Bir Kitap Aşığına Verilecek En Güzel Hediye: Kitap Mührü

2014 Eylül ayından beri İsmek'te devam ettiğim Hasta Kayıt kursumuz Haziran ayında sona erdi. Bu kursun bana kattığı bilgilerin yanında çok değerli hocamızla da tanışmış oldum. Zaten bir noktadan sonra Safiye Hoca'nın dersin çekiciliğini ve katlanırlığını arttırdığını kabul ediyorsunuz. Hayatından verdiği kesitler, sinemaya, kitaplara, müziğe, antik kentlere ve bisiklete duyduğu devasa aşkı anlata anlata bitiremiyor. Ve açıkçası onu böyle izlemek insana hayat enerjisi ve neşe kaynağı oluyor. 

Ne diyordum hediyeydi değil mi esas konu. İşte kurs bitim süresi yaklaştıkça aklımda 'Ne hediye alsak acaba?' soruları çılgın atmaya başladı. Hem güzel, hem orjinal hem de deli dolu hocamızı havalara uçuracak bir hediye olmalıydı.

Epey uzun ve meşakkkatli bir araştırma sonunda bu güzel ve orjinal hediyeyi seçtim. Kitap Mührü evet :) Yurt dışında Ex-Libris (Latince kitap kökeninden geliyor) olarak biliniyor. Tarihi epey eskilere kadar dayanır. 

Peki nedir dediğinizi duyar gibiyim :) Exlibris; genellikle kitabın iç kapağına veya sayfalardan birine basılan, kitaba 'iyelik' kazandıran bir deyiştir. Mülkiyeti ifade eder ve genellikle -in iyelik halini belirtir, isimle devam eder. Örn; Sevda'nın Kitabı gibi.. Amacı ise çok daha güzel bence. Exlibris kitabın sahibini tanıtır, ona aidiyet kazandırır ve onu ödünç alan kişiye onu geri getirmesi konusunda uyarır.

Exlibrislerin tarihi çok eskilere dayandığı bilinse de gerçek exlibrisler matbaanın icadıyla kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. 1400 yıllarında Almanya'da ve 15. yüzyıl başlarında da Avrupa'da kullanılmaya başlandığı kanıtları mevcuttur. O yıllarda kitaplar sadece kiliselerde ve kraliyet ailelerinin elinde bulunuyordu. Matbaanın icadıyla kitaplar çoğaltılmaya başlanınca asıl eserlerin çalınmaya ve orjinalin kaybolması tehlikesine karşı icat edildiği bilinmektedir. 

Ne uzun anlattım değil mi? hihi Ama uzun yazmayı sevdiğimi zaten biliyorsunuz :) İşte bu sebeplerden ötürü bu güzel ve anlamlı hediyeden yaptırmaya karar verdim. Verdim de piyasada bunlardan yapan bir sürü web sitesi ve instagram hesabı var. En iyisini ve en kalitelisini, ayrıca en hesaplısını da bulmak için günler süren bir mailleşme maratonu yaşadım. Ve nihayetinde mührümüzü 'Kitaplarım İçin' de gördüğüm harika örnekler ve iletişimde gösterdiği hassasiyet için onda yaptırmaya karar verdim. 

Şimdi süreci anlatayım size. Nasıl oluyor bu mühür işi nasıl yaptırıyorsunuz? sorularını duyar gibiyim. Önce mühür yaptırmak istediğiniz kişinin en öne çıkan, onu en iyi anlatan özellikleri mühürü yapacak arkadaşa mail yoluyla gönderiyorsunuz. 

• Kocaman bir kitaplığı var.
• Bisiklet süremeyi çok seviyor.
• Antik kentlere bayılıyor (Efes gibi)
• Müzik dinlemeyi seviyor.
• Özgür ruhunun ifadesi olarak kuş koyulmasını istiyorum.
• Safiye'nin Kitaplığı yazsın istiyorum.

