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Estonia: moving to estonia!:
If your standard of living is low, then, yeah, maybe. The cost of living has steadily risen in the past twenty years, and it ain't like going to Mexico anymore. They say that cheese costs more in the shops here than it does in Helsinki. I work as a teacher in a children's music school funded by the city government, and my salary is about one-quarter of what a school band director in Texas makes, but of course I'm only working 30 hours a week, not 70. Still, I'm not sure my salary qualifies as "making a living" or even "having a life." My wife runs around to six different part time jobs, making almost a full-time salary, but we are still below the poverty line as defined by the U.S. government for a family of four. My wife shops for clothing at the Humana charity shop only on days when they have a sale. If you get your meals free, you might be okay, if you otherwise have no debts and don't mind living simply. Public transportation in Tallinn is free these days, and you can almost live without a car. Concert tickets for symphony and the opera are cheap, but things like power tools and car parts are amazingly expensive, simply because of our location. Hope that helps! Good luck!
Finland: Tools and Hardware:
I probably should not be answering, as I am a Texan who moved to Tallinn, Estonia seven years ago. I still suffer from sticker shock when shopping for power tools here, as things are much more expensive here than in the U.S. I assume you already have your favourite cordless tools, which you would be smart to bring along. Get a new charger once you arrive in Helsinki. (Check with your brand's service centre.)
K-Rauta is the native big box store, and would be pretty hard to beat, I think. For power tools, they carry blue (professional line) and green (household) Bosch; also Makita, AEG, Metabo, and plus the chinese NuTool and the like.
K-Rauta's hand tools are nothing special. They have Stanley, plus the inexpensive Ironside; FXA; and store-brand Prof, in a distinctive blue, are a nice budget saver, particularly for tool boxes and other storage.
This flyer from K-Rauta just appeared in my estonian Inbox this evening. I assume that the Finnish stores have similar offerings and prices. Prices in Euros.
http://157.144.2.77/epaper/k-rauta_ee/Tooltime_EST_spring_2013/desktop/index.html?article=1&page=1
Actually, my Makita service centre here in my neighbourhood offers the best deals on power tools in town, and the guys there are quite frank in their recommendations. Sadly, the Bosch service centre here does not sell products, except maybe special-order accessories.
K-Rauta has a pretty good selection of building materials, both lumber and sheet goods. Without a doubt, you'll find special lumber yards, as birch forests are all over the region.
You will have no problem with the language. Finns are pretty sharp folks.
Be flexible, and be prepared to learn a lot. Good luck!
Estonia: Help in moving to Esstonia with 3 kids wanted:
Come visit in February before you move. Nowadays, the sun comes up at about 9:30 and goes down at 3:30 in the afternoon. Mild winter so far, but the past two were brutal.
You don't say what you do for a living, but keep in mind that salaries in all fields are very low here. The cost of living has risen steadily in the last ten years, and it's not cheap to live here anymore.
The language is no picnic, and you'll find that your acceptance as a foreigner here to be mixed at best.
Great place, I love it, but it is different!
Global Expat Forum: NY Times article--renouncing citizenship, and bank account woes:
Interesting article from The New York Times on the growing trend of U.S. citizens abroad renouncing their citizenship to avoid double taxation.
Their are also some observations on how some U.S. banks have closed expats' accounts, because of the difficulty in certifying that the holders still maintain U.S. addresses, as required by a Patriot Act provision.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/us/26expat.html?scp=1&sq=banks%20Americans%20abroad&st=cse
Italy: credit cards:
I have maintained a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude with my U.S. credit card issuers.
I unintentionally let my American Express account lapse, when I forgot to pay my yearly membership fee. AMEX sent a couple of notes to my post office box in Texas, which I never saw, and then closed the account. Not that I used it much, but I regret that. (I like American Express.) It really helps to have someone in the U.S. to forward your mail, or check on things for you.
From their point of view, I can quite understand how they might be nervous about my, say, running up a tab, and then skipping out on it. (Who, me?)
I always pay my Visa bill in full each month, from my U.S. checking account, and so far haven't had any problems. I just use it for big purchases or emergencies, as the bank's currency transaction charge would make it costly to use on a regular basis. I use it less and less, as I mostly now use my locally-issued Mastercard, from my Swedish-Estonian bank.
Wells Fargo (and some others) offer special accounts for U.S. expats, but they come with a hefty monthly fee.
If you are employed in Italy, a bank there would be happy to issue a card to you, I'm sure.
