| I'm presently living in South Africa. I'm young, and left the corporate world behind to pursue a master’s degree abroad. I was getting dangerously comfortable, so I wanted some excitement. Jokingly I've called this a mini retirement. >What has your experience been?
It’s been wonderful. As a kid I lived in Germany for a few years, but this is my first time living abroad since. There are pros and cons with every place. No place is perfect. Living abroad you’ll learn to appreciate the positives you can enjoy in each place. >What is your particular career?
Mechanical Engineer >What were your moving expenses?
Single 1 way ticket - $1000 - $1500
Visa - $1500 deposit (refundable on return…. Fingers crossed)
Everything I brought fit in two suitcases. Import taxes are high… >How much is your rent or did you buy?
I pay $350 a month to share a three bedroom, 1.5 bath town home with two others. Water is included. Electricity is slightly higher per kwhr when compared to the states. >Where did you move to/from?
From Colorado to Cape Town >How are the schools?
You get world class private schools to third world public education. A lot of the schools are a mix of public/private entities. Similar grade system to USA. Can’t really talk about this though, don’t have any youngsters… >Have you become fluent in the native language and was the language barrier difficult to overcome?
English is common, but learning one of the local languages would be a fun task. The Afrikaans language is similar to Dutch. The native African languages would be more challenging to learn coming from English. >How long have you lived in this country? Are you a permanent resident or do you plan on moving back to the US?
I’ve been living here since January. My visa is temporary, 2 years. Not sure what will happen or where I will go next. >What was the process like to become a permanent resident?
N/A… But the visa process not fun, lots of documents, medical records, and the return envelope I sent went missing which delayed things further. >Did you have to already have a job when you moved to that country?
N/A… Although I would say that I already had a connection here. Moving to a new place one way ticket style without visiting or talking to anybody may be a bit more exciting. >What's the cost of living compared to where you moved from? Has your quality of life improved or not? How and why?
The cost of living here is cheaper. Quality food and eating out is cheaper. McDonalds prices and Burger king prices are similar to back home, and taste the same surprisingly… I’m definitely earing less money now than I did in the states. In general basic necessitates are cheaper, but luxuries are more expensive including cars, electronics, bicycles, etc. |