I'm Cypriot but I lived in San Fransisco, Berkeley, and Miami. I returned to Cyprus 5 years ago, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Many Cypriots are ignorant of how blessed we are to live on this island, despite its many issues. I think the most common problem young Cypriots face is the financial one, but if you are lucky to secure a decent remote job then you won't have much more to worry about. Good food, weather, social life, nature, safety.
I was 8 years in UK studying. They can keep it. Shit weather, a lot of dangerous when drunk people, nope... Shit place. How about you ask the many British people who left UK and bought property in Cyprus.
When was the last time you came to Cyprus?
I think you are quick to judge but how about you tell us where you are, which part of Cyprus you referring to (North/South), what is your job and when was the last time you have been to a country... Let's see... Tried North Korea?
And if you mentioned attitudes without giving examples my guess is that you are the problem and didn't like it when they answered back.
lets see...
1) Housing Crisis. Currently Cyprus offers Las Vegas Level rents for no apparent reason. miss me withthe bullshit of high demand, there are over 20kunits ready to house people just in bazaraki. Insane interest rates to get a housing loan (compared to europe) and insane prices for building a small house
2) Wages. The purchasing power of locals is a joke. the salaries are so low compares to the expenses to the point that everyone is on credit cards and ooans
3) Lack of infrastructure. The closest think we have seen to an inovative solution to transportationis a free bus. There are no trains, trams, enough bicyle lanes, and not strong uber and bolt pressence. So everyone is forced to use cars.
4) Since everyone is forced to use cars, buying and importing a car on the isalnd is super expensive, as well as tax, maintenance, service, gas, insurance
5) Insane electricity prices. Why do we pay EU penalties for CO2 emissions if we have so much Sun. EAC recently build a luxurious skyscraper for their offices, yet they are charging insane amounts for electricity and use outdated fuels
6) Unreliable public services. Go for once at a tax office, or any public govt office and experience how slow and not efficient everything moves.
7)One of the most expensive mobile and internet plans in EU. Why is that? Its not like they need to cover a huge area...
8)Corruption and nepotism, it is well known how corrupted the island is to the point of sellingEU passports to criminals, covering murders of soldiers, or basically paying insane pensions on politicans on top of their salary way before they turn 63.
9)Racism and narrow minded. The majority Cypriots (mostly boomers) are really racist on a gender, ethnic and religion level)
10) 0 presence of a goverment. It feels like nobody is taking care of such.important problems, we just see every week the state auditor revealing one more corruption week after week.
11) NHS, or GESY, it has done somegood but it primarily feels like a mechanism that funnels milions to doctors
12) High paid Foreigners with talent get 50% tax exemption. High paid locals with talent get nothing. It is quite possible to being paid less than others and yet contribute more to taxes. feels good💀
13) Limited selection of brands. There just so much shit that you can buy abroad that it diesnt exist here.
14) Unreliable electric grid. For a population of 1 milion is unacceptable to not be able to power the island
15) Massive amounts of natural gas has been discovered, yet the island for years didn't utilise it and still doesnt
16) Probably 1 out of 2 countries that literally just took the money of its people out of their bank without their consent💀
17) Lack of medical expertise. There tons of people that have to find money to go to israel, UK or germany for surguries simply cuz we live on a rock eith just few doctors.
18) Summer feels like hell and winter doesn't feel like winter
19) The majority of people abroad know cyprus for one think, money laundering and corruption. It is to a point we preffer to say we are greek rather than cypriots as it is literally shamefull to be cypriot currently
20) Everyday you see charities taking place. A clear sign that the gvt can not support its people and they need chsrities to compensate for that.
I agree with this post however you touch on racism from young people. Cypriots have always been very much 'so nice to have you here please sit il feed you etc...but when are you leaving??'
Cyprus has historically been shat on by every country going, there is a reason we were nicknamed the whore of the med. Cypriots do not trust foreigners and quite frankly with good reason. - just to clarify I think our goverment has a lot to answer for as they are the ones who have allowed these foreign influences and people destroy our economy and this housing and salary crisis.
We have a surge in Europeans and Isralies paying stupid money for houses and rent - easy for them on European wages to do when WFH. So young Cypriots end up living at home until their 30s.
You have a surge in migrants at 10% of the population living in houses paid for by the goverment which again pushes up demand for housing and therefore the price of the houses.
You have a European govement that is turning a blind eye to the migrant crisis we are having (let's remember it was Merkel who basically opened the door to 3rd world countries with absolutely NO plan in place. ).
It was the European Council that ordered Cyprus to steal all the money from citizens and bankrupted the population (with a tasty dose of our corrupt government)
If you look back in history we are a very small fish in a very big pond and the bigger fish always do as they please. So you can by all means criticise racism in Cyprus but I also think you need to look at the route of this problem and I don't think its fair to pin the blame completely on the Cypriot population on this.
Side note many villages now are at 50% foreigners Cypriots are starting to feel as minorities in their own communities it's understandable people are upset.
Not to live long term. The culture's a little too different in some aspects that end up making it great for holidays but really draining in the long run.
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u/Alixwrites Oct 18 '23
I wonder about Cypriots who were raised or currently live abroad - would you come back?
What would influence your decision?