going back?

[lyall]

With the recent discussions in mind, I was wondering if there was any one among us who has gone back or who knows of someone who has gone back quite recently?

I would be interested to know what changes they had noticed and how easy it was to get back into the job market? Finding a place to stay that was affordable, and the petrol price???

Thinking of the effects of the economic crunch..my husbands old company has apparantly got rid of all its contractors..we are talking a multi million rand company here, and a lot of the casual labour...several of their branches have been closed, and most of the remaining staff are on short time..(okay, so it is in the steel industry, and we all know how that has been affected).

My daughter that lives in Amanzimtoti says that with the laying off of staff from one of the major motor car plants in the area, the crime level has shot up, and most people are too scared to go into the CBD alone now, even during the day.

Some one said in a previous thread that the choice of stress is up to us...I think I would prefer to have the stress of living in a country that is more economically sound, and where no one goes to bed hungry at night, every one has a roof over their heads, and every child has the right to an education and medical treatment.

Sadly, this is what we fought for, and lost, in South Africa.

I know it has been said that we shouldnt compare coming to Australia as heaven, but I cant help it, I think I am in heaven living here.

[Nats123]

My hubby wants to go back every day.

To be honest I do not take it serious anymore because I know that he just wants the familiarity of it all.

We are also in the process of thinking where we will end up as our lease is up shortly and we now have PR.

So it is a very unsure time for us but we will get through it.

We have decided to move to Aus for a reason. And yes we did not think that it would be so challenging but we have made the move and we are actually doing well.

So Candy I know the feeling babes but hang in there! We will all get "there"!

Nats

[Marlene]

We're almost at our 1 year mark (next month) and I can honestly say that everytime I start to feel that I'm finally over the worst of it and starting to feel like this is home, another one of the much spoken about waves of depression/homesickness hits. I just want to know when they go away??? They knock me 6 love everytime.

it never goes away, you just handle it better

[Superkruz]

I can understand what these people are going through. I struggled with the "should I go back or not" dilemma for at least a year after moving to Brissy. In the last 6 months I started to feel at home here and now seriously doubt whether I will go back.

[Richardj]

An interesting article written by Alan Knott-Craig (MD iBurst) - to his employees ....a realist view on things!

Hi guys, Why am I writing this email? Because I'm getting the impression there are some depressed people walking around. So let's recap:

At the beginning of the year people were panicking aboutthe oil price, inflation, electricity and economic recession. Of those big 4 concerns, 3 have taken care of themselves.

Oil is now below $40 a barrel,almost one Quarter of the price of 4 months ago

inflation is not such big deal because oil is cheap nowadays so food & all other costs are falling

and.. we haven't had any crazy power outages since February (the Eskom saga is a complete mystery to me - The NEWSPAPERS said it would last 4 years??)

What about theRecession? Well, as it turns out, that was something that deserved panic. Especially if your name is Dick and you run a New York investment bank... Fortunately we don't have any Dick's at iBurst.

After the merry-go-round of bad news at the beginning of the year, capped by the xenophobic attacks it's been quite surreal to watch the"u-turn" executed by those heading for the exit door! It's a bit like watching naïve tourists run into the sea off Camp's Bay,scream in pain, and then race back onto the beach. The water looks so nice.. but don't go in there unless you're an Eskimo! Suddenly foreign shores aren't as attractive when there are no jobs, no credit, and no sunshine so people who left are returning to tell those who haven't left not to go.

Just to put a couple ofFinancial things in perspective, here is some info on the year-to-date performance of world stock markets (as of 10 Nov):

Iceland -89%

China -64%

Russia -64%

India -48%

Hong Kong -46%

Brazil -40%

Japan -40%

USA -36%

Australia -35%

UK -32%

New Zealand -29%

South Africa -26% ..SA is not so bad is it? I'd rather be here than in Iceland?? !!

