Some forums can only be seen by registered members. My friend was in Angola for a couple of weeks last summer to help set up their new Government. He said he was advised not to leave the Hotel as the city was unsafe. He said the food was good, mostly fish, but extremly expensive.
I was in Angola 10 years ago as a US Government dependent visiting. The country was definitely a "no dependent" post. I don't know how far it's come, but I suspect that "not much" is the answer. If you work in international development and have lived with your family in dangerous war zones, then you might be comfortable taking your family.
If you are a missionary who has worked in difficult places, you might be prepared for it, also. Otherwise, you will NOT like it.
My experience of Luanda is that it is a lingering war zone. People live in termendous poverty. You should not expect to have a normal life, with freedom to travel or malls to visit or cafes to sit out in. There are some beach bars filled with lots of single expat men and prostitutes, but the place is was seriously a dangerous, no-frills, no-fun place. If you don't speak Portuguese European, not Brazilian, so beware of educational materials: there is enough of a difference you should start learning.
You will definitely want to check out Overseas Expat Life from Tales from a Small Planet and see what people who've lived in Luanda say. This is an expat forum for people who live overseas. It sounds like it's stabilized to some degree, but unless the family is very contented living a reduced, home-school-work existence, this is NOT the post for you.
