Soyo

Hey Jotici !
I wouldn't know how to help you out with this one as I don't know Soyo at all. As an Angolan, I am aware of the "Angola is Luanda and the rest is landscape". And although I don't like Luanda at all, it is true sometimes.
Luckily, this is changing bits by bits... :-)

JA.

Hi, I've been checking out Angola and just received feedback from an old colleague who was there for 10 days last year. Here's his email:

"Soyo eh? I've been to Soyo. Are you rotating or resident? It really doesn't make much of a difference. There is a western style enclave owned by Sonangol that has 100 - 150 houses stacked on top of each other. The rub is that it is not walled in (compound) and it is bordered on three sides by slums. The 4th side is a river that is snake infested as well as crocodiles (there are snakes EVERYWHERE!). You won't be able to drive anywhere even if there was someplace worthwhile to drive to. The last I heard there is no potable water source nor is there any western style markets. The only place I am aware of where you get suitable accommodations and food is Kwanda base. I spent ten days there. Accommodations are good but the food sucks.

About Soyo. It is at the mouth of the Congo river. It is a land mine free area that holds a slight possibility for employment. Mostly dirt roads, the worst market I have been in, most houses do not have glass windows or front doors. There is not a traffic sign or signal in any part of Soyo. Their idea of a convenience store os an old card table and stool on the side of the road with a couple of items on display (TV antennas, screw drivers, a broken lamp & 2 chickens). The "airport" is a scream! However they are in the midst of renovation."

Obrigada Hugh.  I will be moving there at the beginning of June so will post additional details.

I arrived in Soyo 4 days ago.  Granted, this is not a great metropolis but it is not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I guess it is all about attitude and seing the good in things. i.e. instead of the dirt roads and unfinished houses, the color of the women's clothing, the morning roadside selling of lobster, fish, etc. and kindness of the people.   Although we are working in the Angola LNG project we are living in town which allows us to go in and out.  If you live on the base you are basically a prisoner there since leaving is prohibited unless you have permission to do so.  We have found a couple of eating facilities that are ok (we have not gotten sick...I am using that as my barometer).  Breakfast and dinner on the base are OK.  However, lunch is served in a non a/c tent and the food is monotonous.  Have not checked out the hotel at the old base yet.  Will add more info as the time passes.

Hi all first post here.  I am considering a posting in Soyo doing some environmental remediation work for the oil industry and am looking to collect as much info and opinion as I can as I am evaluating options.  I know it is a little "rustic" but I have worked in several sporting locations including running logistics for an NGO in Haiti for several years.  Does anyone have anything that can help me out

Steve

Hi Steve:

They sure need environmental remediation here!!  Soyo is a very small town.  Depending on who you talk to they either like it here or they don't.  I think it is better than Haiti although I am basing my opinion on what I have seen on TV about Haiti.

Your quality of life will also depend on whether you speak Portuguese or not, where you live (on the base - LNG or Kwanda - or outside) and if you live on the base whether you can go in and out as you wish, and on your rotation schedule.  We live off base and work inside the LNG project.

If you live off base, make sure your company pays for your housing, gives you a car and gives some some food allowance since things are very expensive.  Just to give you an idea, a basic lunch in the 4 restaurants we go to can run anywhere between US$8 and US$15, not including drinks.  There is also a "nice" restaurant in a small hotel outside of Soyo and the main dish there will cost between US$28 and 35.  I dont think you need a driver, but if you dont speak Portuguese you may want to have one who can also double as your interpreter.  Breakfast at the hotel in the Kwanda base costs US$20 and although it includes eggs, it is nothing to boast about.  There is a small minimarket in town where you can get basic stuff including wine.  You can buy fish and lobster in the morning on the side of the road if you wish to cook.


If you live inside the base, all your meals are taken care of.  It is a little monotonous though but it is not the end of the world and one always finds something to eat. 

Entertainment wise off base, we either go to the beach on Sunday (our only day off since the LNG project works 6 days a week, 60+ hours a week), or hang out at the resort I mentioned above having lunch and drinks, go to the Kwanda base hotel for drinks, play tennis at Kwanda base, or go dancing on Friday or Saturday night at a couple of the "clubs" in town.

The LNG base also has a rec center with pool tables where they sell cheap beer and wine and show movies.  From time to time, there are organized trips for people who live on the base to go to the beach, or one of the clubs.

I think overall, whether you like it here or not depends on your attitude, how much money you are making, and how many trips home you get.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will be happy to help you out.

