Paramaribo, Suriname Report of what it's like to live there - 06/12/17

Personal Experiences from Paramaribo, Suriname

Paramaribo, Suriname 06/12/17

Background:

1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?

No, this was our fourth post. We have also lived in EUR and WHA.

View All Answers


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?

East coast - door to door can take close to 24 hours with layovers.

View All Answers


3. How long have you lived here?

One year.

View All Answers


4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?

Diplomatic mission.

View All Answers


Housing, Groceries & Food:

1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?

Our house is nice. A good size for our family. Located in the south, we are close to the schools, but a 7.5 mile commute to the Embassy in the north has taken 45 minutes at times.

View All Answers


2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?

You can get some American products. The general rule is 'if you see something you like, get it all!' The stores don't consistently stock the same items. Produce is hit or miss in availability and quality. You can get US toilet paper at a high cost or cheaper (quality/price) local toilet paper. US products are much more expensive, but some are available here.

View All Answers


3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?

Peanut butter, almond butter, nuts - there are available, but a jar of almond butter is $20 here.

View All Answers


4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?

There is a wide variety in restaurant options - food wise and price wise. Some restaurants are not worth the price. There are McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Popeye's, and Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut will deliver. Some take-away restaurants will hang up if you speak English to them.

View All Answers


5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?

Outside of the house we have red ants, bats, mosquitoes, and lizards of various sizes. Inside we have ants, mice, roaches, spiders, geckos, and mosquitoes.

View All Answers


Daily Life:

1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?

Local postal facilities are practically non-existent. FedEx and DHL are here, but outrageously expensive. We have pouch and recently started using DPO. People here have had trouble with the DPO (because it's new?), but packages are routinely rejected or end up at some other DPO location and 'eventually' arrive. We had one family depart post before an order shipped via DPO arrived.

View All Answers


2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?

Household help is used by most, if not all, families. Housekeepers and/or nannies. We pay $100/week for part-time housekeeping. Our housekeeper does a good job.

View All Answers


3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?

There are traditional gyms and CrossFit gyms. There are a few sports clubs which have tennis and swimming. The Embassy has a nice gym and pool. There is a golf course here as well. I've heard the sports clubs are expensive. We tried one gym and it was no more expensive than the US. The Embassy facilities are free - and new.

View All Answers


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?

Some places take credit cards and I've seen ATMs around town. I'm not sure how safe they are though. We just cash checks at the Embassy and use cash.

View All Answers


5. What English-language religious services are available locally?

Some churches will translate the service for you through earphones.

View All Answers


6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?

A lot of people speak rudimentary English so with that, and some hand signals, you can get by. Some menus are only in Dutch so you can guess and hope for the best. Not sure about local language classes, but the US embassy is putting together a language program so there's hope.

View All Answers


7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?

Absolutely. There are few sidewalks, little if any handicap parking, few accessible buildings.

View All Answers


Transportation:

1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?

Buses - no. Taxis - maybe, if you use one that is vetted through RSO. No trams or trains.

View All Answers


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?

Something that has high clearance and you don't mind getting dinged. Don't bring any low riders. Potholes are abundant. Lots of dirt roads. Flooding is common. Lots of speed bumps of varying sizes.

View All Answers


Phone & Internet:

1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?

Well they say high-speed home internet is available, but the reality is NO. We have the highest (aka most expensive) plan and our upload/download speeds are 5/1. Ours was available the day we moved in, but our house was not new to the housing pool. Even the internet at the Embassy is less than stable (or fast).

View All Answers


2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?

We brought unlocked iPhones and got SIM cards here. We use a local provider here and just swap SIM cards when we go back to the US.

View All Answers


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?

There are no kennel services available. None. When you go on vacation you either bring your pets with you, or find someone local to watch them. No quarantine was necessary for our dog. f you're a summer transfer and you have a dog that is not going in the cabin with you, drive down to Miami and fly your dog cargo. You will do this if you love your dog. Either that or find someone you trust in the US to keep your dog for you. There are vets here, but it is less for preventative and more for your pet being sick.

View All Answers


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?

Well, until the hiring freeze there were opportunities at the Embassy. Working on the economy here isn't really an option. There is only a de facto work agreement, but not sure what hoops you have to jump through. If you're able to get a job, the wages are extremely low. For example, a full-time ER doctor is paid $1000 USD/month. That includes on-call hours.

View All Answers


2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?