Also, there was this recent article in The New York Times. Some banks are closing expats' accounts if they cannot certify that the holder still maintains a U.S. address, a proviso of The Patriot Act:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/us/26expat.html?scp=1&sq=banks%20Americans%20abroad&st=cse
Estonia: IT carrer in Estonia:
Hi Bener,
Are you sure about Estonia? Before you make a permanent move, you should come visit in JANUARY, and stay through February! Man, I'd trade places with you in wintertime. In winter, Turkey sounds REAL NICE! :-)
Bener, I am a free-lance musician, so I can't help you with your request. I know that there are some manufacturers who might could use someone with your skills, but I don't know ANYTHING about the job market in that area.
Honestly, I don't think it would be easy for you to find a job, as there are a lot of smart Estonian young people looking for good jobs, too. Also, I guess you have heard, that the economy is slowing down, which means that employers are reluctant to hire these days.
But, you never know. Maybe you are especially talented in your field, and just the person someone needs?
I don't know you or your skills, of course. But I am finding that--for me, anyway--that I have to be BETTER than my Estonian "competition" when looking for gigs. Otherwise, the contractor putting the band together is simply going to call his old friends for that wedding gig. That's the way it works in my industry. That's the way it works in New York, Vegas, and Nashville, too. Probably the same in Ankara.
(I know that when I get a chance to hire other musicians--or pick who I want to play with--I usually choose people I've played with before. Good or even only so-so, they are a "known quantity," whereas I just don't know the nice new guy or girl in town who just handed me a business card or a resume (CV). Not unless I've taken the time to play duets with them, or listen to their demo CD. (Bener, have a good portfolio that shows what you have done in the past.)
I don't get any breaks from anyone here because I'm American. Usually, I only get called if none of the professional local guys who play my instrument are available to do the gig. I am at the BOTTOM of their lists! Or, I'll get called if there is something that I can do that no one else in town can. Or, if their budget doesn't allow them to fly someone in...
Bener, If it weren't for a "day job" teaching my instrument in a kids' music school, I'd be in big trouble. If my wife had not bought and paid for a little house here before she met me--back in the early 1990's, when real estate was cheap--we couldn't make it here. Real estate is nearly as expensive here now as it is anywhere else. We live simply, and drive old cars; we have to.
I wonder if there is a Business Librarian somewhere who could help you come up with a list of manufacturers or other potential employees? Check with the library at a university business school, either in Turkey or in Tartu. Ask the Turkish Embassy here in Tallinn if there is anyone who can help you; maybe they have a business library?
One final note: How is your Estonian? Start studying today!
I don't mean to discourage you at all. It is a beautiful country, and the people are wonderful, some are really nice and helpful, just like anywhere else.
But, just know that life is not easy for a lot of folks here. Most "working folks" have salaries that are, well, a joke. I don't know how teachers, for example, get by. It's a mystery: I guess young people starting out get financial help from relatives, or live at home.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Good luck! --George
Estonia: Estonian language:
Bill,
One recent popular book is E nagu Eesti, by Mall Pesti and Helve Ahi. I have often seen it in stores, but the publisher is TEA Kirjastus, Liivalaia 28, 10118 Tallinn. Their web site is www.tea.ee. Take a look before you buy, as there is no English in it. It's accompanied by a seperate audio CD or cassette, a set of vocabulary flash cards, and a teacher's guide. After you finish this, you're ready for the intermediate-level sequel T nagu Tallinn.
The standard grammar study is Estonian Textbook by Juhan Tuldava. It's published by Indiana University, so you'll find it at Amazon. No audio.
One handy pocket phrase book is Inglise-Eesti Conversation Guide, published by Ilo here.
I wrote to Rosetta Stone a couple of months ago, suggesting that they add Estonian to their line-up of software. Maybe if they hear from you too, they'll spring into action for us.
Good luck, and let us know what you find. --George
Estonia: Filmmaker moving to Estonia:
Fraser, I noticed that the filmmakers for the documentary "The Singing Revolution" are (or were) were adjunct teachers at Baltic Film and Media School at Tallinn University: www.bfm.ee
If the school don't have any teaching jobs for you, they probably could help with contacts.
Hope this helps!
George
musician
Estonia: Moving--shipping and freight forwarders:
Tere, y'all!
My wife (who grew up in Parnu), our two young children, and I are moving to Tallinn at the end of June (2006) from south Texas.
Has anyone had any experience with moving companies, freight forwarders, etc.? We have decided to get rid of most of our furniture here, but we have lots of boxes of books and stuff that we would like to bring.
We would also like to take along our car, a 1992 Volvo 740 station wagon.
Our nearest port is Brownsville, Texas. Houston is a six-hour drive from here.
--Giorgio
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