Lady’s Look at Expat Life in Lusaka, Zambia

It’s not every day that a friend moves to Zambia. But one of mine recently did, and his stories of expat life in Lusaka, Zambia piqued my curiosity. So much so that I’ve decided to fly down and pay him a visit.

Arriving in Lusaka

When my flight arrives in Lusaka, I think I might never see him.

The lines at passport control move at a glacial pace, but eventually I make it through after being told that anyone can really use any line (I could have done with that information 30 minutes earlier, but I will keep it in mind should I ever return).

As I wait, I take advantage of the surprisingly fast free Wi-Fi at Lusaka airport, then meet my friend outside of the arrivals hall and slide into the passenger seat of his truck.

Expat Life in Lusaka, Zambia

As he drives us down the road, he tells me about expat life in Lusaka, Zambia. He has been working for a copper mine here for almost two years, and has a unique perspective on things.

Cars

“The American dream is to own a house,” he begins. “The Zambian dream seems to be to own a car.” We are stuck in traffic, and he tells me that the traffic patterns vary depending on the time of the month.

Right after payday at the end of the month, everyone drives because everyone can afford fuel. As the month goes by, fewer and fewer people drive until payday arrives and replenishes the petrol funds—and the traffic—again.

Weddings

And speaking of driving, we find ourselves tailing a wedding party that has emerged from one of the myriad churches along the road (according to my friend, Zambia is a heavily Christian country).

As the wedding procession makes its way down the street, my friend tells me that due to Lusaka’s dearth of green spaces, many locals stop at roundabouts—the only grassy places in the city—to take their wedding photos.

I try to imagine this phenomenon happening in the UK, where roundabouts abound, and can’t quite conjure it.

Jacarandas in Lusaka

But traffic and roads aren’t the only things my friend shares with me about expat life in Lusaka, Zambia. After passing by a seemingly endless number of furniture shops and strip malls, he takes me down a stunning street set under a canopy of purple jacaranda trees.

It reminds me of the time I visited him in Johannesburg a couple of years ago, only here in Zambia there are also big frangipani trees with fragrant white flowers and red flamboyant trees with scarlet blossoms.

Expat Home Life in Lusaka, Zambia

We pull up to his house, the former Portuguese embassy, and he manages to wrangle some green mangoes from a tree in the garden with the help of a long-handled pool sweeper.

An Indian-Zambian friend of his taught him to slice the mangoes and add macadamia oil, salt, and cayenne pepper to make a tasty snack.

We eat it while sipping South African Cabernet Sauvignon, and have ourselves a relaxing afternoon by the pool in the springtime heat.

Restaurants in Lusaka, Zambia

Later that evening we drive down the manicured median of Independence Avenue to go to dinner at a place called Far Eastern Restaurant in Lusaka.

Known to the expat community simply as “hot pot”, it specializes in DIY cooking in boiling pots of broth. The food is both delicious and filling.

As we eat our share and sip South African Savanna cider, my friend tells me that the reason there are a number of Chinese restaurants in Lusaka is because—as in many other places in Africa—the Chinese have come to do infrastructure projects in the country. The result may be economically worrying, but it is culinarily delicious.

Expat Nightlife in Lusaka

After dinner we drive out to the Show Grounds neighborhood, where Portico, an upscale restaurant and bar with a huge outdoor area, buzzes with tables of locals and expats.

A stage is set up in the garden, where a jam band plays an eclectic mix of Deep Purple, Michael Jackson, and Joe Satriani. We get drinks and settle in at a table under the purple jacaranda blossoms.

I am worried about malaria, having read that it is prevalent everywhere in Zambia, but my friend assuages my fears with a laugh and a wave of the hand. According to him, there is no malaria in Lusaka (and you can drink the tap water, too).

As we listen to the music, he tells me more about expat life in Lusaka, Zambia. He shares a story of trying to get his car registered to cross the border into Zimbabwe later in our trip, and how a one-day process has turned into a month-long ordeal, leaving him “Zambushed” (as the expat expression goes).

On the flip side, he also talks about the great quality of life in Zambia, from the friendly locals to the way things always find a way of working out. Everything here is an adventure, and that is part of the appeal.

Safari in Zambia

The next day we drive back to the airport, ready for another adventure. We are leaving Lusaka to fly to Mfuwe, where a safari in the famous South Luangwa National Park awaits.

Expat Life in Lusaka and Beyond

Before we leave, I take a minute to reflect on my friend’s expat life in Lusaka, Zambia. It’s been different from my expat experience in London, but the two have their similarities.

From navigating a new culture to adapting to unfamiliar ways, we’ve both made a new life for ourselves in our respective countries. I can’t wait to see where the future takes us.

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