Elderly housing, orphanage, sloth rescue, dog shelter.

View All Answers


3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?

Business and business casual at work. Casual in public places. I am hard pressed to recall a formal dress event.

View All Answers


Health & Safety:

1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.

Yes. If you're a woman, you're not walking/running/biking alone. Catcalls are common, but there's also an increase in assaults (muggings, sexual). If you're walking your dog, you have to watch out for street dogs. Many are aggressive and usually unvaccinated. Driving is iffy as well.

View All Answers


2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?

The advice we received upon arriving at post was 'don't get sick'. The hospitals here are not like the US. There may or may not be the specialist you need. You're not drinking water from the tap. The mosquitoes are everywhere, including the house. Zika, dengue, and chikungunya are big risks. If you go into the interior, you're taking anti-malarials. If you hike, be sure to conduct a thorough tick-check. You HAVE to receive the yellow fever vaccine. A lot of countries in this area require proof of this vaccine if you're traveling.

View All Answers


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 is hot and humid so the air just feels like a wet blanket. People burn trash here - side of the road, in their yards, anywhere. Lots of mercury used in the gold mining industry here, so there are issues with mercury in the air, soil, and water.

View All Answers


4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?

If you have severe food allergies, I'm not sure you'd want to eat out. The idea of keeping food separate is a foreign concept here. Regarding environmental allergies, bring an air filter(s) for your home.

View All Answers


5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?

No winter blues here, but Suriname is 'death by 1000 paper cuts'. It just gets to you. Some more quickly than others. Getting out isn't easy either and that just adds to the general blahs.

View All Answers


6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?

We are six degrees up from the equator. That makes it hot, humid, and wet. The seasons run from rainy season to little rainy season to heavy rainy season to not-so-rainy season.

View All Answers


Schools & Children:

1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?

There are four English speaking schools here. Two of the schools are primarily used by the Embassy - International Academy of Suriname and Suriname International School. If you have kids from grades 8 and above, do NOT bring them unless they are extremely religious (IAS) and mediocre students.

View All Answers


2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?

There aren't any. None.

View All Answers


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?

Two of the schools have preschools which I've heard are expensive. Some families use local daycare/preschools which are Dutch-language and some have waiting lists.

View All Answers


4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?

Basketball and volleyball are local favorites. The sports clubs have tennis and/or swim teams. There are gymnastics and dancing classes that some families use. The feedback on the swim team though, was that the non-locals were an afterthought since they don't live here and will leave.

View All Answers


Expat Life:

1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?

Small. The Embassy is under 25 direct hires. As the gold mining industry declines, the size the English speaking expat community decreases also. The size of the diplomatic corps here is also small with 13 embassies/consulates located in Paramaribo.

View All Answers


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?

If you have children in the schools, you can meet people outside of the Embassy. The same can be said if you join a gym or sports club. Otherwise you're socializing and working with the same people. This could be good or bad depending on how well you get along with your co-workers. Some people go hiking, biking, and fishing. There is dolphin watching you can also do. Otherwise you're entertaining at home.

View All Answers


3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?

Suriname might be easiest for families with school-aged children as the kids make friends at school and the parents can meet adults outside the embassy community. As for couples and singles, I'm not sure.

View All Answers


4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?

View All Answers


5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?

Suriname is very ethnically and religiously diverse and I've not seen/heard about problems. As for gender equality, it is a chauvinistic society. We had a female spouse who ran over a random piece of rebar and it tore up some of her bumper. While she was figuring out what to do, a guy stopped, pulled out a knife, and hacked off her bumper. All the while she was yelling at him to stop and then he was mad that she wasn't grateful.

View All Answers


6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?

When I've gone on vacation out of Suriname.

View All Answers


7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?

Dolphin watches, volunteering at the sloth rescue.

View All Answers


8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?

You can get some great wood furniture and artworks.

View All Answers


9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?

View All Answers


Words of Wisdom:

1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?

How bad the schools were. Both our kids are in boarding schools now.

View All Answers


2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?

Not a chance.

View All Answers


3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:

Teenagers. Winter clothes. Ideas of easily traveling through South America/Central America/Caribbean.

View All Answers


4. But don't forget your:

Bug spray, dehumidifiers, umbrellas, rain boots, baby powder, deodorant.

View All Answers


Subscribe to our newsletter


New book from Talesmag! Honest and courageous stories of life abroad with special needs.

Read More