Lusaka, Zambia Report of what it's like to live there - 03/04/22
Personal Experiences from Lusaka, Zambia
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No, I've also lived in Central America and South Central Asia.
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 USA, its about a 25 hour itinerary, but it really depends on what's available at the moment. Especially after COVID, some things are still in flux. Travel to and from Zambia is expensive.
3. What years did you live here?
2019-2021.
4. How long have you lived here?
Three years.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Diplomatic Mission.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is generally either single family homes on large lots, or compounds of single family homes with shared common spaces. Commute times depend of course.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Fresh produce and meats are inexpensive, but processed foods can be high-priced, it really just depends.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
We have access to US mail so I'm able to get things shipped, but if I didn't - electronics, mostly, because quality items are more expensive here and inexpensive items are really low quality.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Ulendo Eats, Tigmoo and AfriDelivery are all used for food delivery, but be prepared to have your patience tested. There are plenty of decent restaurants, and almost all of them have outdoor dining options, which is very nice. There is one US fast food chain here - KFC. There are many South African (I think) chains - Nando's, Hungry Lion, RocoMama's, Steers, Fishaways, among others.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
The ants will get on your nerves sometimes but it's seasonal. Snails too, seasonal. Termites can be an issue. Lusaka is not a malaria city, but if you go out of town you'll want your anti-malarials.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
I have no idea what the local postal facilities might be, I stay within the US diplomatic mission mail system.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Inexpensive and plentiful, gardeners, drivers, housekeepers and nannies. Many households with young kids will have all of the above.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
The CrossFit gyms are at the same price as US, more or less, which makes them outrageously expensive for the local market but in line with US expectations. There are other gyms that are less expensive, and sports clubs (if you like squash, you'll want to reach out to Simply Squash).
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?
Lusaka is very credit card friendly. ATMs are safe, with due prudence.
5. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
You'll be fine with English, but not all craftspeople you'll encounter will have strong English skills. Be patient, try to find someone to interpret, and do not assume that a "yes yes" and a nod means that someone understood what you said or requested.
6. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes, sidewalks are much more common over the last three years in our part of town, but it's still rough in places, it would be very difficult on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
I haven't used the buses. There is an Uber like service called Ulendo that people use sometimes, and private drivers are easy to find.
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 will serve you well. Low clearance will e challenging not only because of potholes but because of irregular speed bumps. Toyotas are ubiquitous, so they're considered the easiest to maintain or repair.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Fiber is increasingly available, but will depend on your neighborhood. It only takes a few days for installation, but it can be incredibly frustrating. The service itself is pretty reliable but the administrative processes are challenging. Our fiber subscription is for up to 20 Mbps (ha, never) and is about $120/month.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
MTN is the best, and inexpensive: 2.5gb/month of data is K50 for 30 days. If you are primarily in wifi areas, that is plenty for a month and a great bargain.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Work attire is on the more formal end of the business spectrum, and people try to look nice even to go to the grocery. You might see athletic wear but you will NEVER see pajamas at the grocery!!
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Crimes of opportunity are the most common, so keep doors locked and windows mostly up. Depending on your residential security posture, break-ins might be more common.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Medical care is hit or miss. We have a dentist, eye doctor and orthodontist we really like, a fantastic chiropractor, and several massage therapists. For simple medical interventions, there is access to decent pharmacy clinics. Medevacs will happen for anything that might require surgery or long term support. Our employees medevac for OB/GYN.
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?
Mostly great, sometimes when it's getting chilly you'll notice more wood burning, or sometimes just trash burning. It really depends on your neighbors.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Beautiful. It's just wonderful. Not too hot, not too cold, the rain (when it comes) is torrential and awesome - which is really problematic for houses and roads that aren't equipped to manage it - so much green, so many beautiful flowers, flowering bushes and trees. It's so amazing.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There are several international schools, I believe - American, Italian, French, International, probably some I'm not aware of. The American School is beautiful, lots of outside space for the kids. We've been generally pleased with the culture and quality of the American School.
2. 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?
There are preschools, but most people have nannies instead of daycare.
3. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, horseback riding, squash, some other activities.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Very large, relatively speaking, due to the large NGO presence.
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?
There are lots of social relationships, you won't have any trouble finding groups who eat, drink, play sports, ride bikes, hike, etc.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It's really hard to say. Although there is a thriving social scene amongst expats, there aren't a lot of things to *do* in town, so it's great for families in the sense that there really isn't a lot of FOMO if you can't get out much because of young children, but of course it really depends on personalities.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
The Zambian people are very friendly. It's very complex, culturally.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Homosexuality is still illegal here, and I do not think that same sex spouses can easily be brought, but I could be wrong.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Gender inequality is definitely a huge problem.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
We consider ourselves so fortunate to have had an opportunity to live in a country that is so beautiful, so full of natural resources. We have had great trips to South Luangwa, Kafue National Park, and Victoria Falls. The highlights of our time here have been the chance to live in such a beautiful climate.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Not really, not after you've hit the local markets a few times. You'll see pretty quickly that everything being sold is pretty much identical, but we've sure bought a lot of it!
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I wish I'd known how expensive and time consuming it is to fly in and out.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes, it's been a lovely place to be, especially during a global pandemic - we were still able to spend time outside safely.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Winter clothes.
4. But don't forget your:
Rain gear!
