Are You Coming or Going?

Homecoming Revolution
The South-African blogosphere is buzzing these past few weeks, as it always is on this topic.

Yes, they’re all talking about loadshedding but that’s not what I wanted to talk about today.

There have been some interesting discussions about motives for leaving or staying in South Africa.

Nic Haralambous at SA Rocks wrote last week about two acquaintances emigrating from South Africa, reflecting on how personal a decision it is. Do you stay or do you go? And how many reasons to you need to have for going? Or staying for that matter.

The repatriation group Homecoming Revolution often post about the pros and cons of emigration. Chris Moerdyk wrote a good article recently about a particular bug bear of mine — South Africans who move to another country and then spend a good chunk of their time talking about how the old country is falling apart and how perfect things are in the new one.

He notes, “I believe they do this because they have this overwhelming need to keep convincing themselves, their friends, their families and anyone who is prepared to listen, that they made the right decision about leaving South Africa.”

MapHaving lived eighteen years outside of South Africa, I have experienced this more times than I can tell you when meeting new immigrants from SA. What they haven’t yet realized is that the new country has its downs too. The negatives that wear on you five, ten, twenty years down the line.

Dave and I have family in Canada, South Africa and New Zealand and all three of those countries offer things we don’t have here in California. Still, for us at this time, the benefits of living in a sunny climate, having great job opportunities and a relatively comfortable, safe lifestyle outweigh the big negative of the isolation we feel being far away from those we love. In five or ten years we may feel differently.

But enough about me. What I really wanted to do was draw your attention to SA Rocks and the Homecoming Revolution as two great resources for South Africans living both in and outside of the country. Take a look at their blogs and join the conversation!

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Posted: February 20th, 2008

Categories: Living abroad, Living in South Africa

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