Gaborone - Post Report Question and Answers
What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
It can feel very isolated. The work environment can be frustrating and stressful at times, depending on your job. It's also not as inexpensive as I thought it would be. - Aug 2024
The internet is terrible! It has harmed my ability to remain connected with friends and family, made job interviews even more stressful from worrying that the call will drop or not connect at all, and streaming online classes can triple to quadruple the normal time. Local and regional travel is very expensive. - Dec 2023
I did some research before I came and I was coming from a 30% hardship post so overall it was a big improvement. Nothing goes on at the Embassy so it is pretty boring working there unless you are working on wildlife issues. - Jul 2019
If I had know about the health care situation at post I would never have come here. Again, this is not a Botswana problem. There are plenty of good doctors in Botswana. This situation is a failing of post and the Department. Someone going to Botswana unattached to the Embassy should have no issues finding competent health care providers in Gaborone. - Apr 2017
It doesn't have the charm of other African cities. It lacks the chaos but also the energy and vibe. Batswana are a tranquil, somewhat closed people. Not as openly warm as people in other African countries, even close by like Zambia or Malawi. But the calm, cleanliness, and modernity is nice too. - Jul 2016
(a) how little there is to do here, (b) how serious the crime can be (it tends to come in waves, but you have to exercise constant vigilance), (c) how lazy and difficult the locals are (the dependence upon government to provide is endemic - this is a generation of people who have grown up living off the country's diamond wealth, enjoying a fairly middle-class existence, and knowing no real struggle; they tend to take it all for granted, and have little to none work ethic). - Mar 2015
Support for special needs and quality of the schools. Schools are really bad here. One or two schools are decent for elementary school and locals put their kids' names on the school register when they are 2 months old.. No special treatment for U.S. Embassy Employees. So you will not get in. We have tried to get a spot since we got here. - Oct 2014
WIsh I had known I would have such a great time and meet such great people. - Nov 2013