İşte bunun gibi başlıca şeyler yazıyorsunuz. Ve tasarımcı arkadaş da yeteneğini ve maharetini mührü tasarlayarak size gösteriyor. Fotoğraflarla devam edelim ;)

Siparişiniz aşağıdaki gibi ahşap bir kutu içerisinde geliyor. Çok şık ve asil bir görünüşü var bence.

Kutuyu açtığınızda bir adet stampa ve güzelce sarılmış mührünüz sizi karşılıyor. 

Mührünüzün sapı da ahşaptan. Tutuşu çok güzel, hafif ve mürekkebi de dağılmıyor. Üstelik çok ama çok uzun süre kullanabileceğiniz, kullanabilecek birşey. 

Ben mühür yaptırmak için aklınızın almayacağı kaynaklara baktım. Yabancı siteler ve tasarımcılar da dahil. Fiyat konusunda hemen hepsi yaklaşık rakamlar veriyor. Ancak hepsinin fiyatını değiştiren etmenler mevcut. Nedir derseniz eğer; mühürlerin boyutları mesela. Daha büyük yada kişiye özel bir model istediğinizde fiyat artıyor yada kutu tercihiniz özelleştirilirse de değişebiliyor. 

Ben bu mührü kargo dahil 75 TL gibi bir rakama yaptırdım. Ama Mayıs ayı başlarıydı ve kampanya vardı. Fiyatlar çeşitli dönemlere göre indirimlere girebiliyor. Tetikte olmak şart ;)

Ben araştırmalarıma ve tasarımcının dönüş hızı+ilgisine bağlı olarak size iki yer önereceğim.

İlki 'Kitaplarım İçin' İnstagram: https://instagram.com/kitaplarimicin/

Ve diğeri de 'Baykuşhane' İnstagram: https://instagram.com/baykushane/

İki tasarımcı da ilgili ve hızlı dönüş yapıyorlar. Baykuşhane biraz daha kişiye özel tasarımlar yapabiliyor. Mühür kutuları yada mühür sapları gibi. Mail yoluyla iletişime geçtiğinizde en saçma sorularınıza bile sabırla cevap verebiliyorlar. İki tasarımcı da güvenilir ve teslim konusunda sıkıntı yaşatmayan satıcılar. Ben hiçbir sıkıntı yaşamadım ve araştırmalarıma göre yaşayan da yok. 

Siz de sevdiğiniz bir arkadaşınıza, öğretmeninize, sevgilinize, hocanıza, kitap aşığı tüm sevdiklerinize böyle bir hediye alabilirsiniz. İnanın tepkileri görülmeye değer. 

Kitap kokusunda bulunan huzur ortak lisanımız olsun.

♥ Sevgiler ♥

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1916 ‘ da Irak ‘ taki Türk kuvvetlerinin durumu nasıldı ?

1916 ‘ da Irak ‘ taki Türk kuvvetlerinin durumu nasıldı ?

İngilizler 1. Dünya Savaşı ‘ nda Kut ‘ ül Amare ‘ deki  sıkıştırılmış bulunan general Tawshend ve birliklerini kurtarmak için 4 sefer yaptılar . Fakat dördünde de başarısız oldular .

Irak ‘ taki 13309 kişilik İngiliz kuvvetleri 29 Nisan 1916 ‘ da teslim oldular . 6. ordunun başındaki Alman Goltz Paşa tifüsten bu teslimiyetten önce ölmüştü .

Başkumandan vekili Enver Paşa , Tahran ‘ a doğru harekete geçmeyi emretti . Fakat Kirmanşah ‘ a kadar ilerlenilebilse de orada lojistik desteğin yetersizliği sebebiyle savunma hattında kalındı . 

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Won Young Park

Won Young Park

Summer 2015

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Dyroderes nedir ?

Dyroderes : Göğüs kısmıgeniş ve zarsı bir böcektir . Heteroptera takımının pentatomidae familyasındandır . Canlılar aleminde farklı bir yeri olan bir böcektir .

