About Christoferus

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Male

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United Kingdom

Some Forum Posts:

Sri Lanka: Looking to meet expats:

I am retired from UK and living in Negombo. My phone number is +94771014611 I'm on Whatsap and Viber.

Sri Lanka: can visit visa be converted into residence?:

Don't be misled by Goodguy35. It is not at all easy to convert a visit visa to a residence visa. I work part time in a large private English language school. They have difficulty in getting visas for foreign English teachers. Government schools are eligible to apply for visas for foreign English teachers, but the process is not simple and takes time, and the pay is not good in government schools. So maybe your wife will be able to get a residence visa if she got a job as teacher. But on what grounds would you apply for a residence visa? Look at the Sri Lankan Government website. You will see that there are very specific qualifications for applying for a residence visa. It usually involves making very large investments in Sri Lanka. And don't under any circumstances send Goodguy35 $100. It would be most unwise.

Sri Lanka: Teaching oppotunities:

I work at the Key Language Centre in Kochikade near Negombo, Sri Lanka. You can Google the School. It is possible that we will have a teaching vacancy later in the year. Why don't you contact the school and propose yourself. That's how I got my job Regards Christopher

Sri Lanka: Looking for Jayasekara for 48 years:

'Looking for Jayasekara for 48 years ' sounds like the title of a novel or a film. He has stayed in your memory. He must have been very dear to you. You were both young men then. Why did you part? Why did you leave Sri Lanka? Where are you now? What have you done in the intervening years, and what has he been doing? Where was his home in the South? If you knew the name of his town you could put an advertisement in his local newspaper. You could contact his local radio station and put out a call for him. It would be a charming story of a man seeking the friend of his youth after the war. The radio station might take it up and make an appeal on the air.

Sri Lanka: Expats in Negombo:

The Dolce Vita is nice for a coffee. It's where the other wives who are 'ladies of leisure' go to meet their friends. Later in the evening you can try the Rodeo Bar. Regards Christopher

Sri Lanka: Info re. moving to Sri Lanka:

I have had a house in Sri Lanka for 15 years, which I visited every year for holidays. In November 2012 I came to live here. My house is in a little village, just outside the coastal town of Negombo. Negombo is a major fishing port, and also a tourist resort. It's conveniently close to the airport. English is widely spoken. The people are welcoming and kind. In my area you should be able to rent a little village house for about Rs12,000 a month.

Sri Lanka: Cost of real estate for expats & questions about retiring:

I have had a house in Dalupotha, a little village near Negombo Sri Lanka for 15 years, which I used as a holiday home. Last year I retired from the UK and came to live full time in Sri Lanka Negombo is a large thriving costal town with a very large and busy fishing fleet, and various local industries, and also a thriving tourist resort. It is within a very convenient distance of the airport. English mother tongue teachers are very much in demand in the local state schools, because there are so few English mother tongue teachers in Sri Lanka. The pay is not high, but the kids are a joy to teach, very polite and appreciative. I work in a private English language school which kids attend in the afternoon after their day school. I managed to buy my house in my own name during a brief change of government which changed the law. The current government has made it very difficult now for foreigners to buy property freehold but I understand that foreigners can still buy on long leasehold. Where I am, my little village, which is just a short tuktuk ride away from Negombo and the neighbouring town of Kochikade,where my school is, property is very cheap to rent. A friend of mine recently rented a nice little two bedroom house on a two year contract for Rs12000 a month, which is about £60. I don't know how much that is in Australian, dollars, but I am sure that you can work it out. There is not a large expat community where I am., not that I have sought for it, as I have Sri Lankan friends. English is very widely spoken. But Negombo is a busy tourist centre and there are always expats to chat with in the bars and cafés on the beachside. Members of the small resident expat community, particularly leisured wives of working expats, seem to patronise a very nice Italian cafe called Lanka Dolce Vita. Negombo is very popular with resident expat airline pilots on contract with Sri Lankan airlines because it is very close to the airport. It is very pleasant to live in Sri Lanka. The climate is pleasant and the people are very nice, and friendly and helpful. And the cost of living is low, as your mother will know if she has visited several times. Crime is very low in Negombo and in my area. In fact I have never heard of any crime. I have never felt threatened or unsafe, quite to the contrary I have always felt rather cherished and appreciated. The town is big enough to offer just about all the facilities that you need, including an HSBC bank with a 24 hours ATM. But it's not so big as to overpowering, like Colombo. But if your mother wanted an expat community I imagine that Colombo would be the best bet. Good alternative places would be Galle in the South of the island, or perhaps the old summer capital of Kandy up in the hills, where they have a lovely year round climate. Tell your mother that she has made a good choice in Sri Lanka. You and she are very welcome to email or call me if you need any more information. christopherhhhart@me.com. +94 779622413 Warm regards Christopher Hart

Sri Lanka: Moving to Negombo:

Hello and welcome to Negombo. I've had a house here in Negombo for 15 years, which I used for holidays. In November 2012 I came to live here. What made you choose Negombo? Let me know if there is anything that I can to to help. Best wishes for you move Kindest regards Christopher

Date Joined:

4/23/2013

Total Posts:

13

Posts/Day:

0.01