# Why Cyprus?



## Petluvr (Dec 25, 2021)

I know I'm new here and and possibly my questions and new threads aren't welcome (hope not) but Matthew and I DO NOT want to make a mistake with this move so I'm going to continue bothering you guys 

A few years ago, @Bevdeforges posted the question "why France?" on the French expat forum to get new members thinking about the differences between France and their home country. It was incredibly illuminating and made me think. I include the link here in case anyone's interested:








Why France? And why not...


We very often get newcomers to the forum here who post a brief message asking about how to start preparing for a move to France. Sometimes these folks are pounced upon by some of our more "enthusiastic" forum regulars, challenging them with the same old questions - the first of which is often...




www.expatforum.com





So... can we do something similar for Cyprus? Is anyone willing to talk about the significant cultural differences? Any other differences that you've noticed?

Thank you!
Mary


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

First of all, don’t worry that your questions aren’t welcome. There is no such thing as a silly question when it comes to such a major change of lifestyle..

My starter for ten (I only gave 10 mins thought to your question), so I’m sure that there are things I’ve missed and I know that some of the answers may need expounding upon.

*Pros*

Year round sunshine
Friendliness of Cypriots towards Expats
English widely spoken.
Relatively cheap cost of living
Tax advantages through double taxation agreement.
Clean beaches and high water quality
Compact island - less than 3 hours coast to coast
Ability to travel above humidity level (Troodos)
Drive on left
British influence on daily life and infrastructure (Post Office, Banks, etc)
Slow pace of life

*Cons*

Cypriot attitude towards dogs, cats and birds.
Hunting season.
Lack of mains sewerage.
Anything involving lawyers (wills, real estate, litigation etc)


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## Petluvr (Dec 25, 2021)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Cypriot attitude towards dogs, cats and birds.


Thank you for bringing this up, David. I can deal with 40 degree heat, and being on septic, and, and, and... but cruelty to animals absolutely destroys me. Perhaps there are rescue centres where I can volunteer and help in some small way? 

We're coming out for a month in mid-April so I'll look out for opportunities.


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Plenty of animal rescue opportunities  



animal rescue cyprus - Google Search


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## Petluvr (Dec 25, 2021)

Shotokan101 said:


> Plenty of animal rescue opportunities
> 
> 
> 
> animal rescue cyprus - Google Search


Thanks Shotokan - I should've googled before asking the question...


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Petluvr said:


> Thanks Shotokan - I should've googled before asking the question...


Not a problem - I knew from visiting Cyprus that there were rescue centres but not that there were so many until I googled it myself  

Jim


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Petluvr said:


> Thank you for bringing this up, David. I can deal with 40 degree heat, and being on septic, and, and, and... but cruelty to animals absolutely destroys me. Perhaps there are rescue centres where I can volunteer and help in some small way?
> 
> We're coming out for a month in mid-April so I'll look out for opportunities.


I realised from your chosen Username that this may be a problem for you, but didn’t initially want to mention it, although it has always been one of our main ‘downsides’ of living here. Sadly, all of the dog or cat sanctuaries we know of are organised and run by Expats. Here in our part of the island, there are a number of sanctuaries which are financially supported by donations, charity shops and organised entertainment functions. There are many opportunities to volunteer to help them. These range from helping to feed or walk the dogs, to feeding cats to helping out in a charity shop supporting such worthy causes. I can only speak for our part of the island, but the main ones I can mention (which you can google) are Stray Haven, Paphiakos, Tala Cats, Polis Pound and Polis Animal Rescue Centre. Sadly, there are many, many more across the island. Letitia is a volunteer for Stray Haven which has a great record of looking after stray dogs and re-homing them in Germany and the Netherlands, although some are also adopted (mainly by Expats) here in Cyprus. Sadly, the end of the hunting season here sees many ‘hunting dogs’ abandoned to either starve to death or being rescued for a better life abroad.


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## Petluvr (Dec 25, 2021)

This is great info, David. Thank you. I think I will feel a little less impotent and enraged if I can do something to help. 

By the way, back to that link you sent on my other thread about the length of time it takes to get an Irish passport - I'm already on the Foreign Birth Register and the processing time for getting a first passport is 8 weeks (per the Irish passport office) so I think getting on the FBR takes the bulk of the 2 years your link mentioned 

I'm sure there will be plenty more questions as they occur to me. Thank you for your patience...


