What is your name?Skippy
What is your current age or age range?
40 - 50
What country are you native to?
Australia
What area of Zambia do you current live (Providence, City, general area etc.)
North West Province
How long have you lived in Zambia?
14 months
When you moved to Zambia, did you bring your family? What do they think?
yes, spouse, she is not too impressed with the rural areas but does not mind going to Kitwe/Ndola or Lusaka for a break away from where we are
Did you leave your family behind? How do you handle the separation?
Older kids, some of them were not impressed! They are looking after themselves and have done for some time so we don't pay much attention to any complaints from them, it is our time for us!
What made you decide to relocate to a different country?
Job/Money/Experience of Africa
Why did you choose Zambia, or what factors helped you to decide to choose Zambia?
Job/Money/Experience of Africa
What other countries did you consider? Why didn't you choose those?
Depends on the work that is being offered, in my field there are opportunities in a lot of developing countries.
Was it difficult to get the documents you needed to live and/or work there? (residency and/or working permit)
The issue of visa's etc for work are organised by the company for permanent residency, initially a visit visa will give you a month and costs $25 USD. From within Africa it will cost the same but is valid for 3 months, don't get caught, check the expiry of the date of the visa, I know of people having to pay $250 USD before leaving Zambia as they thought the visa was valid for 3 months but is only valid for one month adn overstayed the visa, it could get ugly if you have no cash when leaving!! You do not want to spend time in a Zambian gaol!!
Temporary business visa will be for 3 months, I forget the cost
What was the most difficult part of the transition?
Timing on housing and furniture, your better off storing your gear until you are ready to get your gear, it can take 3 months from the east coast of Australia to get to Zambia via Singapore/Durban/Gabarone/Livingston
What was the easiest part of making the transition?
Getting here via plane
Do you plan on returning to your home country? Why or why not?
Only for the occassional holiday, although from here Europe is cheaper and we plan to travel outside Oz to have a look at other places
Do you miss your family, friends or old home and habits?
No
What do you miss the most about your home country?
Cleanliness, golf courses with lush grass, people not bugging you or begging for services or money
Are there the same recreational activities in Zambia?
Heaps, it is not Mars so most recreational facilities are taken care of here
How easy has it been to make new friends in Zambia?
As with anywhere it depends on how willing you are to meet friends.
Do you have many friends from your home country in Zambia?
No
What are your favorite activities that are available?
Getting around and having a look at areas tourist pay a heap to visit, sport, mainly golf
What are the top ten things you miss about the place you left behind?
Ocean, cinema, good quality restaurants, good quality fruit/Veg
What are the top ten things you DON'T miss about the place you left behind?
Traffic, commercial TV, consumerism (spell check! lol), Xmas/Easter/Mothers/Father Day ads,
Do you speak the language of Zambia?
No, too many dialects
Do you think it is crucial to know the language in Zambia, or can you get by with a handheld translation dictionary for a while?
No, English is the official language
Was medical insurance difficult to get before you went or after you first arrived?
No, company provided
Did you move to your new location after retirement, or are you currently working or looking for work?
Working
How do you earn your living in Zambia?
Copper plant
Do you generally earn your income the same way, or in the same profession, as in your home country?
Same profession
How did you go about finding a job in Zambia? Was it easy or hard to locate work and get a job?
Easy, personal network or check any internet site or hook up with a reputable head hunter or agency
What types of sources did you use to find a job there? (agency, newspaper, website?)
People who know people who know people!! And the internet
If you are telecommuting, what obstacles, if any, did you face in setting up your communication methods?
Land lines are practically non existant here, get a good global chip, mobile networks are all over the place, especially Celtel
Are there local customs that would make it difficult for foreigners to fit in?
Usual stuff for when travelling, it is a culture shock if you have been insulated in your own culture, Africa is a different place and leave your impatience at home, get some happy pills and don't initially get agressive unless you know where you sit in the big scheme of things. Expect to see things that will offend you internally, it is up to you how you show it externally
What are the top ten things you like about Zambia?
Money, weather, new places to see, proximity for alternative travel within or external to Africa, cost of flights (internal/external), open area and little restrictions for getting around, pretty good network of roads and information
What are the top ten things you DON'T like or find strange about Zambia?
People wanting something for nothing - ALWAYS, insincerity of local people (they always have a scam in mind and it normally means getting money from you, or a job or............), general apathy to cleanliness (rubbish lying around), general apathy to certain morals (I am no saint but......), driving capacity of Zambians
Do you have plans to move again or travel in the future or what are your future business plans?
Always looking for opportunities in life and work
Did you buy a new home or did you decide to rent?
Company housing
Is the cost of living comparable to what you experienced before? Explain the difference.
On average between 30-40% higher than Brisbane
List some things that are more expensive in Zambia
Everything you would buy in a shop except cigarettes and some alcohol
List some things that are less expensive in Zambia
Cigarettes and some alcohol - also goes with the quality I am told
How do you feel about the local people? Are they friendly?
Yes, locals are very friendly, I have experienced that especially all over Zambia, you though will not get something for nothing, so if you are be prepared to potentially put your hand in your pocket it can become expensive, if you don't initially hand out your cash (except to Police at road blocks) the people will accept you will not give cash out and will still smile and be happy but you will have to do more yourself. That is cool though, every one is different, I don't like a culture of bribery or handout adn I go around it in other ways, give donations to the local orphanage or scholl, gives goods not cash, get the kids who want money from you to actually wash your car for the money instead of begging, keep a bucket and a few rags in your car for such occassions, even some detergent and 10-20 litres of water depending where you are, give some food not cash if you really feel the need is sincere!
What is the best thing about people in Zambia?
They are friendly, always smiling, willing to assist if you are in need and will help you out wiothout question if really in need (example car breakdown etc)
Do you have any suggestions for people who are thinking about moving to Zambia?
Have a look before coming over, don't just turn up expecting it to be like home
Do you think you will stay in Zambia, or it is not suitable for the long run?
Depending on where you are, the country is big and not all places will be easy to live in, most to the major towns are a breeze, the isolated places are more difficult to get used to, ultimately it depends on the indiviual, me I can live just about anywhere, our house is good quality, air conditioned and secure, satellite TV and internet keeps us in touch, I can play golf, we can get to Lusaka every 1-2 months for quality shopping, there are heaps of places accessable to visit and you are only ever 5 hours flight from just about anywhere to Johannesburg. Me, it is not difficult to live here!
If you are living there for the short term, what other countries are you considering?
Always on the lookout for job prospects
Do you have any blogs or websites that you find enjoyable about Zambia for people living there?
No
What else would you like to say?
Open your horizons, leave your doubts behind, if you have a need to see what is out there do not do it from your lounge chair or looking at your computer, experience change and delevop yourself because of the experience
