Boende, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The population of Boende, Democratic Republic of the Congo sits at a modest 50,794 - a far cry from the sprawling metropolises many expats imagine. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the country's tumultuous history of provincial reorganization creating a complex web of governance. And while the capital Kinshasa may hog the limelight, smaller cities like Boende often get overlooked, leaving new arrivals to navigate a less-than-welcoming landscape on their own.