H O U S E H U N T I N G N I G H T M A R E !
Whereas in the USA or throughout most of Europe or Asia , the principle considerations in house hunting for the expatriate family are factors such as proximity to international schooling and amenities , the number of bedrooms a property has or perhaps if it does or doesn ’ t have airconditioning ; in many African countries aspects to be taken into consideration would be such foregone conclusions in the rest of the world that they would not even be raised .
The contrast between local housing and expatriate suitable housing is unfathomable for the unseasoned Expat . Let ’ s take Douala , Cameroon as an example : The ‘ Local Reality ’ is that many local homes don ’ t have flooring , they have compacted earth only and most cooking is done outside as in numerous other countries in the continent ; any property with a concrete floor and indoor kitchen would be considered an absolute luxury for the ’ average ’ local family – enough to be mentioned as a highlight in a Real Estate ad – an Expatriate on the other hand would not even consider a property with a concrete floor ! They would demand tiled or parquet flooring , a concrete floor would be totally unacceptable apart from in a garage or possibly an outhouse or workroom . Different perspectives create different expectations and different evaluations ! Take as a specific example a property located in the prestigious district of Lagos ‘ Banana Island ’ within the area of Ikoyi where the majority of Lagos ’ Expatriate-suitable rentals are located ; here you will find properties that have 24 hour stand-by generators and water bore holes , something inconceivable to the local population of the rest of the city who are used to power being ‘ down ’ for days at a time and who purchase their water by the 100s of gallons and store it in tanks raised on wooden scaffolding to produce sufficient pressure to flow through a standing tap below .
A flushing toilet in Accra , Ghana or Freetown , Sierra Leone is a rare luxury for many locals , and scarcity of water means that recycling shower water is a daily reality for most , economical use thereof being key . The adage ‘ If it ’ s yellow , let it mellow , if it ’ s brown , flush it down !’ can only be comprehended when one understands the Local Reality ! An expatriate cannot possibly be prepared for these contrasts unless forewarned , and it is the job of the Relocation Professional servicing them to equip them for this culture shock ! It is not a task that can be left to local HR or office colleagues ! Corporate need to be made aware that Cross Cultural input is not a mere optional extra !