Meaningful day care after moving abroad

After living in the Ivory Coast for about four months, everything is starting to fall more and more into place.
We have adapted well to the heat and are fully enjoying the sunshine. Our apartment really feels like home and we have now found a good rhythm.
For a meaningful day use after moving abroad, we have discovered many activities. The customs of our neighbors are increasingly familiar to us and they now know ours!

Our district, Marcory Zone, is beautifully situated on the Lagoon, which winds right through Abidjan.
Marcory offers everything we need! There are numerous stores, restaurants, hotels with swimming pools and cozy cafes.
The district is also a mix of different cultures, with many Chinese, Moroccans and Lebanese, and this is reflected in the varied offerings. A meaningful day job after moving abroad is well possible here because of this rich cultural diversity.

In the beginning, I walked a lot in the neighborhood, and each time I expanded my exploration a little further.
So I soon found a good stall for fresh fruits and vegetables and discovered pharmacies where a Lebanese pharmacist works and we can consult in English.

You find that, after a while, you are recognized by people in the neighborhood.
They often greet you spontaneously, which really makes you feel a little part of the community.
Every Thursday night is a regular: we walk to a cozy café to enjoy a delicious Brochette de boeuf. The owner is a Moroccan and the café is a regular stop for many people. This makes it easy to come into contact with others. This contributes to a meaningful day out after moving abroad.

The Ivory Coast is not very touristy and therefore the service may not always be as you would find in, say, Ghana.
What does stand out is the people's willingness to work together and continue to build the country.

“What do you actually do to fill your days"?

Jan Willem works four days on location and one day at home.
Every two weeks he flies to Ghana for a few days and on weekends we can usually be found outside.
We drive to the coast for some relaxation, or we go to a small hotel with a large garden and pool on the Lagoon in our neighborhood.
We don't stay home on weekends; the heat makes it more appealing to go out, rather than burning away on the balcony.

At first, I filled my days with getting used to the environment. I have to admit, housework takes up more time here than I expected. Even without children to go to school or sports, there is plenty to do.
You don't do the shopping in one or two stores because the selection varies greatly. The chaotic traffic also makes this take extra time.
Cleaning also takes more time, as it is often very dusty outside, which quickly collects in the house.
Fortunately, you quickly develop a routine and learn to switch gears well when things go differently than planned. This routine is part of a meaningful daily routine after moving abroad.

After a while, daily activities begin to become somewhat monotonous, and many expat partners experience the same thing.
So I decided to look into volunteering or gainful employment for a meaningful day job after moving abroad.
Action, then!

Meaningful day care after moving abroad,
How do you find a great job or volunteer spot?

Finding work here is not so easy, especially if you are not yet completely fluent in the language.
Combined with low wages, that makes finding gainful employment quite a challenge.
In the Netherlands, I was a youth protection and probation officer, but I knew that I would not be able to perform that function here because of the great differences in standards and practices.

Because I had volunteered at a school in Ghana, I knew how much help was needed. I decided to send an e-mail to the president of an NTC (Dutch Language and Culture) school in Abidjan. This was a search that led to a meaningful day job after moving abroad.

That turned out to be a hit! Within a week I got an offer for a paid job of 20 hours a week as a teacher of Dutch Language and Culture. It was a great opportunity and I got to know a nice group of Dutch-speaking colleagues, along with families and children. I had my own classes and was doing plenty of lesson preparation, while also having monthly meetings. This job filled my need for a meaningful day job after moving abroad.

My advice: go out and make contacts yourself. A job or volunteer work will not come to you by itself.

How to choose a good restaurant or hotel with pool for relaxation?

When it comes to choosing a place to eat or a hotel for a weekend getaway, I use Google-Maps to look around the area and then I look further on Tripadvisor.
The latter is especially useful for reviews of accommodations, restaurants and attractions.
Local reviews may differ from what you are looking for in terms of quality and comfort, though, so look at the photos as well.

On the Ivory Coast page, you can find a lot of information about fun sights, restaurants, hotels and the Ivorian cuisine, so definitely worth exploring!
Also be sure to read my blog; Why emigrating to Africa is so rare

Need for a meaningful day activity

Meaningful day care goes beyond simply filling time.
It revolves around activities that contribute to a piece of identity and personal growth.
You can probably have a great time poolside with a book, but this is one-sided in the long run. It can really hamper your personal well-being.
Instead of looking for (volunteer) work, you can of course think about other activities such as painting, which can bring fulfillment.

A meaningful day's work is different for everyone to achieve a full and rich life.