Port Au Prince, Haiti Report of what it's like to live there - 04/01/17
Personal Experiences from Port Au Prince, Haiti
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Yes.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
It's a quick trip back to the US. 90 minutes to Miami/Fort Lauderdale or 2.5 hours to Atlanta. However, if you are flying from the west coast to Port au Prince, you either have to take a red-eye to Atlanta or Miami or spend the night.
3. How long have you lived here?
Almost two years.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Embassy.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Nice three-bedroom townhouse on a compound across the street from the embassy. Quick 5-minute walk from my front door to my desk. Right now most people live in houses that are a 15-20 minute drive from the embassy, but at some point in 2017, the new compound is scheduled to open. Once it opens, almost everyone will live on one of the two compounds. The new one will be a short shuttle ride to the embassy.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Pretty much everything is available, but it's expensive. Especially dairy. Wine and the local beer are reasonably priced.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Use your consumables shipment. Cleaning supplies and any large liquids (especially anything in glass bottles) are good to ship. Bring your own motor oil in HHE. If you are picky about beer, definitely ship that. Everything else comes fairly quickly through DPO.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Lots of restaurants in Petionville. Service usually isn't great, but food is generally good. The only delivery is pizza, but it Is much faster to go pick it up.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
DPO. I don't think there is a local postal service, but DHL seems to be fairly prevalent.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Household help is available and fairly inexpensive. Most people have housekeepers a couple days a week and people with kids generally have full time nannies.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
There is a small gym at the embassy. I have never used it, but it sounds like it isn't great.The new compound is supposed to have a workout room. Currently there is a boot camp class 2 days a week and an abs class 2 days a week. These are free and led by current officers. CLO has been organizing yoga at the Embassy once a week with a local instructor, 8 weekly sessions are $60. There is also a spinning studio up in Petitionville that some people have used.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
I use cash for pretty much everything although it's probably okay to use credit cards at the grocery stores and most restaurants. There is a bank and ATM at the Embassy. It's not safe to use other ATMs.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
We are not allowed to use local public transportation or taxis.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
High clearance is a must. Most people order parts through DPO. Local mechanics will give you part numbers to order and labor for repairs is cheaper than US.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Internet is on the expensive side, but available if you want to pay (depending on where you live). There is a new option that the AEA has available, not sure of all the details, but it seems to be fairly easy to get installed and works fairly well.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Local providers are easy and cheap. If you bring an unlocked phone you can get a SIM at the AEA and pay for minutes/data online.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Most spouses work at the Embassy. There seems to be a decent number and variety of jobs available.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
For work, either suits or business casual. Depends on your section/agency and your day.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Yes, there are restrictions on activities and movement for a reason. Pay attention at your in-brief and follow the rules, situational awareness is important. That said, day to day I generally feel pretty safe. Driving seems to be the biggest risk.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
The medical ed unit is good for basic stuff. Anything else will probably require medical evacuation. You need to be prepared to advocate for yourself and listen to your instincts. Malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika are all possible.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Moderate. There is a lot of dust and burning trash, but it doesn't seem to have much of an impact on health.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Not much in the way of seasons. It's very hot and humid in the summer and hot and a little less humid in the "winter." Even in the rainy seasons it mostly rains at night.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Between the diplomatic missions, the UN and NGOs it is fairly large. You definitely have to make an extra effort to get out of the embassy bubble. Port au Prince isn't an easy place to live, but people seem to make the best of it. Getting out of the city to the beaches and mountains helps.
2. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
There is good variety of social activities that seem to work for everyone. It is possible, but not easy to date.
3. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
The beaches are beautiful and the hiking up in the mountains is also good. Haiti is a completely different place once you get out of Port au Prince.
4. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Cap Haitian and the Citadelle. Jacmel and Bassin Bleu. The DR is a fairly easy drive. There are a lot of good options for weekend and day trips.
5. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Good variety of artwork, especially paintings and metal work.
6. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Weekend trips to the beach. Easy trips back to the US.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes. It hasn't always been easy, but overall it's been a positive experience.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Winter clothes.
3. But don't forget your:
Sunscreen and inflatable pool floats.