Dyroderes

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Dysodonta nedir ?

Dysodonta : İkiçenetli bir yumuşakçalar takımıdır . Öndeki kas yoktur . Arkadaki kas ise çok daha gelişmiştir . Çeşitli familyaları vardır . Canlılar aleminde önemli bir yere sahiptir .

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TALA NEWSLETTER - June 2015 issue

Tala newsletter                     June 2015   

CEMETERY

Tenders for the new cemetery have now been received and the contract has been awarded.   Work will start imminently.   For Phase 1 of the project, around a hundred plots will be constructed, together with a boundary wall, paths and basic car parking.  The work is likely to take around 2 months to complete.

If plots are needed, these should be available from August.  More details will be supplied in the September newsletter regarding pre-purchasing plots.

Phase 2 of the cemetery project will involve ashphalting the car park and building a covered area for shade/weather protection and a cemetery tax of €20 will be levied on each household for 2015 to raise the money to enable us to do this.  

Regarding the cemetery tax, I apologise as, despite the earlier advice given by the District Office, legal opinion is that the tax is payable by everyone regardless of any personal arrangements or preferences.  As mentioned in a previous newsletter, due to the costs involved, the council will not take measures to pursue payment.  However, if the tax remains unpaid, a non-payment penalty will apply each year, and the tax will have to be settled at the time of any property sale.   

SAPA & MAINS SEWERAGE

You may remember from the April issue that we were trying to negotiate with SAPA regarding the payment they required to reimburse them for any outlay or share of costs relating to Tala as the first part of our exit from the mains sewerage system.   SAPA have refused to budge from the initial figure quoted of €40,798 and Tala Council has, therefore, made the first payment to them of €20,000.  The balance will be paid in 12 months time and the Council is left to battle with the Government to obtain the 80% funding promised.

As a result, finally, those of you who have been forced to pay sewerage fees to allow transfer of property  will now be reimbursed.  Rather than sit and wait for this reimbursement, I would suggest that you apply to SAPA directly or via your legal advisor.

It would also appear that we have made some progress with the Government who now accept that septic tanks are acceptable under the EU directive – however it is likely that an inspection schedule would have to be put in place to check that these are not leaking or polluting.   Such an inspection [possibly every 5 years] would incur a charge but this would be nothing compared to the costs which we would all have had to pay for the mains sewerage system.  However, we still need the Minister of the Interior and the Government to make a decision as to whether we still have to be included in the main sewerage or whether we are excluded and I have no timescale for this.

I am hoping to have a meeting with the Minister of the Interior in the very near future and will keep you posted regarding developments.

TALA SQUARE

The new toilets behind the old church in the Square have now been completed.   We are also hopeful that the necessary EU funding will shortly be in place to allow the work for the pedestrianisation of the square to start in the last quarter of this year, possibly as early as September.

MULTI-CULTURAL CENTRE

Provisional planning permission has been received for the multi-cultural centre.   This is proposed to be built on the land at the far end of the car park [on the road leading out of the village to Vrasidas Taverna].   We will be applying for EU funding for the project and anticipate that we will hear whether those funds are available in 2016.

GARDEN WASTE

The Government operated site for garden waste recycling  [Green Point] has now been  opened at    Akoursos, in an old quarry on the left hand side of the road to Akoursos village.   However, this site is only open on the following days:

Monday                                            0800-1800

Wednesday                                       0800-1800

Friday                                               0800-1800

Saturday                                           0900-1500

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday CLOSED

However, according to rumour it appears that this site can only take wood cuttings [branches, trunks] for recycling.  We are trying to obtain further clarification  and additoinal information will be supplied in due course.    We understand that there is no charge for using the facility but that all the Councils and Municipalities may be required to contribute a [considerable!] sum for this facility. 

Options for garden waste:

1                     Branches and tree cuttings - Taken by the householder to the free site above [to be confirmed]

2                     Collection of up to 2 bags of garden waste [excluding branches and tree cuttings] by the refuse collectors.   Note, however, that priority will be given to household rubbish and garden waste may not always be taken if refuse levels are higher than usual.

