November 26, 2014 at 20:30Freelance in Cyprus
In addition to the article by the freelance in Turkey habrayuser dudeonthehorse I will describe the features of this type of work for Cyprus, or rather its southern part. I will not talk about local attractions, but try to give information useful to people who have taken the hard way of free mercenaries.
I’ll note right away that for a number of personal reasons, I’m leaving my hometown for the fall-winter season, because I can’t stand the cold weather: from warm clothes, short daylight hours and runny nose, my performance drops significantly. After a hot summer, you just want good weather, and it’s like not the season to go to countries like Sri Lanka or Thailand. I do not like Turkey, because the choice falls on Cyprus.
The first thing that bribes the island is the opportunity to apply for a tourist visa for citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as they say, without getting up off the couch, for free and without registration. No matter how it sounds, it’s enough to go to the embassy’s website ( Ukraine , Russia ) and download the form from there. Fill it out and send it back by email. For this, you only need a passport, you do not even need to give a photo. Within a couple of days, an answer will come, which must be printed and shown at the airport. In return, they will open a visa for 3 months. The description of it means that this can be done once every six months, but friends rediscovered immediately upon returning to their homeland and there were no problems. But I didn’t test it myself, because I don’t know what difficulties are hidden behind this method.
The second thing that attracts is the ability to quickly and cheaply get there. Depending on the urgency of departure, Kiev-Larnaca tickets can now be bought for 50-150 euros for a WizzAir type low-cost airline , again, without standing in line. The flight itself for this route lasts only 2.5 hours. In the sky I always involuntarily smile, remembering the cases when I got longer from work. If someone will fly in this way, book a pre-landing so as not to stand in line. Upon arrival, you will be expected by a large new airport with free Wi-Fi, lounge areas and a good restaurant.
At the exit of the building you can find buses of various routes, taxis or rent a car. The roads here are good, with markings, reflectors, but the traffic is left-sided, at first there are confusions at complex intersections. And since the locals drive very famously, it is better to take a taxi. If the driver has included the correct tariff, then it will be about 10 euros.
One of the most important freelancer tools. In large cities on the coast, it is almost everywhere, and quite tolerable. In the mountains it’s worse, they mostly put satellite there. Just walking through the streets you can catch a lot of Wi-Fi points, sometimes you come across open ones. The frequent network, Cyta Mobile, is owned by the local mobile operator. The passwords are defaulted there and our people have adapted for a long time and select them using special telephone programs. So you can always navigate or write a letter.
Now about the normal Internet. In hotels it is free, usually up to 5-7 Mb / s. If you rent an apartment, then first ask if it is there and how much it costs. Because it will be expensive to carry out. In general, such indicators will cost 15-20 euros in rented housing.
You can work, as they say "there was not a single gap", but often high ping and low upload.
Mobile Internet will cost 15 euros per 1 GB. You can buy a local 3G modem from the operator Vodafone. Then 20 GB will cost 69 euros. So the situation, as elsewhere: in Russia and Ukraine, most often the Internet is cheaper, and the speed is higher. Although there are exceptions.
Most IT specialists (and not only) know English well. And Cyprus, which for a long time was in the possession of Britain (here and now there are their military bases), this is very conducive. Almost any passerby can easily explain to you in the language of Shakespeare. The older generation learned Russian and very cleverly distinguishes our brother, immediately saying: “Why English? I still remember the Russian language well. ” Many of our compatriots settled here, so there is no barrier to communication. I think this is an important factor, because you can always ask what kind of dish you still ate, explain what is required and so on.
I don’t like hotels, so I proceed according to the following plan: I flew in, rented a room for a week, bought a local card for my phone and then on newspapers, advertisements, and just looking for house advertisements I was looking for suitable housing. To the sea was close and not very noisy.
So, the prices. The cheapest are studio apartments - this is when you go in and everything is in one room. The price in off-season for them starts from 150 euros, without utilities. Next are one bedroom apartments. There will already be a separate bedroom, a living room and an adjoining kitchen. In Larnaca, such a pleasure costs from 250 euros, in Paphos and Limassol I found for 300-400. Inside the furniture, the bed, most likely the Internet, you can agree on the dishes. But more often than not, there is no normal desktop for working at a computer. I know that many can work from an armchair, but drawing is not so comfortable anymore. The way out of the situation is usually on the balcony, where there is always another dining table.
