Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

Guys, I am Cypriot, and to be honest the last thing I want is to promote Cyprus as a destination for foreign workers! The more they came the harder it becomes for us to find jobs. Cyprus has some needs in low skill labor or highly specialized professions but we have tons of university graduates in all sorts of fields so we don't need to import more of those

[windsurfrush]

England may have expensive medical care, taxes etc. but the wages are higher and compensate for that, whereas in Cyprus, the prices keep going up, and the wages forever stay the same.

And I agree, since foreign workers started coming, Cypriots find it very hard to find well paid jobs or buy property. But I guess that's the down side of being a small island. I loved Cyprus 15 years ago, but not anymore. It seems that people are getting more and more greedy. I know that in Cyprus I would never be able to afford my own home, wheras in Canada I can.

And I do think Cyprus could do with some more highly specialized professions, as you described it. Why is it most Cypriot girls I know go to University in Greece and study Economics?? Why not study to be a doctor, or a Veterinarian? They're all so eager to find jobs in banks but the sad truth is they are cashiers and earn a measly 499 CYP per month. I guess they just like to say they work in a bank.

[Sotos]

Yes we need some more specialized professions but not doctors. We have many of those. Maybe some very specialized kinds of doctors, but it would be just 2-3 positions in the whole island for them. Economics seems to be the topic that those don't have a clue what they want to be choose! We have tons of them!! Most of those girls you talk about end up as secretaries. But Bank jobs are good for money. I don't know if they start with 499 but for sure they get lots more with time and the working hours and conditions are good also.

[windsurfrush]

499 CYP is their start wage, and the hours are good too... but, does it make them happy? Parents here all want their children to find jobs in banks or offshore companies... they never ask their children what they want to do. I've also noticed that a lot of people lie about their profession... I was at my mother-in-law the other day, and she babysits a kid during the day whilst her mother is at work. Her mother works for NAAFI on the base. So, someone comes round for a coffee, and asks the kids mother what she does for a living. She says that she works as a manager on the base for a company. I was in shock. It's all about who drives the nicest car, who wears the nicest clothes etc. It's all bullshit. I hate this type of mentality and that's why I want to leave.

[Sotos]

499 CYP is their start wage, and the hours are good too... but, does it make them happy? Parents here all want their children to find jobs in banks or offshore companies...

You forgot working for the government. The number one choice

I hate this type of mentality and that's why I want to leave.

What I think is that no place is perfect. But for sure some place might be better for you than another place. I mean if you don't care about sunshine the beach and the positives of Cyprus but you really hate the negatives of Cyprus then you would be better off some place else. If you don't have any attachment with a specific place then you can move around until you find somehting that suits you better!

[Sega]

499 CYP is their start wage, and the hours are good too... but, does it make them happy? Parents here all want their children to find jobs in banks or offshore companies... they never ask their children what they want to do. I've also noticed that a lot of people lie about their profession... I was at my mother-in-law the other day, and she babysits a kid during the day whilst her mother is at work. Her mother works for NAAFI on the base. So, someone comes round for a coffee, and asks the kids mother what she does for a living. She says that she works as a manager on the base for a company. I was in shock. It's all about who drives the nicest car, who wears the nicest clothes etc. It's all bullshit. I hate this type of mentality and that's why I want to leave.

This is most certainly true. The mentality can be perceived as b*llshit, but you need to understand why people are like this.

When in the UK I always use to speak the truth, if somebody said what do you do? I would not even think to make something up, I would tell him/her the truth and mostly the individual would accept what I said and would not twist anything. There was denominations domiciled in the UK that did twist the truth more than others, this did not reflect mainstream British culture.

However (not all people are like this), many people in Cyprus adjust the truth as you so clearly pointed out. Sometimes they might adjust the truth in your favour or again it. Speaking about others never works to any good, if you say something good, people with the jealousy gene would get jealousy (as you would expect) and if you speak bad then people with no lives would have something to talk about.

I truly find people who speak about ordinary people like their celebrities boring. I was speaking to a relative some time ago about HDTV a few years back, before most people in Cyprus even heard about it. Apparently this individual was working in an electrical store as a sales assistance. She did not take a blind bit of notice and in the end she actually told me to shut up (noticing her increase sense of jealousy). Anyway somebody next to me started talking something bad about some random person I don't even remember and all of a sudden she became completely engaged in the conversation as if somebody was quoting something biblical.

