How To Piss Off A Latvian
With bloggers recently feeling the touchy sides of the Dutch and Singaporeans, there seems to be a minor web trend informing expats on how not to behave like cultural cretins. If you know what’ s good for you, don’t tell a Dutchman he’s from Holland, and that shtick about chewing gum is getting stale down […]
How To Survive Winter In Latvia
When I was growing up, we spent countless New Year’s Eves mucking about in the knee-deep snow in the countryside. These days, we’re lucky to get a few days of such beautiful winter weather each year. Undeniably, winters are getting milder and kicking in later, with snow becoming a rare delight. But, come November, temperatures […]
Vegetarian In Latvia: Heaven Or Hell?
Latvia has long been a meat-loving nation and many menus reflect this love of meat. I’ve had many disappointing experiences of being stuck with bland risotto, soggy eggplant and undercooked chunks of cheese. However, the last few years have brought positive change! Being vegetarian in Latvia is actually now a joy. And we’re not just […]
Opening a Bank Account in Latvia: Alex’s Story
Please note, this article was written in 2013 and is based on Alex’s personal experience of opening a bank account. He’s an EU citizen with a Latvian residence permit. There are a number of banks in Latvia, but the main players, and the banks with the most branches are Swedbank, SEB, Luminor and Citadele. The […]
Schools In Riga: A General Overview
If you’re moving to Riga with your kids in tow, you’ll want to know a bit about the local school scene before deciding on “the right one”. Schools in Riga are very different so you might not want to just settle for the one closest to your new home. The first consideration should be whether […]
16 Amusing Uses of English in Latvia
No blog aimed at expats would be complete without a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour about the host country’s nationals and their grasp of foreign languages. So, here goes! We present a small collection of Baltic English pearls which we sure found amusing (plus a bonus gem from Alex’s recent trip to Poland). “Lens soup” – […]
Moving to Latvia – A Checklist & Simple Process
I moved to Latvia from the UK (Scotland specifically) a few months ago, and I felt a few points in the process were worth noting for people who are thinking about doing the same. This guide should help those who feel they would like to relocate to Latvia. It’s not a post to convince you […]
Where Do Rigans Go At The Weekend?
Shopping centres would be a valid answer but we’re going to take a look at a very different place to escape to: lauki, the idyllic Latvian countryside. Come Friday afternoon from 3pm until about 7pm any road leading out of Riga sees heavy traffic as city dwellers pack into their cars to relocate to their […]
Registering As Living In Latvia – Latvian Residence Permit
Disclosure: This article was written in 2013. You may also want to read Tabatha Soltay’s 2019 step-by-step guide to applying for a residence permit. — When I first got to Latvia, I wrongly assumed that one of the most difficult things for me to do would be to register myself as living here. It seemed […]
Local Markets In Latvia
Latvians love a market. I’m not talking the well-known Riga Central Market here (although that counts for something, and it is pretty special). I’m talking about smaller farmers or local product markets. It often feels like when a space frees up in Latvia, the authorities come along and have a discussion. “Do you think we […]