Are you thinking about working overseas?

Then, this article is just for you!

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/05/write_a_resume_that_travels_ac.html?referral=00563&cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-daily_alert-_-alert_date&utm_source=newsletter_daily_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert_date&goback=%2Egde_1844698_member_112982030

Germany improves employment conditions for international students and scholars

The German Parliament has recently passed a new legislation to benefit international students and scholars who want to work in the country. Upon graduation, international students will now have 18 months to obtain a job and after two years of employment will qualify for a permanent residence. Furthermore, the approval from the National Labor Authority will no longer be needed, reducing bureaucracy and stress for the students.

International scholars will receive a residence permit for up to 6 months and depending on salary, a Blue Card, which will enable them to obtain a permanent residence permit in two to three  years.

Alemania introduce beneficios para estudiantes y profesores internacionales

El Parlamento alemán aprobó una nueva legislación que tiene por objetivo mejorar las condiciones de los estudiantes internacionales en el país germano. Como resultado de esta medida,  al graduarse en Alemania, los alumnos extranjeros podrán permanecer en el país hasta 18 meses buscando un trabajo permanente. Además de no haber restricciones de empleo durante ese período, ya no será necesario que obtengan el consentimiento de la autoridad laboral nacional. Otro de los nuevos beneficios es que después de dos años de trabajo en el país, los interesados podrán obtener un permiso de residencia permanente.

Los académicos internacionales también se verán beneficiados con esta legislación, ya que recibirán un permiso de residencia por hasta 6 meses y, dependiendo del salario negociado como parte de su contrato, obtendrán una Tarjeta Azul, que los habilitará para obtener la residencia permanente en dos o tres años.

Los 10 destinos top para estudios en el exterior

En enero de este año, FoxNews publicó un listado de los 10 destinos más populares para realizar intercambios académicos.  Londres, París, Roma, Florencia y Barcelona ocuparon los primeros lugares de este ranking, seguidos por Sydney, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Copenhagen y Beijing. El artículo completo en inglés se encuentra disponible en http://www.foxnews.com/fncu/current-interns/blog/2012/01/10/top-10-study-abroad-cities

Money: how to save on food

Continuing with the series of recommendations on how to manage your budget wisely during your overseas experience, today I am sharing a few tips on how to save on food.

While food is a very important part of any culture which I personally believe should be broadly explored and enjoyed, you do not need to spend fortunes nor fall prey of touristy restaurants to get to learn about the local delicacies. Below are some of the strategies that I learnt from my students:

1.         Eating out: always find out about specials, happy hours and fixed menus, which tend to be a better value for your money than ordering “à la carte”. Also, by registering with some of the group discount sites (i.e. Grupon, Pez Urbano, etc.) you may access really good deals for eating cheaply in some top restaurants.

2.         Where and how to buy: although price differences between supermarkets often involve pennies, in the long run this adds up. Hence, one of the “acclimation” tasks you may want to do when you first arrive is visit a couple different supermarkets to determine which is the most convenient.

Most large supermarket chains have their own product lines, which tend to be cheaper than first brands but still have very good quality. They are definitely worth a try.

Buying in bulk is always cheaper than getting small quantities, so, it may not only be wallet-smart but also a fun activity to get together with a few of your friends and go to a bulk outlet (i.e. Costco, Makro, etc.)

Many cities have food markets (generally held on weekends or on special days of the week) which make not only an interesting outing but also a great place where to buy food more economically. A secret to getting even better deals is to there soon before closing time, as many merchants generally slash off their prices so as not to carry anything away with them when they leave. This practice also applies to many bakeries, which also reduce the price of their items a couple hours before closing.

Although supermarket coupons are not common in every country (and where they do, they should be taken advantage of!), weekly or daily promotions and discounts are frequent almost everywhere in the world. You can become aware of these offers either by subscribing to the store’s mailing list or by reading the company’s brochures or national/ local newspapers.

3.         University cafeterias: in many countries the food offered at the university eateries are partly subsidized by the institution or the government. This often results in full meals that cost a fraction of what you would get elsewhere. Besides these advantageous prices, some universities also offer weekly or monthly food passes, which provide more savings than paying for your meals on a daily basis.

4.         Street stalls: it is common knowledge that food sold in street stands is often quite economical and also very tasty. As a general rule, though, before buying anything from a street vendor consider its overall cleanliness and ensure that anything that you get there is either cooked (and served hot) or, if it is a fruit, that you can peel it before eating.

5.         Eating at home: although many students are tempted to live on rice and pasta due to their low cost and easy preparation, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, as this has a direct impact on one’s general well-being. To achieve healthy and economic eating habits it may be fun to do weekly searches of “cheap and easy” meals that you can cook together with friends or roommates.

6.         Other: most university campuses feature many weekly events, several of which serve free food. I have had students who have lived whole weeks on event food- all they needed to do was to know when and where to go!

Finally, the website http://themilitarywallet.com/25-ways-eat-for-free/ offers some ideas on how to get free food in the United States.

Top 10 study abroad destinations

This is the list of the top 10 study abroad destinations that was published by FoxNews on January 10^th, 2012. http://www.foxnews.com/fncu/current-interns/blog/2012/01/10/top-10-study-abroad-cities

It is nice to see that my home town is among them!

Cobertura médica: un aspecto fundamental

La atención médica funciona de maneras muy distintas en los diferentes países. Por eso, un aspecto muy importante a resolver antes de la partida para cualquier experiencia internacional es la obtención de una cobertura médica adecuada. Omitir este paso puede resultar en situaciones que no sólo pongan en peligro tu salud sino también tu bolsillo.

Para evitar estos riesgos es importante tener presentes los siguientes puntos: