1st Trip Back To Rsa

[slabbert]

Hi all

I am excited and nervous for our first trip back "home" since we moved to Sydney in 2007

and I feel the same mixed bundle of nerves that I did when we were leaving that side to come here!!

The excitement factor is obvious - seeing family and friends and having a great catch up with lots of braais and SA humour

and having true face to face (non skype/facebook) interactions

The nerves however are for the unknown;

how much has SA changed to what I remember leaving - will I now feel as alien there as I did in Aussie when I landed 3 years ago?

how much will I still be able to relate to my old friends - will I have changed so much from my experiences over the last 3 years

that I struggle to relate to them and their daily lives again?

will I enjoy it so much that I don't want to come back to aussie and have to go through the gut wrenching separation scene

at the airport all over again?

has anyone else felt this way before their first trip back?

[Orion25]

HI Slabbert,

We are still here and cannot relate to how you are feeling, but all I can say is be who you are and relax, sometimes a lot of us tend to overthink things too much. The fact is you will have changed and so will your friends and family have, but it does not mean that you still cannot have fun together, and plenty good 'ol SA Braais.

Enjoy you trip.

T

[Mara]

When we first moved, I was away for 3 years before I went back for my 1st visit. Although I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone, I realised that we had all moved on. Their first and foremost thoughts were still about their security and it was something that I was now almost taking for granted. I found that I actually had to think about keeping safe, which was a wake up call for me.

I have since been back another three times (left 18 years ago) and it progressively got worse for me. The last time I was there was around 2007, and then I decided that it was also the last time. I only have two sisters left there now and I am happy to assist them to visit me, rather than me going there. I was just not comfortable with the stress of always having to look over my shoulder.

[rozellem]

I have not lived in RSA for 14 years and have been back many times. But I must tell you what I learnt on my first ever trip back. I was so excited to tell everybody about the wonderful things I have seen and done, that I very soon caught myself saying "Back in X we do it like this" or "Back in X we eat this or that". You get my drift. Luckily I stopped myself before I was seen as a know it all. Of course I dont know it all, I was just so excited to share. There are so many emotions involved with emigration and some people left behind might think a innocent remark is you pointing out that their way is not the best way anymore. Rather just relax about the whole visit, do a lot of listening and making the right noises. They will bend over backwards to fill you with as much beef/fish/biltong/koeksisters/melktert/..... as you have ever seen. Just enjoy it. I am not saying you should point out Australia's faults, just tone down your success. They just want to see you all again, see that you are happy and healthy.

[Jordy]

We went back and had the same feelings. A couple of things that might help:

1. The country has not gone to the dogs in the four years you have been gone. Yes maybe a few more potholes but thats about it. In fact we noticed most of the shopping malls were being upgraded. So dont be surprised to see that things are pretty much the same as when you left.

2. You will have at least one severe moment of homesickness while you are there brought on by nostalgia. Driving past your old home to see what the new owners have done or for old time's sake is not a good idea.

3. What scared us the most was that we just fitted in so naturally within moments. Both with the country and the culture, and the friends. It was as if we never left. This may make you feel like you are home. You have to remind yourself, Australia is home.

Just a extra tip: You will be accosted at the airport by the those who want to help load your baggage in the car. They expect huge tips and show their disapproval at anything under R10.00 If two or three are helping it adds up. Do not use them and just say no when they offer to help.

[slabbert]

thanks for all the advice - and sharing your experiences

yes i have decided to just relax and enjoy the company of family and friends

and not stress too much over the whole SA vs AU discussions that will arise

and will also just view my old hometown as being just that - my old hometown

and try not to get caught up in comparisons as both old and new have pros and cons

and my reasons for leaving sa are still valid so will leave again with them firmly in mind

will report back when i return on how it went

[Lynnie]

Enjoy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please let us know how it was when you come back

[Almost Aussie]

We went back after being in Aus for 2 years on a 3 week holiday break. The 1st week was really nice to see and do the things we were used to, the 2nd week we started to experience the reasons why we are in Aus and by the 3rd week we really started to look forward to our trip back "home" in Aus. To put into perspective, at that stage we rented a crappy old house which we've hated but even that didn't bother us when we returned. All the best and remember its a holiday and you don't have take everything serious while you're there.

[Olgam]

Hi Slabbert

Thank you so much for meeting up with us yesterday. It was so good to speak to someone in person who's done the whole thing already. The experiences and perceptions you've shared were invaluable.

Yesterday you compared the big move to Australia to childbirth and said that everybody experience it differently. I sure hope our move will be a natural birth (with epidural) then. I am now so ready to go.

I hope your farewell at the airport won't be so traumatic as you anticipate. Good luck with the long trip home.

Olgam