There's real value in gaining a new perspective. I view the South Africa I return to far more positively than the one I left two years ago. I'm so happy that now, I can truly say I'm patriotic. I'm proud to be part of this wonderful country, and I'm so incredibly proud to be South African.
What an incredible story arc just the past two years of my life has been.
I'm a strong advocate of the notion that every experience in life contributes to who you are, and there's often a learning somewhere there that you could take with you. Within these past two years there have many for me.
Back in late 2019, I was absolutely desperate to get out of South Africa. I complained about many different aspects of living here, and longed to experience something different. And crucially, something I thought would almost certainly be better - far better. I just wanted out, as soon as I could have it.
But, importantly, I knew nothing else. I'd lived in SA my entire life. It's the classic greener pastures mentality, right? Fair enough.
And interestingly, in this instance, I was proven wrong.
And more interestingly, I'm glad about that!
The Preparation
As those of you who've emigrated likely know, the process can be arduous.
There are fees, there's an application process, and there are requirements to meet before you're even considered. I barreled my way through all of these with the same confident, positive optimism with which I generally live my life.
As with many times before in my life, I'm happy to say, I believed I could, and then I proved myself right. And that's something to be proud of!
After having completed my Master's degree (which, as a bonus, gave me more points to get into Canada through the Express Entry system), as well as finished some years of work experience, saved a bunch of cash, and gone through all the testing, applying, and paying that needed to be done, all I had to do was wait.
Eventually, after around 20 months (because of COVID processing delays), I had my Confirmation of Permanent Residence for Canada stamped in my passport, and was reaching the end of my job application process (done from SA... yes, 2AM local time interviews are possible if you have the drive, and enough Nescafe at home, like I do), after speaking with numerous interesting companies in Canada, all of which were quite distinct. None of them excited me as much as one particular tech startup did though.
This company had many things going for it that the others didn't. It had fun colleagues. It had a strong culture with values that aligned with my personal ones (so important). It had an interesting product that had a positive impact on society. And it would give me the freedom (through trust and autonomy) to show my value, make my own decisions, and feel like I'd made a meaningful impact on the company.
So, after consulting with my close friends over a seaside lunch in Hout Bay, I took the offer! "What do you have to lose?", they asked. Nothing, I realized. So, I went for it.
Not to mention, I was able to pivot into the People & Culture field, which was a huge goal of mine, and something I was very excited about. I thought it would be a fantastic blend of my people skills and my organizational skills, which has definitely turned out to be the case.
As a brief aside, if you'd like to get a sense of the immense breadth and depth of P&C/People Operations experience I was so fortunate to be able to gain since this point, have a read through the tabs of the 'Google Sheet of People Operations Experience' that I created for tracking my career.
The Move
June 2022. The time had come to emigrate.
I moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in June 2022, and started work in July of that same year, after a 2-week adjustment period in my new city. At first, it was surreal. Almost magical. "Look at me! In a new city, making things happen all by myself! What an achievement!" And it really was.
But there's a patina that wears off after some time. Once you've settled into normal daily life, things are sometimes just naturally less exciting. You're not caught up in getting to know your new surroundings anymore. You're no longer racing around introducing yourself as the fascinating newcomer at your new job. You're not hunting for apartments, buying new furniture, and setting up new subscription accounts and new banking. You're not redoing your driver's license. You're just... living life.
Daily life is commuting on the train. It's shopping for groceries. It's doing some printing at the stationery store. It's going for a walk in the park.
And daily life is where you realize if you're truly fulfilled by your new country.
And I very much wasn't.
Eish! What had I done? The dissonance set in. How could a place I had researched so thoroughly present itself as something so different? Why was the experience so distinct from my expectations?
I think a lesson here is just... not to have those expectations. Rather, it's better and healthier to go in with an open mind, and be ready for anything to happen. You only know once you've tried it. But, my advice for you is to think about whether it's worth trying at all. For me, it definitely was. I gained a great job and met some very cool people through the experience. I still know those people, and I still have that work experience to take with me into future positions, so I don't have regrets. I'm still glad I did it. I'm just glad I could pivot the situation into what it is now.
