Angola - Anyone had any experience

[theflower]

My husband and I are due to move to Luanda. Are there any other british people living there, or that have lived there that could give me any advice? What is it like, what to take, what not to do, etc etc.....Would be very useful as there is limited information on the internet.

Thanks

[Dave]

Hi, theflower. Sorry you've not had any replies yet - I'm creating an Angola board and will shift this topic there. With luck you may be more likely to get a response that way.

Cheers

Dave

[charlotte7]

Response !
Hi theflower,

I've been living in angola for a year now, in luanda. There is a british community here, no pb, and most expats speak english too.
As for what you should take/not take, just consider that shops get everything but not at the right time, or never again for some products. I took lots of sun lotion..high protection, and mosquito repellent (extremely useful, you have to spray yourself every time you go out in the evening).
For the rest, I hope you enjoy angola, I'm leaving this summer.
Cheers,

Charlotte

[theflower]

Thanks Charlotte and Dave!

I am now already living in Luanda, and getting very used to the ways of living here. If anyone else needs any advice then please post your questions and I can try and help other expats as much as possible.

theflower

[fiestyredhead331]

Hi theflower,

my husband might be going to work in Luanda but information on the internet is scarce!
Me and the kids will be staying in the UK, we've done the ex-pat thing before but we're settled here now and to be honest Angola isn't in my top 10 places to move to....lol
I've heard that the cost of living there is quite high and driving is a nightmare! Any info you can give me would be most appreciated!

Thank you

[Simone_B]

Hello theflower,

good to hear you get used to live over there. Me and my husband will move to Angola/Luanda in october. We are from germany. Of course I have many questions e.g. about cost of living, housing, what to bring over ...

Would be great if you - or someone else - could provide some information.

Thanks,

Simone

[theflower]

Hi , sorry for not responding earlier.

In terms of what you need to know for living here.

Rents are very very high for what you would expect to be a palace however turns out to be very basic. Water and electricity are a problem too and so you will need to ensure you get a place with a generator and and a large water tank. If most apartment blocks, the lifts do not work so ensure you check this first.

Food is now more available than it used to be. There are several supermarkets which import food from south africa, portugal, brazil, italy and france and so you actually get most things, however it is expensive. Alot of fruit and veg is imported and therefore can be very expensive. For example, brocolli can cost around $8, carrots around $6 etc. Sometimes you find things are cheaper, particularly if there has been a local production of a vegetable, e.g. peppers and tomatos can be cheaper. you can also buy veg on the street however if you do then it must be sterlised before using. If you are fond of a particular food, or have special diet requirements then you are advised to bring your own food. The supermarkets do not really cater for gluten free, diabetic etc. Althogh, some soya based products are now available.

Household products are less common and very expensive. Do not expect to buy furniture here, it is very very expensive. I would also advise to bring lamps, rugs etc if you need those. Room fragrance, vases etc also not really available.

Personal items and cosmetics are available but not much choice, therefore bring your own.

Clothes - there are some boutiques with imported clothes, however very very expensive. Don't expect to shop here.

Children and pets - i don't have either so not sure, however i have seen many toy shops around. I would advise you pack nappies though as everyone i know always brings with their shipment as they are very expensive here.

Security - don't believe everything you read! You have to take sensible precautions, e.g. dont walk on the street with your mobile phone etc but in most cases you will be fine.
If you have a maid (which you will), then you need to lock away your valuables and potentially your clothes as well. Take this on a case by case basis once you have spent a bit of time with the maid.

Traffic in Luanda is a nightmare, and it can take you ages and ages to travel a very short distance. There is an area just south of the city called Luanda Sul which is has loads of new compounds with beautiful houses with swimming pools, security etc. If you decide to live there and need to commute to town for work then this can take ages and so be warned!

Entertainment - can be limited, however a large expat community so there is always something on. There are quite a few restaurants with different cusines, along the beachfront which is good fun. You can also do day trips and weekends away to some other beaches.

Portuguese - get some lessons or get a phrase book, you definately need to speak at least the basics as not many people speak English.

What else do people need to know?? Please ask.

[Simone_B]

Hello theflower,

thank you very much for your extended information letter. It was very helpful and interesting.

I've heard before that everything is quite expensive and after your confirmation I'm prepared now to bring lots of basic things for cooking and hygienic stuff over from germany.

Particulary, I'm also interested in the climate (I've heard it is not soo hot and humid?), and I wonder how to handle malaria threat (do one need to take pills in the humid month april/may; I do not think it make sence to take all year long...?).

