Need some TRNC info - Questions for you "long termers"

[sophie]

I realise that you have requested that I refrain from writing any further on this thread and after this one, I most certainly won't other than the following:- I feel compelled to say (following an earlier message), if you consider 60 to be an old man, then the TRNC is not for you. At 60, you are nowt but a lad, with many a contributor to this forum envious that you can still manage to go about on a mountain biker be it second hand or otherwise. I am considerably older than you, but my diary is full for weeks on end. Going out and making friends is up to you, but don't expect people to beat a path to your door. If you feel you are talking to four walls back in the UK, then it will be up to you to rectify the matter if you were to move here.

There you go, no more comments from me on your situation.

[David]

Better off going to Spain hundreds of bars and much easier to meet people you may also get some part time work which will help you meet others and bring in a bit of cash, Unless you live in town here you will struggle might be a couple of bars spread out but not like Spain where everything is on your doorstep.

[Hector]

Wow - Some nasty people on here - i had to ask my neighbour's son, who's computer i use, what a blog was !

im an old man with a very limited budget, hoping to get some info from my fellow Brits, as i don't have the finances to "nip over for 3 or 4 months" to decide if i like it.....i've got to decide if i'm going to jump in with both feet - Sophie and enjoying the sun - please don't post on this thread again - you're about as much help as Waterproof teabags ...

Had to ask what a blog was? Really?

An 'old man' at 60? Only visited for a week ten years ago and now thinking of giving up a council flat and moving lock stock and barrel to the TRNC (but still relying on his NHS GP for medical treatment)?

Then saying 'Wow - Some nasty people on here' followed by 'Sophie and enjoying the sun - please don't post on this thread again - you're about as much help as Waterproof teabags ...'

I think that this whole thread is a wind-up and 'click bait'

[Ragged Robin]

I am sorry Cranfield we are not really trying to put you off; just to stop you destroying your life on a false impression.

Firstly I second everything snd has said above, I have had similar experiences and am aware of others even worse., as well as the bar flies people are too involved in their favourite Charity with capital C to attend to charity beginning at home. It does not even have to be a major illness, a sprained ankle can be enough to disable you from getting to the shops for food!

Secondly 20 years ago, maye10, Northern Cyprus felt like a "quaint English colony" to tourists who did not see under the surface, but for sure no longer. The Developers and bulldozers have taken over and the country is increasingly been covered in concrete. A few people are still trying to preserve the ecology and the traditional Turkish Cypriot customs but they are being overriden by rich newcomers,, whose demands or the "benefits" of modern so-called "civilization" are also contributing to the ever increasing cost of living, I suspect you stayed at the "Dome" hotel which did used to have a slightly Victorian atmosphere , Be aware that its main attraction now is a Casino.

[Ragged Robin]

Thirdly you need to be very wary in making friends. There are , sad to say, some British who will cosy up to you in a bar or social occasion with the intention of gaining your confidence and trust of a compatriate before working some scam on you! Maybe that you are not looking to buy a house nor, presumably, have funds to invest.,may save you from the worst - but there may be other ways ..I would not know - I am a victim not a practitioner! - but it does tend to inhibit people from making friends of strangers.

[PoshinDevon]

Cranfield......

There has been plenty of advice offered on this thread and hopefully it is helping you to decide what you really want to do. I won’t repeat everything.

My thoughts are very much where there’s a will, there’s a way. Also don’t have any regrets or think I wish I had done x, y or z........or I wonder what would have happened if I had done xxxx.

Remember there are scammers, hangers on etc to be found all over the world, even in Spain. They could be bristish ex pats, foreign ex pats, or even local people......they are not all gathering in the TRNC. Exercise caution and common sense but in my experience it’s not a major worry. As far as making friends of course you can make friends, if you really want to. There is of course your local bar/s if that’s your thing and if you make sure your rental property is suitably located you could even walk there, just make sure you research this if it is a priority. There are lots of events happening all year round, some of course require a payment of a fee, but many do not. There are numerous charities or volunteering organisations who would greatly appreciated as much time as you may be able to give. Some are predominantly run by ex pats but there are others. Some examples are Kyrenia Animal Rescue, Tulips, etc. There are also plenty of clubs etc that you could consider joining. The Royal British Legion here in North Cyprus may also be of interest. There is also a large membership of the British Residents Society which if you are looking for even more information and advice is worth investigating further. To access some areas of the website you do need to become a member. http://www.brstrnc.com/

So you can and will make friends both ex pats and local if you want to plus if you are just interested in volunteering and helping a charity it doesn’t necessarily have to cost you money.