In general, there is a very unusual layout of houses: large display windows, no fences, corridors. You walk down the street in the evening and see how people watch TVs decorously or eat. Almost like De Wallen in Amsterdam, only everything is decent, and no one is calling you.
Since I already mentioned the local connection, it is represented here by the Cyta operator. Since such things are state-owned in Cyprus, the government made a deal with Vodafone by simply calling the network differently. Buy a starter pack with 5 euros in the account will cost 7 euros. You can find in any periptero (Greek. Περίπτερο) - local stalls selling all small things. From my own experience I’ll say that the initial money will be enough to call 40-50 ads, it will still remain.
An important role in remote work is played by the ability to properly withdraw money, pay by card, and so on. After the default and the situation with deposits, Cypriot banks are no longer so loved, but for a while they will do. There are also establishments from the CIS (Privat, Alpha), so you can choose. Hellenic Bank generally allows you to withdraw money through ATMs without a commission on its part.
If there are problems with the card, you can open the local one. Laws allow this to be done while in the country. In stores, frutaries you pay freely with our cards. Conversion is quick, no ID is required. The main thing to remember before leaving is to inform the bank that you intend to use their card abroad, otherwise blocking is possible at the most inopportune moment.
Another of my motivations is that after the summer, the quality of the fruit gradually decreases. In Cyprus, this is not observed. Here fruits and vegetables are always found either in supermarkets such as Carrefour, or in special frutaria. Prices are usually higher than ours, but if you take in bulk, it is cheaper. For example, 4 kilograms of ripe tangerines cost 1 euro. Perfect for morning fresh. Of course, this is not Thailand, but the choice is wide, everything is tasty and fragrant. In general, oranges, pomegranates, and kerob can be tasted from a tree; they grow everywhere, although they are quite dirty.
In supermarkets, I personally do not have enough normal milk. She often has a long shelf life, a small selection of kefirs and cottage cheese. It’s a paradox, but milk in tetra packs sours very well, which I have not observed for a long time. As a substitute, there is a large selection of soy and coconut milk. Lots of cheeses, like tofu. Lovers of dumplings disappoint, they are few here.
For vegans and fans of a gluten-free diet, they often write on products whether it suits them.
The main problem is that the product description in English is often sealed with Greek. I could not understand some things, even asking the seller. And they don’t like taking pictures for translators in supermarkets, politely asking to delete the picture.
There is little public transport, and it is expensive. 1.5 euros costs urban, long-distance - 5 euros. True, it is possible to take a daily / weekly / monthly ticket, depending on your needs.
Local all polls ride cars, less often on motorcycles and scooters. If you go from the store with packages of food, then they look directly at you. This is due to affordable prices for cars and their rental.
I know that many people like bicycles, so I’ll be glad - there are good bike paths on the island along the promenades, and skate parks in Limassol. Two-wheeled pedal transport can be rented: either in offices, or directly from the parking lot, by paying with a credit card. As soon as you put the bike back, the withdrawn deposit is returned. Very comfortably.
If you do not want to feel the heat, then the best time is October. It is still very warm, you can sunbathe, swim, sleep with the windows open. But there is already no such influx of tourists, local biting midges and mosquitoes do not bother. Then gradually the temperature drops. But even now, at the end of November, the air temperature during the day is +20, a couple of times a week you can buy up (since water + 22 + 24), wander around empty beaches and streets.
Then it starts to wait. The sky is increasingly becoming like this:
But on the other hand, local salt lakes are filled and you can stare at them on pink flamingos (which are white here, only pink under the wings).
As a result, the island of Cyprus is quite suitable as a temporary refuge for a freelancer. Safe enough you can walk even in the dark, Cypriots are polite and welcoming. One night I did not know how to get to the place I needed, so a passerby went behind the car and gave me a lift. In stores, people apologize if they walk between you and the food counter.
Lots of cats everywhere and no stray dogs.
