Why did you come back?

[RCJames]

I have to ask these question since my wife is asking.

If you have come back to SA, why did you come back?

Where in SA are you staying now?

How long did you stay in OZ and where did you stay?

Look forward to your responses

[Johnno]

Johnno just don't start about those hoons again or I'm going to track you down & post you a big wooden spoon for Christmas!

LOL, those non existent mythical hoons. I'd like a wooden spoon, here's my postal address...

Santa Clause

PO Box 1

North Pole

Not quite, I think we still disagree on some things but have strong opinions on what we believe.

c'mon Hansa, I work hard at this......I'll be disappointed if it's only some things

Jokes aside, these forums are great not only for finding out about the thousands of practical and tangible things that need to be sorted out when taking on such a life changing move but it's also really useful to catch up with others who can lend some moral support and get you through those dark days.

[RosFam]

Hansa, I have just read your post.

I identify with every one of you comments. Everything annoys me terribly too, but I prefer being annoyed to sad. It's the sad days-I call them the "bad Australia days" that really get to me. They come upon me like a grey cloud, or a wet blanket. They come out of nowhere. They envelope me so completely, I just feel heavy. It's a physical heavy ness, it feels like I have put on 10 kilos overnight. I would not be surprised if I did though, have they ever heard of the heathy option here in restaurants? Its all bread , pies, and more bread. A salad is sooo expensive, and mostly consists of a few rocket leaves and a tomato cut in half. Boy, they do not do hospitality well here.

Do you not also hate the filthy restaurants? Some of them are a real shock to the system.

Yes-I believe you are right, get busy lest you wither in despair. Congrats on your children, they do take your focus off the bad days.

I have to focus on making some Aus dollars, I would hate to be in Aus, not only unhappy but also destitute.

I am opening a business in October, it's been two years in the making, and let's hope we can make it a success. One step closer to leaving. Yippeeeeeeee! Plan is to build it up and sell.

Everyone on this forum, you guys are amazing. That's what I love about SA people. Heart felt honesty, and compassion.

Love you guys.

I have to echo Karin here , I find it amazing the we are all able to open up about our own journeys , the ups and downs, the tears and joy , the trade offs, the insanity , the high cost of booze to numb the gap in our hearts, whatever it might be ..... we are not alone in this journey. We should all probably take comfort that even though africa has its warts , it created a certain type of person... and we are its offspring!

[DXB2OZ]

It takes an incredible amount of bravery to open up about those dark times, even with a bunch of strangers on a computer screen. HansaPlease and so many others, as a newbie, honesty about these times is actually incredibly helpful. To know that there are bad times, but most people come out the other side, to know that the same people who have those bad times also have so many good times - these can keep us newbies going when we hit our own slumps.

Thank you.

[Minna]

I must concur, it is refreshing to see honest responses on each ones journey.

Knowing that my husband would probably have a harder time adjusting in Australia than me doesn't necessarily mean I understand what he will be experiencing. These posts definitely made me think differently.

On the one hand I don't expect it to be much harder in Australia than what we experience in SA, you oldies do have a lot more built up when you leave where as the youngster don't necessary. My husband and I would currently not even get an approval loan for a new car never mind a tiny apartment, costs are incredibly high for people entering the work force and the market in SA is rather tough - knowing that that would probably be that same situation in Australia prepares me to go there with a different mindset. (I would probably be able to pay off my student dept sooner in AUD though so I have that going for me).

We all seam to have some demon or cloud that hangs over us at certain times, I have them in SA and I will surely have something to cry about in Australia - just depends on the person and what they are willing to sacrifice. However I am always adamant to never sacrifice happiness, sh*t happens move on and do what will make you happy, life is too short to not be enjoying the journey.

[chzaau]

It's been an interesting thread. Here something for thought that may help some.

Do you consider yourself a South African in Oz or an immigrant with South African heritage.

[rozellem]

I have been on this forum for over 5 year and this exact post comes up occasionally. The names are different, the profession may vary, the suburb where the luxurious house is, with all the staff at beck and call, the town where the beach house is, the collection of Mercs/BMW/boats/jet ski's/etc. Always the same story, the trappings just vary a bit. They always went along swimmingly, until they had children. Then the nagging thought at the back of their minds started saying that no amount of money and private schools will guarantee their childs future. And now the big questions starts, the weighing up of pros and cons. The fear of loosing the trappings that you have gotten yourself addicted to. Going cold turkey. The thought of having to get rid of that safety blanket of stuff you have built around you and what it says about you. The fear of what your identity would be without that stuff. Its almost like being a (rich) hoarder. Its never about the stuff. Its about the individual's relationship and attachment to the stuff. This is not a easy process you face. I am not the Bible quoting type, but every time this sort of post comes up, it reminds me about that bit about the rich man and how difficult it is for him to get to heaven. Because it is literally a process of trusting, believing and taking the leap (without your trappings).

Good luck.

[DXB2OZ]

To be fair, I also like my stuff. And I hate manual chores. Really, really hate it. But I like knowing that I will almost certainly be able to keep my stuff!! Nobody is going to take it away in the night or at the end of a gun.

It's a lot less stuff, but it's mine, all mine.

[Sunnyskies]

I'm a lot less stuff oriented now. I like nice stuff but I don't have the stuff obsession I used to have.

I think that is a consequence of the move and not because of Australia. I know plenty of Australians who are completely stuff bedonnered.

