1. Meet The City First

Coming to the Netherlands from a foreign country is always a cultural shock. If you’re not even from Europe you’re going to be double surprised. We’re talking about positive things. The city of Maastricht is amazing. It has some of the country’s most beautiful buildings, streets, and bridges. It’s quite charming with many cathedrals and monuments worth visiting. You’ve probably heard about Dutch love for bikes but you can select a vehicle of your choice if you click here. So, before you move on to studying, ensure that you fall in love with the city first.

2. Gel In

Studying abroad has many advantages. Considering that you’ve taken this step, we’re sure that you’re willing to meet new places and people. We encourage you to do this. Maastricht is a truly international hub. You will not only meet the Dutch but various other nationalities, cultures, and customs. Embrace them all.

So, gel in quickly with the town and people. This will make your stay more pleasant and you’ll learn more quicker. You will be thrilled by its location as it is positioned between Germany and Belgium, close to France and Luxembourg. You’ll also be close to Amsterdam and Rotterdam but also much close to Brussels and Cologne.

3. Be Ready to Speak English

Yes, Dutch is the main language in this country. But you won’t be forced to speak it. The number of locals speaking English is massive. You should be prepared for this. As an international student, you need to come prepared to speak English first.

Of course, you can start learning Dutch the moment you’ve on the spot, but the good news is that you won’t be obliged to do so. The University itself offers many courses in English, but you won’t be limited to only listening to those.  In addition to Dutch and English, you’ll be able to hear many other world languages. After all, people from all over the world come here. You’ll meet individuals from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

4. Beware of Living Cost

The Netherlands has a pretty high living standard. What this means is that some things are expensive, or at least more expensive than what you’re used to in your home country.  This is why you need to do some work on your budget. As a student you’ll need anything from $700 to $1000, all depending on your lifestyle. The low margin is quite high as you can see, and if that is how much you can afford you’ll need to have a tight budget.

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Reasons for the Appeal

South Africa is the largest world producer of gold, chromium, and platinum. It also boasts large reserves of iron, ore, coal, uranium, and manganese nickel. This attracts large international oil and gas brands to the region.

The agricultural and banking sectors are expanding, as well as the demand for local services within the country. Finally, its location is strategic. It is a convenient investment gateway into the continent.

In 2018, Foreign direct investment into South Africa saw more than four-fold growth, rising to $7.1 billion. By June 2019, the figure had increased by  $1.8 billion. This considerable boost reflects the positive perception of the economy abroad.

Economic Outlook

Although the national economy has slowed down in recent years, it is predicted to recover soon. The official forecast by the World Bank for 2019-2023 was lowered largely due to political uncertainty. Now, when the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc across the world, the South African economy is in decline. However, growth is projected to resume in the next few years.

The South African Rand

Over the past few years, the national currency has been relatively firm. This contributes to the appeal for foreign investors. The South African Rand has shown impressive stability in comparison with USD and EUR, as majors were affected by Trump’s trade wars against China and the Brexit controversy.

Historically, the South African currency saw its record high against USD in early 2016 (17.83). The lowest value was observed in 1992 ( 2.71). Now, the pair is priced at 16.67. Today, the national currency is accepted as part of so-called exotic currency pairs (USD/ZAR).

In recent years, international brokers like FXTM have adapted their services to the needs of the African population. Moderate volatility of the South African Rand translates into lower risks for traders. Local clients are now buying and selling currencies, stocks, and CFDs through popular trading platforms and apps.

In South Africa and Nigeria, the offerings include copy trading. This allows the delegation of financial decisions. Brokerage firms educate locals on what is FXTM’s copy trading contributing to the level of financial literacy overall.

Stock Exchange

As the most advanced economy on the continent, South Africa has also the most developed stock market. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange is not only the biggest but also the oldest stock exchange in Africa. JSE was established in the late 19th century during the first South African Gold Rush. Today, both African and foreign companies are listed. In terms of market capitalization, it is the 19th exchange in the world.

Investment in Stocks

Now, the global crisis is pushing many stocks down. Hence, you may benefit from purchasing undervalued equity and holding it. Next year, the South African stock market is expected to rebound. Overall, the economic outlook is positive.

The highest return is expected in the mining sector. This industry is generally the most profitable. Therefore, foreign investors are advised to focus on mining stocks. Examples include companies like:

• the African Rainbow Minerals Ltd,
• Assore Ltd, and
• Kumba Iron Ore Ltd.

