divided into just three terms of three months. Classes tend to be small in numbers.
Education is provided free of charge at state schools as follows:
1. For primary education, for children who are aged between five years and eight months and 11 years and eight months. There is, however, a condition for enrolment into primary state schools. As a parent, you must provide proof of pre-school attendance for your child for the 12 months from four years and eight months to five years and eight months.
2. For lower secondary education, for children aged between 11 years and eight months and 15 years of age. Children are admitted to lower secondary education on age, but they must be in possession of a primary school leaving certificate.
3. For upper secondary education for children aged between 15 and 18 years of age. Any children who want training for a technical occupation are able to attend a technical school, where the diplomas are equivalent to upper secondary education.
In Cyprus, there are currently 188 private nurseries, 26 private primary and 31 private secondary schools operating with Ministry of Education and Culture approval. You can call them on (00 357) 22 800 600 for further information.
Let’s move on to fees so you can get an idea of costs. For pre-school children, at private nursery school, you will need to budget approximately €1500-€3000 per child, per year. For older children, private school fees range between €4500 and €6500 per pupil, per year.
Fees do vary from school to school and the more popular the school, generally the more expensive the fees. Remember you also need to budget for after school activities, school uniforms, books, additional private lessons (which are very common in Cyprus) and the one to watch out for – examination fees. These can be quite hefty and if a re-take is necessary, a further fee is payable.
My best advice is to always visit several schools before you make your final decision. Good schools will allow your child to attend for a day to see if they like it. Oh, and make sure you get a written contract showing what your fees cover and then there are no nasty surprises!
Finally, if you do decide to go the private route for education, and you are paying your fees from the UK, don’t move the money over using a bank as you could unknowingly lose hundreds of pounds in the process. Why not try Smart Currency Exchange? That’s who I use – www.SmartCurrencyExchange.com – they move money all over the world in numerous different currencies - and I guarantee you will get a far better exchange than the bank!
Have fun finding your schools, if you need any further information, remember to email me.
Until next week
Best wishes
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Holidays and Coptic Storms in Cyprus 2011
For those of you planning to come to Cyprus this year, here are some important dates to be aware of in the Cypriot calendar. Easter doesn’t always fall at the same time as the UK, but for 2011 it does – so get your flights booked early as it’s the most popular time of the year in Cyprus for taking holidays.
Compared to the UK, Cyprus receives 17 official Public Holidays. Pop these in your diary:
01 January New Years Day
06 January Epiphany Day
07 March Green Monday
25 March Greek Independence Day
01 April Cyprus National Day
22 April Good Friday
23 April Good Saturday
24 April Easter Day
25 April Easter Monday
26 April Easter Tuesday
01 May Labour Day
13 June Whitsun Monday
15 August Assumption Day
01 October Cyprus Independence Day
28 October Greek National Holiday
25 December Christmas Day
26 December Boxing Day
You might also want to consider the Coptic storms we have here. Coptic storms are gales that come in from Egypt. They range from being mild to very strong and usually last for an average of 3 days:
The Coptic Chart
11 January Gale
19 January Large feeder gale
28 January Gale
18 February Small sun gale
10 March Equinox gale (lasts double the usual time)
20 March Big sun gale
25 March Wind gale
29 April Sand laden west winds (hot and sandy)
27 September Cross winds
21 October Crusade
28 November Broom gale – very strong
6 December Gale
20 December Small feeder gale
I hope this information has been useful. Remember to email me if you have questions, I’m always happy to help you with anything you need to know about Cyprus.
Until next week.
