Aidan and his wife have lived in Dar El Salaam in Tanzania for the last three years. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa this is there first experience as expats and their overall impression of Dar Es Salaam was that of a third world country.
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| Dar Es Salaam |
These are some of his experiences and thoughts:
What do you like the most about where you
are living now?
Relaxed, close to the Ocean
What do you like the least about where you
are living now?
3rd World,
poverty, Very Hot, Limited FDI, hence limited work opportunities
What do you do for fun in each place?
Beach, Game parks, meeting friends
What is the funniest / strangest cultural
experience you have had?
Can take 10 minutes to greet somebody. When greeting
an elder, one calls him “Shikamoo” which means, “may I kiss your feet” and his
response is, “yes a thousand times” (cannot recall the Swahili word for it.
How did you find the cost of living
compared to your home in each of the places you have lived in? More or less
expensive? Why?
More expensive due to the fact most items are imported
Did the company help with your move? How?
Yes, they paid for it and guaranteed jobs
Does your company pay for
any of the following -
Basket
Group
|
Yes
|
No
|
Clothing
|
x
|
|
Communication (e.g. Internet; Telephone)
|
X
|
|
Education (e.g. Children’s School Fees)
|
X
|
|
Furniture & Appliances (e.g.
Semi-Furnished Housing)
|
X
|
|
Groceries
|
X
|
|
Healthcare (e.g. Medical Insurance;
Medical Facilities)
|
X
|
|
Household Accommodation (e.g. Housing or
Housing Allowance)
|
X
|
|
Personal Care (not sure what meant by
this???)
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Recreation and Culture (e.g. Fitness Club
Fees)
|
X
|
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Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels
|
X
|
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Transport (e.g. Company Vehicle or
Transport Allowance)
|
X
|
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Air Fare Home each year
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X
|
What does your company not pay for that you
feel it should pay for?
Nothing, I feel we get a fair deal. Some people feel
they should pay for your home staff, but I disagree with this.
Did you do research before your move on
what you needed to earn to maintain or increase your standard of living?
Yes
If so, what research did you do?
Basic cost of living, but more along the
lines of life-style, as our move was less about the money and more about a life
experience.
What do you find expensive in your Host
city?
Local travel and accommodation, eating out
Do you have any advice for readers on
becoming an expat and the type of research to do before hand?
Treat the
experience as a life journey and not a means to earn additional money. Research
on the cost of living and fellow expat community you have around you.
Investigate the potential for violent religious fanatics in the area, i.e.
safety concerns. If you are happy with all the above, then go for it and get
involved with the culture of the country. Try not be too solely involved in the
expat community.
Xpatulator.com provides up-to-date cost of living data for over 700 locations worldwide, employers and employees can calculate how much is needed to earn in another location to have a similar spending power. Steven McManus is a Remuneration and Benefits Consultant and founder of http://www.xpatulator.com
