Tegucigalpa, Honduras Report of what it's like to live there - 12/23/14
Personal Experiences from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Besides study abroad, this is my first time living abroad.
2. How long have you lived here?
Newly arrived mid-2014.
3. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
U.S. Embassy work.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
The housing is ok.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
You can find most things here that you would in the U.S. give or take a few specialized items like certain spices, etc. that we just order online.
3. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
The good restaurants are at DC/New York prices, the decent restaurants are sometimes ok, the fast food is awful in my opinion.
4. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Not many for me, but then again I live in a newer building. Some colleagues have not been so lucky.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
APO/DPO.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Cheap, though you have to be careful that you are not being paying waaay too much (Embassy workers, however, should expect to pay more than the locals would for a seasoned worker used to working with Embassy families). You also should take extra care to ensure that your help is trustworthy.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Yes, there are many.
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've only used an outside ATM--at a bank--once. Because of the security environment and people here doing really shady things, I withdraw money for the weekend when I'm at the Embassy.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
I'm not sure, though I'm sure there must be some.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
It helps to know Spanish--part of many singles' social barrier here is not really knowing Spanish. Knowing Spanish has made it more comfortable to get outside of the American bubble for a bit.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes. Tegucigalpa is mountainous/hilly, and there aren't too many accomodations besides the special parking spots (occasionally).
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Nope, not unless you are looking to get mugged or worse. There have been many reports of people getting into taxis that have subsequently been driven from ATM to ATM and forced to withdraw all their money until they have no more in the account. There are shootings on public buses. We take vetted 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?
Preferably a car that you won't mind getting scratched up if you will be here for a while--the driving here is really aggressive. Most people here get their windows tinted upon arrival to post, and most Hondurans have their windows tinted as well.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Internet's ok.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
No, Tigo and Claro seem to work fine.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
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?
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
There are a lot--if those volunteer opportunities are safe is a different question.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Professional at work, casual in public.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
YES. Watching your back is a consistent feature of life here. It's not possible to really get around anywhere without taxis.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
I've heard of dengue fever happening to people here; malaria is a concern on the North coast.
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?
It always seems pretty good to me.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Doesn't seem that there's much here to be worried about on that end.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The weather is very temperate it seems, even in the summer.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
I don't have children, though I've heard of the American School, DelCampo, and Discovery School being three of the best ones.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
I'm not sure, though I feel that I've heard that there aren't many accomodations/programs for special-needs children.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Not sure, though many of my colleagues have domestic staff who help with childcare from what I've heard.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
It seems that there are.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
The expat community seems to be very small, minus the American presence. It's hard to connect with other expats outside of the American bubble.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Movies, the mall, there are some bars here.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
For me, no, and other singles that I've talked to have seemed to share this opinion. It seems that families cope better here (it is a post made up mostly of families). We can't go outside a lot because it's dangerous, so families have built-in company when they get home. The few singles that are here aren't so lucky. And many of those few singles are very afraid to go out except to a literal handful of places due to possible security repurcussions, real or imagined.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Not at all, although it could be worse--there could be no visible LGBT life here whatsoever, which does happen in many countries.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
There are under the surface racial issues. There are stark gender inequalities for sure, though not as many as one would imagine. No religious problems from what I've seen.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
There have not been many highlights for me although there are some ok restaurants and bars here.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Valle de Angeles and Santa Lucia are quaint little tourist towns. Other than that, not many things to do if you're not an outdoorsy/hiking type of person.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Lenca pottery!
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
The climate is very nice. It's also possible to save some money here--if you don't travel much, as flights out of Tegucigalpa are very expensive.
10. Can you save money?
Yes, if you don't travel--which, let's face it, you wouldn't not travel if you were here.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
Although people are nice here, everything seems to be about a hustle and/or getting something out of you. Very few relationships with local people feel genuine to me.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
I didn't have a choice in coming here; if I knew what I knew now I would be kicking and screaming along the way!
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
High expectations. Having lower expectations of life here will make the disappointment less stinging.