Also, do you know about sport activities like tennis or even golf ...?

Do you know about flights to europe (availability, cost) of within africa, e.g. Namibia?

About Luanda Sul ... have you heard about the possibility/likability to get a house there?

Thanks much for sharing you knowledge.

Best, Simone

[theflower]

Simone

I would not worry too much about bringing too many things, unless your company already gives you a weight allowance. Things can be expensive but in most cases this applies to fresh veg and meat, rather than other products. For example, tinned beans and other tinned products are very reasonably priced. Frozen veg is also available and also alot cheaper.

One thing i forgot to mention is medicines. Ensure you bring your regular brands as you may not find what you are used to here.

The climate is hot and humid especially january to april. Now, the temperatures are alot cooler, with the evenings going down to 20 degrees.

Re. malaria- i do not take anything. As you mentioned, most people don\t like to take something all year round. I use insect repellent sprays (again bring with you) and i burn candles and citronella oil in my house. Some people also sleep under mosquito nets. The main thing with malaria here is spotting the signs early and getting treated quickly for it. Ensure your company has a medical facility organised for you.
Also have Hepititus A and B injections before you come.

There is a tennis club and a golf club, however i dont know much about either, but alot of the ladies go to the tennis club here.

Let me know if that answers all your questions or you need anything else.

[mtl994]

Dear All,
Great info!

Just wanted to know if there is a gated expat community housing project in Luanda? I mean a larger area where my kids would be able to walk around, bike, etc.
if anyone would know please let me know.

Thanks.

[theflower]

Hi
Yes there are some compounds in an area called Luanda Sul which is just south of the city centre. There are alot of expats living in these compounds, normally oil company families as the rent here is v v expensive for a decent house. But the compounds normally have pools, and gardens etc and are very nice.

However, depending on where you are going to work you need to consider the logistics of travelling to work. If you are going to work in the city, then you would need to leave Luanda Sul around 6am to avoid the mega traffic and then return around 7pm so its a long long day.

Let me know if you need more info.

[Ze]

Hi theflower actually im namibian living in windhoek .I was wondering if you can help me. i have been 2 times to angola ,lobito and lubango and i fascinated by this country. my question is that i would like to work there, its been i life long dream.namibia is a fearly developed country compared to angola with all the nice comfort but i would still like to go. i have a b.sc in computer science n+ certified and recently certified ccna. my portuguese is also fair. my questuion is this .where does one start to look for jobs in angola .most sites dont advertise IT jobs for angola so where does one start

[LynnD]

Hi theFlower or anyone else who can assist,
My Fiancé and I have been traveling to Luanda for our respective jobs for many years (we actually met there). Both of our companies would like us to be based in Luanda, so we are considering moving there. We are looking for a 2 bedroom apartment someplace in the city. I was in Luanda the week of 25 Feb 07 and asked some clients about the housing situation for couples without kids. I was told that there are some new apartment buildings going up in the city - one near Chevron that is almost completed, and the other is being built near the US Embassy on top of that hill. Do you know the name of the property managers/developers with whom we can speak with about pricing, etc.

Thank you and regards,
Lynn

[theflower]

Hi Lynne
I don't know the answer, which Chevron building- lenin or sonatel?

However, I am guessing that all apartments in either of those buildings will have been pre-sold to companies ages ago so its going to be impossible to get them. They will also be super expensive...not sure what your budget is but I hear that new apartments are going at around 8000dollars a month rent.

I can find out if anyone I know has other apartments (not new) if you are interested? Or I suggest you ask your company to help you out. However, I must warn you that the situation isn't great as there is way much more demand than supply at the moment.

The other option is to live out in luanda sul and depending on where your offices are, you will have to commute in. You will get a good house/apartment, however you will have to leave very early in the morning to get to the city.

If I can help more, let me know.

[eviep]

Hi Guys,

Happy Easter to you all..

I see that the latest posting is in March of this year - which is really good for us.

My partner has been offered a post in Luanda and we have found so little info that its scarcy, what info we have found gives the impression of an area that we would be off our heads to even consider .. that being said it looks like we will be coming - inshallah as they say here in Egypt!!

can anyone give us some positive experiences about the place - and also some advice on bringing our dog Max?

We are already ex-pats, so we know the drill about being careful etc. Does anyone know what sort of activities there would be for an unemployed bookkeeper to do to keep her occupied??? lol

have a great weekend

-yvonne