There are not many things we can´t do with a smart phone nowadays. If you are someone trying to adapt to life abroad, you will probably understand what this article is about. When living overseas, having the right tools is essential to completing your daily tasks and of course, to not missing home so much…From how to convert currencies to the easiest way to improve your language level, here I share my list of favourite apps for expats.
Lonely Planet City Guides: Before you move
You have decided you are moving abroad and you don´t feel like you want to carry a very heavy city guide with you. So, what can you do? Downloading the Lonely Planet City Guide app can be a good alternative.
One of its benefits is that you can enter your exact location and it will suggest local sights and restaurant listings. Remember, using this app on your phone will help you to look like someone who has been living in town for ages.
Foursquare: Find friends at the coolest bars in the city
Have you moved to a new city? Do you feel already you always go to the same places?If you also want to meet new people, then Foursquare might be the app for you. Foursquare is an alternative social network that allows you to search for local communities and interact with friends. On Foursqaure, you can invite people or add existing users to your network, as well as finding friends within the local area. This can be a very useful app for people who have moved to cities such as London or New York.
ForgetMeNotFloraQueen: Don’t forget your family and friends!
For those who always forget about Mother´s and Father´s Day, FloraQueen has designed an app that allows you to input dates and send you a reminder. With a click on a button you can send flowers and gifts to a relative or friend and enjoy that especial day with them. This app will make expat´s lives much easier, as we all know celebrations such as Mother´s Day changes depending on the country. There is no doubt; this is one of the sweetest apps ever!
XE Currency: Control your finances
It doesn´t matter which country you are based in, as you can set up to 10 currencies. XE Currency app is great for quick currency conversions and the best thing is that it allows you to do multiple conversions at the same time. The XE Currency app lets you refresh the currency rates every 60 seconds, or update automatically every 15 minutes.
Duolingo: Improve your language skills
If you have decided to move abroad, that means that you should know at least the basics of the language. However, it is always good to improve your future language skills and if you can do it for free, then much better. Duolingo currently teaches Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese to English speakers, and teaches English to speakers of those languages plus Dutch, Russian, Hungarian and Turkish, with more on the way. But if there is something special about this app, it is that it transforms language study into entertainment and amusement.
SitOrSquat: When you are out and about
To me it is definitely one of the most useful apps that have been designed. SitOrsquat finds clean public restrooms throughout the world. This app includes a visual map which constantly receives updates based on feedbacks from all over the world. Whether you’re looking for a bathroom in the United States or Portugal, SitOrSquat likely has it.Remember, if you just moved to a new destination and you feel you still don´t know the city very well, just follow SitOrSquat.
Cabmix: Don’ t waste too much on a taxi
Sometimes we don’t have enough time to get to the centre by bus and we need to think about the possibility of getting a cab from the airport to the city. Cabmix can be the best solution to not ruin yourself financially, as it helps you to find travellers also looking for cabs. Last but not least, you will be acting as a sustainable traveller.