Shares of Mediclinic (MDC), which are also traded on the London Stock exchange, are worth considering. This global hospital group based in South Africa has branches in many countries, including Switzerland. Its equity is included in the FTSE 100 market index. By October 2024, the value is predicted to rise to $65.973 per share.

Is South Africa a worth opportunity for the investors?

As we said, South Africa is more attractive for the investors compared to the other countries on the continent, because the country shows great progress in improving the general infrastructure. Their Government has an investment campaign and they are planning to earn more than $100 billion of foreign direct investments by 2023. It’s worth to mention that this country shows an exceptional improvement of almost every economic and financial aspect, and that makes it worth for the foreign investors.

According to the World Bank’s 2023 Doing Business list, South Africa is 84th between other 190 powerful or developing economies in the world. People in South Africa know how to use their assets to attract the investors because they have a transparent legal system, advanced financial sector, productive and hardworking citizens, and relatively stable politics. On the other side, the country is often related to corruption, high crime rates, lack of electricity, and bad reforms. All of these factors can make the country good for the investors, but only if they are aware of the potential negative sides of the society there.

The strongest points of the South African economy are the positive business climate and active (and attractive) stock exchange. They switched from traditional industries to more profitable businesses in the recent decade. Also, one of the strongest points in their economy is tourism. This African country is also known about its mining sector. According to some researches, they are the largest producers of chrome, platinum, manganese, and also the second largest producers of palladium and rutile. Coal exportation is also highly established in their economy. They also have a great geographical location, that makes them a strong market.

But, on the other side, there were a lot of labor strikes and violence is badly affecting their economy. They have a huge problem with unequal salaries between the workers. Some of them say they are not satisfied with the general working conditions at their workplace. South Africa also has strict immigration laws and policies, and not a lot of foreign workers can easily get a job there.

How the pandemic affected SA’s economy?

The coronavirus pandemic had a generally bad effect on the world’s economy. South Africa wasn’t an exception. People there also faced salary cuts, layoffs, unpaid leaves, lockdowns, and troubles when buying basic food and products to survive. But, since they are a pretty strong and growing economy, their government makes every possible effort to recover from the emergency situation and get back to normal, so the people can work and earn money again.

Until 23 June, this country has more than 102,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. More than 53,000 of them already recovered from the disease, but sadly, 1,991 people had died due to COVID-19 complications.

To Conclude

This state is the economic powerhouse of Africa. No other country on the continent is as attractive to foreign investors. In the future, FDI is projected to grow thanks to the development of infrastructure. The South African Rand is traded on the currency exchange where it is valued against the US dollar.

Due to the global pandemic, the local economy has slowed down. The government has released support packages to keep businesses and the economy afloat. However, a rebound is projected to occur in the next five years. This means a long-term investment in local stocks can bring sizable returns.

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Story Of Success

Today, we are witnessing the emergence of many young and successful people who are also very rich. Their success is something to talk about – but there is also a fact that no success comes at all overnight. Sometimes, to be successful, it is necessary to be innovative and have a good sense of business. That’s just the kind of man Matthias Mende is. His success story is not only interesting but also very inspiring.

Mende has always found time to inspire young people.

“Self-discovery is very important in the journey of life. It starts with critical thinking and having the ability to see ideas from various angles to align with things that work and never being afraid to make changes. Make conscious research and be curious to find out why”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHI_PRHuDi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

How Did It Start?

Mende was born in Germany, where, like most of the late ’70s and early ’80s generation – he was fascinated by the emergence of then-new presented “electronic toys” like the Commodore 64, Sega or Nintendo. This interest later prompted him to explore the field of computing – and move from bare entertainment to business. His love and interest in computers came in handy when he was a teenager.

Namely, at that time Mende started to modify and sell hardware components on eBay. The proof of how much entrepreneurial spirit he still had – was the fact is that he registered his company at the time, under the name 2FastConcepts. He got his inspiration from watching the movie Fast and Furious, and that’s how his business started. In a very short time, his company begins to trade car parts, as well as modifying and adjusting cars.

Diverse Interests

Every business is such that it also entails certain risks. When he was 21, Mende decided to take the risk. Specifically, since his company dealt with cars, he decided to move his business to Dubai – a place that is a mecca for luxury cars. Still, he didn’t stop there. He has expanded his interest to other areas, having founded a social media agency MEMMOS, and has become involved in the cryptocurrency business – more specifically blockchain technology.

