Le Métèque

'Métèque' is a French derogatory term for Spaniards (and other foreigners from the South) originating in the early 20th century, but the etymology of the word is based upon 'metic', a Greek term for describing an alien who paid a fee to reside in an ancient Greek city.

Le Métèque is also the name for our section dedicated to those of us who emigrated from our native country and are currently living across the globe. This supplement to Ovi magazine will encourage positive discussion about living abroad and provide helpful tips and advice to anybody who is interested.

We will choose a new country each month, but this does not mean the other sections will stop. We want there development to be a continual process, so pick a country and begin contributing.

Input is welcomed from long-term residents or tourists, while anybody with an opinion about the chosen country is also invited to submit their comments, opinions and thoughts.

We begin with the country that is host to the Ovi team and current EU president: Finland

Next month is Greece.

Here you will find articles focusing upon the culture of the country in question. We welcome articles about haute cuisine, haute couture, art, music, cinema, society, politics, health, education and anything you care to write.

Phrase books try to give you the words or sentences that are useful in social situations. This section will allow you to ask for translations for your own phrases and we will continually update the list with words that we feel are useful.

Where to go, what to do? After travelling or moving thousands of miles you want to know how to make use of your spare time in the best possible way. This section will be filled with advice on how to find the subculture, the cool places to go, how to avoid the dangerous areas and participate in the biggest events of the month.

Going online provides you with the possibility of exploring the country before reaching the airport. Our e-Land section has links to a variety of useful aspects that may enlighten you and stave off any culture shock.

Not all of us are excellent writers, but we can tell our story through a camera. You can find photographs from around the country here and they will show you the ugly and the beautiful, the historic and the contemporary, the people and the landscape. Smile!