January 2, 2008 Sponsor: Goodhealth Worldwide 2008 U.S. Presidential Election - First Report Excerpts Hot Topics on the Forums Sponsor: Earth Class Mail Quiz of the Week Job Opportunities Top Tips for Renting Overseas Property Property of the Week Travel Warnings Aperitivo Time Expat Events Subscribe/Unsubscribe 2008 U.S. Presidential Election - First Report Excerpts View Full Article By Joshua Wood "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success." - Alexander Graham Bell     SPONSOR: Goodhealth Worldwide If you're a US expat you could be treated back home in the US with one of Goodhealth's medical insurance plans. And with excellent benefits and claims centers all around the world, you'll have great coverage from a company that's been providing medical insurance for over 25 years. Click here to get a quote and buy online. 2008 U.S. Presidential Election - First Report Excerpts View Full Article By Joshua Wood The first submissions for our first 2008 U.S. Election Survey have been, in many ways, insightful. Republicans and Democrats alike were quick to sound off along party lines, yet there was not a single voice of support for the current administration. Anyone out there differ? Sound off! Don't be shy! We are trying to generate a meaningful, respectful debate amongst expats. Most interestingly, even the most partisan voices seem to take positions that are in contrast to those typically held by their party. This gives the sense that expats in general are in many ways unique - even when they identify with one of the two major parties. Thanks to everyone that has completed the report. Please participate if you have not already done so! Read below to find the first few excerpts. If you have any comments you would like to make about what expats have written, please post them into our Living Overseas Forum. From the United Kingdom: Why is the 2008 election important for expats? Expats gain certain benefits with their expat status for federal income tax purposes. The Democrats wish to remove those benefits. Most expats aren't aware of the personal income tax ramifications of a Democrat led congress and executive branch. How would you describe the perception of the U.S. in your country? A few choice comments: "A nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there." "Do Sue Ellen & JR still live at the ranch in Texas?" "Americans are fine, except for George Bush, Jr." (Read More) Denmark Moving to Copenhagen Q: I am 27 and relocating to Copenhagen from London in late January. I am finding it difficult to find many websites offering flatshares/accommodation. I imagine I would like to live in either Frederiksberg or Oesterbro, but these are the only neighbourhoods I know of. Working Abroad Book Dealing with Managing Nationals? Q: Hi, I have been working in International Development for a few years now and have just gotten a management position that involves managing nationals. While I have experience working abroad and am fairly comfortable with it, I feel less prepared for managing nationals (as opposed to working along with them). Thanks in advance for any suggestions! Cheers! -Gaiko Kuwait Moving to Kuwait Q: I am a doctor who is going to move to Kuwait. I have two children, aged 12 and 15, and I am thinking, should I take them with me immediately or later? I am also wondering about organizing my life in new circumstances. What will be the best area for living if I am going to work in Salmyia? Thanks. Netherlands Residence Permit Q: Hello. I'm Spanish and I'm planing to move to The Netherlands, Rotterdam, in a few months. There is no problem with me, as I am an E.U. citizen, but I'd like to take my girlfriend with me, who is from Paraguay. Cheers and thank you for your help. Earth Class Mail is the only service in the world that empowers you to view, open, recycle, and completely manage your postal mail online. You can recycle your piles of junk mail and keep your important mail, in the format that you want, no matter where in the world you are. Click now for details. View All Job Listings | Add Listing (15 day free trial period) Assistant Project Manager View Details BARE Associate International (Vietnam) VP/GM Latin American Operations View Details Confidential (Mexico) Freelance Educational Consultant View Details School Choice International (Multiple Locations) Sign Up Here for our bi-weekly Job & Classified Update e-mail to receive new job listings and classifieds by e-mail. Top Tips for Renting Overseas Property View Full Article By Henry Davis, International Property.ie Make life easy. 1. Make life easy, if buying an overseas property for letting, choose square or rectangular shaped rooms. Irregular or unusual shaped rooms make a room look smaller and cluttered. A key selling point for tenants is an en-suite, and a decent sized living room is important even if the bedrooms are a bit on the small size. Choose the right overseas letting agent. 2. Choosing the right letting agent is vital for a quick rental. Establish which agent generates the most enquiries from potential tenants in the local area if you are targeting the local long term lets market. Consider an agent with a high street location who may be getting the highest footfall or the agent with a strong online marketing presence. Also look at the local papers in your overseas location and establish which agents are advertising on a regular basis as they will have a constant stream of tenants. (Read More) Advertise to 250,000-350,000 Worldwide! ExpatExchange.com welcomes 250,000-350,000 visitors per month. Our site and newsletter are great places to advertise to expats, future transferees, international employers and relocation professionals. For a copy of our Media Kit & Advertising Rate Card, please click here or e-mail us at advertising@expatexchange.com. Is your company listed in our Resource Guide? Click here to add your listing. View All Property Listings (Sale & Rental) | Add Rental | Add Property For Sale (15 day free trial period) Luxury, Fully Furnished, Water View Apartment Vancouver, Canada Stunning, luxurious, modern 2-bedroom plus den suite in one of Yaletown's newest towers. This beautiful suite offers water views and the perfect location. Just bring your bags, move in and start enjoying the exciting life Vancouver has to offer! Swim in the sparkling 80' pool, relax in the whirlpool, steam room, and sauna. Play a game of squash, enjoy the billiards room, watch a movie with friends in the Hollywood style screening room, or entertain a party in the multipurpose room with kitch. (Full Details) Sign Up Here for our bi-weekly Real Estate & Job Classified Update e-mail to receive new rentals, properties for sale and job listings by e-mail. View all Travel Warnings Algeria  (12/26/07) Saudi Arabia  (12/19/07) Bolivia  (12/12/07) Burundi  (12/10/07) Sign up for Critical Expat News to receive travel warnings as they are published by the US State Department. Aperitivo Time View Full Article By Emma Winch One of the great things about Milan is the aperitivo. From around 6pm to 9pm every evening throughout the city, almost every 'locale', from Joe's Cafe to the Armani Bar lays out a spread of anything from peanuts and crisps to plates of pasta and rice, pizza, salad, and roast chicken. Depending on where you go it can be a real feast, as long as you are willing to pay the 6 to 8 euros per drink in order to enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet. What really interests me about the aperitivo however, is the cultural take on it, and the way in which different personalities and backgrounds seem to shine through. When faced with a spread of free food, your average Italian will dive straight in, automatically reaching for the long toothpick with which to spear the various goodies lined up on the counter. We Brits are more reserved. I have actually seen a group of English tourists form a queue at the start of the buffet, plastic plate in hand, only to be stampeded by the passing locals. (Read More) There are a variety of ways to help newcomers and other expats via ExpatExchange.com. You may offer advice about Moving Abroad, Your City, Working Abroad, Your Child's School and/or Having a Baby Abroad. In addition to the options above, we encourage you to submit articles to ExpatExchange.com for inclusion on our site and in our newsletter. You don't need to be a writer to submit. If you have advice for expats, would like to share your own expat stories, have unique travel recommendations and more, we would love to hear from you! Articles should be 3/4 to 2 pages in length. All articles are subject to review. Articles may not be promotional in nature. To submit an article, click here. Copyright 2008 Burlingame Interactive Burlingame Interactive - PO Box 67 - Bernardsville, NJ 07924