Best wishes
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Compared to the UK, Cyprus receives 17 official Public Holidays. Pop these in your diary:
01 January New Years Day
06 January Epiphany Day
07 March Green Monday
25 March Greek Independence Day
01 April Cyprus National Day
22 April Good Friday
23 April Good Saturday
24 April Easter Day
25 April Easter Monday
26 April Easter Tuesday
01 May Labour Day
13 June Whitsun Monday
15 August Assumption Day
01 October Cyprus Independence Day
28 October Greek National Holiday
25 December Christmas Day
26 December Boxing Day
You might also want to consider the Coptic storms we have here. Coptic storms are gales that come in from Egypt. They range from being mild to very strong and usually last for an average of 3 days:
The Coptic Chart
11 January Gale
19 January Large feeder gale
28 January Gale
18 February Small sun gale
10 March Equinox gale (lasts double the usual time)
20 March Big sun gale
25 March Wind gale
29 April Sand laden west winds (hot and sandy)
27 September Cross winds
21 October Crusade
28 November Broom gale – very strong
6 December Gale
20 December Small feeder gale
I hope this information has been useful. Remember to email me if you have questions, I’m always happy to help you with anything you need to know about Cyprus.
Until next week.
Best wishes
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Start your New Year with a bang!
Happy New Year and welcome to 2011! That should be a good start, shouldn’t it? But if you aren’t full of the joys of spring – and are tired, miserable, bored and not sure which path you should be following in life, then there is no better month than January to give yourself a new start.
First of all, get your enthusiasms flowing. Without this, nothing will happen – how often do you see a positive person who is miserable? So if you are considering moving to Cyprus, now is the time to stop thinking about it and get a firm plan in place.
If you didn’t receive your Cyprus Buying Guide as a Christmas present, now is the time to treat yourself, especially as the 2011 version has just been published – just go to www.CyprusBuyingGuide.com and get the wheels in motion.
OK. Let’s move on. Our Christmas and New Year were great. We stayed in Cyprus and went to a bistro in the next village where we had a traditional Christmas Day including games, which after a few glasses of wine become funnier and funnier. Have you ever played “What’s in the sock?” It’s hilarious!
New Year was spent with all our friends at a cabaret night, we had a smashing time. I have to say, I didn’t expect to see one of the guests, a lady well into her 60’s, grabbing hold of one of the pillars in the venue and starting to pole dance. The whole place collapsed into fits of laughter, she was absolutely hilarious. Well, the climate in Cyprus does keep you very fit and healthy, and she certainly demonstrated that she had no problems with her joints!
The weather in Cyprus was unbelievable over the festive period. On Christmas Day, we had breakfast outside and opened all our presents by the swimming pool. It reached 25 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. When we switched on the television later and saw the conditions in the UK, we felt very privileged to be here. We normally spend Christmas back in England, but are quite glad we didn’t this year!
In Cyprus, it tends to stay around 20-25 degrees until about the middle of January – then our winter really begins. It then feels really cold (at least by our standards) and it is frequently wet, windy and damp. Where we live though, the temperature doesn’t usually drop below 5 degrees at night.
We still have sunshine during the day and even in the winter, on a good day at lunchtime you can still pop your swimsuit on and top up your tan. Mind you – by 4pm, you have your thermals and thick socks on! The tiles on the floors of these villas are very cold in the winter – that’s when I really miss fitted carpets and good insulation.
OK. My final thought for this week. Get a plan for 2011. I find nothing happens without a plan. I’m a huge plan fan. Know where you are going. Know what you want to achieve. Follow your goals for a new beginning and celebrate the New Year with renewed enthusiasm for an exciting time ahead.
Remember - positive thinking really does make things happen – I speak from experience!
Best wishes and good luck for 2011
Until next week.
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
First of all, get your enthusiasms flowing. Without this, nothing will happen – how often do you see a positive person who is miserable? So if you are considering moving to Cyprus, now is the time to stop thinking about it and get a firm plan in place.
If you didn’t receive your Cyprus Buying Guide as a Christmas present, now is the time to treat yourself, especially as the 2011 version has just been published – just go to www.CyprusBuyingGuide.com and get the wheels in motion.
OK. Let’s move on. Our Christmas and New Year were great. We stayed in Cyprus and went to a bistro in the next village where we had a traditional Christmas Day including games, which after a few glasses of wine become funnier and funnier. Have you ever played “What’s in the sock?” It’s hilarious!