Sunny SA is certainly not immune to the global economic crisis. Our companies are suffering too, which means fewer bonuses and more retrenchments (always a winning recipe for unhappiness). How long will it last? Who knows, but brace yourselves for a tough 2009. The good news is that after every tough time comes good times, so at least we all have something to look forward to!

What is the silver lining for SA? Our interest rates are still high, butwill decrease soon to ease the burden on your back pocket. The UK and USA do not have that luxury, their interests rates are already too low to cut further and it hasn't helped them at all yet!

What else?"Mad Bob" can't last forever. When he heads off into the sunset there will be an absolute bonanza of investment and aid flooding into Zimbabwe, and a large chunk of that windfall will be via sunny SA... oh happy days. Who said there were no plusses to having a failed state as a neighbour?

What else? Anyone noticed the cranes everywhere you look? Seen the Gautrain progress? I went down to CT 2 weeks ago, and virtually the entire highway is under construction. Durban has a new Stadium; a bigger harbour AND a new Airport all finishing in the next 18months The unintended consequence of the government procrastination on infrastructure investment over the past 10 years is that now that it's finally underway - just in time to prop up our economy! Gotta love those bureaucrats.

What else? The Soccer World Cup is coming. If we get it rightwe'll be the hottest spot on the planet -and we'll have a real shout for hosting the Olympics in about 2020.

But don't crack open the champagne just yet, we still have our fair share of challenges. Your average Yank may be swapping his house for a trailer, but at least he's not worried about being shot in the head on the way to his next job interview. If any of you have a relative or friend in the government, please pass on this message, "Crime is out of control and most of our schools and hospitals are in disarray." Don't for a second fool yourself that we can ignore these structural problems and live the rest of our lives in blissful ignorance. We must constantly remind the politicians to do their jobs, but we cannot absolve ourselves of our responsibility to make individual contributions.

It isour business to make this land a success. Report crime, pick up litter, give to the needy, create jobs, look after the children, practice safe sex, drink filter coffee. We've all got a responsibility to make the magic happen, otherwise you'll just end up lying in bed in 50 years time, looking back and saying "What if?"

The time of opportunity is upon us, now it's up to us to seize the day. I've said it before, I'll say it again: Life is not about waiting for storms to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

Looking forward to dancing in 2009!

[Richardj]

I stumbled across that email the other day.. I made the mistake of posting it in the General forum.

Should have posted it here.

I hope it helps anyone thinking of going back....

[Thinus]

I have sympathy for those that cannot find their 'feet' in Australia and return to SA, but each one as an individual must do what is best for them.

I have to make a statement here though, will probably be shot for it, but here goes....... Be very careful of Queensland......we lived in Brisbane when we first arrived, but only for six months. Apart from the weather, I dislike the high humidity intensely.....the Queenslanders are not very accepting of foreigners, and believe me some of them even regard Aussies from other states as foreigners! So, even before landing, you are half a dozen steps behind...that does not bode well.

When we arrived in Melbourne, after the six months in Brisbane.....all I can say is WOW! The people I have come across are totally accepting of immigrants.....have never looked back whilst job hunting.....have made some very good friends.....but then, I have been here 10 years.....so it all takes time!

I still miss my family and friends back in SA.....but look forward to their visits and being able to show them my country!

Interesting that you say that - back in 2002 when we were still staying in South Oz my parents visited us for 6 months and I set them up with a camper van in which they toured extensively. They said that they were welcomed warmly everywhere except in QLD where they encountered extremely aggressive and negative comments regarding people from SA.

We have stayed in South Oz, NSW and now in the ACT and have always been made to feel welcome

T

[Richardj]

I just recieved an email from a friend of mine who spent 2 years in the UK..

he said , he wasnt looking forward to going home, but since he's been back ( 6 months )

He is playing in a soccer team , going out regularly with good friends, meeting loads of hot chicks ( Saffer chicks are way hotter than English chicks ) , he has a sweet job earning decent money , he goes for a wave before work ... he is loving it.

his words .... the UK was fun but no where near as fun as Durb's ...

