The most useful Apps in your Expat experience

Those memorable times in which an expatriate sent a letter home that would take months to arrive, went to a telephone booth to pay an international call or bought maps and books of the city guide themselves are behind us. Thanks to technology #expats do not feel disoriented in their new city, away from their families or without plans in their free time.

Beyond Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google Maps, there are a number of tools to use on a day-to-day basis that will give a small boost to your experience as an expatriate. We present them to you here.

Duolingo:

It is true that thanks to the ease of Copy-Paste, Google Translator is a very useful tool when you have to translate emails or communicate by text messages. But if you are a true Expat, the ideal thing is that you venture into the language, take advantage of the coexistence and encourage yourself to learn and practice the native language. Duolingo is a free tool for learning languages, it is interactive and very easy to use, you can learn a large number of languages at different levels, with short lessons to practice every day. You will be surprised by the fun way you can learn.

CityMapper:

You can start planning your itineraries. Many times you do not know which is the shortest route, whether by metro, bus, tram or bike. This App unravels how complicated it can be to get around public transport in big cities. Another similar and very popular application in several cities is Moovit.

Waze:

If you are someone who prefers to drive your own vehicle, we recommend this Traffic and Navigation App. It is true that Google Maps would be a common tool for this, but Waze is based on the information that the whole community is providing in real time, that is, a large number of users around the world reporting the traffic situation, accidents, posts of registration, speed radars, etc. It also uses gamification techniques, it is interactive and dynamic.
 

Carsharing Apps: 

Shared electric vehicles are a growing trend in some cities, due to their accessible price, their benefits with the environment and their ease. Some well-known companies are Emov, Bluemove, Car2go, among others. The best option is that you investigate which company the most used in your city. To register you must identify yourself with your driver’s license.

Bikesharing and motosharing Apps:

The same previous trend is also adapted for different types of mobility, you can walk quietly through the city on electric bikes. Some of the most famous motosharing companies are Muving, eCooltra, Yugo y Movo. And if you prefer to move by bike, some of the most famous apps are Mobike, Ofo y Obike.

Doctoralia:

Getting sick in a foreign country can be difficult, especially if you do not speak the local language, if you have not been oriented and you are not sure where the doctor or local pharmacy is. Doctoralia is the world’s leading platform in connecting health professionals with patients. In addition to finding the doctor you need, you find opinions of other patients, you can ask questions, check prices, consult the languages they speak, manage appointments, etc.

Pimpampost: 

“Collaborative transport of packages” yes, the collaborative trend arrives to become the competition to DLH and Fedex in Europe. Now you can make shipments through private individuals who travel. The system is fast, safe, effective and creates closer links with new people.

Time Out:

Bars, restaurant, plans, activities, plays, concerts, guides, news, What else do you need? All the plans and activities for your free time are in Time Out. Some other platforms that group the Expat communities to share plans and activities are Evenbrite and Meetup.

Currencies Direct: 

The transfer of money abroad has never been so simple. This platform manages money transfers abroad easily, simply and safely.

GoEuro:

If you have to travel for business or simply for leisure, with this App you can compare prices between different types of transport, dates, travel time and destinations.

BlaBlacar:

It is used in more than 22 countries, travel with local people or groups that go to the same destination as you, coordinate the time and place where you will meet and ready, the rest is simply go talk and meet new people. The trips are usually cheaper and more accessible than the bus or train.

Some extra:

Spotify & Netflix: A classic, we can not live without our music or our favorite series. A recommendation for our Expat is that you see movies or documentaries from your new city, in the native language, like music, it’s part of the experience!

Apps for ordering food: There are days when you do not feel like leaving home. Food delivery apps are becoming more common, some of the most popular are JustEat,  deliveroo & glovo. In the latter, you can also perform all kinds of orders, purchase of medicines the super, etc.

Apps of local transport: The most common is Uber, but in some cities you will find alternatives like
Cabify o MyTaxi, the latter is to request a taxi service. In all of them you pay with your mobile, it is much simpler and direct.

Bank Apps: Depending on the technology used by your new bank, it is very convenient and practical to be able to consult your income, consumption and even be able to make transactions with it. Check with your bank what App they use and how you can get the most out of them.

Weather Apps: Your new city may have a climate very different from yours, the seasons may not be the same and there can be days with totally unexpected skies. An App with weather forecasts is a good tool to know if it suits you to go more walking, in public transport or by car to your work.

Airline Apps: When traveling by airline, it is convenient and practical to download the official App since you can take air tickets without printing them, you can also check if there are delays or if your flight is on time, among other things.

Do you know any other useful App or platform for the Expat community? Leave us your opinions and recommendations in a comment.