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## Alistair young (12 mo ago)

I liked the reply to initial question pros and cons I would like to leave the u.k. partly because of the brow beating politics, wokeism, liberalism ect ect and wonder if that type of outlook has rubbed off on Cyprus at all? Maybe it could be too British for me? I don't know. I read a lot of newspapers, internet ect and have become depressed by it. So the reason I wanted to leave u.k. was to get away from everything. So I thought if moved to another country I wouldn't have to read or be influenced about the trials and tribulations of u.k. being in somewhere that has a different language and culture.


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## Alistair young (12 mo ago)

I liked the looked at Portugal which seemed to suit me down to the ground but within 5 years of me trying to make my mind I missed the boat property wise. Everywhere now is unaffordable or its concrete and apartments that aren't really my thing maybe it's the same in Cyprus. I'm not really a beach flopper and would rather a small holding away from the coast somewhere quiet to see myself out in the garden.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Alistair young said:


> I liked the reply to initial question pros and cons I would like to leave the u.k. partly because of the brow beating politics, wokeism, liberalism ect ect and wonder if that type of outlook has rubbed off on Cyprus at all? Maybe it could be too British for me? I don't know. I read a lot of newspapers, internet ect and have become depressed by it. So the reason I wanted to leave u.k. was to get away from everything. So I thought if moved to another country I wouldn't have to read or be influenced about the trials and tribulations of u.k. being in somewhere that has a different language and culture.




I can empathise with your comments about the U.K. as I feel exactly the same. My heart breaks for my children and grandchildren there and the future they face. It seems that my generation had the best time, including the neighbourliness, the education, the once superb public services (health, police, social care etc) and the hope we all had for the future. We were, albeit unwittingly, more environmentally friendly then - returning our milk bottles and pop bottles, taking shopping bags with us to the shops and using public transport more. Even the music we grew up listening to has not been equalled since. Halcyon days indeed! You question whether Cyprus would be too ‘British’ for you. My answer would be that it depends very much on where you live. The name Expats use to describe Peyia says it all - ‘Little Britain’. However, places like Peyia are thankfully few and far between - those that don’t want British-style pubs, food and bingo have lots of choice for a genuine Cyprus feel. The further out of town you live, the more authentic the culture. Wokeism and liberalism are not particularly prevalent here. I would warn you, however, that living here will not stop you stressing about the way things are going in the U.K. especially as you say that you are an avid internet surfer and newspaper reader and more especially if you have close family there. At least you can drown your sorrows in a cold beer sitting in the cool shade of a Taverna listening to Greek music!


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Alistair young said:


> I liked the looked at Portugal which seemed to suit me down to the ground but within 5 years of me trying to make my mind I missed the boat property wise. Everywhere now is unaffordable or its concrete and apartments that aren't really my thing maybe it's the same in Cyprus. I'm not really a beach flopper and would rather a small holding away from the coast somewhere quiet to see myself out in the garden.


The cost of accommodation here - both purchasing and renting has greatly increased over the last 2-3 years. There are still some lovely small stone built properties requiring modernisation in remote villages at a reasonable price, but the trend there is the same. Be aware, however, that since Brexit, relocating here is not particularly easy and is about to get more difficult for retirees - check out the recent thread titled ‘Changes to requirement for third party nationals...seriously?’


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## Alistair young (12 mo ago)

David_&_Letitia said:


> The cost of accommodation here - both purchasing and renting has greatly increased over the last 2-3 years. There are still some lovely small stone built properties requiring modernisation in remote villages at a reasonable price, but the trend there is the same. Be aware, however, that since Brexit, relocating here is not particularly easy and is about to get more difficult for retirees - check out the recent thread titled ‘Changes to requirement for third party nationals...seriously?’


Thanks a lot for the Answers I just feel if I can find somewhere I wasn't involved with like u.k. it would be better for my mental state of mind than tearing my self up about how the country is going. I currently live in the middle of nowhere near pewsey wilts and whenever I go into town to the pub I just can't help overhearing other people completely self obsessed conversations. So it's everywhere people constantly virtue signalling in every women's institute about what their doing for Sudan while their own country if they only knew it was falling apart. So blind are these people that they bang their tin pots for politically motivated organisations that don't want to work but we pay for. There I go again! Sorry but I have to get out of here! for my own health just don't know where to go that's warm in winter. Don't want to end up in a concrete tower block looking over the sea.


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