New Year was spent with all our friends at a cabaret night, we had a smashing time. I have to say, I didn’t expect to see one of the guests, a lady well into her 60’s, grabbing hold of one of the pillars in the venue and starting to pole dance. The whole place collapsed into fits of laughter, she was absolutely hilarious. Well, the climate in Cyprus does keep you very fit and healthy, and she certainly demonstrated that she had no problems with her joints!
The weather in Cyprus was unbelievable over the festive period. On Christmas Day, we had breakfast outside and opened all our presents by the swimming pool. It reached 25 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. When we switched on the television later and saw the conditions in the UK, we felt very privileged to be here. We normally spend Christmas back in England, but are quite glad we didn’t this year!
In Cyprus, it tends to stay around 20-25 degrees until about the middle of January – then our winter really begins. It then feels really cold (at least by our standards) and it is frequently wet, windy and damp. Where we live though, the temperature doesn’t usually drop below 5 degrees at night.
We still have sunshine during the day and even in the winter, on a good day at lunchtime you can still pop your swimsuit on and top up your tan. Mind you – by 4pm, you have your thermals and thick socks on! The tiles on the floors of these villas are very cold in the winter – that’s when I really miss fitted carpets and good insulation.
OK. My final thought for this week. Get a plan for 2011. I find nothing happens without a plan. I’m a huge plan fan. Know where you are going. Know what you want to achieve. Follow your goals for a new beginning and celebrate the New Year with renewed enthusiasm for an exciting time ahead.
Remember - positive thinking really does make things happen – I speak from experience!
Best wishes and good luck for 2011
Until next week.
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Remember to trim your trunk!
I hope “Yule” find these top ten tips really “Yulesful” (ha ha) As far as I am concerned, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a real tree. From going to the forest and choosing it, to bringing it home and lovingly decorating it. But how do keep your tree in tip-top condition and get it to last the festive period? Here are my top ten tips:
1. First and foremost, pick a really bushy tree that doesn’t drop its needles, ideally a fir. Although they cost a bit more, they are worth it. If you can find one with a rootball, so much the better, as this will last longer.
2. Trim your trunk! Freshly cut Christmas trees need to drink straight away, so chop off an inch or two and put the tree in a bucket of water overnight before decorating. Contrary to popular belief, drilling a hole in the bottom of the tree trunk does not mean it will take water up any quicker, so don’t bother.
3. Put your tree in a suitable container, making sure it stands firm. Christmas trees easily topple over when laden with decorations – I speak from first hand experience!
4. Make sure you can water your tree easily and remember to top it up every day because it will dry out quickly. Start off with at least a gallon of water – Christmas trees are very thirsty.
5. Did you know it is beneficial to add some sugar to the water? But don’t do what flower arrangers do and add some aspirin – save that for a hangover.
6. Although it may be tempting, don’t put your fresh tree in soil or sand. This might seem a sensible thing to do, but it actually blocks the pores in the tree bark and will prevent it from drinking.
7. Don’t put your tree too close to any heating, for example a radiator or an open fire. This will make it dry out even quicker – and can be a fire hazard too.
8. Although it might be tempting as this is an easy option, don’t buy a Christmas tree that has already been set in a block of wood as the tree can’t drink. It will drop its needles and die very quickly.
9. Turn the tree lights off at night.
10. And finally, when the New Year comes, be environmentally friendly and recycle your tree for mulch.
In Cyprus, the Forestry Commission has trees on sale at all the stations around the island. They are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm up until 22 December. Pine trees, two to three metres are either eight or ten euros. Fir trees - which are the best – are around 50 euros for one to two metres.
The Paphos station is in Yeroskipou. You can call them on (00 357) 26 30 62 66 for further information.
Oh, and if you are looking for logs for your fire, the Forestry Commission will be able to help you with those too. Sometimes you can even cut your own.