As some have already mentioned consider seriously your current health and how you would manage in the future. Healthcare in the TRNC is pretty good with regards to getting a diagnosis and any treatment but it does cost. Nowhere near as much as the U.K. but you do have to pay. Popping back to the U.K. for treatment etc if permanently resident in the TRNC may not be an option. So in my opinion this should be your major area of concentration, I cannot stress how important this is.

Life is not perfect in the TRNC, it has changed and there are frustrations but you will find this anywhere you may decide to move to. Having lived, worked, holidayed in Cyprus since 1970 and now enjoying being a swallow coming to the TRNC as and when we can (Currently this is 9 months each year) I can honestly say that despite the march of “progress” the island holds a certain draw for us and there are still many areas which are unspoilt, beautiful and a million miles away from the stress often found in daily life. Our time spent on the island over the last 45 years has prepared us well and we are very familiar with the challenges of living in the TRNC. This could be the minor irritations of waiting in for tradesmen to turn up on time, not being able to find a particular item, a favourite restaurant suddenly closing down, strange (to us) new laws being introduced, going to a government office with what you think is all paperwork required, only to find that you are missing one vital piece of documentation, getting medical checks and gathering all the necessary paperwork to obtain residency, driving licences etc. But that’s life, you just get on with it, smile and enjoy. If it doesn’t happen on the day you want, no matter, relax and try again another day.

We took the decision to buy in 2011 and have no regrets. It is good you are asking questions and getting answers. Some answers you may like and others you may not. Just remember these are the personal opinions of those trying to help and are based on their experiences whether they be good or bad. Whatever decision you make remember try not to have any regrets.

Good luck.

[Ragged Robin]

Cranfield......



Remember there are scammers, hangers on etc to be found all over the world, even in Spain. They could be bristish ex pats, foreign ex pats, or even local people......they are not all gathering in the TRNC. Exercise caution and common sense but in my experience it’s not a major worry.

I did not suggest that scammers etc. were only to be found in the TRNC , In fact in many ways it is a lot safer than parts of the UK, and violent crime is rare although petty thefts and burglaries are on the increase because of the increasing polyglot population.

I was simply alerting the OP - who by his own description sounded vulnerable - that newcomers, particularly singletons admittedly lonely and with little knowledge of the country n eeded to excericise care . Also to understand that some others might be wary of strangers.

What I did not mention,, and perhaps someone with more knowledge and experience than I could cover, is that the level and amount of consumer protection one expects in the UK is rarely available here and lawyers, in particular, to not work to the same codes of practice


As far as making friends of course you can make friends, if you really want to. There is of course your local bar/s if that’s your thing and if you make sure your rental property is suitably located you could even walk there, just make sure you research this if it is a priority. There are lots of events happening all year round, some of course require a payment of a fee, but many do not. There are numerous charities or volunteering organisations who would greatly appreciated as much time as you may be able to give. Some are predominantly run by ex pats but there are others. Some examples are Kyrenia Animal Rescue, Tulips, etc. There are also plenty of clubs etc that you could consider joining. So you can and will make friends if you want to.can make con

This is not everyone's experience , there is a tendency to "cliqueishness", May depend to some extent to where you live but lack of money is a disadvantage Time and patience is needed to discover where and with whom you can make connections



As some have already mentioned consider seriously your current health and how you would manage in the future. Healthcare in the TRNC is pretty good with regards to getting a diagnosis and any treatment but it does cost. Nowhere near as much as the U.K. but you do have to pay. Popping back to the U.K. for treatment etc if permanently resident in the TRNC may not be an option. So in my opinion this should be your major area of concentration.

