Dili - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
Isolation-significant isolation. - Mar 2025
Probably some sense of isolation. - Aug 2021
It can be difficult dealing with the isolation of East Timor and feeling cut off from communicating with family and friends when the internet is down. I don't think there are many mental health workers available locally, so if you feel like you need to talk to a professional, you will need to consider finding someone who can talk to you via Skype or Facetime. The U.S. embassy has a regional psychologist visit post a couple of times a year from Jakarta, and she offers videoconference consultations. - Sep 2017
It can be tough living on an island and taking regular breaks is a necessity. - May 2017
Not really. We have sunshine year round. During dry season, the locals welcome the rain by running around during the rain showers in a good mood. Some expats feel very isolated given the distance, but my cure is just to get out of Dili into the hills -- the locals are welcoming and delightful. - Sep 2016