And finally, if you really love trees, why not contact your local municipality in the New Year? There is a service now whereby the municipality staff will give come along to your property, supply and plant a tree for you free of charge. All you have to do is agree to maintain it.
Merry Christmas
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
1. First and foremost, pick a really bushy tree that doesn’t drop its needles, ideally a fir. Although they cost a bit more, they are worth it. If you can find one with a rootball, so much the better, as this will last longer.
2. Trim your trunk! Freshly cut Christmas trees need to drink straight away, so chop off an inch or two and put the tree in a bucket of water overnight before decorating. Contrary to popular belief, drilling a hole in the bottom of the tree trunk does not mean it will take water up any quicker, so don’t bother.
3. Put your tree in a suitable container, making sure it stands firm. Christmas trees easily topple over when laden with decorations – I speak from first hand experience!
4. Make sure you can water your tree easily and remember to top it up every day because it will dry out quickly. Start off with at least a gallon of water – Christmas trees are very thirsty.
5. Did you know it is beneficial to add some sugar to the water? But don’t do what flower arrangers do and add some aspirin – save that for a hangover.
6. Although it may be tempting, don’t put your fresh tree in soil or sand. This might seem a sensible thing to do, but it actually blocks the pores in the tree bark and will prevent it from drinking.
7. Don’t put your tree too close to any heating, for example a radiator or an open fire. This will make it dry out even quicker – and can be a fire hazard too.
8. Although it might be tempting as this is an easy option, don’t buy a Christmas tree that has already been set in a block of wood as the tree can’t drink. It will drop its needles and die very quickly.
9. Turn the tree lights off at night.
10. And finally, when the New Year comes, be environmentally friendly and recycle your tree for mulch.
In Cyprus, the Forestry Commission has trees on sale at all the stations around the island. They are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm up until 22 December. Pine trees, two to three metres are either eight or ten euros. Fir trees - which are the best – are around 50 euros for one to two metres.
The Paphos station is in Yeroskipou. You can call them on (00 357) 26 30 62 66 for further information.
Oh, and if you are looking for logs for your fire, the Forestry Commission will be able to help you with those too. Sometimes you can even cut your own.
And finally, if you really love trees, why not contact your local municipality in the New Year? There is a service now whereby the municipality staff will give come along to your property, supply and plant a tree for you free of charge. All you have to do is agree to maintain it.
Merry Christmas
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
It’s behind you!
Two village idiots were assembling something. One said, “When I nod my head, you hit it." It gets worse. “What did Cinderella say when the Chemist lost her photographs? Someday my prints will come!” You’ve guessed. It’s time to forget your inhibitions, let your hair down and realise that it’s perfectly acceptable to become a five-year old again.
“Oh no it isn’t … oh yes it is!” Okay, okay, enough is enough. I’m sure you realise by now that the traditional pantomime is alive and kicking in Cyprus – and how fabulous that there’s more than one production to see.
You can “boo” and “hiss” to your heart’s delight, no matter what age you are, nobody cares. And in fact, the more you “boo” and “hiss” the more the actors love it - and the better the pantomime becomes. The atmosphere is always electric and it’s fair to say you’ll probably leave utterly exhausted - just as I did last weekend! Ah well, the big kid in all of us has to come out sometimes.
But that’s not the only entertainment available for you in Cyprus at Christmas. It’s endless. There are beautiful shows, gala dinners, special exhibitions, wonderful concerts, fabulous dinner dances – the list goes on. One thing is for sure, you certainly won’t be bored.
At Christmas time, Cyprus is beautifully decorated with striking displays of twinkling lights, Santa, reindeers, elves, sleighs and more. The town and surrounding villages come alive and are very picturesque when darkness falls, offering great opportunities for budding photographers.
Beautiful poinsettias are now in abundance, with most households displaying these outside their front doors. Of course, the weather here makes that possible. Oh, and the roses, I mustn’t forget the roses. They are now all out in full bloom in everyone’s gardens and the scents are quite incredible.
