Real Posts Reports: Reviews of Life in Countries Worldwide

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Here is the latest on the real places where we live around the world. Anecdotes, impressions, frustrations, and joys. Life beyond the official word in many of the important cities around the world. We encourage English-speaking expats of all types, even kids, to send us their views on living abroad. But please wait until you have lived in a new city for about six months before you go public with your thoughts.

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Guayaquil, Ecuador: "You'll love it your first few months, then likely hate it, and then come to a mutual agreement with the city to neither love, nor hate each other." 1/25

Zagreb, Croatia: "Croatia is a nice, developed country with amazing natural beauty. Couple this with the easy lifestyle an expat leads in Zagreb and the opportunities for travel throughout Europe, and it makes for a great tour." 1/25

Sao Paulo: "Sao Paulo is a great city for singles and couples as there are tons of nightlife options. It’s not an easy city for families as there are limited options for reasonably- priced entertainment and traffic and weather often make going to the park and other outdoor options difficult. Many parents feel they have very limited options of things to do with their kids."
1/25

Lima, Peru: "Ancient cultures, many from thousands of years ago, commingle with pre- and post- Incan society to form the identity of modern Peruvians. The full exploration of their culture is fascinating and one of the best reasons to consider Peru for your overseas assignment." 1/24

Budapest, Hungary: "Many spouses and kids are opting to stay here and live, while their working spouse goes to a war zone for a next tour." 1/23

Brussels, Belgium: "You can get anywhere in Europe by train, car, or budget airline. Also, I had low expectations about the city of Brussels and Belgium, but it has pleasantly surprised me. It's a easy place to live and the Belgians are fairly polite in public. The food is excellent." 1/22

Kuwait City, Kuwait: "Kuwaitis are tolerant of religions other than Muslim, often highlighting the similarities to Christianity. They are offended by atheism and Judaism (particularly Zionism)." 1/20

London, United Kingdom: "It's an easy transition into the Foreign Service for kids. It's different than the states, yet similar enough to not be a huge shock. The tourism alone is amazing! You can get fairly cheap flights to anywhere in Europe, or take a train." 1/19

Sao Paulo, Brazil: "Just give Sao Paulo a chance. Once you get into the city and get to know some people, you will see how wonderful it is." 1/17

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: "It's a nice balance between comfort, cost of living, a little edginess, interesting work opportunities, friendly locals, interesting expats, and good travel opportunities. It's just about perfect in my opinion." 1/16

Guayaquil, Ecuador: "Don't worry about bringing cereals from the States as they cost only about $4+ a box. The limes and pineapples here are great! There's a seafood market near the residential neighborhoods where you can get very cheap shrimp and fish." 1/14

Doha, Qatar: "If you like to entertain in a spacious home and you like having your kids running in and out of the house with a gaggle of neighborhood friends, this is the place to be. If you want a bustling metropolis/cultural mecca, you may want to pass on this post. " 1/13

Tagucigalpa, Honduras: " This has been one of my best tours ever! We have close commutes to work, school, and stores, which is awesome. Plus, there are LOTS of tourism opportunities in country and in neighboring countries. 1/12

Lima, Peru: "Lima is going through a construction boom right now. Lots of older, single- family homes are being torn down and replaced by multi- unit apartment buildings. This has, and will, add a lot of people and cars to an area already crowded. I would have liked to have seen Lima 20-30 yrs ago before the boom. A lot of great older homes are gone and replaced with run- of- the- mill apartment buildings." 1/11

Dushanbe, Tajikistan: "Dushanbe is not an easy posting. You need to be relatively healthy and enjoy outdoor sports. There is little to do in the winter months. You must enjoy TV and reading. Bring lots of wool clothing." 1/9

Jakarta, Indonesia: "Having spent 20 years in Asia, this isn't quite it. It's very similar to India, with the same level of inefficiency, lack of public services, and corruption." 1/4

Sao Paulo, Brazil: "Superb health and dental care, but very expensive. The doctors don't take foreign insurances, so you have to pay up front, typically $275 - $325 per visit. Einstein hospital is EXCELLENT. Dentists are cheaper than in the US, but no foreign insurance is accepted." 1/3

Bangui, Central African Republic: "People can either thrive here or totally crumble. Despite this being a capital city, it wouldn't even pass as a mid-size town in many more developed countries." 1/2

Cotonou, Benin: "Livingstone is the expat hangout. It has decent pizza, so-so burgers, good brochette entrées, and a two-for-one happy hour on Saturday. On Saturday night, that’s where you’ll find most of the expats." 12/29

Bogotá, Colombia: "Colombia is a fantastic country for culture and tourism. It's truly a beautiful place. Some people still have the image of Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels running the major cities. But that's an outdated image. While violence still exists in parts of the country, the major cities have been cleaned up enormously and the tourists are starting to move in." 12/29

Berlin, Germany: "Berlin is a great city, with tons of things to do for every interest. East Germany is beautiful and Berlin offers easy access to the Baltic coast, Poland, Czech Republic." 12/27

Baku, Azerbaijan: " Air quality here is atrocious. Any child with asthma or severe allergies should not come here. You can smell and see the oil in the air. There is never a time that your clothes are not drenched in gas or your hair does not smell of oil." 12/22

Nairobi, Kenya: " Be advised - most people ask to live on Rosslyn Ridge, which can house about 1/5 of Embassy/AID families, so adjust your expectation that you can ask for and receive Rosslyn Ridge." 12/19

Algiers, Algeria: "The diplomatic community there was small, but very close. And I had the good fortune to meet the local wine broker during my third week there." 12/18

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