So... Why'd I Leave Canada?
I took issue with numerous major aspects of Canadian life, including the harsh winter weather, terrible medical system (yes... seriously), much more reserved and shallow culture than we enjoy here in South Africa, and a lifestyle that was centered around things like commuting in your car from your suburban home to a big box store or takeout chain outlet, and then back again (much like what I've experienced during visits to the US). Those issues are solidly in my past, and so I have no interest in ranting about those here. But one of the main things about moving overseas was also having to reestablish my in-person social circle, and being away from family and friends. That kind of network is so valuable, and having it back now that I've returned to SA is honestly just so incredible. And I'm so grateful for them.
One thing I do want to highlight is culture. I never knew what it meant to feel Proudly South African, and patriotic, but I do now. Having been the odd one out in a sea of Canadians made me feel more South African (outside the country) than I ever had before. In other words, I'd never before felt more South African than when I wasn't living in South Africa. Isn't that funny? But, that makes sense though.
I was connected with my true identity when I was no longer surrounded by many aspects that contributed towards it. I learned more about myself.
Sometimes things just aren't for you. The fit isn't there. And that's totally fine! We live and learn. You just move on to whatever's next. Keep moving forward to better things.
I want to be clear that this section is in no way meant to talk down Canada, just demonstrating that sometimes you realize something's not a fit for you, and that's fine. If you think Canada's for you... great. I would caution you, if you're South African, to consider moving to a place that has a lifestyle and culture more similar to our own. This is also not an attempt to dissuade anyone from trying to make a success of their lives and enjoy themselves by moving somewhere else (including overseas), if they really have the desire to try. Just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, and remember that you always have a friendly, welcoming home to come back to.
But one of the main experiential learnings for me through this was that there are pros and cons to living everywhere. Seems obvious, right? But that's why i said experiential learnings. On paper, sure, it seems a given. But experiencing it is another thing entirely. No country is perfect, to my knowledge. Perfect as a concept doesn't exist anyway. And while I knew all that already, what I hadn't experienced before was that you essentially need to figure out which pros and cons you want to live with, and go for those.
At first, for me, I only knew the ones in SA. And on balance, it seemed bad. So, I left. After having experienced the ones in Canada, South Africa suddenly appeared far better than it did before. There's that wonderful new perspective of positivity towards SA that I'm so grateful I gained.
The Return
I ended up back in Cape Town in December 2023, and wasn't sure how long I'd be here for. But I was very quickly met with the exceptionally exciting realization that this country is for me. And also, just how special this city is. How diverse, and beautiful, friendly and fun Cape Town is. I was home.
I was made so happy by having returned here, that I definitely didn't want to leave.
I got to spend quality time with my mom, whom I love so much. I got to go out with my best friend on the weekend, whom I also love so much. I got to have fun conversations again with the cashiers at the grocery store. I knew how everything worked. And I felt at ease, open, and myself as part of this culture. Because it's my culture.
Yes, South Africa has its issues. Every country does. But I'm fine with them. I know them. I know how to work around them, and live happily alongside them. Plus, things are improving over time, which makes me even more proud to be South African.
No, South Africa isn't for everyone. And it's on you to figure out where your place in this world is.
But, just bear in mind that actually going for it... actually doing it... may bring you a perspective you never thought possible. And you may just end up happily right back where your story began.
Sometimes things turn out just how you thought they would. And sometimes they don't. But what's fun is you get to learn something about life, and about yourself, along the way. And maybe you get to realize what really matters to you, like I did.
Life's a journey. And I'm so glad that mine has brought me back to SA.
Dit is tog lekker by die see!
Ilizwe lethu lityebile ngamafa!
Isiko lethu lihlukile, futhi lisihlanganisa sonke!
I'm so happy I'm home! 😁
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I post a variety of articles on my website about my life, People Operations, and various other topics. To follow along with future articles I post on this website, feel free to follow me on LinkedIn here.