At Christmas, roses here smell like the old-fashioned English versions, and these, combined with jasmines, fill the air with the most amazing fragrances. Because mountain air is so fresh and clean, the scents are stronger than you would ever find in the UK. Fortunately, I live in the mountains, so get to experience this first hand.
While we are talking about scents, there are also those of the oranges, mandarins, clementines, lemons and grapefruits. I go walking in the mountains every day at this time of the year and as I pass by these groves, I often pick a few on the way to take home. Nothing could be fresher, their taste is superb.
The pomegranate trees are currently laden with fruits the size of small footballs. The almond groves are almost harvested now and by the way – freshly picked almonds are delicious. Once you have tasted these straight from the trees, you will never like the packet versions again. Although the almond trees look very dark and sparse now, when they flower again in the spring the sight is spectacular, with seas of pink and white blossom everywhere.
Finally, at this time of the year, temperatures are still between 20 and 25 degrees with beautiful blue skies.
It’s no wonder Christmas shopping hasn’t really started!
See you next week
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
“Oh no it isn’t … oh yes it is!” Okay, okay, enough is enough. I’m sure you realise by now that the traditional pantomime is alive and kicking in Cyprus – and how fabulous that there’s more than one production to see.
You can “boo” and “hiss” to your heart’s delight, no matter what age you are, nobody cares. And in fact, the more you “boo” and “hiss” the more the actors love it - and the better the pantomime becomes. The atmosphere is always electric and it’s fair to say you’ll probably leave utterly exhausted - just as I did last weekend! Ah well, the big kid in all of us has to come out sometimes.
But that’s not the only entertainment available for you in Cyprus at Christmas. It’s endless. There are beautiful shows, gala dinners, special exhibitions, wonderful concerts, fabulous dinner dances – the list goes on. One thing is for sure, you certainly won’t be bored.
At Christmas time, Cyprus is beautifully decorated with striking displays of twinkling lights, Santa, reindeers, elves, sleighs and more. The town and surrounding villages come alive and are very picturesque when darkness falls, offering great opportunities for budding photographers.
Beautiful poinsettias are now in abundance, with most households displaying these outside their front doors. Of course, the weather here makes that possible. Oh, and the roses, I mustn’t forget the roses. They are now all out in full bloom in everyone’s gardens and the scents are quite incredible.
At Christmas, roses here smell like the old-fashioned English versions, and these, combined with jasmines, fill the air with the most amazing fragrances. Because mountain air is so fresh and clean, the scents are stronger than you would ever find in the UK. Fortunately, I live in the mountains, so get to experience this first hand.
While we are talking about scents, there are also those of the oranges, mandarins, clementines, lemons and grapefruits. I go walking in the mountains every day at this time of the year and as I pass by these groves, I often pick a few on the way to take home. Nothing could be fresher, their taste is superb.
The pomegranate trees are currently laden with fruits the size of small footballs. The almond groves are almost harvested now and by the way – freshly picked almonds are delicious. Once you have tasted these straight from the trees, you will never like the packet versions again. Although the almond trees look very dark and sparse now, when they flower again in the spring the sight is spectacular, with seas of pink and white blossom everywhere.
Finally, at this time of the year, temperatures are still between 20 and 25 degrees with beautiful blue skies.
It’s no wonder Christmas shopping hasn’t really started!
See you next week
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Thursday, 2 December 2010
An Ex-Pat View of Christmas in Cyprus
Just imagine. You’ve left the grey, cold, wet, windy and freezing days of the UK behind to be in Paphos, where at Christmas time the sun is shining, you still wear shorts and sandals and temperatures are usually around 20 degrees. But what is it really like here at Christmas?
Well, apart from being a very traditional and religious family time, in reality there’s only one word – fabulous!
Let me tell you why. First and foremost, nobody in Paphos is ever by themselves at Christmas, particularly the elderly. Refreshingly, traditional family values apply, and communities are such that not only does everyone know each other, but they also care about each other - and locals do tend to “adopt” ex-pats. So no matter who you are, or where you are, you’ll always be guaranteed an invitation from someone.