I totally agree!!!!!!

Life is not perfect in the TRNC, it has changed and there are frustrations but you will find this anywhere you may decide to move to. Having lived, worked, holidayed in Cyprus since 1970 and now enjoying being a swallow coming to the TRNC as and when we can I can honestly say that despite the march of “progress” the island holds a certain draw for us and there are still many areas which are unspoilt, beautiful and a million miles away from the stress often found in daily life. We took the decision to buy in 2011 and have no regrets. Whatever decision you make remember try not to have any regrets.

Bear in mind here that the poster here is a "swallow" (that is someone who spehds part of the year here and part intheir "home" country, The stresses and problems of swallows are not really the same as those of permanent resdidents especially those with limited funds

Good luck.

And from me too
s

[cranfield]

Wow - Some nasty people on here - i had to ask my neighbour's son, who's computer i use, what a blog was !

im an old man with a very limited budget, hoping to get some info from my fellow Brits, as i don't have the finances to "nip over for 3 or 4 months" to decide if i like it.....i've got to decide if i'm going to jump in with both feet - Sophie and enjoying the sun - please don't post on this thread again - you're about as much help as Waterproof teabags ...

Had to ask what a blog was? Really?

An 'old man' at 60? Only visited for a week ten years ago and now thinking of giving up a council flat and moving lock stock and barrel to the TRNC (but still relying on his NHS GP for medical treatment)?

Then saying 'Wow - Some nasty people on here' followed by 'Sophie and enjoying the sun - please don't post on this thread again - you're about as much help as Waterproof teabags ...'

I think that this whole thread is a wind-up and 'click bait'

My greatest fear of moving to the TRNC is bumping into numptees like you..
.

[cranfield]

Cranfield......

There has been plenty of advice offered on this thread and hopefully it is helping you to decide what you really want to do. I won’t repeat everything.

My thoughts are very much where there’s a will, there’s a way. Also don’t have any regrets or think I wish I had done x, y or z........or I wonder what would have happened if I had done xxxx.

Remember there are scammers, hangers on etc to be found all over the world, even in Spain. They could be bristish ex pats, foreign ex pats, or even local people......they are not all gathering in the TRNC. Exercise caution and common sense but in my experience it’s not a major worry. As far as making friends of course you can make friends, if you really want to. There is of course your local bar/s if that’s your thing and if you make sure your rental property is suitably located you could even walk there, just make sure you research this if it is a priority. There are lots of events happening all year round, some of course require a payment of a fee, but many do not. There are numerous charities or volunteering organisations who would greatly appreciated as much time as you may be able to give. Some are predominantly run by ex pats but there are others. Some examples are Kyrenia Animal Rescue, Tulips, etc. There are also plenty of clubs etc that you could consider joining. The Royal British Legion here in North Cyprus may also be of interest. There is also a large membership of the British Residents Society which if you are looking for even more information and advice is worth investigating further. To access some areas of the website you do need to become a member. http://www.brstrnc.com/

So you can and will make friends both ex pats and local if you want to plus if you are just interested in volunteering and helping a charity it doesn’t necessarily have to cost you money.

As some have already mentioned consider seriously your current health and how you would manage in the future. Healthcare in the TRNC is pretty good with regards to getting a diagnosis and any treatment but it does cost. Nowhere near as much as the U.K. but you do have to pay. Popping back to the U.K. for treatment etc if permanently resident in the TRNC may not be an option. So in my opinion this should be your major area of concentration, I cannot stress how important this is.

