stannies: Time to say "hallo"

[stannies]

First of all, thank you so much for all of you for sharing your personal feelings with us, helping so many to identify with your situation and making sense out of our own's. The time has come (for me) to put all my thoughts and fears on this screen and become involved on this forum. Maybe, just maybe, we will find the answer that's right for our family...

We (myself, hubby and our two wonderful boys, aged 3 and 8) have been thinking of leaving South Africa for 3 years now. (Well, actually more me than hubby!) We have not been directly affected by crime and maybe that is why this decision has been so hard to make. It all started in August 2006. After visiting 2 expo's, we decided to use Migrate2oz and applied for our visa in October 2008. We thought that it will take at least 12 months or more, but only a few weeks after lodging, the changes were made and we received our 176 SS (Canberra) visa on 24 March 2009, only 5 months later. Hubby agreed to this whole process but see the visa as insurance for 4 years and I don't. I can not see a future for my 2 boys in South Africa because off the same reasons that you are part of this forum.

I can fully understand my hubby's viewpoint because our situation is totally different from most of the people on this forum. You see, we have lived on a farm for most of our grown-up lives and are happy here. He is a contract grower for Goldi Chicken and has his own Brangus stud (cattle). He has no tertiary qualifications. I was the main applicant for the visa and has a B.A degree in Psychology and a Diploma in Interior Design. I have been working as an architectural technologist for the past 6 years. His main concern is that he will not be able to provide for his family once in Australia because what will he do? There is also alot of emotional ties because Granny and Grandpa lives next door to us and the boys see them every day. To put the cherry on top, our youngest son is a born farmer...

The main reason why we started with the whole visa process, is because we are afraid that the Zimbabwe-issue of Land-redistribution (without any renmuneration) can take place and then we will have nothing! Even if we decide to give life in Oz a try to see if it can work for us, we know that we won't be able to come back because the farm won't be here anymore. Everything will have to be sold before we go.

How do you make such a difficult decision on if's or if not's. How do you know if it will happen or if it will happen to you?

Is there any farmers on this forum in the same situation? Is there anyone in the same situation where hubby has no formal qualifications? Or is there anybody with some objective insight?

Would love to hear your opinions!

[Alida]

Hi, Stannies !

Welcome to the forum !! Remember, you're never alone in the things you wonder and worry about. There is lots of people out there (and in this forum), having similar situations. Whether anything will happen to you, none of us would know, but we're all on the forum because we find it sensible to have at least the Oz-backdoor open, if not pack up and go !

It's good to have your visa, albeit then for a 4-year guarantee. I guess the next 4 years will give us definitive direction, don't you worry ! Let your hubby take the lead in whether you wait or go, all of you will have more peace if all feels the same about the move. I can imagine, if one should leave while things are still going strong here regarding personal welfare and safety, that it is difficult to leave. You might sit down under, constantly wondering if your move might have been premature.

Your husband has a good number of years of valuable experience. It will count in his favor, he'll be able to show himself able over there. There will be some place just for your family, maybe on a cattle station or the like. We've got friends who lives on a farm northeast of Perth, where the husband has only a basic agricultural certificate with very little experience, but they live and work there and enjoy their life immensely. The mother of their family gets paid to cook and care for her own family !

Family of mine that is down under already, calls Australia the land of opportunities. It is out there. The success of immigration is mainly, IMHO, in your head. So be patient and wait for hubby to make take the turning all by himself. Then he will be motivated and able to testify for his own abilities down under.

Enjoy what you have here while you have it ! I have made the mistake of living with my head in Oz and my feet in Africa for a while and it was terrible. I was discontent and unhappy, idealising Oz as and utopia. Now, we are still waiting - and it's two years along the road, but I thoroughly enjoy what we still are blessed to have here. There will come a good time to go and then we will be content that we made use of every wonderful day we were granted to still have while here. I believe that it will make the move easier, knowing that we LIVED while here, being happy to pack up, because the good times has come to a mature end.

My 2c.

Alida

[Mara]

Stannies, I honestly don't think your hubbie would have a problem finding work on a farm here. That would give him the opportunity to check out the lay of the land, so to speak. Perhaps then you can buy small, and start with your cattle farming again, or perhaps he decides to do something else. I work in the cattle industry, and if there is any info he would like, I would certainly see if I can lay my hands on it. Perhaps he would like to check out the website...http://www.bostrading.com.au/

Good luck with your future decisions.

[Eva]

Welcome to the forum, and all the best with whatever you decide.

[IamInACT]

Hi

Good-luck with your decision... it is tough but you just do not know what is going to happen over the next 20 years, Can you take that risk? I'm not, I want my 2 boys to have open opportunities not closed discrimination. This country is being reversed and it is thanks to the likes of Melema and the ANC.

PM me if you would like to chat.

Regards

Terence

[Badgeroo]

I would recommend that you DONT sell your farm (unless you financially have to), your husband sounds like a prime candidate for a returnee(to SA)

unless you financially have to sell, keep it on ice, come over get work, spend a year learning the place, and then decide...

