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City Guide Template

The following is a suggested template for authors considering contributing a city guide for publication at Expat Focus. In addition to being comprehensive and well-written, Expat Focus guides must be:

1. Original (i.e. not published elsewhere, including online)

2. Accurate

3. Impartial, Objective and using the 3rd Person

4. Non-Promotional

Each individual guide will consist of at least the following sections and attempt to answer the following questions:

Overview

Where is the city located (within the country)?
What defines the city or makes it special?
How many expats live there?
Where are expats mainly located?
What draws expats to the city?
How are expats treated? Are they welcome?
Is there any help from the government or voluntary organisations to help expats settle in (e.g. welcome/information packs, orientation meetings, etc.)?
Useful statitistics or facts and figures

Getting There

What are the main road/rail/air/sea routes into the city? Give full addresses and contact details for major terminals.
How long does it take to get there from other major cities, e.g. London, New York, etc.

Speaking the Language

What are the official/most commonly used languages?
How common is English?
Where can you go to learn the local languages?
What are the most popular/well respected schools within the city?

Registration, Permits & Other Documentation

Do foreigners need to register with a particular government organisation on arrival? If so, where do they need to go?
What are the contact details of relevant local government departments? (e.g. the names, addresses and websites of organisations within the city where identity cards, work permits, driving licenses, parking permits, marriage and death certificates etc. can be arranged.)
What are typical waiting times for permits in the city?

Banking

Which banks are popular with/cater for expats?
Where are their local branches located/is there a website showing local branch locations?
Are international banks well represented in the city?

Healthcare & Medical Treatment

What is the phone number to call for emergency medical assistance?
Where are the major hospitals in the city?
Should expats register with a doctor/dentist/optician etc. on arrival and, if so, what is the procedure for doing so? Are there websites which list local practitioners?

Employment

Are expats commonly employed in any particular companies or sectors within the city?
What are the major recruitment agencies in the city? Are there any which specialise in expats?
Are there any government run employment agencies? Where are the local offices?

Accommodation & Property

Do most expats live in close proximity to each other (e.g. in certain areas within the city)?
What are typical rental/purchase prices?
What is the typical lease term?
How can you go about finding a house?
Are there local agencies in the city which specialise in serving expats?
Is domestic help (e.g. a maid) typical?
What are the local agencies?
Are there any local rules (e.g. recycling) you should obey once you have moved in?
What are the property related municipal taxes called (e.g. for household waste, sewerage) and which organisation deals with them?

Education & Schools

Where are local schools located? Is there a website which lists them?
Are there any international schools in or near the city?
Where are the major universities or colleges?

Crime & Safety

What is the number to call for the emergency services?
Are there any areas of high crime within the city to be aware of?
Are there any local scams or crimes which expats especially should be
aware of?

Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water, Household Waste)

What are the major utility companies?
What are their contact details and how do you get connected?
Is tap water safe to drink in the city?

Communications (Telephone, Internet, TV, Post)

Who are the major providers of telephone, internet and TV services in the
city?
How do you contact them and what is the procedure for arranging phone/internet/TV connection?
How can you find the nearest post office (e.g. is there a website which lists them?)

Driving & Public Transport

If it is necessary to exchange your driving license or take a driving
test, where do you need to go?
If your vehicle needs to be registered and/or inspected, where do you go?
What is public transport like within the city?
Where can you find information on public transport timetables, ticket prices etc.?

Shopping

How does shopping for essentials compare with the UK or the US?
What is the range/quality of products like?
Are there large supermarkets or mainly just smaller individual shops?
If there are supermarkets or large chains, what are they called?
Are there markets? If so, what is on sale and where/when are they held?
Are there any English bookstores?

Leisure, Entertainment & Sports

Are there any active expat groups, clubs or societies in the city?
Where are popular sports or leisure activities enjoyed?
Where are places of cultural interest (e.g. sightseeing tours or locations, museums, theatres, libraries etc.)?
Where can you find reviews of restaurants and bars in the city?
What is the nightlife like for expats?
Do expats tend to meet in a certain area?
Are there any large parks, gardens or recreational areas? How can you
interact with nature in or near the city?
What is there to do for children? Are there any facilities especially for expat kids?
What are the major/annual events or festivities?

Each section should be at least 500 words in length (1000 words for the Accommodation & Property section). In terms of the content of each section the following are the most important requirements:

1. It MUST be original. There is a huge wealth of information available on each of these cities and we don't want to just repeat it.

2. It must be accurate, up to date and impartial. We are not looking for opinions in these guides, just the facts.

3. Importantly, the guides are aimed at expats, i.e. people who are moving permanently to the city in question, NOT tourists. This is an important distinction and should inform every line of the work submitted. For example, in the housing/property section we are looking for information about the best way to find an apartment or house to rent or buy, not details of the best hotels. In the shopping section we are looking for information useful for everyday shopping (e.g. what are the supermarkets like?) rather than luxury or novelty shopping.

4. It may be useful to provide information linking to other organisations where more information or advice can be obtained, e.g. public transport organisations, housing organisations, etc. Links to other sources of impartial information are acceptable.

5. Wherever possible, each sentence should hold some information of use to the prospective expat without any "waffle". Please keep in mind that we already have a fair amount of information on a country-wide basis, the information contained in these city guides should be relevant to the city itself. In other words, try to be as specific as possible about places/organisations etc.