With the knowledge and experience he gained, he quickly became Block Gemini’s chief strategist – and in 2018 he was named the best influencer in this field in Singapore at the Satoshi United Crypto conference. We can say Mende has taken every opportunity that came his way.

Is There A Genius In Every Human?

Mende who anchored multiple years visiting the Burning Man festival believes that such events are geared towards awakening the genius in every human. This is an avenue to rub bright minds together and forge solutions to problems that have eaten deep into the fabrics of the society. Geniuses like the Google Founders, Mark Zuckerberg, Murathan Gunal, Elon Musk and plenty more go there to find inspiration and rediscover their minds. Mende reiterated that every change we ever need to sail through the next phase of life is domiciled within our mind.

Stay inspired always by checking out Sheikh Mende’s Story on Instagram.

The post Mende Quote: Those Who Cannot Change Their Minds Cannot Change Anything appeared first on Along the Boards.

It is highly recommended to stick to the same security strategy – assuming one was in place – you were following prior to the pandemic’s onset. Homeowners without a security strategy can always take advantage of the time stuck at home to come up with one.

Crime by the Numbers

An April 6, 2023 report from USA Today says that crime rates plunged in cities and counties across the U.S. over the second half of March.” The story credits the COVID-19 pandemic inasmuch as it has caused millions of people to remain inside their homes for the last several weeks.

Data cited by USA Today shows that both traffic and in-person stops have declined as much as 92% in some places. This has led to a significant decrease in DUIs and drug arrests. At the same time, many reporting police agencies dealt with fewer assaults, robberies, and both residential and store burglaries. Thefts were also down.

Despite the encouraging numbers, there were some unpleasant numbers as well. For example, domestic disturbances and violence rose by 10% in some jurisdictions. Others noted increases in public nuisance complaints.

What It All Means

Note that the USA Today numbers are by no means scientific. They come from 53 law enforcement agencies regularly reporting their numbers to the FBI. With all that said, let us discuss what the data means. There are some lessons to be learned here.

It stands to reason that fewer people leaving their homes would mean fewer drivers on the roads. Any time you decrease traffic you also cut down on people driving under the influence. People staying put are also less likely to go out partying with their friends. This means less drug and alcohol use across the board.

DUI and drug statistics are simple enough. But what about the burglary statistics? Well, the fact is that most burglaries occur during normal working hours. Homes are typically hit when people are at work and their kids are in school. Now everyone’s home.

Burglars are cowards who do what they do with the intention of not getting caught. That is why they prefer empty homes. Not only are they less likely to burglarize occupied homes, but they are less likely to canvass neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. People are home. The burglars know it.

Business burglaries being down is a bit more complicated. Businesses are vacant now that they have been shuttered. This would seem to indicate an increase in store burglaries. But that is not the case. Maybe burglars are just as afraid of contracting coronavirus. Perhaps they are staying home from work, too.

Maintaining Security Diligence

We know that crime has plummeted over the last few weeks. That’s good. However, maintaining security diligence is as important today as it was two months ago. There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, the COVID-19 pandemic will pass at some point. Life will return to normal. That means criminals will resume their criminal activity.

Being lackadaisical about security procedures now could lead to the same behavior once life returns to normal. That would be an open door to criminals to take advantage of people who, weary from being stuck at home, are paying less attention to security.

The other thing to consider is that criminals might change their tune if the country continues to be locked down for several months. Criminals have no other source of income other than their criminal activity. They may be forced to take more chances and commit more crimes even though their chances of getting caught are higher.

That means homes could be burglarized even though they are occupied. Two months from now, we could be seeing an increase in home invasions. We might also see more car burglaries, more armed robberies, and so forth. This is why we cannot be any less diligent.

Making Your Home Safe

For the time being, the best we can do is work on keeping our own homes safe. That starts with basic principles like keeping doors locked 24/7 and keeping the shades drawn. It also means getting outside and making sure that your home can be clearly seen from the street. It means checking exterior lights to make sure they are working.

Homeowners without security systems would do well to get one. According to Vivint, a DIY home security system with a couple of outdoor video cameras, window and door sensors for the first floor, and smoke and CO detectors is the minimum. Extra cameras and sensors for second-floor windows can be added if a homeowner thinks them necessary.