3                    Purchase blue Tala Council bags at the Council office, and advise the office when you have bags ready for collection.   Collections will be done the week of the first Monday of each month [Monday – Kamares;   Tuesday – Stephanie/Lofos ;  Wednesday – Melisovonos & Monastery ;  Thursday – Village and South of Milt. Stylianou].   No charge will be made for collection of these blue bags.

4                    Request uplift from the Council office – a charge will be made depending on the volume of waste.

5                    Take any bags to the private garden waste centre in Tala – a charge will be made of €1 for the first bag, and €0.50 for each additional bag.  The site is open Tuesday 0900-1200, and Saturday 0900-1200 and 1400-1600]

6                    Arrange for collection by the private garden waste collectors – the charge will depend on the volume/vehicle required.   

Please also bear in mind that the private garden waste collector will pick up domestic appliances free of charge.  There is a drop off fee for wooden furniture items, and home pick-up is offered for a supplementary charge.  

Council office – 26 652412

Private garden waste collector – Andreas 99 327262

HOUSEHOLD REFUSE

We are receiving reports of occasions when the refuse men are omitting to collect from some households.   These omissions are erratic and there appears to be no pattern to them.  It is, however, important that you advise either the council office, or email Cathi [toffee@primehome.com] with a note of your name and address, no of bags omitted and dates of non-collection so that I can use this as ammunition against the contractor.    

AMPHITHEATRE

I am pleased to advise that the new changing rooms and disabled toilet at the amphitheatre were completed ready for the start of the new season.

We also have a new tenant at the amphitheatre kiosk – Andreas Onisiforou.

TALA COUNCIL COMPUTER SYSTEM

We are just finalising a form which we will be using alongside the new computer system.  This form will ask for email addresses and mobile phone numbers and will also be used as a check to ensure that the information we have on the system regarding your name and address is correct.

Once the form is agreed, Cathi will be circulating this and supplies will be available in the council office.

We are still waiting for confirmation that we have been accepted onto the JCC link which will allow payment of rates and Tala water bills online.   We will continue to press for this and hope to have it in place before the end of this year.  We are in the hands of JCC for this and understand we are ‘on the To Do list’.

TALA WATER METERS

There has been a long outstanding problem of accessing some water meters in Tala.   Those of you who have problem meters will have received a letter asking you to relocate your meter to a more accessible position.   The deadline for moving the meter has now expired, and the Council will now proceed to move those necessary and a charge will be imposed on the water bills of those affected.

  

LOCAL IMMOVABLE PROPERTY TAX payable at Tala Council office

Please note that this tax no longer applies from this year and will be incorporated into the Government Immovable Property Tax.  The rates for the Government tax have not yet been agreed and it is possible that the 2013 property value will be used as the basis for this tax.  Further information will be circulated once available.  

  

PAFOS 2017

We have approached Paphos 2017 with a view to having a number of walls around the village included in their Community Projects as part of the Pafos 2017 initiative.  The walls in question are:

-         -  The car park at the amphitheatre

-         -  The wall above the amphitheatre fronting onto the road

-        -   The verandah wall at SKE [Welfare Centre]

Would any artists who would like to be involved in the design and/or co-ordination of these projects please email Cathi [toffee@primehome.com] with their name, email and mobile phone no.    Also, if anyone, or any company, is interested in sponsoring these projects either financially or to offer materials, or discounted rates for materials, could they please contact Cathi .

Subject to acceptance, the projects are scheduled for Spring 2016.  

MEAL SERVICE

Just to remind you that a hot meal delivery service is available which will be delivered direct to your door.   This will be ideal not only for anyone who is housebound, but for those recovering from an operation, temporarily on their own,  unable to leave the house for any reason, on holiday or wanting to entertain and save themselves the hassle of cooking – or avoid the heat in the kitchen over the summer months!   If needed, additional meals can be provided suitable for freezing or keeping in the fridge but in the initial stages the hot meal delivery will be restricted to Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.   The menu for the week will be emailed out each week and will be available on www.talanews.blogspot.com.

