Emigration Curiosity

Friends, as much as I love some of them, can't figure into me staying somewhere where I have to put up with bullshit. Family is different but even then, if they wanna put up with the kak and not even entertain the thought of leaving .......

Luckily my really good lifelong friends think similar and are over there or thinking about it. Likewise my immediate family.



Really interesting reading everyone's replies, it may seem like only a handful but I reckon it would have been way way fewer some years back.
 
It's sad for me to see so many people that want to leave the country, but it's totally understandable. Most people I know that have emigrated are enjoying their time immense, but I also know that they always say the grass is not all that greener on the other side. Yes, we have a plethora of issues in this country, but it's not all fun and games in other countries. Every place has it's problems and issues.

I myself will probably never emigrate. Despite all the issues I love this country too much. I will probably one day get the opportunity to work oversees via my company as we expand globally, but it's always on a 2 year working contract. I'll do something like that, but I'll always want to come back to SA.

This is just my opinion and I have no problem with people wanting to leave the country. All I'm saying is remember that every single country has it's issues. There is no such place as a Utopian state that's perfect.
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
Friends, as much as I love some of them, can't figure into me staying somewhere where I have to put up with bullshit. Family is different but even then, if they wanna put up with the kak and not even entertain the thought of leaving .......

Luckily my really good lifelong friends think similar and are over there or thinking about it. Likewise my immediate family.

Really interesting reading everyone's replies, it may seem like only a handful but I reckon it would have been way way fewer some years back.
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Tons of people have already left though. At the company that I work for lots of the people who resigned actually emigrated. Both of my brothers emigrated. Basically everyone in my sister-in-laws team was also in the process of going. I think you'll be surprised if you see how full the test hall is for IELTS test. They basically can't keep up with demand and it's often the case that people have to wait a few months to get a slot to write the exam.
 
Left during December already for Europe. Solo. Planning on moving again in like a couple years. Just need to decide where. Thinking something Scandinavian maybe.

Things have been really good this side. Family aside I miss little about SA (so far).
 
Wyzak said:
Tons of people have already left though. At the company that I work for lots of the people who resigned actually emigrated. Both of my brothers emigrated. Basically everyone in my sister-in-laws team was also in the process of going. I think you'll be surprised if you see how full the test hall is for IELTS test. They basically can't keep up with demand and it's often the case that people have to wait a few months to get a slot to write the exam.
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Actually considered making the move a couple of years ago (around 2011/2). Wife and I booked for IELTS, but at the last minute we decided to to go through with everything. I only got the cancellation conformation email in January this year. :D
 
DieGrootHammer said:
It's sad for me to see so many people that want to leave the country, but it's totally understandable. Most people I know that have emigrated are enjoying their time immense, but I also know that they always say the grass is not all that greener on the other side. Yes, we have a plethora of issues in this country, but it's not all fun and games in other countries. Every place has it's problems and issues.

I myself will probably never emigrate. Despite all the issues I love this country too much. I will probably one day get the opportunity to work oversees via my company as we expand globally, but it's always on a 2 year working contract. I'll do something like that, but I'll always want to come back to SA.

This is just my opinion and I have no problem with people wanting to leave the country. All I'm saying is remember that every single country has it's issues. There is no such place as a Utopian state that's perfect.
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I get that man, I think most people who are leaving or have left still love this country. I know I do. But yeah, the impact of crime and power and increasing costs and degradation of any service has sealed the deal.
 
DieGrootHammer said:
It's sad for me to see so many people that want to leave the country, but it's totally understandable. Most people I know that have emigrated are enjoying their time immense, but I also know that they always say the grass is not all that greener on the other side. Yes, we have a plethora of issues in this country, but it's not all fun and games in other countries. Every place has it's problems and issues.

I myself will probably never emigrate. Despite all the issues I love this country too much. I will probably one day get the opportunity to work oversees via my company as we expand globally, but it's always on a 2 year working contract. I'll do something like that, but I'll always want to come back to SA.

This is just my opinion and I have no problem with people wanting to leave the country. All I'm saying is remember that every single country has it's issues. There is no such place as a Utopian state that's perfect.
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No country is perfect, but SA isn't even in the middle any more if you were to rank the countries by some scale which could represent utopianness. Every country has issues, but the scale of their issues is far less than ours.

Have you ever been out of the country?
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
I get that man, I think most people who are leaving or have left still love this country. I know I do. But yeah, the impact of crime and power and increasing costs and degradation of any service has sealed the deal.
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Then it's for the best bud. Life's too short to sit somewhere you are not truly happy. Why not make the change? If you have the means and convictions then go for it. What is making me nervous is that, if things continue the way they are now, I may have no choice but to abandon ship and flee my beloved country.

Wyzak said:
No country is perfect, but SA isn't even in the middle any more if you were to rank the countries by some scale which could represent utopianness. Every country has issues, but the scale of their issues is far less than ours.

Have you ever been out of the country?
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True, SA is suffering from some sever issues. But I am still living a very happy, normal life doing everything I want and love. I can have that In SA. Yes, the shit we have to deal with is bad, but it's not enough to make me up and leave.