Good internet, good products. But if you stay for a long time - it's pretty boring and there's nothing to look at. In general, for an amateur, it is better to come and appreciate it yourself, since this is not a complicated procedure.
I look forward to that round of human development, when any country will be so easy to see.
Ease of Visa Opening
The first thing that bribes the island is the opportunity to apply for a tourist visa for citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as they say, without getting up off the couch, for free and without registration. No matter how it sounds, it’s enough to go to the embassy’s website ( Ukraine , Russia ) and download the form from there. Fill it out and send it back by email. For this, you only need a passport, you do not even need to give a photo. Within a couple of days, an answer will come, which must be printed and shown at the airport. In return, they will open a visa for 3 months. The description of it means that this can be done once every six months, but friends rediscovered immediately upon returning to their homeland and there were no problems. But I didn’t test it myself, because I don’t know what difficulties are hidden behind this method.
Cheap tickets
The second thing that attracts is the ability to quickly and cheaply get there. Depending on the urgency of departure, Kiev-Larnaca tickets can now be bought for 50-150 euros for a WizzAir type low-cost airline , again, without standing in line. The flight itself for this route lasts only 2.5 hours. In the sky I always involuntarily smile, remembering the cases when I got longer from work. If someone will fly in this way, book a pre-landing so as not to stand in line. Upon arrival, you will be expected by a large new airport with free Wi-Fi, lounge areas and a good restaurant.
At the exit of the building you can find buses of various routes, taxis or rent a car. The roads here are good, with markings, reflectors, but the traffic is left-sided, at first there are confusions at complex intersections. And since the locals drive very famously, it is better to take a taxi. If the driver has included the correct tariff, then it will be about 10 euros.
the Internet
One of the most important freelancer tools. In large cities on the coast, it is almost everywhere, and quite tolerable. In the mountains it’s worse, they mostly put satellite there. Just walking through the streets you can catch a lot of Wi-Fi points, sometimes you come across open ones. The frequent network, Cyta Mobile, is owned by the local mobile operator. The passwords are defaulted there and our people have adapted for a long time and select them using special telephone programs. So you can always navigate or write a letter.
Now about the normal Internet. In hotels it is free, usually up to 5-7 Mb / s. If you rent an apartment, then first ask if it is there and how much it costs. Because it will be expensive to carry out. In general, such indicators will cost 15-20 euros in rented housing.
You can work, as they say "there was not a single gap", but often high ping and low upload.
Mobile Internet will cost 15 euros per 1 GB. You can buy a local 3G modem from the operator Vodafone. Then 20 GB will cost 69 euros. So the situation, as elsewhere: in Russia and Ukraine, most often the Internet is cheaper, and the speed is higher. Although there are exceptions.
Tongue
Most IT specialists (and not only) know English well. And Cyprus, which for a long time was in the possession of Britain (here and now there are their military bases), this is very conducive. Almost any passerby can easily explain to you in the language of Shakespeare. The older generation learned Russian and very cleverly distinguishes our brother, immediately saying: “Why English? I still remember the Russian language well. ” Many of our compatriots settled here, so there is no barrier to communication. I think this is an important factor, because you can always ask what kind of dish you still ate, explain what is required and so on.
Housing
I don’t like hotels, so I proceed according to the following plan: I flew in, rented a room for a week, bought a local card for my phone and then on newspapers, advertisements, and just looking for house advertisements I was looking for suitable housing. To the sea was close and not very noisy.
So, the prices. The cheapest are studio apartments - this is when you go in and everything is in one room. The price in off-season for them starts from 150 euros, without utilities. Next are one bedroom apartments. There will already be a separate bedroom, a living room and an adjoining kitchen. In Larnaca, such a pleasure costs from 250 euros, in Paphos and Limassol I found for 300-400. Inside the furniture, the bed, most likely the Internet, you can agree on the dishes. But more often than not, there is no normal desktop for working at a computer. I know that many can work from an armchair, but drawing is not so comfortable anymore. The way out of the situation is usually on the balcony, where there is always another dining table.
