Life in Libya For the Expats
Moving to a new and often unknown country is usually difficult and there are many considerations to be made: Housing and accommodation the regular of medical care and children's education shopping and availability of imported food and goods the social scene and things to do in Libya, to name but a few.
Libya re-entered the International neighborhood in 2003 following nearly 20 years of financial sanctions and the stress is on to rebuild and modernise the Libyan infrastructure - roads, schools, universities, hospitals, water, power and oil & gas projects are all seeing major investment. As a result, expatriates who are experienced in these fields have been encouraged to come to Libya, either with their employer or in their own right in order to invest and develop the Libyan economy.
Possibilities for expatriates from all more than the globe exist especially in the construction and oil & gas sectors. Many parts of Tripoli resemble massive developing websites, with western-standard hotels becoming constructed at an alarming price! In the desert and offshore in the Mediterranean Sea, more and much more western oil businesses are investing millions of dollars to create what are considered to be some of the biggest oil and gas reserves in Africa.
Expatriates come to live and work in Libya either on single status or accompanied by their families. Usually those who come to Libya on single status function at drilling sites, oil & gas installations and other projects, frequently deep in the Libyan desert where facilities are limited and consequently not appropriate for households. Numerous households live in and around Tripoli, Benghazi and other cities scattered along the Mediterranean coastline, either on managed estates alongside other expat households, in villas (often with swimming pools), or in city centre apartments. Rents vary from the reasonable to the ridiculous!
Libya is much much more than just the desert - numerous of the best preserved Roman era structures outside of Italy are to be found at Sabratha, Leptis Magna and in Tripoli itself - the which means of Tripoli is "3 Cities" and the visitor can spend many days or even weeks exploring the Roman architecture.
For the first time visitor, Libya can be a extremely confusing and frustrating place. The standard of driving would not go amiss on a dodgems or stock car circuit, few of the streets outdoors of the town or city centres have names, street signs and shop names are all in Arabic script. However, Libyans are very keen to meet foreigners and will even stop you in the street or in a shop in order to practise their English. Don't let any of this place you off - Libyans are extremely friendly and family members oriented people and adore kids.
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