Lusaka - Post Report Question and Answers

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

Ye-es (aka, a qualified "yes"). It has been a good, if challenging, tour for our children. They've grown and built important relationships. The whole family has gained valuable and humbling insight into a new part of the world, and that is very important. It's been...an educational tour. Not always a fun one. My husband, the FSO in a leadership role, has been busy here, but nowhere near as busy as he was in any of his previous tours; this has been a relaxing tour for him. He reliably leaves work at 5 or 5:30 Mon-Thurs, and by 4pm on Fridays (most people leave by 12:30 on Fridays). There are limited evening events, a couple per month, max. He TDYs a few times a year, but it's not terrible and it's usually within the region. As the EFM trying to build a career and the default parent left to figure out how to glue together the mishmash of resources for our kids, it's been hard. I don't regret it necessarily, but I am very done, and I don't have any desire to come back to this part of the world. For me, this has been a "check the box" post, and I'm ready for something a little less "adventurous" after this. - Feb 2026

Yes, it’s a chill post. - Apr 2025

Yes, it's been a lovely place to be, especially during a global pandemic - we were still able to spend time outside safely. - Mar 2022

Yes, but part of that is that I am part of a diplomatic mission which means I have assistance dealing with certain things that would be harder for a private citizen (e.g., facilities and maintenance staff who can help fix our generator or bring water if we run out; assistance getting visas or a driver's license; less likely to be hassled by police; etc.). - Dec 2021

Absolutely. - Feb 2018

No--it's not horrible, it's just not my preference and it's just too boring for me. - Nov 2017

Yep! - Jan 2017

Absolutely! In a heart beat. - Jun 2016

In a heartbeat! - May 2016

Absolutely and with no hesitation. - Mar 2015

Yes. - Aug 2014

Yes, in a heartbeat. - Jan 2014

Absolutely. - Apr 2013

Yep - in a heartbeat. - Jul 2010

No. - Mar 2009

No, education is important, and the school is not good. - Mar 2009