I have written some stuff here

http://sydney-by-byron.blogspot.com/2010/0...-not-alone.html

and here

http://sydney-by-byron.blogspot.com/2009/1...-australia.html

hope the admins dont spank me

[Toitjie]

Hi S!!

Same boat here, hubby with no formal qualifications, and fears of not being able to provide, and no direct crime (yet).

But that was one of my issues. I wanted us to get out of here BEFORE we are crime statistics. The downside of that, as you said, is that the PUSH factor is not strongly developed because we have not been mugged or raped or hijacked. The PULL is there though, we know this is the right decision, our hearts will just have to get on board.

I have had many doubts, but the more I stay in this country, the surer I become. They want to take my pension fund, they want to distribute our medical contributions, the list goes on. As hard as this is going to be, I always keep in mind for whom Im doing this. If we had no children, I would not have started the process. So I accept that it will be difficult, I am making this sacrifice for my children, who has absolutely no future in a country where they are not welcome nor liked. They need to have options, whihc we are trying to provide by going through this horrible process.

Hopefully someday we will reap the rewards.

Say hi to hubby....talk soon

y

[stannies]

Thanks for all the replies. This is such a wonderful forum to be part of. Knowing that people make time and take effort in sharing thoughts with others to help them make difficult decisions.

Alida, your comments are so spot on. Hubby has to make this decision for himself and he has to be 100% sure that he wants to make this move. In the end, he has to be the main provider and if he is not really sure, he can not put in all the effort that will be necessary to make this move a success. I can totally identify with you on living with your head and heart in Oz but your feet in Africa... It has been really emotionally draining to say the least. And being part of a "stoere boere" community, has made it harder for me because there is just no-one to talk to and share these feelings. All believe that we are suppose to be in Standerton for a reason and this is where we should stay... "Lacking faith" is normally the answer to all conversations! Thank you so much in reminding me that I have to enjoy life as it is and appreciate every little detail because memories are suppose to be made every day. Time will definitely tell.

Mara, it is such a breath of fresh air to hear your positivity regarding employment for hubby. Only "doom and gloom" conversations on this topic has come our way these past 2 years, saying that only professional people can make it in Australia and that his background will count for nothing once in Oz. We are definitely going to take you up on your offer regarding more info on the cattle farming. Thank you for that! Will get hubby to PM you, if that is ok? Feel that he should become directly involved because up to now, I have been doing all the reading.

Eva, thanks for your warm welcome. It almost feel as if I know you already. Have been enjoying every comment you have made so far, hope that we will also get the opportunity to be so content and happy with our new lives as you have been. Guess it is all about choices and personal effort...

Terence, my hubby always say that his head tells him to go but his heart tells him to stay. We want to believe (or hope) that a miracle will happen and life in SA will turn back to normal, giving us the opportunities to fullfill our dreams and giving our children dreams of their own. Trying to see the positives in this country, looking for a small light in this darkness, but as you have said, this country is being reversed and it is really a risk you will take to stay, not knowing how it will be 20 years from now! We will definitely like to chat, will send you a PM. Thanks!

Byron, thank you for your honesty. I can see that you have great insight into the soul of an immigrant. Great and very informative reading, thanks! I think you have nailed it on the head, I think you are so right. As for the moment, my hubby will definitely be a good candidate for a returnee to SA. He adores his cattle and you won't believe he grew up in Pretoria and when we met, he was a real city boy. We are definitely going to think really hard about the reaons why people leave Australia because each and every point you have listed is such a valid point. It really made me realise again that you will have to be 100% sure why you want to go to Australia and what you are prepared to sacrifies.

It is great to know that we are not alone in this difficult process. I do hope that we will all find the answers that we are so desperately looking for!

[Cramer]

Stannies welcome, I cant tell you go or dont go as it is a very personal decision, but I wish I had that SS176, I would not be here.

What I can do is give you the details of a school friend who grew up on a farm and her and her husband swapped farming in SA for farming in Oz and love it

[stannies]

Y (Toitjie), can't think that after 13 years of not being in touch, we are in the same boat again. Maybe fate, but I think destiny. Can't wait to meet your hubby and 2 beautiful kids. N says hallo and we are so looking forward to your visit. Hopefully our two hubbies can help each other to overcome this fear of the unknown... We have had so many ups and downs on this emotional rollercaster, sometimes feeling that life in SA in not that bad. It is all familiar, family and friends are closeby, being in your own little comfort zone is just too easy. But then one morning you wake up after your alarm went off twice the previous night (not knowing why), reading of another farmer who was brutally murdered for R50 and his cellphone and then you realise that this is NOT how life should be. This is NOT the future I had in mind for our 2 boys or the way I would like to retire someday! Knowing that we have become so used to the bad roads, the non-existing service you get at so many places, the poor education system, not to be able to use the local hospital etc. I truly hope that we will all find the answers we are all so desperately looking for! Hope to see you soon!

[stannies]

Cramer, thanks! I will really appreciate it if you could give me the details of your friend. We don't know anybody who were farmers in SA and went to farm in Oz. It would be very informative to hear their view on this. Hope you get that well-deserved visa really soon!