In general, there is a very unusual layout of houses: large display windows, no fences, corridors. You walk down the street in the evening and see how people watch TVs decorously or eat. Almost like De Wallen in Amsterdam, only everything is decent, and no one is calling you.
Since I already mentioned the local connection, it is represented here by the Cyta operator. Since such things are state-owned in Cyprus, the government made a deal with Vodafone by simply calling the network differently. Buy a starter pack with 5 euros in the account will cost 7 euros. You can find in any periptero (Greek. Περίπτερο) - local stalls selling all small things. From my own experience I’ll say that the initial money will be enough to call 40-50 ads, it will still remain.
Banks, ATMs
An important role in remote work is played by the ability to properly withdraw money, pay by card, and so on. After the default and the situation with deposits, Cypriot banks are no longer so loved, but for a while they will do. There are also establishments from the CIS (Privat, Alpha), so you can choose. Hellenic Bank generally allows you to withdraw money through ATMs without a commission on its part.
If there are problems with the card, you can open the local one. Laws allow this to be done while in the country. In stores, frutaries you pay freely with our cards. Conversion is quick, no ID is required. The main thing to remember before leaving is to inform the bank that you intend to use their card abroad, otherwise blocking is possible at the most inopportune moment.
Products
Another of my motivations is that after the summer, the quality of the fruit gradually decreases. In Cyprus, this is not observed. Here fruits and vegetables are always found either in supermarkets such as Carrefour, or in special frutaria. Prices are usually higher than ours, but if you take in bulk, it is cheaper. For example, 4 kilograms of ripe tangerines cost 1 euro. Perfect for morning fresh. Of course, this is not Thailand, but the choice is wide, everything is tasty and fragrant. In general, oranges, pomegranates, and kerob can be tasted from a tree; they grow everywhere, although they are quite dirty.
In supermarkets, I personally do not have enough normal milk. She often has a long shelf life, a small selection of kefirs and cottage cheese. It’s a paradox, but milk in tetra packs sours very well, which I have not observed for a long time. As a substitute, there is a large selection of soy and coconut milk. Lots of cheeses, like tofu. Lovers of dumplings disappoint, they are few here.
For vegans and fans of a gluten-free diet, they often write on products whether it suits them.
The main problem is that the product description in English is often sealed with Greek. I could not understand some things, even asking the seller. And they don’t like taking pictures for translators in supermarkets, politely asking to delete the picture.
Transport
There is little public transport, and it is expensive. 1.5 euros costs urban, long-distance - 5 euros. True, it is possible to take a daily / weekly / monthly ticket, depending on your needs.
Local all polls ride cars, less often on motorcycles and scooters. If you go from the store with packages of food, then they look directly at you. This is due to affordable prices for cars and their rental.
I know that many people like bicycles, so I’ll be glad - there are good bike paths on the island along the promenades, and skate parks in Limassol. Two-wheeled pedal transport can be rented: either in offices, or directly from the parking lot, by paying with a credit card. As soon as you put the bike back, the withdrawn deposit is returned. Very comfortably.
Weather now and sea
If you do not want to feel the heat, then the best time is October. It is still very warm, you can sunbathe, swim, sleep with the windows open. But there is already no such influx of tourists, local biting midges and mosquitoes do not bother. Then gradually the temperature drops. But even now, at the end of November, the air temperature during the day is +20, a couple of times a week you can buy up (since water + 22 + 24), wander around empty beaches and streets.
Then it starts to wait. The sky is increasingly becoming like this:
Short time-lapse
But on the other hand, local salt lakes are filled and you can stare at them on pink flamingos (which are white here, only pink under the wings).
conclusions
As a result, the island of Cyprus is quite suitable as a temporary refuge for a freelancer. Safe enough you can walk even in the dark, Cypriots are polite and welcoming. One night I did not know how to get to the place I needed, so a passerby went behind the car and gave me a lift. In stores, people apologize if they walk between you and the food counter.
Lots of cats everywhere and no stray dogs.
Good internet, good products. But if you stay for a long time - it's pretty boring and there's nothing to look at. In general, for an amateur, it is better to come and appreciate it yourself, since this is not a complicated procedure.
I look forward to that round of human development, when any country will be so easy to see.