Sanaa, Yemen Report of what it's like to live there - 05/17/16
Personal Experiences from Sanaa, Yemen
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No, mostly Asia before this
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?
California. Flights go through Paris and/or Dubai and/or Frankfurt and/or Doha. Doha gets you an overnight stay in a hotel.
3. How long have you lived here?
2 years until 2013
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Government, FSO
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Apartments were large, housing is now in a hotel. Communal kitchen and laundry facilities. Causes a fishbowl effect. On the other hand, good for creating a strong and tight-knit community.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Everything is so cheap.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Mexican food supplies, baking food supplies
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Yemeni food is cheap, Indian restaurants aplenty, lots of Lebanese restaurants, also one really good Japanese restaurant which serves pretty good sushi and sashimi.
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?
Filipinos and Ethiopians. Very cheap.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Embassy gym and hotel gym
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?
Only the fancy hotels will take them
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
There are two English language Christian mass/church services available. A Filipino priest and an Ethiopian pastor.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
A lot. Yemenis do not speak English in the street.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes, would not recommend. Third world with third world facilities.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Very cheap. We took them before restrictions set in.
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?
4x4 although post became an armored vehicle only post
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Business casual. For women, covered shoulders and knees. Abaya and hijab not required, unlike Saudi. No one will give you a second look.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Security, constant threat of terrorism, civil war, gunfire. Fact of life. Hearing gunfire and/or artillery shelling while you're sitting at an outdoor cafe eating your cheesecake and drinking your mocha is not uncommon.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Not great. Saudi German hospital for emergencies.
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?
Good. Not enough industry to cause pollution.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
70F degrees year round. Sanaa is located high up so occasional cool nights, but generally it's pool weather every single day.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Morale was high when I was there...extremely tight knit community because of the situation.
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?
Lots of expat house parties, lots of oil company parties, foreign embassy parties.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Fine for singles. Couples, I'd recommend that they come together and they have a strong relationship or can stand living in a hotel room together...and seeing each other day in and day out. Cheating was everywhere in the Embassy and we saw lots of divorces occur when people showed up at post without their spouse.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Most likely not. Yemen is a conservative Muslim country. On the other hand, there is an underground gay scene and someone met their local spouse here.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
No. The locals could honestly care less if you were Christian or Muslim or Jewish. Obviously the terrorists care, but the average Yemeni doesn't. Religion is deeply private for them.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
The amazing weather, the nicest people in the world. People are completely open and willing to talk about anything honestly, makes for great work as an FSO, makes it easy to make friends as an EFM.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Wandering the Old City in the souk market, being the only foreigner for miles around, amazing beaches and diving.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Amazing honey (almost all of it is exported to Saudi)
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Best weather in the world, always 70F degrees and sunny, no humidity. Nicest people in the world, local government actually wanted our assistance and advice, easy to save money. Culture and history is everywhere unlike the rest of the Gulf which has replaced those things with shiny skyscrapers.
10. Can you save money?
Yes. I paid off all my student loans and saved the down payment for a house from my time there.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
How beautiful it was, how unlike it is from how it's portrayed in the news.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes. I pray that the Embassy reopens someday
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Preconceived notions
4. But don't forget your:
Sunblock, sense of adventure
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Dancing on the heads of Snakes
6. Do you have any other comments?
Yemen is amazing. Those who complained about it either chafed under the security restrictions or expect to basically be in a country exactly like the U.S. and had difficulties understanding a culture different than their own.
