What are the shopping options like in Harare?

Harare meaning “they never sleep” stays true to its name. It is a very busy city. Most of the industries, shops and nice buildings are found here. It is densely populated as most people have flocked here to seek or create jobs. The high density surburbs are mostly found in the southern part of Harare, the biggest one being Mbare. Mbare is popular for the largest rank in the city and the biggest fresh food market, the densely populated Matapi flats and the high crime rate. A must visit in is the Sam Levy’s mall. So much to do in the city, you’ll hardly sleep exploring it!

Be aware of the daily interbank and parallel market rates of the local currency. The ability to hold a conversation with a random stranger is something to be anticipated and even enjoyed by anyone seriously moving to Harare. always be ready to become a politics major, unofficially of course.

Harare is a beautiful city, with very friendly and helpful people. There are lot of activities, for example, fishing, site seeing, visiting the museum and a lot more. Restaurants offer traditional food that are delicious and worth trying. Transport is not an issue as there are a lot of taxis at a reasonable price.

Life is hard, money is very scarce and a very high unemployment rate. The uptown is quiet and clean, however downtown life is very dirty and fast. Most residential places do not have running water and power cuts are immense. There is potential to run small, but critical business such as a grocery store. The majority of the population in living on hand to mouth.

Someone moving to Harare should consider whether or not the area they want to move to has good roads, shopping malls and schools nearby. They should also consider whether or not the area has roads that are still in good condition. They should preferably choose a yard that has a borehole, for a reliable water source.

Harare is busy and very safe; you do not need a firearm. The people are friendly, you will feel at home and safe. The city water is not safe for drinking hence you must be prepared to purchase mineral water. Our city is a malaria-safe zone however you may want to buy a mosquito repellent or a net.

As Harare is a city in a third world country one should be prepared for several economic hardships. However, this is not to say that nothing good will come out of the move. Each challenge presents an opportunity rarely found in a first world country. An example of this would be that due to the shortage of electricity supply, large commercial industries have ceased to function. This has allowed individuals to control their income potential as many start businesses producing essential products previously produced solely by large industries.