And yes I've been outside of the country, and know quite a few people that are living in Europe and Canada. I am still happy in SA.
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
Friends, as much as I love some of them, can't figure into me staying somewhere where I have to put up with bullshit. Family is different but even then, if they wanna put up with the kak and not even entertain the thought of leaving .......

Luckily my really good lifelong friends think similar and are over there or thinking about it. Likewise my immediate family.



Really interesting reading everyone's replies, it may seem like only a handful but I reckon it would have been way way fewer some years back.
Click to expand...

A few years back even two years I didn't think I would of moved(always wanted to)but honestly thought I wasn't going to leave sa. Though years ago when we got high jacked,must of been 2000 we nearly did move to the uk but my mom didn't want to. Now look funny how things are in life.

For me it wasn't about the country but the people. I.E the idiots that run the country. Also The economy of sa is in danger.

But I am happy with my choice.
 
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I have had the usual 3.5 year stint in the UK and made some great mates there, but I will never be able to permanently leave SA. I must be naive, but there are so many chances to make something great in this country.

I think it might also be a small degree of fear of the unknown, not knowing what will await in a strange country.

My wife's gran is from Norway and I would love to do a few years there (looks amazing) and some island somewhere must certainly need some more hands! But in the end I will always come back to SA. This is my home and I am not going to abandon it for some schmuck running amok. (no, I am not blaming or accusing anyone leaving of anything!)
 
oltman said:
I have had the usual 3.5 year stint in the UK and made some great mates there, but I will never be able to permanently leave SA. I must be naive, but there are so many chances to make something great in this country.

I think it might also be a small degree of fear of the unknown, not knowing what will await in a strange country.

My wife's gran is from Norway and I would love to do a few years there (looks amazing) and some island somewhere must certainly need some more hands! But in the end I will always come back to SA. This is my home and I am not going to abandon it for some schmuck running amok. (no, I am not blaming or accusing anyone leaving of anything!)
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I don't blame you for not wanting to go to the UK :P There are places that are a lot more similar to SA in the world, without so many of the negatives.
 
I'd love to leave the country, I unfortunately just don't have the means to. I'm not incredibly unhappy here, but I am worried about where things are heading.
 
Are any of you planning to leave the country?

I want to but that means leaving all my family behind and that just doesn't work for me. :/
 
I'm not at the point where I'm planning to emigrate, but I have thought about it and I have discussed it with my wife. Both of us lean more and more towards emigrating. We love SA and all our family is here, but if it becomes unbearable here we'll start making plans. I just have absolutely no idea where to start. I don't even know where I would want to go.
 
As some may recall, I left SA in September 2014 to begin a new life in the UK - London specifically, and living in this city is a bit of a unique beast in many ways, and I love it already. London is a fantastic gateway to the rest of Europe, and it's a great place to take my career to the next level, bristling with job opportunities.

It was a combination of things that drove me to make the final decision, but the state of SA's politics, social problems, and economy was no small factor.

I left by myself - this was not a whim as I'd been considering it for many years, but the planning and execution happened very rapidly. One day I realised that I could talk about it all I wanted to, and wait around for something to change, or to change my mind, but that wasn't happening, and I might be missing out on a life adventure otherwise.

Being a British citizen made the UK an easy destination, and aside from a bit of paperwork when I arrived, I've been assimilated into the system without trouble. Lining up a decent job before I left was fortunate, as I fully expected to still be on the hunt when I arrived.

Aside from the obvious statements - I miss family and friends - I don't miss much about SA itself. The weather and 'outdoorsy' lifestyle is probably the only major life-altering concession to living in the UK, and in London at least, it's not terrible (so far). Other missing elements are things I can work toward attaining again.

By and large, my day to day quality of life hasn't changed significantly, and in terms of cultural, lifestyle and consumer appetite, I am more than satisfied.

I realise that I may have had an easier time than some others will, but I'm well on track to being settled down and stress free (in relation to the immigration) within a year of arriving.

For the time being, I am very happy in the UK, and while I can't predict that I won't get the wanderlust again in a few years, a lot of things will have to change in SA for me to consider settling there again for any length of time.
 
Awesome feedback James, it's always nice to hear of someone who embraced the change and is making a full go of it. I have friends over there much like you, they have settled and are loving it compared to when they were here.

Too many people mope their days away there and then convince themselves it's not SA so it's shit and then give up and tell their sad 'horror' stories about stuff being super awful.
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
Awesome feedback James, it's always nice to hear of someone who embraced the change and is making a full go of it. I have friends over there much like you, they have settled and are loving it compared to when they were here.

Too many people mope their days away there and then convince themselves it's not SA so it's shit and then give up and tell their sad 'horror' stories about stuff being super awful.
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I heard my fair share of that. Told them atleast I'll have electricity.
 
Ah didn't know you're in London James. Need to add you on steam then - getting 15 pings to London.

When my PC arrives anyway.... (supposed to be 2 days ago :/)
 
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