Karachi, Pakistan Report of what it's like to live there - 06/01/14
Personal Experiences from Karachi, Pakistan
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No. Kabul, Shanghai, Beijing, Jeddah, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Seoul.
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?
Washington, DC - About 18-20 hours with connections. To the US (and most places), one usually connects in the Gulf region.
3. How long have you lived here?
Most are here on one-year assignments - I've been here about 10 months.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
U.S. Government.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
For U.S. Consulate personnel, housing is new and on secure compounds. There are a few expat compounds in Karachi that have increased security, and many homes/apartments/colonies have high walls and their own strict security protocols.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Generally, pretty good at the larger places. The US Consulate has a small commissary of the basics, and the larger grocery stores (Hyperstar, Farid's) have significant amounts of foodstuffs and general items. Stock can sometimes be missing though, so if you see it, buy it. Pakistan, like other places in the region, still is focused on the small neighborhood shops - leaving steady, reliable distribution of unexpired goods a dream.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Things are generally available, and my needs are simple.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Full range of restaurants are available, including fast food places (McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC). The Dolmen Mall has a food court with branded places, and many restaurants - same in some of the larger hotels. Karachi has quite the restaurant scene with various foods in some really palatial indoor/outdoor settings. My local friends have introduced me to many mainstay Pakistan foods that are incredibly inexpensive and quite delicious - however, since we don't get out much, it's pretty much off the regular radar.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
There are insects, and disease-bearing mosquitoes that will hone in on you, but it isn't unbearable. This is not the place you want to walk barefoot, as there appear be large/small ant colonies in many places.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Through a special U.S. Government service. I don't know much about Pakistan post, as most letters/items I receive locally are delivered by courier services.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Available, and inexpensive - but standards are wildly different between expectations and reality. Trust may be an issue as well.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
The Consulate has its own new facilities, including a pool, and there is a tennis court at the former Consul General's residence. Some of the larger hotels (Pearl Continental, Marriott, Movenpick) have minimal gyms and exercise floors, but nothing extensive. I imagine that larger gyms do exist in Karachi, however, US Government personnel can't really go them even if we knew where they were.
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 avoid using credit cards unless for an air ticket, or if I was traveling, at one of the reliable hotels. ATMs in most places seem to work okay, but I have only ever used them within the confines of one the secure hotel compounds - I would never use them anywhere else.
5. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Basic greetings is fine, but like elsewhere to really understand Pakistan, you need to learn Urdu. I do not speak Urdu, and it generally limits the depth at which you can explore, understand and make the most out of your time here.
6. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
While the Consulate is fully accessible, one could say that nearly all of Pakistan is not. There are steps everywhere, one-two person elevators that are frequently inoperable, uneven sidewalks (if there are sidewalks). That being said, our Consular section sees applicants in wheelchairs and other needs on a daily basis, so there is a community out there, it's just that you don't see any of it in our limited view of public life outside of the compound. Overall, this isn't a place where someone with physical disabilities would have any sense or ability to be independent.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
No, and U.S. Consulate personnel can't use them. I'm sure there are some reliable taxi companies here, but most people have a driver. A bus in the western sense does not exist here, there are plenty of buses in Pakistan - all usually adorned with a crown of local laborers sitting on the roof - but the buses appear to be falling apart as they go down the road in all their colorful mosaic'd glory.
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?
US Consulate personnel drive in special vehicles, but you'll see every manner of a car on the road here. Rarely does a traffic light seem to work, and wide roads are limited (and generally lane-less). Many locals have drivers all the time - who wait roadside for their employers to finish at an establishment. Accidents are common, motorcycles (with multiple passengers - 3 or 4 people on one moto is not uncommon) are everywhere too.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Basic Internet (like 20 MBps) is available on the U.S. Consulate compound inexpensively ($30.00 per month), though faster service is available at inflated cost. Generally, in places most expats will live/reside/stay, it is available, generally reliable, and not expensive.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Carry two, as these are frequently robbed. Pakistan, finally, got some 3G service in May 2014, so smartphones are useful now. However, most people carry a very basic phone (think old Nokias) since they get stolen/and/or/robbed often.
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?
Dogs are not allowed at the U.S. Consulate, and cats only under certain strict and limited conditions can reside on the compound. I don't see many people here in Karachi with pets.
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?
