Here is the latest on the real places where we
live around the world. Anecdotes, impressions, frustrations, and joys.
Life beyond the official word in many of the important cities around
the world. We encourage English-speaking expats of all types,
even kids, to send us their views on living abroad.
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102 new reports have been posted in 2008
Lagos, Nigeria: "Lagos has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Home invasions, carjackings and petty theft are all issues we deal with daily." 5/15
Cairo, Egypt: "It's a good city for families - lots of little day trips to do with the kids, and hey, how can you beat mummies and pyramids?" 5/15
Bogotá, Colombia: "Bogotá is like any big city in NY, DC, or PA: as long as you're aware of your surroundings, it's not as bad as you've heard." 5/13
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: "I would love to stay but there is no possibility of an extension if you are posted here. Don't even try it." 5/13
Algiers, Algeria: "I loved Algiers and Algerians for the complexity of their history, for their sense of pride, for their friendship and loyalty, and for the hidden beauty of the whole country." 5/10
Santa Cruz, Bolivia: "The government started devaluing the dollar relative to local currency in 2006. It went down 16% in one year and is expected to continue downward through end of 2009 at least." 5/10
La Paz, Bolivia: "It was strange to me that, in business meetings, my Bolivian interlocutors would know whom I was dating and where we had dinner on Saturday." 5/9
Calcutta,India: "Someone told me when I arrived that foreigners cry twice when coming here: once as they arrive, then again when they leave." 5/9
Kingston, Jamaica: "The American School is a great school with good teachers, good students, and a complete American curriculum." 5/6
Kathmandu, Nepal: "Hope and pray that you don't have an emergency situation. You'll get medevac'd for most issues." 5/6
Seoul, Korea: "This is a good post for some, not for others. The city isn't very colourful or exciting and the traffic is horrific." 5/5
Riga, Latvia: "There are some really tough times ahead for Latvia. If you come here, be prepared for the collective gloom and maintain low expectations." 5/5
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: "I came here and I will stay to finish my tour. But once I leave there is nothing that will make me return." 4/28
Panama City, Panama: "We enjoyed our other four tours in Latin America, but this one stands out as a major disapointment." 4/28
Bogotá, Colombia: "The threat of terrorism from FARC, the narcos, and other armed groups is very real." 4/23
Kyiv, Ukraine: "Don't use your ATM card, as there are problems with machines popping up all of the time." 4/23
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina: "There are only one or two ATMs that can withdraw from our account in the States, but it hasn't been a serious problem." 4/22
Kyiv, Ukraine: "Much like Chicago or Minneapolis. You suffer for 4 months to get 8 months of absolutely beautiful weather." 4/22
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: "There's a lot of dust, so it's hazy most days and most people are sick every couple months or so with some sort of respiratory illness." 4/12
Keflavik, Iceland: "But don't forget your swim suit. There are a lot of geothermal pools. The Blue Lagoon is really nice." 4/9
Warsaw, Poland: "The embassy has a commisary, but I cannot understand why people would want to shop there when the same things are available on the local market and are often of better quality." 4/8
Lima, Peru: "Living in Lima can be frustrating at times, but there are many amenities available that mitigate the frustration. Most people are happy living here and many extend their tours as a result." 4/8
Vienna, Austria: "If you expect friendly faces, familiar grocery stores, etc. you are going to be disappointed. I think this is a very nice posting with no real hardships." 4/7
Mbabane, Swaziland: "This place is known as Africa Light. It is a comfortable place to live because it is easy to communicate and move around." 4/7
Kolonia, Micronesia: "This is a country without any broadcast TV, book stores, or daily news media." 4/3
Djibouti, Djibouti: "There are no fast food places and only one good restaurant outside of the Kempinski Hotel." 4/3
Jakarta, Indonesia: "All precautions should be taken during prime Dengue season. Always pay attention to any bites, fevers, or other health issues." 4/3
Tirana, Albania: "Bring an SUV because of the road conditions. There are many large potholes and missing manhole covers. A lot of roads are still unpaved." 4/3
Basel, Switzerland: "Mild winter, rainy spring, warm summer and fall. We had our window open a crack all winter and never turned the heat on. Beautiful weather overall. You can grow lemons, olives, and kiwis!" 4/2
Manama, Bahrain: "The cost of living in Bahrain is expensive, and with the exchange rate being what it is these days, you will quickly find that many items are overpriced or simply beyond your means." 4/2
Almaty, Kazakhstan: "Overall, I wouldn't recommend coming to this post with children in the upper grades unless there is no other option (and for us, boarding school wasn't an option)." 4/1
Buenos Aires, Argentina: "For me, the best-kept secret about Argentina is its incredible nature, found in vast expanses of relatively unpopulated land far from the constant buzz of the capital." 4/1
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