In many countries around the world South Africa (SA) is known as the land of opportunity. Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty this might ring true for those living outside of South Africa and who wants to explore South Africa natural beauty and take advantage of the favourable exchange rate. For those living in South Africa, its natural beauty takes second stage as locals focus more on survival and surviving from day to day in a sometime hostile environment.
Because of political intolerance, poor economy, crime and corruption many families opt to leave South Africa in search of better opportunities in other countries. According to an article in Business tech published on the 21 August 2022 https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/616761/heres-how-many-south-africans-are-leaving-for-canada-new-zealand-australia-and-the-uk/ (staff writer, 2022)., many people opt to emigrate to countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
One such couple who decided to go the route of emigrating and leaving the country of their birth is Wickus J (WJ) and Clint E (CE).
In his own words WJ tells us of their decision to move to Canada in December 2016.
My partner and I moved to Canada on the 21 December 2016, and we became citizens in September 2021. On the 21December, 2022 we will be in Canada for six years. We decided to immigrated for various reasons: the ongoing challenges in South Africa with regards to violent crime, corruption, and an uncertain future. (As two white males the chances of us advancing our careers in South Africa has been severely limited due to the South African government policy of Black Economic Empowerment, (BEE) which aims to facilitate broader participation in the economy by black people, especially in order to redress inequalities created by apartheid – this did not apply to us or our careers).
CE and I decided to move to Canada because we wanted a completely different experience to what we used to in the Southern hemisphere, and opportunities for uncomplicated travelling. My partner CE has lived in Holland before so he had some experience of living overseas. Canada on the other hand would be a whole new experience for us. We came with the mindset that there will be no turning back, and that we will have to make it work as there would be no other alternative. We have never been to Canada before the day we immigrated, and we did not know what to expect besides watching copious amounts of YouTube videos regarding living in Canada, in preparation before our move.
Because of my profession I was allowed to find work in Canada. I was able to secure employment in Canada before we emigrated. We arrived in Canada on the 21 December 2016, 10 days before I had to start to work, which was about a 2-hour bus ride away from our house. We chose not to leave Canada for the first 3 years until we became citizens, accept in a case of emergency.
We used this time to explore our surroundings, and to buy the necessary basics (we arrived with our luggage which weighed 46kgs each, in 3 suitcases each). We had to find my bus route to work, and the closest supermarket, etc. For the first few months
we were dependant on public transport or walking (until one of us could re-do our driver’s licences). After two months my partner got his Canadian drivers licence and we bought a cheap second-hand car to get around. Driving on the opposite side of the road and sitting in the opposite side of the car was weird and it took us a little while to get used to this.
I used the bus to get to work for 2 years before I got my Canadian driver’s license and bought a car. Having my own vehicle cut my travel time to work by 90 minutes a day. Public transport is great, as it runs mostly on time, I always felt safe (with the drivers & commuters), and it only ran late twice in 2 years due to bad weather. The weather in Canada was a surprise, and much colder than we anticipated. When we arrived in Canada it was the first time I touched snow, we adjusted faster than we anticipated to the conditions in Canada (-36 on January 6, 2018 was the coldest we experienced).
Living in Canada is easier than South Africa because everything works well and efficiently, banking, cell phone contracts, and public health were different to what we were used to, and an unexpected adjustment, for e.g., a more conservative financial system, and the public medical system was overloaded. Buying property is also very different from SA, and it is much closer regulated process, and the way you move in was new., for e.g., closing date & time). We were fortunate enough to buy our first property within seven months after moving to Canada as we used the profit from the sale of our property in SA as a down payment on our house. The first three years were tough financially because we had to build up a credit profile/score, and we were still a single income family at the time. We were fortunate enough to stick it out without too much effort as the sacrifices we made was worth it in the end.
Covid-19 hit us really hard as it did the rest of the world but it was closely managed by the Canadian government with loads of lockdowns & restrictions. We listed to sell our first property just as Covid hit but were able to move to a new location before the huge property price hike in Canada during 2020. We are now a dual income family as CE started his own business venture and we live comfortably in the country side of Ontario. A dual income family living in Canada we have a higher/better standard of living than in South Africa, without the ongoing uncertainties & hypervigilance.
Covid unfortunately also delayed the process of becoming citizens with 18 months due to staff shortages.
Travelling was a challenge before we became citizens. I think most South-Africans experience the same challenges because of the limitations the SA passports afford Since we became Canadian citizens we have travelled twice outside the country since Covid restrictions has been become more user-friendly, once to South Africa in April 2022 (our first time since we immigrated), and once to the United States (USA).
It is much easier being a Canadian citizen, and we decided to give up our South African citizenship. We have travelled vastly within Canada to explore our new country; it is huge and it has a lot to offer. Canada is also known as the country of immigrants which embraces diversity and it has a multi-cultural population. As a gay couple, we have never experienced any form of discrimination, and have been welcomed everywhere we have gone.
We have managed to make new friends, it took time as we did not know anyone & it took time to meet new people outside of work but we find Canadians very friendly with warm personalities, and they love our South African accent & courage. I have not once regretted moving to Canada, it has become my home, and I will never be able to live in South Africa again.
Love and peace from Canada
WJ.