Some, but getting one with any kind of suitable and expected Western salary would be nearly impossible - there are many skilled and experienced people here making competition for the best jobs indescribably fierce.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Many, I'm sure - but US Consulate personnel can't participate in much of anything outside the compound.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Business attire when needed, but Pakistan business culture has an engrained business formality to it.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Many - especially for those that don't easily blend in. Local employees are frequent victims of theft, always with a threat of violence. The Consular section here gets daily calls from Americans who are receiving threats, or have been victims of violence, including home invasions, following, outright theft, etc. U.S. Consulate personnel observe strict security awareness (and methods) for a reason.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Well, it is a developing country. The air in Karachi can smell, and the scent of burning trash can waft through the air at any time. However, being close to the ocean (and the consulate being close to city-interior wetlands and the ocean), there is a enough wind at all times that flushes things out eventually. As of June 2014, there is new standing WHO guidance on Polio in Pakistan (yes, it is still here), but obtain the one-time oral vaccine and it isn't much of an issue. Local staff at the Consulate (and bigger hotels), especially those prepping foods, are focused on cleanliness, and while everyone gets ill here at some point, it doesn't happen nearly enough as one might expect. Other issues involve mosquito-transmitted diseases, the omnipresent threat of bird-droppings falling unceremoniously upon your head, running into a bat, and possibly a quick slip on the shiny new floors of our new consulate building. There are suitable hospitals here, with some standards of U.S. care, and medicines are readily available from trusted hospitals if needed.
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?
Depends. Yes, there is pollution, and there is always trash (or something burning somewhere), but in the areas closer to the ocean/bays, there is always some sort of breeze. The US Consulate is located next to some brackish bay/mangroves, so we get a fair dollop of interesting scents wafting through.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
September to April, pleasant. May-August, hot to very hot to very very hot - Sweaty weather.
Schools & Children:
1. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
I know the schools popular with expats have sports programs.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Hard to gauge - the vast majority of expats here are actually expats of Pakistani heritage. Overall, morale at the U.S. Consulate is surprisingly good to great - and it has been this way for many years. Expat families with kids at the Karachi American School all seemed content and happy here, but they are well aware of the security issues as well.
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?
Hanging with friends, movie nights, social events, visits to the hotels, hobbies.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
U.S. Consulate personnel can't bring our family members. Singles and Couples generally make a life for themselves among colleagues here, with limited forays into the social scene of the city if they have friends. Alcohol is generally not sold in Pakistan (only to certain people), but that being said, at private parties, it is usually available in limited amounts.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Well, it is Pakistan, and there are issues here. That being said, there is an active social scene that involves private parties among trusted friends - but it is extremely difficult to get involved with, and even so, security precautions (your own or employer enforced) make planning and attendance a burden. Even a basic internet search about Karachi (or Pakistan) will turn up some things (like a Fall 2013 article from the BBC), but this isn't a place where a parade will happen anytime soon. Family/social pressures in Pakistan are so strong and deep that any "out" person is like a god/goddess of unicorns.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes, and no. At least what I gather from the media and local friends, Pakistan has significant issues amongst its own religions, sects, beliefs, etc - and these difference sadly often lead to significant violence. There are professional women here of all types, but in comparison, the numbers are smaller than one would expect from outside knowledge or thought of Pakistan. For the most part, there is still, unfortunately, a significant portion of the female population that for many cultural, religious, family, or other reasons remains outside education or professional life.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
My job has been interesting, and I work with a great group of people who share the same circumstances. As U.S. Government employees, our opportunities for unofficial engagements (or being out much in the city) are slim to none.
7. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Trinkets, collectibles, fabrics, carpets, clothes.
8. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Saving money, interesting and feisty city of 20 Million+, nice temperatures.
9. Can you save money?
Yes, very much so. However, expats here are easily taken advantage of, so buying a "high quality cheap carpet" is just not going to happen. It is generally inexpensive here, but you do get what you pay for. More and more goods appear to be imported from China and elsewhere - and they work for the most part, but don't expect to make heritage purchases here.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
For a one-year assignment, it was much better than I imagined. I won't be looking to return here, since any opportunity or desire I had to learn and experience Karachi/Pakistan was severely limited by my employer's security policies and procedures - which, sadly, I don't see relaxing anytime soon. However, our security concerns are real and happening - and I have been safe.
