I am from Southern California and moved to Gauteng, South Africa 4 years ago. I thought since I have lived it I could give some honest responses about the move.
For the most part, I have loved living here. The weather is amazing, especially in summertime when the thunder and lightening storms roll in. The people are so friendly and welcoming, and there is an energy and a spirit here that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
I found two main disadvantages of living in SA.
Crime: it's not so much the crime itself, but the effects of the crime; i.e. the never-ending locks and bars and fences that we are forced to live behind. Protecting oneself must always be a conscious effort, and this does wear one down after a while. This of course depends on where in South Africa you are moving to. I understand that Gauteng is the worst; elsewhere it is not so bad, although a friend of mine living in George just had his house broken into. Additionally, if you are a woman who is used to an active lifestyle, it becomes hard since you can no longer grab your bike and go for a ride on your own as you could before.
Lack of Open-mindedness: The following is not meant to insult anyone. I feel it must be said in order to lend experience to those it applies to. If you are deeply Christian, than Gauteng is the place for you. However, if you have open-minded and individualistic ideas about religion and existence,or are not religious at all, then you may feel socially unbalanced living in Gauteng. Christian Religion is a very important part of life to most South Africans and most people here ignore anything that is not in line with their beliefs; evolutionary theory as an example. Church is a very big deal to most people here - you must just understand that and be prepared for it. Of course, there are exceptions (people , mostly in Johannesburg, not Pretoria), and fortunately I have found a few people with which I can better relate to.
All the above said, I have enjoyed living in South Africa and would recommend the move. I believe wholeheartedly that in time this country will become a country to set the standard by.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2010 08:37AM by tribefox.