Life is not perfect in the TRNC, it has changed and there are frustrations but you will find this anywhere you may decide to move to. Having lived, worked, holidayed in Cyprus since 1970 and now enjoying being a swallow coming to the TRNC as and when we can (Currently this is 9 months each year) I can honestly say that despite the march of “progress” the island holds a certain draw for us and there are still many areas which are unspoilt, beautiful and a million miles away from the stress often found in daily life. Our time spent on the island over the last 45 years has prepared us well and we are very familiar with the challenges of living in the TRNC. This could be the minor irritations of waiting in for tradesmen to turn up on time, not being able to find a particular item, a favourite restaurant suddenly closing down, strange (to us) new laws being introduced, going to a government office with what you think is all paperwork required, only to find that you are missing one vital piece of documentation, getting medical checks and gathering all the necessary paperwork to obtain residency, driving licences etc. But that’s life, you just get on with it, smile and enjoy. If it doesn’t happen on the day you want, no matter, relax and try again another day.

We took the decision to buy in 2011 and have no regrets. It is good you are asking questions and getting answers. Some answers you may like and others you may not. Just remember these are the personal opinions of those trying to help and are based on their experiences whether they be good or bad. Whatever decision you make remember try not to have any regrets.

Good luck.

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to reply - some very good and informative points....

Comparing your post to the garbage posted by "hector" - is like comparing a BMW to walking....

Thanks again - really appreciate it.....

[Ragged Robin]

Ido not know why I, not to mention the others, forget to ask if you have checked out the British Residents Soceity. If you have not already done so, check out their Website (make sure you get the BRS of the TRNC /North Cyprus. ) It will answer several of your questions and particularly see what they say with regard to residence : and realise that one of the problems of living here is that they keep changing the goalposts

[cranfield]

Ido not know why I, not to mention the others, forget to ask if you have checked out the British Residents Soceity. If you have not already done so, check out their Website (make sure you get the BRS of the TRNC /North Cyprus. ) It will answer several of your questions and particularly see what they say with regard to residence : and realise that one of the problems of living here is that they keep changing the goalposts

Thats a great tip ! - Thank you very much..will look now ..

[cranfield]

Thirdly you need to be very wary in making friends. There are , sad to say, some British who will cosy up to you in a bar or social occasion with the intention of gaining your confidence and trust of a compatriate before working some scam on you! Maybe that you are not looking to buy a house nor, presumably, have funds to invest.,may save you from the worst - but there may be other ways ..I would not know - I am a victim not a practitioner! - but it does tend to inhibit people from making friends of strangers.

its very hard to make friends when you are starting completely from scratch....

What area would you suggest to meet fellow expats ?

[woodspeckie]

I should imagine it would be quite costly to make friends as you would possibly have to eat and drink in the restaurants and bars to meet people, we found this year the cost of food and drink had gone up quite considerably when eating out. I suppose it would depend on the area you would live there could be cheaper bars. Why don't you try a holiday first and suss it out?

[cranfield]

I should imagine it would be quite costly to make friends as you would possibly have to eat and drink in the restaurants and bars to meet people, we found this year the cost of food and drink had gone up quite considerably when eating out. I suppose it would depend on the area you would live there could be cheaper bars. Why don't you try a holiday first and suss it out?

or stary my own social meet somewhere ? - pref at a coffee shop or something ?

[PoshinDevon]

The easiest and cheapest way to get to know people is to volunteer with a charity or organisation. There is then no need to spend money in bars or restaurants.

Volunteering means you will meet people andof course get chatting. From there you may get to hear about other opportunities to meet people, or they may say let’s meet at a cafe or bar close by.

Think you have to put yourself out there and sometimes just rocking up at a bar/cafe trying to strike up conversations is not easy, especially if you are just sat at the bar on your own. Might be easier if you went along when there was a sporting event on the tv as that usually sparks conversation.

My advice is look to volunteer.

[David]

Can't help thinking that given your situation you are going to the wrong place

[cranfield]

Can't help thinking that given your situation you are going to the wrong place

Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the downsides of living there - from someone who's not tryig to see me a house.....

[tomsteel]

]

Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the downsides of living there - from someone who's not tryig to see me a house.....[/quote]

Whilst I know from previous posts you have been advised as to many of the 'downsides' of living permanently in the TRNC, I cannot understand your latest post "----- from someone who's not tryig to see me a house...." What does this mean, please?

[David]

Sell

[tomsteel]

Thank you, David.

[Kanonier]

I wonder what his decision was, perhaps he will come back and let us know?