Working under the auspices of SKE [Welfare Centre], Marie and Emma will initially be providing a lunch on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.  This will consist of a main course and a dessert.  Special dietary requirements can be catered for if needed.  The meal on a Sunday will be a traditional Sunday lunch.

The cost of the lunch will be €7.50 per person with free delivery to residents of Tala.   Anyone outside of the Tala area will be charged €1 for delivery.  

 

For further information or to order lunch, please contact Marie and Emma on 97 725903 or email:  emmaguy52@hotmail.com.   Please bear in mind that you will need to give 24 hours notice of your order.

WHAT’S ON

June

21                 Hollies tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

July

16                 The All New Jersey Boys from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

18                 The All New Jersey Boys from the UK – at the Amphitheatre – tickets now at kiosk

Sept

11                 Fleetwood Mac tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

13                 Fleetwood Mac tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

20                 Papageorgio String Quartet – at the Amphitheatre

25                 Bee Gees tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

27                 Bee Gees tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre

Details of the Cypriot music and plays will be available shortly and will be circulated.

Tickets for most events are available at  the Visteria [formerly SoEasy] Kiosk in Tala.   For most shows, tickets can be reserved on www.talanews.blogspot.com.   Any events at the Kamares Club must be booked direct with the Club. 

Please also see www.talanews.blogspot.comregarding other events in the Paphos and Tala area which may be of interest.

Next issue 20 September            

Areti Pieridou

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Yaşayan Son Sümer Kraliçesi! Nice Yıllara...

“Bir devrimin yarattığı aydınlanma savaşçılarının son temsilcisi O. 

Bağnazlığın önünde eğilmeyen bir kuşağın temsilcisi. 

O, hem Sümerlilerin hem de Atatürk devriminin son kraliçesi.

O, yaşayan son Sümer Kraliçesi! " 




 Cumhuriyetimizin Çınarı 

Muazzez İlmiye Çığ'ın 101. Yaşı Kutlu Olsun! 

Daha Nice Mutlu Yıllara.. 




İlerlemiş yaşına rağmen ardı ardına eser vermeyi sürdürerek

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FUNERALS IN CYPRUS - WHAT TO DO AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

These notes are contributed by a former Funeral Co-ordinator for the Anglican Church of Cyprus, with many years’ experience of arranging expat funerals in Cyprus for church goers and non-church goers (the majority) alike as well as repatriations to UK. There is much useful advice and information in what follows whether the deceased and family was/are practicing church goers or not.  

Expat Funerals in Paphos

Few of us are at our best when someone close dies, especially if it is sudden. That is why a number of reputable local undertakers and the Anglican Church of Paphos offer a comprehensive funeral service for expatriates. The experienced teams from these organisations can help you with all the elements involved in organising and holding a funeral and burial from the moment that a loved one dies, or even before, if they experience a debilitating illness.

FAQs about funerals in Cyprus

Here are some of the questions people ask most frequently (FAQs) about funerals in Cyprus:

What is the first thing I should do?

Contact one of the reputable local Undertaker Firms or someone involved in the Church’s funeral ministry:

Undertakers:

Angel Guardians – Maureen Watt – (former Atlantic Insurance Co building) – 00357 96 783112

Galini Funeral Services – Demetra – 00357 99 463918

Archangel Funeral Services – Andri – 00357 25 748181

Anglican Church of Paphos :

Jacky Cotterill - Funeral Co-ordinator      00357 99 838245

Helen Smith - Funeral Administrator        00357 26 953044/00357 99 212627

What if a loved one dies at home?

If the death is sudden and unexpected, call the police. If it is expected, call the deceased’s doctor. Depending on what the police or doctor say, then call for an ambulance.