A few years ago, anything to do with Christmas in Cyprus was always left until quite late. However, this year for the very first time - shock and horror - Christmas trees were up in a large local supermarket on (can you believe it) 3rd October! Was I really in Cyprus? Was this really happening this early? The answer, unfortunately, was “yes”. I guess it’s a sign of the times.
But despite this early arrival of all things festive, Christmas here is still very much a last minute affair, because - thank goodness - no one takes much notice until far later on. And it’s easy to see why.
We are currently experiencing the hottest November since records began. While I am writing this, it is 27 degrees and there’s not a cloud in the sky. I’m not complaining!
Mind you, searching for presents on Christmas Eve in Cyprus and getting into an absolute panic because you can’t find what you want can be a bit stressful, so perhaps a little forward planning does help.
I think my sister-in-law has the answer. To save any panic, she buys all her Christmas presents, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, birthday cards and birthday presents for the coming year in the January sales. She saves a fortune, sometimes as much as 75%. She then simply stores them away until the appropriate occasion arises. Not a bad strategy when you think about it - particularly in the current economic climate.
Seriously though, when the sudden realisation that Christmas is just a few days away, it does tend to cause chaos. Most people in Cyprus go absolutely crazy when they suddenly realise the deadline is looming. And it can be quite tiring if you are one of the last minute shoppers and have to face the queues that inevitably form.
But the shopping atmosphere here is very different to the UK and as usual, the laid back attitude always comes into play.
So what’s the secret? Do what the locals do. Read a newspaper while you are in the queue waiting with your trolley load of goodies - and just relax. At the same time, get yourself a coffee or just phone your best friend and have a chat.
Eventually you will get to the checkout.
That’s it from me for now.
Best wishes.
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
Well, apart from being a very traditional and religious family time, in reality there’s only one word – fabulous!
Let me tell you why. First and foremost, nobody in Paphos is ever by themselves at Christmas, particularly the elderly. Refreshingly, traditional family values apply, and communities are such that not only does everyone know each other, but they also care about each other - and locals do tend to “adopt” ex-pats. So no matter who you are, or where you are, you’ll always be guaranteed an invitation from someone.
A few years ago, anything to do with Christmas in Cyprus was always left until quite late. However, this year for the very first time - shock and horror - Christmas trees were up in a large local supermarket on (can you believe it) 3rd October! Was I really in Cyprus? Was this really happening this early? The answer, unfortunately, was “yes”. I guess it’s a sign of the times.
But despite this early arrival of all things festive, Christmas here is still very much a last minute affair, because - thank goodness - no one takes much notice until far later on. And it’s easy to see why.
We are currently experiencing the hottest November since records began. While I am writing this, it is 27 degrees and there’s not a cloud in the sky. I’m not complaining!
Mind you, searching for presents on Christmas Eve in Cyprus and getting into an absolute panic because you can’t find what you want can be a bit stressful, so perhaps a little forward planning does help.
I think my sister-in-law has the answer. To save any panic, she buys all her Christmas presents, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, birthday cards and birthday presents for the coming year in the January sales. She saves a fortune, sometimes as much as 75%. She then simply stores them away until the appropriate occasion arises. Not a bad strategy when you think about it - particularly in the current economic climate.
Seriously though, when the sudden realisation that Christmas is just a few days away, it does tend to cause chaos. Most people in Cyprus go absolutely crazy when they suddenly realise the deadline is looming. And it can be quite tiring if you are one of the last minute shoppers and have to face the queues that inevitably form.
But the shopping atmosphere here is very different to the UK and as usual, the laid back attitude always comes into play.
So what’s the secret? Do what the locals do. Read a newspaper while you are in the queue waiting with your trolley load of goodies - and just relax. At the same time, get yourself a coffee or just phone your best friend and have a chat.
Eventually you will get to the checkout.
That’s it from me for now.
Best wishes.
Jackie
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Cyprusbuyingguide.com
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