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There
are many Expats of all nationalities and walks of life
living in Riga and throughout Latvia.
Of
course, many Expats are of Latvian heritage and some
were born here and returned and some are the children of
Latvians living abroad. Others are retired foreign
nationals; students; and business people.
The
Latvian Expat community is NOT close for several reasons
some of which are due to the quiet, shy and reserved
nature of Latvian people in general.
If you
are a foreign national considering to move to Riga or Latvia, we
strongly suggest that you spend at least one month here
before you finalize your plans.
Life in
Latvia can be a surprise in that Latvians may not appear
friendly. Some of this is again due to their shy nature.
Also in the evolution of the
modern Latvian society after the 1990's there is a
tendency for locals to be GREED oriented. Possibility
this is a result of living "without" for so
many years and now that there is some freedom, they
desire to obtain assets quickly.
These individuals may NOT have a willingness to cooperate
unless it suits them and it puts money in their pocket
immediately.
There
are also issues related to banking fraud, complex bookkeeping
and tax laws, lack of government planning and
leadership and an ineffective school system that is NOT
teaching Latvian students how to think and how to integrate into the
western world.
If you
are considering starting a business in Latvia, we
STRONGLY suggest that you explore the availability of
employees. Check on their technical skills; work habits;
creativity; language skills; effective communication
skills and integrity. Ask other Expats about their
experiences dealing with suppliers, the Latvian
officials and employees.
You may
have many questions about Riga and Latvia and our family
of websites are available to assist you.
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