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It`s the economy, ..

Frankfurt Main, DE (View on map)
Posted 26 Jul 2008:

After visiting the keep-the-French-happy- capital of the EU (Strassbourg), the two political capitals Brussels and Luxembourg and the most European capital of all, Berlin, I am now reporting for duty from the EU`s financial capital Frankfurt am Main. Or Mainhattan if you wish.. I am surrounded by tall yet unexciting buildings of the European Central Bank as well as headquarters of all German banks. Today`s question also deals with money: how much are the Germans suffering from the financial downturn that is reigning the western world these days?...... Read more

Spending money

Esbjerg, DK (View on map)
Posted 20 Jul 2008:

People from Jutland are seen by their compatriots as rather greedy. On average, they have less money to spend and they are also more careful about how they spend it, and what they spend it on. Today`s question therefore deals with money management. What do young Jutlanders like to spend money on, and which expenses do they see as nothing but nuisance?... Read more

First things first

Karlovy Vary, CZ (View on map)
Posted 22 May 2008:

In Czech Republic as much as in Hungary, questions about `ambition` and `inspiration` lead to shy smiles and superficial answers. While communism erased personal dreams by the nature of its ideology, the current situation makes people almost voluntarily forget about their dreams, at the expense of longing for money and authority.... Read more

All `bout the money

Bucharest, RO (View on map)
Posted 18 Mar 2008:

Having money or not having money was hardly decisive for the quality of people`s life during communist times in Romania. Everybody had money, and most people could count on earning wages that were similar to the ones of their peers. The comfort of life was decided by the overall availability of goods, rather than anything else. Having money is one thing, but there also needs to be something you can buy from it. Which was oftentimes not the case in the 1990s. The trend has now reversed. Shops are full, but many people`s wallets are not: a good reason to take a closer look at the way young Romanians think about money.... Read more

Life and work

Sofia, BG (View on map)
Posted 6 Mar 2008:

Ever since the two most recent enlargement rounds of the European Union, many `old` EU countries have put limits on the influx of workers from the new member states. Bulgaria is one of the states who are particularly touched by the restrictions. Despite their newly acquired freedom to travel, most Bulgarians therefore still need to find employment in their own company. Which is neither an easy nor a very rewarding task.... Read more

Finding a job

Taranto, IT (View on map)
Posted 15 Feb 2008:

Italians are often laughed at for living with their parents until they reach the age of 30 or sometimes even higher. Unfortunately for them, it is not only their mother`s cooking that keeps them at home. ... Read more

Exchanging money

Limassol, CY (View on map)
Posted 18 Jan 2008:

1 January 2002: Twelve countries physically exchange their local coins and banknotes into Euros. Slovenia follows suit in 2007, while Cyprus and Malta also adopt the Euro as their local currency on 1 Januray 2008. Within three weeks, all Cypriot Pounds seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth. But does that mean that Cypriots are all happy with their new money?... Read more

Faites vos jeux!

Barcelona, ES (View on map)
Posted 21 Nov 2007:

The end of the year is a busy period in Spain. Beside the predominantly Catholic celebrations of Immaculate Conception (early December) and Christmas (late December), Spanish people eagerly await another event: The biggest lottery of the year on December 22nd. It is not an official holiday and people go to work as if nothing happens, but a massive amount of participants hope to end the day as millionaires.... Read more

EU Support

Porto, PT (View on map)
Posted 9 Nov 2007:

Portuguese people are fond of flags. Walk around in a random Portuguese city or neighbourhood and you will see plenty of flags hanging out of windows or waving proudly over public buildings. Since 1986, a second flag appeared next to the Portuguese one: the twelve-starred flag of the European Union. When displayed on a sign instead of decorating a flagpole, it is likely to indicate a project has been co-funded by the EU. Huge funds have been pumped into Portugal since it joined the EU. However, the results seem less convincing than the achievements of Spain and Ireland, who joined almost at the same time and had similar economies before entering the EU.... Read more

Public or Private?

Evora, PT (View on map)
Posted 5 Nov 2007:

Everyone who falls sick or goes to university basically has one fundamental choice: public or private. In health care, public stands for slow, inefficient but affordable. In education, the situation is quite different: public universities have very strict admission policies and in many cases are more prestigious than private ones. Here`s a quick overview of both systems.... Read more

Social classes

Edinburgh, UK (View on map)
Posted 18 Oct 2007:

Money makes a difference. Much more so in Britain than in the previous two countries I visited: Finland and Sweden. The traditional abundance of social layers of British society may have somewhat faded, but everybody is still very aware, or made aware, of the differences that still exist today between working class, middle class and upper class. How does social status influence people`s daily lives? That is what I am trying to find out today.... Read more

Cost of progress

Tallinn, EE (View on map)
Posted 14 Sep 2007:

Out of the three Baltic countries, Estonia is definitely the most developed one. Its closeness to Finland and Sweden has helped it make quick progress after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Strict monetary policies and the fanatic support to foreign investors have caused an explosion of commercial activity. EU membership in 2004 further boosted the people`s confidence in the economy. Today, I am trying to find out how people are taking advantage of their newly acquired financial freedoms. ... Read more

The Celtic Tiger

Dublin, IE (View on map)
Posted 13 Aug 2007:

Over the last 20 years, Ireland has transformed from one of the poorest countries in Western Europe into one of the richest. Most of Ireland`s history has been a story of poverty, with the Potato Famine of the 1840s as a memory which is still today kept alive by the numerous statues in Ireland`s harbour towns. Skinny metal people with sad faces remind people of what Ireland happened in those days. More than a tenth of the population died of hunger, and over a million people emigrated from the island; most of them to the United States. Today, Ireland leads the march in Europe. It is a modern, rich and booming country. The success is attributed to the Celtic Tiger. My question for today: how was the Celtic Tiger created and will it manage to stay around?... Read more

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