It's a difference in mentality, many people here feel challenged and jealous and people cleverer than them. If somebody would tell something that he had a point in, I would not challange him because ultimatly he had a point. Here they see that as putting you down. And if somebody is wrong and you prove him wrong the chances as that he will probably pretend he never heard anything. You need not look further than what was said in this thread.

I would be interested to know how much time you spent here. I have been here for a few months and now I am adjusted. This b*llshit mentality does not affect me anymore. You can say I have gained an in-built filter. The main things to remember is to never believe anybody, people under and over exaggerate to benefit the situation.

Let's be honest, life is never rosy, and if it was we would get bored very quickly. People like to talk about other people here, so if I was hypothetically to tell somebody your negative situation (there is always something negative in our lives), the chances are that this person would tell somebody else with a twist, I think it's called gossiping or chinese whispers.

Because people understand that others will twist the truth they tend to lie to begin with so that it cannot be twisted in a bad way. Thats the complete reason. Anyway if you want to be like me just speak your mind and take little notice in what others says behind you.

[Sega]

I have somekind of bitter taste when I think of what is happening. Then I say to myself that life ain't fair and I have to deal with it like that, trying something else if what I do now doesn't work.

So what is my problem? The problem is this, after 16 years of school, a BS degree, 4 years experience in the field, I could say I do my job very well, and then I see somebody, that can hardly think on he's own, that knows only few words in english, doesn't speak greek, and he get's more than me per month. (Of course, he moves rocks from one place to another, and I work in an office, does that count?)

Why is that? I don't care, these guys can get four times more than me, my problem is why I am not paid accordingly. Because all these f**king employers want to make a fortune from nothing. I work and they are getting paid.

This sucks.

Speak of it, everybody. I know it sucks. I think it sucks also, I spent 5 years in uni, 2 years in college, 5 years in private high school education. My total education is worth well over 45K in total, not to mention the managerial experience, when am I going to be acknowledging a return on this.

I fear that many will chose the path of unemployment benefits rather than work if this continuous.

[RelaxEl]

I like this topic..
We were also thinking about the benefits of education (me and my wife have both MsC degree). At home (in Czech republic) I worked as a IT consultant in logistic area and I expect to do something similar here... Somehow it didnt happen.

However you know what would be more interesting, or even more exciting?

To share the amounts of our salaries here on the forum!
And express whether we are happy or disappointed...

I could start:
I was disappointed at the beginning, but then I realize that it is possible to live normal live with this amount is and save some money too. However it is impossible to buy a house and raise children.

So the amount is 840CYP, and I work as a supervisor in warehouse.

Is there anybody else who dare to say the number??


BTW somebody wrote above about the cars a clothes obsession in Cyprus. Yes it is sooo funny to see guys in black and girls in evening robes to drive BMW to periptero to buy frappe ))

[Johnson&Johnson]

life is what you make it.

sure, wages here are low. but there are plenty of people struggling in the UK, USA and yes, Canada as well.

i find that in cyprus young people get out of uni and expect to be earning a killing striaght away. it doesnt work like that, you have to put in the hours, work hard and prove yourself first, before you can expect to see some improvement in your salary.

i think if somebody asked me for advice on living/working here, the only thing i could say is, avoid working for cypriots. the majority are not professional, fair or honest in their business dealings.

go for the offshore companies or foreign multinationals if you can. your chances are much higher there.

[Sega]

Well I am certainly not happy with my income, if I could redo everything I would not go to university and learn some sort of a trade instead. The market is flooded with new graduates and unfortunatly I am one of them.

From an investment point of view I can tell you that it sounds ludicrous, a total of 7 years of study costing approximatly 45K, not to mension the time I was not working due to studying. In total the figure should be around 60K, and now they offer me the same income as somebody who works in McDonnalds, no sorry I think they get more.

To any people thinking of going to university... THINK TWICE!!! Unless your going to be a lawyer, teacher, doctor, accountant then univesity is not worth it, especially for people entering the new media industry.