To make the home as safe as possible, a security system should be monitored. It can be monitored by a professional service provider who keeps an eye on things 24/7. If that is not an option, homeowners should at least monitor their systems themselves. A good DIY system can send text and e-mail alerts and give homeowners access to their video cameras in real time.

Last but not least is the issue of door locks. Now more than ever, heavy-duty deadbolt locks are the way to go. Factory-installed door and window locks do not necessarily offer maximum protection. If your locks are not heavy-duty, take the time to replace them now.

Hearing that crime has plummeted over the last several weeks is good news. At least that is one positive thing we can say about being stuck at home due to coronavirus. Just the same, now is not the time to slack off and become lackadaisical. Now is the time to be as diligent as ever about maintaining a secure home in defense against those who would attempt to breach it.

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The amazing landscape that this archeological park offers, has been preserved in an extraordinary condition. It comprises a successful combination of the beauty of monuments and nature. Because of its long history, Apollonia is a very attractive place, filled with an atmosphere of relaxation and meditation.

The foundations of the city were developed straightaway after the foundation of Epidamnus – Dyrrachium. It rapidly turns into one of the most esteemed cities of the Adriatic harbor.

As the city lay within the territory of the Taulant political union, it was widely known as the Apollonia of Illyria.

The establishment of the city was done through the first half of the 6^th century BC. The person who founded it was the Greek colonist from Corfu and Corinth,  the one who named the city after his own name (Gylakeia).

Following its rapid establishment, the city changed its name to Apollonia, in accordance with the great godhead Apollo. It is situated on montane wold from where widens the fertile champaign of Musacchia, with the Adriatic Sea and the hills of Mallakastra.

Apollonia’s ruins are discovered at the beginning of the 19^th century.

The city blossomed along the 4^th century AD as a significant economic and trade center. With the time passing, it was extended over the complete montane side including an area of ca. 81 ha, surrounded by a major wall of 3 km of length and 3 m of width.

History

Even though Apollonia was located several kilometers from the Adriatic Sea, the position that it had on the right shore of the Vjosa river, allowed it to communicate with the coastal part of the territory. On the two hills that dominate the city lies the Temenos area (the holy region around the Temple of Apollo) and Arx (the military fortress). Among the two hills, were located the public buildings of the ancient city, which continued to experience a period of greatness and splendor under the successive roman rule (since 229 BC).

Many great personalities of the greatest empires of the ancient world, were attracted by the fame of the city. For example, Cicero the famous Roman philosopher and orator recognized the city of Apollonia in his Philippics as Magna urbs et Gravis (a great and important city). During this time, the city became one of the most important trans-Balkan Via Egnatia gates. Apollonia had its famous Academy where Octavianus and the distinguished general and statesman of the Roman Empire Agrippas, have studied and exceed the military training.

Even though Apollonia had a long period of continuous economic and cultural development it fell into decline. Afterward, this decline went on until its total abandonment during medieval times. During its existence, the culture and the general development of Apollonia kept a clear Greek character. However, the independent economic and politic activity determined a distinctive physiognomy of the apollonian culture. Moreover, the city had close relationships with the Illyrian hinterland.

In addition, tourists can visit The Museum of Archaeology, situated at the old Monastery of Saint Mary.

Fun Fact

The ancient city of Apollonia has become such a popular spot for wedding pictures. In particular, couples seeking to testify their love among its ruins.

If you want to learn more about this wonderful place, visit albania.al.

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Fans have always showered love for “Harry Styles” for all his One Direction songs and all the solo albums released by him. Although, he debuted with a new and unique hairstyle and fans have contradicting beliefs.

The new hairstyle seems to add more classic look to “Harry Styles” but amidst audience it has created a divide and there are half of the fans who are the hardcore fans and in love with his new hair-do, while some fans simply dislike it.

If you see the complete series of hairstyle “Harry Styles” has had, he kind of sprouted a trend of maintaining long and curly hair. Although this once seems much shorter and slick.

“Harry Styles” started his singing career from 2010 and he was also the part of the show ‘The X-Factor’ – he was eliminated early on in the show, but he came back up with the boy band ‘One Direction’.

Not only in ‘One Direction’, but the singer, songwriter, and actor is also well-known for his solo album ‘Sign of The Times’ which was loved by the people. The album was launched in 2017 and topped charts of fourteen countries.

Ever since his early days, he has been highly desirable by the female niche for his soulful voice, charming looks and the heart-melting boyish look. The fans are loving and hating his current hairstyle equally.