Cheers,

Thanks very much.  It does not exactly sound like a "sweetheart" post but does have potential. 

As to specific questions:
1) off base what is the housing situation like ie availability, quality, cost etc
2) is the expat community close and involved
3) is is welcomed to interact with the locals ie how are expats received
4) how important is speaking Portuguese my Spanish and French are conversational

It was interesting to hear of the expense of living there and something I most certainly will have to take into consideration when discussing and considering the position.

I appreciate your input and will probably have additional questions as this proceeds if that is OK

1)  Some of the oil companies have housing complexes off base.  I am not very familiar with them since we do not work for one but as an example Sonangol has a complex of about 120 western style homes called Cajueiro.  They are quite nice and less than a couple of years old.  The ones I have seen rent for about US$6,000 per month.  There are some other complexes around town owned by the oil companies.  Otherwise, there are several private homes for rent and those go for as little as US$3,000 per month and as much as $$$$$$$.  Keep in mind that sometimes you can negotiate a lower rent if you agree to update the home yourself.  Also, there is no urban planning here so you may have a relatively nice house surrounded by what we would consider shacks.  I think that adds to the local flavour.  Regardless, try to get your company to pay for housing.  Have them throw in a meal allowance too.

2)  I don't think the expat community is that close and involved but then again, it could be that we have not been invited... and to be honest we have tried more to blend into the local population than to stick around with the expats.  Since a lot of the Anglo foreigners are on a 2X2 roation (2 months on 2 weeks off) they basically work hard for 2 months and then go home.  I have seen closer expat communities in other countries.

3)  Definitelly.  Locals are friendly as long as you treat them with respect and as a matter of fact we hang out a lot at the few local places and interact with the local population.  I say treat with respect because what I have seen with the Portuguese expats living here is that they tend to be a little condescending sometimes.  What happens is that they are a nobody in Portugal but as soon as they land in their ex-colony somehow they think they are better than the local population and in my opinion they tend to lack respect when dealing with the people from Soyo.  By the way, safety is not really a concern here either.  It is a quite and safe town, unlike the capital Luanda.

4) I guess it helps to speak Portuguese since very few people speak English but with Spanish and French you may be able to get away with it and I am sure you will pick up the Portuguese phrases you need along the way.  Given the geographic proximity, there are a lot of people from Congo here (legal and illegal) so you can use French with them.

Hope this helps...feel free to continue asking questions.  I am happy to be able to post this informaiton since when I was doing my research there was very little info on Soyo in cyberspace.

Cheers,

Yes, malaria is a concern...just take medication with you to last for the duration of your post.  Kwanda Base has a clinic and they are equipped to treat malaria since that is one of the biggest problems they encounter.

There are daily flights from Luanda to Soyo, 7 days a week.

Internet connection is available and I am sure Sipen will have that set up for you.  I was able to cummunicate via Skype without a problem.

As far as activities, Kwanda Base has a gym and the Angola LNG project has several.  There is a pool at the Kwanda Base hotel and one in the newest hotel in town (cant remember the name right now, starts with an N).  You can also run in Kwanda base or even in town.  The only problem in town is the way people drive so you have to be careful.

Let me know if you have other questions.

Oljatravel wrote:

HI guys,
Thanks a lot to everybody for the info provided.
I am considering an offer, I might have the interview in Italy next week. The offer is for a Saipem project in Kwanda. I still have no info about it but the cpy has already mentioned some tips such as Kwanda, a rotation (maybe 56x28) but nothing confirmed.

I know that malaria there if the worst found, are there any good clinis? how do we get from Luanda to kwanda? by plane or car?
I have worked in Luanda for almost 2 years and in Port harourt for the same time so I know what to expect, but I would appreciate as much info as possible. Are internet connections available at the room? are they good for skype? telephones available? Supermarkets? activities after work? gym and swimming pool? is it safe to go for a run after work?

I will probably work 6 days and 10 hours per day.

Ok, see you around (and maybe meet you there).

Merry xtmas
Oska

Hello Jotici,
i am a business man living in USA. it is my pleasure to be here with you. i wanna ask you about business in soyo. I am planning there to open a bakery. what do you think?

thanks,
Majed

Hello Majed and welcome to Expat.com!

This thread is dated 2010 and is quite old. I invite you to start a new thread on the Angola forum with your questions on business. This will allow better visibility and more interaction.

Thank you,
Aurélie