[Tri-nations]

Like to put my 2c worth with Mara and Thinus. Seems to be a Qld thing to be "snotty" toward immigrants. Friends who lived in Melbourne for 3 years, moved to the Gold Coast and the wife said it feels like she immiagted again. That said, I'm born and bred Afrikaner plaaskind and always said I will be the one to switch the lights off (then they still had lights) and set the dolphins free in PE, but leaving is not an option. Things change and s@#$& happens and a year later both hubby and me were unemployed and in our 40's with two primary school girls. NZ was the easy way out with the least hassle to get in. 6 Years on (and another move behind us) and I've never looked back. It was never an option to go back. I will always be South African - 40 years cannot be erased. But I love were we are now. Its a process that will take time and a place that will grow on me.

To those who consider the move back, think of why you considered the move here in the first place. If anything changed for the better go back and keep you chin up. You are entitled to live where you are happy.

[LeaveLeft]

I am an extremely emotional person... my mother will back me up !! I think with my heart and not my head... most of the times. We have been here just over a year and honestly... I get "homesick" MAYBE one day out of every 2 months !! I think the difference is... I don't miss South Africa... I don't miss being trampled at the supermarket... I don't miss that scared feeling... I don't miss the traffic... hell I don't even miss the animals (Rhino, Lions...) At this point in time, my son does not even want to go back to visit...

What I do however miss... my family (inlaws and outlaws), my boet in Canada , my bestest best friend who I could phone anytime day or night, my friends that got my sick sense of humor... and.... well... that is about IT !!!

And I can not understand why people would want to live in the past all the time... while we actually came here for a future... why not just grab all the oppertunities and live for today?? I know people here in Oz, who are so negative about OZ that I sometimes wonder why on earth they ever came ??

Will I ever go back ?? Don't think so... for me HOME IS WHERE I LAY MY HEAD !! So that makes Oz my home...

Just my 2c

But please note that I do not condenm people for moving back... for what ever reason !! The above is how I feel and no 2 people feel the same... although I believe that in order to achieve greatness... YOU have to GIVE your BEST !!!

Edited March 12, 2009 by LeaveLeft

[Melrie]

I am an extremely emotional person... my mother will back me up !! I think with my heart and not my head... most of the times. We have been here just over a year and honestly... I get "homesick" MAYBE one day out of every 2 months !! I think the difference is... I don't miss South Africa... I don't miss being trampled at the supermarket... I don't miss that scared feeling... I don't miss the traffic... hell I don't even miss the animals (Rhino, Lions...)

I felt the same - for years. In my case it only started "hitting" me after 4 years away from the place (roughly the past year or so). I didn't even get homesick at all during those initial years. Will I go back? No. But I do (eventually) miss sights, sounds, smells, opportunities (recreational). Especially if you, like me, start to realise that they are in a big way lost to you forever. Sigh.

[Veronique]

I also miss family and friends in SA, but then, lots of them have emigrated too and others are in the process. Everytime, and thank goodness it is not often, that I feel homesick, I close my eyes and imagine back to the days when I had to drive my kids to school on treachorous pot-holed riddled roads, trying to avoid the eyes of hawkers and beggars at intersections, dealing with speeding taxi's and road rage from seemingly decent well-educated people; and thats enough to dissolve any further homesick feelings, until the next time....

I promised family I would return this year for a holiday, but I can't bear the thought and have used the recession as an excuse not to return.

[MannyT]

Quote from Richard's post above "The time of opportunity is upon us, now it's up to us to seize the day. I've said it before, I'll say it again: Life is not about waiting for storms to

pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

Great advice for those living in the RSA and also for those considering relocating to Oz in 2009.................."it's about learning to dance in the rain."

Enjoy!

Manny

Edited March 12, 2009 by MannyT