considering Tanzania....

[timetosmile]

There's a possibility DH may get a job (NGO, health) in Tanzania in a year or so, which would mean me, DH, DS(10), DD(7), DS(3) moving there for a fair while....would like to settle at least the first two right through High School if possible, so as not to move them as teens. I would probably work p/t in similar field when children are settled in.
Have you lived there?
What were your experiences of the country/facilities/schools etc. What was your sense of the crime level there?
What ridiculous things did you really miss from 'home'?
We've lived in small-town rural S. Africa for a couple of years so do have some overseas experience.
no plans yet, just wanting to gather some thoughts.....thanks!

would you be in Dar Es Salaam?

My dad was posted there for several years from 1995 onwards (Health as well), but I never lived there - my parents weren't impressed by the choice of secondary schools so I went to boarding school in the UK, though there is an International School and may be more now. The choices for primary and prep schools might be better as well.

I only really went there in the holidays, and found it pretty dull. Crimewise it felt fine, but then we had been living in Nairobbery Nairobi beforehand. My parents rented a house in an expat enclave on a peninsula and we did walk places... not that there were many places to go, just a few beach bars, shops and so on. For anything else you have to drive, but the city is quite chaotic and unplanned with few highlights. It's nothing like small town South Africa.

Mind you, if you lived in Zanzibar that would be a whole different story. Wow! No idea what the schools are like but what a place (both the town and the island in general).

Levels of English weren't high - you will have to learn some Swahili to get by.

Also, don't count on working there yourself - I recall my Mum never managed to get a work permit (which hadn't been a problem in Kenya).

Sorry, that all sounds rather negative - we did have good times there and the people were generally very friendly, and I suppose I would have enjoyed it more if I'd gone to school there and had friends locally.

I lived in Dar, now in Nairobi.

We loved it there, great for dc, lots of beach action, sailing, surfing. Also safaris galore, plenty of camping and exploring, though parks entrance fee is now pretty pricey.

I was the 'trailing' spouse but I managed to work too. I'm not sure what the work permit situation is like nowadays, but easy to find out more when you are there.

I don't remember too much crime, probably about the same as there is in most African cities. It's the usual advice about being aware, not taking silly risks etc. We all had security companies, panic buttons and security grills. We lived right on the beach and never had a problem.

I believe in terms of schooling in Dar you are pretty much limited to the International School which has it's positives and negatives.

If you talking of Arusha, then it's a different story.