Festivals around the world this July
siddlobo
29 June, 2009 16:39
Summer’s begun and so have the parties. Check out some of the most popular festivals and events from around the world this July.
Manchester International Festival, UK
2nd – 19th July, 2009
Manchester International Festival is the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events. Expect a wide range of events including music, visual arts, theatre, dance, food and family events, all presented by world-class artists. While most events require tickets, there are also a host of free events. Some require advance booking so make sure you get your tickets today.
Find more information about expat life in UK on Easy Expat.
Oil Wrestling Festival, Edirne, Turkey
29th June– 5th July, 2009
Oil wrestling is one of Turkey’s most popular sports. As the name suggests, wrestlers soaked in oil fight each other. Tournaments take place across the country, but the most famous one is held in Edirne. The events are accompanied by much fanfare and entertainment including belly dancing, traditional music and an endless supply of roast lamb.
Find more information about expat life in Turkey on Easy Expat.
Beer Festivals, around the world
Throughout July
Beer lovers rejoice! June is beer month with festivals dedicated to that special ale cropping up all over the world. From Montreal to Jacksonville, Leipzig to Tokyo, head for the one that’s closest to you. Click here for the beer festival calendar for July 2009.
Mozart Festival, Warsaw, Poland
26th June – 25th July, 2009
The Mozart Festival draws audiences from across the world. Mozart's complete stage output is performed for each edition of the festival, together with a selection of his chamber, symphonic, and vocal-instrumental works. His best-loved operas, including 'Don Giovanni', 'Le Nozze di Figaro' and 'Cosi Fan Tutte' are the subject of multiple performances in this festival. The Warsaw Chamber Opera is the only company in the world to have Mozart's entire operatic output in its permanent repertoire and this is the world's largest event of its kind. A must see for Mozart fans!
Find more information about expat life in Warsaw on Easy Expat.
Fuji Rock Fest, Japan
24th – 26th July, 2009
This is an outdoor music festival which takes place in the Naeba Ski resort. Set in the mountains in the most picturesque surroundings for a music festival in Japan, it is also often hyped as the cleanest rock festival. You can enjoy the view from the longest gondola (The Dragondola) lift in the world. The festival is quite popular and draws crowds of more then 100,000 for its 200 music acts.
Find more information about expat life in Japan on Easy Expat.
Independence Day Celebrations, across USA
4th July, 2009
A national holiday across the United States, Independence Day is celebrated with much gusto and patriotism. This is the day America got its freedom from Britain in 1774. Barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings are the order of the day. Parades are organized in most cities and there’s much flag swaying and partying.
Find more information about expat life in the US on Easy Expat with the cities of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami.
Hungry Ghost Festival, China
July – August
This is the Chinese version of Halloween. It is believed that during this month, the gates of hell are opened to free the hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on Earth. The dead are thought to visit their living relatives throughout the 7th month, and prayers and incense are offered to placate them. The dead also are gifted with fake paper money and other presents, like cars and houses, also made of paper and burned in bonfires. The festival is shrouded in superstitions and night time rituals and one to join if you’d like to catch up on some spooky traditions.
Find more information about expat life in China on Easy Expat.
Darwin-Beer-Can Regatta, Australia
19th July, 2009
This is one crazy festival and an excellent use of all those empty beer cans. Mindil Beach in Darwin is the scene of the yearly Beer Can Regatta, where participants make boats in all shapes and sizes from beer cans and then proceed to hold mock battles in the shallow sea there. The homemade fleet includes all kinds of canoes, speedboats, and giant Viking warships with fire hoses and top secret weaponry.
Find more information about expat life in Australia on Easy Expat.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance writer based out of Munich
The Top 4 Reasons to Travel During a Recession
easyexpat
16 June, 2009 15:34
The recession has brought about a lot of chaos in the financial and economic world, but travel is one of the few sectors that can increase revenue worldwide. So many countries have been hit hard by recession and inflation rates that they are on a huge budget, dropping prices everywhere; Iceland has decent hotels running from $60 a night. This is extremely low considering previous rates for similar hotels in Europe. Rates all over the world have dropped, making this an ideal time to travel the world; additionally, many of us have been laid off recently, so why not make a dent in the economy and travel while you’re at it. (More)
Protect your family finances
easyexpat
11 June, 2009 11:22
Article sponsored by William Russell
By Nigel Harris, Chief Executive Asia Pacific, William Russell Limited
No one likes to think about accidents and emergencies, but when you are living overseas with your family it is absolutely essential to have secure insurance arrangements in place to protect yourself, your partner and children if something untoward happens. Nigel Harris, Chief Executive Asia Pacific at international expatriate insurance specialist, William Russell, looks at the products and services that are available to protect your family when the unexpected strikes.
Malaysia is an exciting place to live, offering expatriates an excellent lifestyle, vibrant culture and welcoming home away from home. Like any country however its social services are geared to the needs of the local population and as a result the welfare safety-net may provide expat families with a different level of protection against life’s emergencies than they would expect in their home country.
It may be that you are living in the centre of KL, or in more remote parts of the country; perhaps your children are at school in Malaysia while your work takes you further afield. Whatever your personal circumstances, it’s essential to make sure that you have the right insurance products in place to provide you with the level of protection you need to match your lifestyle. These fall into three main areas, international private medical insurance to give you and your family fast access to the highest levels of medical treatment wherever you are in the region, income protection to replace your salary if you find yourself unable to work for whatever reason and life insurance to protect your family’s finances if the unthinkable happens and you’re no longer there to provide for them. (More)
Shopping for Divorces
easyexpat
08 June, 2009 11:11
An expatriate often has a choice of where to divorce. You need to make the right choice early, because often it is irreversible – and the jurisdiction that governs your divorce can have significant impacts on your fortunes.
Divorce is not as simple as just ending the marriage. There are generally two main areas of contention in divorces, one relating to sorting out financial arrangements between the couple, the other relating to arrangements for any children of the marriage. In fact many countries require that you also sort out arrangements for children before the divorce is granted. (More)
