My name is Kenneth and I write cool Mac and iPhone software. This is my personal weblog where I post about stuff I find interesting. I usually write about Mac development, the business of shareware and the Mac community in general.
read more →More than a year ago, I posted an article entitled Reasons Why You Don’t Want To Live In South Africa. I received a lot of heat for it, but it is my opinion and I am entitled to my own opinion, just like everybody else.
However, today a reader posted the following comment:
You mainly get 2 types of hens here in the UK: Caged hens or the free range types:
If you intend to spend your life on earth in a plastic safe environment created by others, don’t stay in SA. You will end up with a 2.5 meter fence, a security system to protect your CCTV cameras from being stolen, a burglar alarm and fire arms to protect you against all possible dangers. You WILL end up frustrated because the government will not look after your “very important” needs.
On the other hand… if you are committed to use your God given opportunities to leave this blue dot hanging somewhere in space somehow better than you found it, South Africa might just be the place for you. There are HUGE things happening, but to discover them you will need to leave your security complexes.
After 8 years in the UK I am on my way back to South Africa just because…… I’m no frieken caged hen!!!
What “kindafa” chicken are you?-D3aen
And I must say, he does have a very valid point. His point being that just like any other place, South Africa is heaven for some people, hell for others.
While I stand by my previous opinion, and still think that South Africa is absolutely not for me, I now realize that it is perfectly suited for many people, and many people love living in South Africa, even with all its problems.
I myself find myself missing quite a few things from South Africa. Most of all, I miss the great partying. South Africa is home to some of the best nightclubs I’ve ever attended, and it is always easy to find a party.
The second thing I miss is the cheap cost of life. For a cup of Starbucks coffee, I could have a full meal in South Africa. Everything was cheaper, and back there I was living like a rich person. I did not have to watch how I spent my money as carefully, and the propriety I lived in was huge.
On the other hand, many things are better now. South African internet is torture at best. The government is useless, and you’re pretty much always on your own when you need to do anything. No public transports. No public anything, really.
Looking back, I’m still glad the South African period of my life is over, and I’m looking eagerly towards the future.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 5:08 pm and is filed under English, Life, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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This was obviously written just before the latest happenings during march and april 2010!!!!
wonder if your friend is still comfortable coming to sa.
needless to say, i have sold my business this week and i am off to any country that will accept me. pity about the 10 staff and the 130 contractors that i serviced and provided employment to?
Yes I do Gato. I feel the same.
From SA, -D3aen
You are so entitled to your own opinion! But what you might find is that your own opinion is not right. That doesn’t stop you from being entitled to it! But what really matters to me ‘my opinion’ is that I go wherever God wants me. You may not believe in God and so your decisions will be largely based on self-preservation - which would make South Africa a very scary probability, or what about Somalia, Ethiopia etc.. also pretty scary prospects (Libya?) However if you believe that God exists and you actually have experienced God then perhaps going where God directs you might be more important - (if he is the upholder of the creation no scary place exists for him and if you are going where he wants you you know you are in safe hands). This is not to say that God expects us to be stupid and put ourself in danger needlessly.
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