Starting a Revolution

It's that time of year again...

Homecoming Revolution, a non-profit organization, sponsored by First National Bank, aimed at encouraging and helping South Africans living abroad to return home, is once again hosting its annual "Wosa Ekhaya" London Event.

I attended this event last year at the Kensington Olympia, and found it a very worthwhile endevour. The London Event is an excellent opportunity to find out all you need to know about returning or immigrating to South Africa.
Personally, attending the event provided me with an insight into what was going on within the job market, as I had been out of the country for five and a half years, and the enviroment had changed.

It also provides excellent nwetworking opportunities, not just with potential employers, but recruitment agencies and property consultancies. I made some great contacts, some of which helped when I relocated back to South Africa, and some of which assisted once I was here.

I would really commend this event to you if you are thinking of relocating back to South Africa, or just want to know more about what the current market is like in South Africa.

Woza Ekhaya takes place at the Kensington Olympia Conference Centre, London on Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th October 2008.

My ship has come in!

Growing up my grandmother would always comment about her “ship” and how when it came in, she would be rich.
Today I can say that my ship REALLY has come in, though sadly, I am not rich in that process.

According to my shipping company, and a couple of other websites I have referenced, the container ship on which my boxes, John, Paul, George and Ringo, are being transported arrives in Durban today, and for the first time in about 6 weeks, my boxes and I are once again on the same continent and in the same country.

Apparently it may take another 2 weeks for my the four of them to hitch hike themselves up the motorway from Durban to Johannesburg, but pretty soon I will be reunited with them, and in a way I will be a little richer for that.

Or at least I will have a bit more clothing…!

Practice never makes perfect

No matter how much you practice, saying good bye never gets any easier - and in the last week or so I have had my fair fill of practicing!

But despite that, there were far more "farewells" and "see you in the future" than there were "good bye"'s.

If it were 10 - or even 5 - years ago, saying good bye and relocating from one country to another, would be far more final, far more definite, and in fact I have no contacts from the the last company I worked for in South Africa. Yet this time around you get the feeling that the chance of staying in touch, no matter how frequent or infrequent is very high, and that even if months or perhaps years pass by, we won't ever really lose touch and certainly will "see you again sometime".

Yet for all that optimism for the future, the act in the here and now remains a sombre affair, talking to people today on the phone and via email, the reality starts to set in.

Thankfully, my practicing saying "good bye" is just about done...

Dawning reality

A friend of mine was saying a few days ago how big a move I was about to undertake, and I scoffed that it was all relatively easy. But as time passes and I get closer to flying, the reality and gravity of the situation is dawning.

Right now I am waiting for my boxes to be collected for shipping. Having fussed over them for the last month, I finally have put the last piece of packing tape on box 1 of 4, 2 of 4, 3 of 4 and 4 of 4 - my life possessions summarised numerically, like some kind of bar coding system - as if the memories and cherished possessions packed in those four small packages could be summarised.

And why couldn't I NAME them? Why did I have to number them? Well, what difference - I have named them anyways! John, Paul, George and Ringo (Ringo is the small box) are lined up patiently waiting at the front door - ready for their 2 month traverse to the Southern Hemisphere.

And suddenly I know I am moving. That all plans I am making for "next week" are being made in a new country, in a foreign land.

Reality is beginning to bite...

Time in short supply

I have the strangest sensation just now.... If I look ahead in my mind at the remaining days before I fly to Johannesburg, it feels like every single minute is designated to something, some task, some "last minute To Do list item", a visit here, a run around there.

It's a feeling that is almost overwhelming, and slightly takes my breath away... Do I have time to do things that might crop up... Will I have time to pack my suitcase, without forgetting anything behind...

A better question I think is - Will everything fit into my suitcase???

It's an odd sensation, and I am not sure what to make of it.

By contrast, next week feels very open, very relaxed.
Thank goodness - I think I am going to need it!

It's my last ever site visit today in my current role. The last time I need to trundle down the motorway to a far off destination.

The last time I will have to sit in traffic... (I hope)

The last this and that...

It's only when you get to the last week on the count down to something, that reality starts really hitting home, well for me anyway.

For some reason knowing that you have done something on the last day of the week makes it really feel like you are very near the deadline you are approaching.

In my case I have just enjoyed my last Sunday, and spent it out in the East Sussex countryside, enjoying stippled sunshine and a pub lunch. And a pleasant surprise along the way was a massive herd of Scottish Highland cattle in Kent. Then down beyond Tonbridge Wells into Ashdown Forest.

But knowing that today was my last Sunday before leaving makes it strangely poignant, suddenyl I feel like I need to savour every second of the day, remembering it for later recollection in stories of "What I did in my last week in the UK"...

Well, my particular last week contains many "lasts" - my last visit to people I have worked with, my last Monday morning commute (thank goodness!) and my full week.

'Tis done...

In a flurry of activity closely resembling an evacuation drill on an ocean liner, I managed to pack, repack and then FINISH packing the last of my boxes this morning.

My Everest is conquered!

So now I really ought to get the rest of my stuff organised in a nice and methodical way, making sure that everything is sorted and ready and that I can call the shipping company first thing in the morning.

But I am not going to do that at all... (That would be too easy!)

Rather, I am heading out into the countryside to enjoy one last weekend day in the English Countryside and weather.

Best I take a Raincoat!

My personal Everest...

For the last couple of weeks I have been telling people I have just one box left to pack... And I haven't been lying - there is just one box...

It is sitting in the corner of my room - staring at me. Challenging me... and for some reason I have just not been able to pack it. As if packing it and sealing it would finally draw the end of some chapter in a massively over sized book...

It must be like mountaineers feel when they see Everest - just off in the distance. A challenge that can be over come, and yet remains elusive. OK - I exaggerate - it's just a card board box for goodness sake... How difficult can this be?

So - where is that brown tape then?????

Little boxes...

Well, strictly speaking, they are not so little... and instead of giving a feeling that there are many of them - there are just 4.

Four boxes that together hold the material elements of my life - a life I am about to move from one part of the World to the other.

I have been in the UK for 6 years, having grown up in Cape Town. And now the time is right for me to go back to South Africa, but to return to Johannesburg, the City of Gold. The adventure begins in just 10 days time, and as time rapidly approaches I am feeling more and more like I am running out of it.

I wanted to create some kind of journal, a log, some way that I could share this adventure with those who care enough to ask "Will you stay in touch?" And hopefully in this particular way, I will succeed...

Well - back to those boxes!