As of now there is no confirmed information on why the actor changed his hairstyle, but some reports have said that “Harry Styles” changed his hairstyle for some of his latest projects going on.

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In the movie industry actors invest a lot of time over thier appearence – it’s one of the ‘selling points’ they have to offer. But in the end of the line, actors are humans too and it’s okay to gain a little holiday-weight this holiday season.

Well, it’s easy to stay on the sidelines and criticize – the very fans who praised “Jason Momoa” for his amazing performance in all the movies drop down to criticizing him for have gained a bit holiday-weight.

“Jason Momoa” who had been vacationing with his family, creating memories and having a quality self-time with his family. Momoa posted a shirtless picture of his which portrayed an increase in body fat and the ‘he has lost all the superhero build and is now a dad bod’ is what the fans have started to believe.

While we aren’t hopeless yet, there were some fans who defended “Jason Momoa” which that fact that – holidays are meant to live life to its fullest without thinking about gaining weight.

In the recent interview with “Jason Momoa” he was asked how much it bothers him about the fans criticizing him for having gained weight and not having an Aquaman body anymore. Jason calmly replied that it doesn’t matter at all and he accepts that he has gained weight, but it ain’t going to be permanently.

Everyone deserves to eat, drink and have fun with their family and the actor seems to be doing just that. “Jason Momoa” is probably filming for the sequel of Aquaman, that might release by end of 2023 and the actor has time until then to come back to the Aquaman shape.

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Most of their subsequent races have seen similar results, with either Barry Allen or Wally West proving fast enough to outrace Superman. When he really cuts loose, the Flash has even been shown to be able to run circles around Superman.

The friendly rivalry between the pair has transcended comics and appeared in other mediums. The DC Animated Universe version of the Flash was first introduced in a race with Superman in the episode “Speed Demons”. The two also decided to test their powers against one another during one of the post-credits sequences of Justice League. Earlier in the film, Superman had been shown keeping up with Flash, but the movie concluded on a playful note as the pair decided to go all out.

The newest race between Superman and the Flash consists of ten laps around the world, and once more it’s for charity. With the entire world watching, both men give it their all. Although Flash takes an early lead, Superman keeps going and closes the gap. The race takes on an added complication however when Lex Luthor, who is watching the race, analyzes what’s happening and realizes that at his current trajectory, Superman cannot win. So, in another attempt to sway public perception about Superman, Luthor tells the charity that if Superman wins the race, he’ll donate a billion dollars to the foundation. He figures that when Superman loses to the Flash, people will blame him for the charity losing the potential windfall he’s offering.

Thanks to his super-hearing, though, Superman overhears Luthor’s scheme. Deciding that he can’t allow the charity to miss out on all that money, Superman tries his hardest to catch up with the Flash. He doesn’t want to cheat by telling the Flash what’s going on, so Superman pushes his speed to the limits. Thinking about all the impossible things he’s done in the past for a good cause, Superman barrels through the race in its final moments. Superman is able to just barely pull ahead,  and crosses the finish line just before Flash. A win that forces Lex to build a massive new home for children.

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“Dr. Stone”, a Japanese manga series written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since March 6, 2017 with the individual chapters collected and published by Shueisha into ten tankōbon volumes as of April 2019. Viz Media licensed the manga in North America. 

The anime is an urge to form a new society on intellectual approaches rather than physical goals. The creators have done their best work in engagingly showcasing the plot for the viewers.

“Dr. Stone” aka Senku Ishigami is attempting to create an all-new civilization, as some mysterious phenomenon has caged humanity in a stone prison. He also tries to recreate the lost technology through science.

“Dr. Stone” was debuted on July 5. The main characters of anime are Senku, Tsukasa, Taiju Oki. They depict the scientific history and adventures of their story from the stone age to the present day.

Creating an anime… how exhilarating! Go behind the scenes with the brains behind the “Dr. STONE” anime!!

Creator Crunchyroll released a documentary via his Twitter account, an attempt to make the audience understand the hard work of creative minds in making a successful and popular series like Dr. Stone. Season One comprised of 24 episodes.

Shueisha Weekly Shonen Leap introduced six new members yesterday for the Dr. Stone TV anime sequence. Dr. Stone, as it is comprised of great background art, innovative music, detailed work on character and story.

The added cast will bring more to the story, and it will surely keep the fans’ interest alive. Viz Media has licensed the series for an English language release. Anime lovers are hoping to see more of the series via online channels.

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