Warning: when local ambulances are involved, unfortunately and despite complaints, there is still circumstantial evidence to suggest that a number of ambulance drivers carrying a deceased expat are in the habit of phoning ahead to a local undertaker so that its representative will be at the hospital ready to meet the next of kin, while still probably in a state of distress and/or shock.  Such an undertaker is unlikely to be on the recommended list, and, despite such persuasive argument that they are, “Approved by the British High Commission/Anglican Church” and that they can, “Arrange a burial grant from the UK Government”, neither is likely to be true and it is suggested that next of kin should not get involved with them.

What if the death occurs in hospital?

The General Hospital and private hospitals have their own mortuaries, so the deceased can be transferred there and stay there as long as necessary. Once an undertaker has been appointed the body can be transferred to that company’s premises. In some circumstances a post-mortem may be required, but next of kin will be guided through this and all other formalities by the undertaker or church coordinator.  Once the cause of death has been established a Cause of Death Certificate will be issued by a pathologist or doctor and the original of this important document will be needed by the undertaker or coordinator in order to obtain for the next of kin as many original Death Certificates (a completely different document) as may be required.

Is there a time limit?

No, you may take as long as you need to organise the funeral befitting the deceased.  Recommended undertakers have proper storage facilities albeit for a modest daily charge.

Will someone help us find and liaise with an undertaker?

Yes, if required the church funeral coordinator team, who are familiar with all the undertakers in Paphos and work with them regularly, will offer advice and take the next of kin through the whole process during a visit as soon as possible after the death has occurred.

Will the Church team help with the paperwork and Registration Formalities?

Absolutely – the undertaker and/or experienced Church coordinator team will obtain the required Death Certificates and deal with all the registration formalities with both government departments and Immigration.

Is it necessary to have a priest to conduct the funeral or burial service?

There are essentially three types of funeral service:

• ·         a simple graveside funeral, in which case there is no legal requirement to have a priest.
• ·         a church funeral service, with the coffin brought into the church, followed by a short service at the graveside, both of which would normally be conducted by a priest
• ·         a memorial service, usually in church and held some time after the funeral, again normally conducted by a priest, if the service is in a church.

Long experience of funerals suggests that the bereaved and those attending a funeral find the presence of a presiding priest helpful in terms of providing comfort and a degree of closure for next of kin and friends.  Without a priest there tend to be a lack of structure and awkward silences during what is a significant and memorable event for those attending and especially for the next of kin.

Does the Anglican Church have a church and minister to do the funeral?

Yes, the Anglican Church has the use of three churches, Ayia Kyriaki in Kato Paphos and one each in Tala and Polis, plus several priests and Readers qualified to conduct funeral services.  The presiding priest or Reader would make a visit to the next of kin to learn about the deceased and to discuss the content of the funeral service.  He or she would be sensitive to any wishes the deceased may have expressed prior to death and to the wishes of the next of kin.  The lack of history of involvement with worship or church life would be no obstacle to involving a priest or Reader, who would tailor the service accordingly.

May we design a funeral to suit the deceased and our family?

Of course: the undertaker and/or funeral ministry team would help co-ordinate every detail of a service and burial including church venue, readings, a minister, music, flowers, pall bearers, burial in a cemetery, charitable donations etc.  There would be opportunities for next of kin and/or friends to give readings of prose or poetry and/or a eulogy or summary of lifetime experiences and achievements of the deceased.

Where can burials take place?

There are several cemeteries in the Paphos & Limassol districts  and  a British Cemetery at Erimi. The undertaker and/or the Church’s funeral ministry team will help with organisation of the purchase of a plot in a cemetery in consultation with you.   Burial normally takes place in the village or town where the deceased lived, but several cemeteries are already full or nearly so and help may well be needed to locate and procure a burial plot.

Is cremation possible in Cyprus?

Not at the moment, but arrangements can be made to repatriate the deceased to UK for cremation and then, if required, have the ashes returned to Cyprus in a suitable casket for interment here.