[SurferMan]

Roz,

It's the parable of the rich man, Matthew 19:24. As for hoons and the like, I offered to moer an Aussie bloke at my kids school yesterday for parking in the pickup zone. He left...then three chicks pulled in. I offered to teach them how to read road signs. They left. Then a bloke REVERSED into the disabled parking to wait for his kid. I offered to disable him. He left. I gave up after that, unbelievable. Note to forum, I'm not an aggro bloke but people who park in disabled parking, double park, stop in the road to drop someone off when there is a drop off 2 metres away really get to me. As do texters while driving. Rant over. Have a good one peeps. Lol.

[rozellem]

Ha ha Surferman. Thats a classic one. "If you really want to be disabled, I could arrange that for you".

Might work well on a note left on the windscreen too.

[Johnno]

Roz,

It's the parable of the rich man, Matthew 19:24. As for hoons and the like, I offered to moer an Aussie bloke at my kids school yesterday for parking in the pickup zone. He left...then three chicks pulled in. I offered to teach them how to read road signs. They left. Then a bloke REVERSED into the disabled parking to wait for his kid. I offered to disable him. He left. I gave up after that, unbelievable. Note to forum, I'm not an aggro bloke but people who park in disabled parking, double park, stop in the road to drop someone off when there is a drop off 2 metres away really get to me. As do texters while driving. Rant over. Have a good one peeps. Lol.

Jaslaaik bru, we must never get together, we'll moer all these oke's that park in disabled bays and then give people ! I see this daily, not to mention texting while driving. Just yesterday my wife came home and said ahe was driving behing a guy that was wondering all over the road, she was convinced he was pi55ed! She decided to pass him on the left (double lane,Marmion Rd, I'm sure you know it) and he was texting!!!

Then you get the idiots at a shopping Centre that park on the walkway and nothing happens! I complained to centre management and they said "we monitor it". Like hell, people just have no respect, it's really sad!! Seriously, check this FB page! https://www.facebook.com/WorstParksOfPerth

Edited August 23, 2014 by Johnno

[SurferMan]

Johnno, Bigvan07 and I can be the hit squad on the road for errant drivers. Lolol

I know Marmion well...it's where every asshole goes to the right lane and then slows down. It cracks me.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Can I join your club? Last weekend we're driving with our 16 year old, L-plates all over the car, and this guy with a ratstail, driving some piece of cr@p keeps tailgating us. Well we have achieved a family record of 5 speeding fines in 3 months so we all ask learner to ignore him & go the limit.

Next thing my poor flustered son indicates left on a roundabout and goes straight. ? it should not matter because luckily nobody else in sight, but this guy decides to hoot at us.

I mean what kind of person tailgates a learner then hoots at them?

Ofcourse in SA he would probably have met DH's knuckle sandwich but we all beg him to stay calm, lol. Meet the guy at the next robot, eish it was all I could do to keep hubby in the car. He is like a pitbull. I'm just as bad actually. Stupid ratstail-ass wasn't so brave after all, just a few zap signs.

I have a roadrage incident nearly every week ?

Edited August 24, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co

[SurferMan]

Hhahahaa, brilliant. I had a hero a few months ago, same :censored:, all over my ass but no juice to pass my Touareg. At the lights I hopped out the car and tried to pull his windpipe through the frantically cranking window. Frigging priceless the look on his face as he tried to gurgle an apology.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Surferman I just can't understand why we have a reputation for being aggressive! ??

[SurferMan]

My sentiments exactly!!! I tried to negotiate with prejudice but that didn't work so I went the direct route. Works all the time. I make a point of not getting involved but this tosser was so close to my ass I could not see his bonnet in the rear view mirror. Little guttersnipe was driving an old knocker that looked old in 1921. Classic dip n dive driving like those little spikey haired kids in Corsas and Golfs back in SA. He needed a quick lesson, and the first one is always free. Lol

[Johnno]

Surferman, we need to go cruising the streets of Perth together....I'm in the mood

[Neels]

Eish, you guys must stay calm hey... And rather not come back here for a while... That sounds like our drive to school every morning. And that's just to get into the main road. I don't even want to get started on that topic.

[SurferMan]

Moer hulle Neels!!! Lol

[SurferMan]

Neels may I suggest the services of a reverse pile driver followed by a full spinal compactor. LOLOL, a PK doesn't hurt either, well not you!!!

[RCJames]

Ok, lets not lose focus here hehe, I want to move to OZ, not stay here in SA ;-)

Thanks to everyone for your AWESOME responses, there has been a lot of feedback from both perspectives and it has been really nice to see. I think for me the aim it to get their, work our asses off and get our permanant visas, then we have options. For us (My family and I) I think I am luck because my sister and hubby and kids stay in WA, so we will have a support base to start with. It seems that the people that are struggingling or who have stuggled is mainly because of no support base.

My wife and I just need to find sponsored jobs and then we can MOVE!! Im excited and nervous :-)

[Bigvan07]

Haha, Surferman, count me in,

You, myself and Johnno can form a vigilante group and teach them some common respect on the road, we should have WA sorted in about 2 months

[zamunda]

A friend of ours has been here in Aus for the past six years. During the first three years they were very home sick and contemplated moving back.

Then he changed jobs and the new job required him to travel to RSA every six months on work. This changed everything.

His words were- "every time I go to RSA, I come back grateful that I made the move to Aus". "I will always miss my family and friends back in RSA, but I also need to move on with my family".

[SurferMan]

Bigvan,

Why so long...Hahn cos we spend the first 7 weeks in the pub warming up is it?

[Bigvan07]

Haha, get juiced up on good ol' Brandy and Coke to get the engines going.