South Africa forum < To anyone thinking of moving to South Africa.

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    Sad to Leave

    posted by  Liz Mason in South Africa forum 

    In some ways I agree with your statements, but in others I don't. If a person really wants to make a living in this country, it can be done. There are things that a person can do, in order to make a living legitimately. I happen to have met my now husband over the Internet, he is originally from the UK, but has been in Southern Africa for more than 40 years now. I moved here in 2002 and have loved almost every moment. There have been some really tough times for us, but we tend to survive.

    I will admit that like ALL countries in the world it is riddled with crime, corruption and many injustices, but when you let the beauty outweigh the negatives, you find a wonderful country. Also, it is a heck of a lot more dangerous living in the huge cities, such as Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban or any other large city, there is more crime than the average person should have to endure, but if you take in all the smaller communities, you will find that the atmosphere is pleasant, the crime is lower and the living is pleasurable.

    The area where we are happens to be in the quiet countryside, farming areas, yet we are close enough to the larger towns, like Port Elizabeth or East London to be able to go and spend a day doing whatever it is we need to do and get home before dark and be settled into our quiet corner after the mad rush.

    We are actually selling our property to relocate only because we are at the age where we need to be near our families who are in the USA. I have not seen my daughter in over 10 years, my grandchildren, I have not seen at all except through the Internet. My husband has not seen his daughter and granddaughter in over 6 years and has a grandson he has not seen at all except through the Internet.

    I LOVE South Africa as a country, it's the politics, corruption and injustices that are wrong, not the country itself. I also agree that it is a bit on the prejudice side when it comes to employment etc, but again, was it not the opposite just a few short years ago. It seems now that the tables are reversed, we get all bent out of shape, now we all know what it feels like to be on the other side. Yes, they have taken it to the extreme level, but that is just life in SA. We have to all take some responsibility for our own actions and there are like I said before, many ways to make a legitimate living here.

    I shall miss the country, I just will not miss all the aggreviations that have been involved.

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