What about arrangements for repatriation and its costs?

There are a number of reputable undertakers and companies that can meet all the legal and practical requirements for repatriation, which include embalming and provision of a sealed coffin.  The undertaker and/or coordinator can readily put the next of kin in direct touch with such a company or companies so that alternative prices can be obtained.  There is at least one international company that can make the entire arrangements including the necessary undertaker services in UK, while other companies limit themselves to the necessary services in Cyprus and road/air transport to a UK airport of choice. It is then up to the next of kin to make the arrangements direct with a UK undertaker to collect the coffin and complete the burial or cremation services.

The cost of repatriation varies depending on weight, distance and the extent of services to be covered; an average cost would lie in the range of approx €3,500 to €5,000.  There have been reports that next of kin of a relative who has died while on holiday in Cyprus have been charged as much as €25,000 for repatriation services, so clearly caution is needed in the selection of one of the reputable companies that do this work.

Do we have to wear black to the funeral?

 That is the custom in Cyprus, but it is not required. Given the heat in summer, it is appropriate to wear lighter clothing, but out of respect, it is suitable for women to cover their shoulders for a church service.

How much does a local funeral cost?

The costs vary widely depending on what you choose, distances, coffin, plot price and the other options varying from a simple graveside burial service conducted with or without a priest to a church funeral with pall bearers, a cortège to the cemetery and a burial service followed by a wake with catering provided. The undertaker and funeral co-ordinator would inform you of all the costs involved and discuss them with you so that you may decide, but as a very rough guide an approximate budget would be in the range €2,000 to €3,500 including an average coffin and plot cost. 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• ·         Don’t rush into any decisions, especially when you are newly bereaved and in distress.
• ·         Similarly, don’t sign any documents especially any in a foreign language you do not understand, even if you are put under pressure – wait until you have the help of the coordinator or recommended undertaker.

A FEW OTHER RELEVANT (FINANCIAL) CONSIDERATIONS

• ·         Have in mind that local bank accounts in the name of the deceased are frozen for all transactions (other than for disbursement of bona fide substantiated funeral costs) until probate is completed, and in Cyprus that can take a matter of years rather months.  So take financial advice on steps to be taken to ensure that the survivor has access to money after decease of his or her partner.  A joint bank account will not normally be frozen for more than the few days it takes to change the name of the account, PROVIDED THAT the account was set up prior to the death for EITHER TO SIGN (not BOTH TO SIGN).
• ·         Make a WILL covering local assets, especially if immoveable property in Cyprus forms part of the estate of the deceased.  The Will should be drawn up by a reputable lawyer and should not contradict any Will drawn up covering assets outside Cyprus.  The lawyers involved in both Wills (and it could be the same lawyer) should be made aware of the existence of the other.  The reason why this is important is that the laws of Intestacy (no Will) in Cyprus differ from those in UK, and, depending on a number of factors, there could be unfortunate and unintended consequences for the surviving partner in the absence of a Will e.g. the child of an earlier marriage of the deceased might be found to have property inheritance rights over and above those of the surviving partner.
• ·         Experience suggests that it is sensible for both partners to be registered for local tax, even if one of them has insufficient income to have any local tax liability. This is especially the case if, say, the surviving partner has entitlement to all or a proportion of the deceased’s occupational pension from abroad.  If the surviving recipient has no local tax registration he or she may find that tax will be deducted in the country of origin of the pension until such time as the UK or other tax authority is satisfied that the recipient has a tax registration number in Cyprus.
• ·         If the deceased had entitlement to a UK State Pension the survivor or next of kin should advise the UK Pension Service of the death as soon as possible after it has occurred in order to avoid having to repay post-death payments later. This can normally be done quickly and efficiently by phone call to the UK Pension Service.  All other pension providers and any life policy companies should similarly be promptly informed.

• ·         To go into these and other relevant matters arising in the aftermath of a death in more detail it is recommended to take professional financial and legal advice.

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