Moving back to South Africa

Hi everyone

Reading all these posts made me so sad and so excited at the same time.

Sad because I can sense such disappointment from allot of people. Things were not as green on the other side as hoped for. And excited because most of you seem so positive about SA.

I lived in the US briefly and then moved to Australia thinking that I wanted to marry and settle there. Long story short - I was so terribly lonely and unhappy most of the time. I was always so excited to meet fellow South Africans, but soon realized I did not share their dislike of SA.

I've come to the following conclusion: I could live in SA, and yes, I might be killed in a hi-jack at at early age, but at least I've lived amongs my people until that day or I can stay in Australia, experience little violence but die lonely at the age of 95. Yes there is crime in SA, but the joy of having family around, being around people who are like you, think like you and value the things you value, far outweighs it.
Most of my family live in SA, and none odf then (thankfully) have experienced any crime first-hand yet. All of them have jobs - so to say that we move overseas because we don't see a future here - is not necessarily true.

I moved back to SA and am as happy as can be. I will never even consider living outside these borders again. The quality of life here just cannot be beaten.

Thank you so much for sharing your stories. And good luck to all!

If anyone needs any help / advice / information on moving back to South Africa please visit the Homecoming Revolution website on [www.homecomingrevolution.co.za]

I emigrated to the UK and lived there for 5 years. I hold a British passport so there was no reason why I could not have stayed there for good. I have a wife and children and am in my 30s. It was never home for me and I could never get over the weather. Its not so much the cold, or even the (seemingly) endless rain, its the 6 months of darkness EVERY year. Imagine that. In fact, you can't, unless you've experienced it. I am from Cape Town, so I also missed the mountains and sea enormously (they don't have oceans like us - they have sea with very poor sand and hardly any waves). I am now back in CT and very happy. Sure, there are things I miss from the UK (cycling to work - what a joy!), and things I would like to change here (service delivery/the driving!), but overrall I am much happier here. I simply "factored in" all the downsides of SA before coming back, eg paying for ADT security, getting a large watch dog, paying for private medical aid, etc. I would say that, if you struggle financially, you are better off in a place like the UK which has some sort of safety net. If you can "crack it" in your job, you'll have a way better lifestyle in SA (esp. CT). Hope this helps someone.

Thank you for your reply to that post, that is just the way I feel about some south africans too. You have put that nicely if I have to say so and would like to thank you for your post!!!! Made me happy! :-) x

I have moved to the UK about 6 years ago to live with my partner whom is British, and have a great Job here, and I own my own house, which is lovely. My partner is the best, we have been together now for just over 12 years, and it took me about 7-8 years to decide to come and live in the UK. We had 2 apartments in Cape Town, over looking the V&A Waterfront, wow, just thinking about that view now writing this makes me smile! The apartments were lovely, studio flat, but all modern Kitchen and bathroom and friends and family close by. We sold to buy a house here in the UK. I MISS it so much, everything about Cape Town. The people, very friendly, ( I work in public service over in the UK and the people are NOT happy here) this is the truth. If you greet someone just out the blue they look at you funny, like you mad or something. The words PLEASE and THANK YOU are NOT used often here, which is really sad.

I'm a Capetonian, and always will be, where people, most people say please and thank you. Where smiles are free.

My partner LOVES Cape Town, and I am sure that if I go on and on about it, perhaps one day, just one day, we will both smile when sitting on a balcony overlooking a beautiful view in the morning sun, coffee in hand, saying to ourselves, " wow, this is the LIFE".

The UK is great, so much to do here, I must admit I do love it, even the weather is OK and I do feel very safe here, and am now a British Citizen too, I have duel Citizenship and therefore I will NEVER EVER say anything bad about South Africa, ever. I have no problem with the country of my birth, I just love it, I always will. To the ones who bad mouth our Country, don't be a hater...it's so not cool.

My blood will always be GREEN.

PS: to those moving back or thinking about it, go for it, we only have one life guys...be happy and live it!

I'm glad I am not the only one feeling homesick about SA, I have lived in Oz with my family for the last four years and am still battling to adjust to the way of life here, the cost of living is extremely high and work conditions are way behind what I was used to back home. I am seriously considering moving back in 2013 and was wondering if anyone out there has done this recently without regrets?
Make no mistake Oz is a beautiful country with lots to offer future generations but making the move across in my early forties has taken it's toll!

I say VIVA South Africa my brothers and sisters! I was born in Cape Town and lived there for 30 years I loved it then and I love it now! The lifestyle is amazing! Surfing , fishing, hiking,etc, awsome restuarants and FRIENDLY, HAPPY, SMILEY faces. I have also lived in Israel , Ireland and have been living in the UK for the past 9 years. I have been fortunate to see places that I could not have seen if I had not left South Africa. I have met people I will never foget as long as I live and I thank the UK for giving me a home and allowing me to work hard and create a career for myself. Yes I am very gratefull for what I have in the UK but home is where the heart is!! Home is in South Africa!!!

Like most South africans that went abroad young and single I am now married and have a 3 year old boy. My life revolves around my family what I do I do so that there life can be better and more comfortable. My wife and I have decided its time to start preparing to go back to South africa as that is what is best for my boy!!

I have been back in the UK 5 days today after my first holiday in South africa for almost 3 years!! WOW it was awsome people!! I mean it was so amazing! I was all over Cape Town from Paarl to Sea Point, Hout Bay, Simons Town, V & A Waterfront, Loop Steet in Cape Town (At Night) checking out the night life! Boy oh boy is Cape Town alive and vibrant!! The colours, the smells the experience it was so amazing!

YES there is crime in South Africa but like any place in the world you have to CHOOSE where you live. Its not exactly like I am going to move into Hackney or Brixton in the UK so why would I move into Hillbrow in South Africa! If you live in the USA you are not going to move to Detroit are you?

I am fortunate I have dual citisenship South african / German as does my boy! Come September this year my wife gets her UK passport. I have loads of friends from the UK who are and who haved moved back to South Africa after being away for 8 - 15 years! All of them are so happy and so are the kids!!

Well guys I will give you one guess where the whiteAfrican is headed for? Yes you got it rite I am going home to South Africa! My 3 year old boy needs to be around his cousins that he just met weeks ago for the first time! He needs his Granny & Grandpa his Ouma & Oupa and my parents are growning old. You can not put a price on family! You have one life live it!

Live! Love and Laugh! But by the sounds of all the post I have read 95% of people who have posted on this site should be planning and preparing to return home!!! You / We all sound miserable! Plan your move but do it! Together we can make a GREAT country an AWSOME country!!

Peace Out

Wow, don’t feel so alone now… I started to think I was going crazy.

Im living in Brisbane, Queensland here in Australia, been here for about 2 and half years, Im an architect, and as everyone know, its not a good field to be in during these hard economic times, specially in Aus truth be told I could just never adapt… each week started turning into a struggle as I was missing all my family and friends.
I always thought the move to Australia would improve my lifestyle, but it couldn’t have been further from the truth, I believe I fled in a way and selfishly left everyone I know.
Everything feels, empty, with no direction/purpose, and like one is wasting precious time, Life is too short.

With that said Im glad I went through all of this to really appreciate what we all have back in SA, back home, and yeah, cliché but you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone.

Im a 12th generation South African, its my duty to do my bit to improve our beautiful country, and that’s why I’ll be making my move back mid-November this year!

… I hope to see you all back home for a braai