Why I Won’t Leave South Africa

South Africa is so much more than what you may see in the news. Yes, we have our problems (loadshedding…eish!), and yes there are many things that could definitely be improved. But if that’s all you know about South Africa, you’re missing the other 90%+ of what makes living in this beautiful country a truly amazing experience.

(P.S. I took all the photos in this post from my experience here so far)

Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe the magic to someone who has never felt it?

Brian Jackman

I almost titled this post “A First World Life in a Third World Country”. And while that is somewhat appropriate, it doesn’t fully encompass what I wanted to write about. It seemed to be…lacking a bit. I thought that title could leave the impression that the thing I love most about living here is the difference in the cost of living.

That’s only a small piece of it.

Life here in South Africa goes far beyond the comparison with the US of affordability. Dolly Parton once said “Don’t get so busy making a living you forget to make a life”, and here in South Africa ‘making a life’ is what life is all about. The last 18+ months have been so transformative for me on a very deep and primordial level that I know, deep in my soul, that I could not return to the life I had been living and be happy.

“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa - for he has so much to look forward to.”

Richard Mullin

Falling in Love with South Africa

My first visit to South Africa was in November 2020. It was my first international, long haul trip, and I knew the moment I stepped off the plane that this place was different. I could feel it in the air and in my soul. Even with the nerves of my arrival being our ‘Epic Second Date’, there was a part of me that knew I was home.

The moment I first put my feet in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, staring out at the horizon with Table Mountain on my left, something that had been long dormant inside me was awakened. It was a sense that yes, there was so much more to life than what I had become accustomed to in the US. It was as if the universe was letting me know that there’s so much more to do, so much more to explore, so much more to experience and that it was just waiting for me to make the jump.

Garden Route Game Lodge, feeding the elephants, Galileo Cinema at Kirstenbosch Gardens, abseiling off of Table Mountain, standing at Cape Agulhas where the two oceans meet, a braai with my new friends, Thanksgiving with my future in-laws…the time here was just a taste, a teaser, but I was hooked.

Why I Won’t Leave

So, let me, as an American who has made South Africa my home, explain why I won’t leave this paradise.

Time Passes Differently Here

“But African time was not the same as American time…As African time passed, I surmised that the pace of Western countries was insane, that the speed of modern technology accomplished nothing, and that because Africa was going its own way at its own pace for its own reasons, it was a refuge and a resting place.”

Paul Theroux

Aside from the standard jokes about “Africa time” and learning the difference between “now, now now, and just now”, time truly does pass differently here. Paul has it exactly right…the pace of life in Western countries is insane. Here the pace of life is such that one truly gets to be present wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.

This was perhaps my biggest challenge, learning to slow down.

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing or where you are, the pace of life is just chill. In the states, you become accustomed to always having to go the ‘next thing’, running yourself ragged trying to knock things off the never ending and ever growing ‘to do’ list. Here in South Africa, there’s no rush to get anything done. Yeah, in some instances it can be frustrating, but in the big picture, it allows you to immerse yourself in the moment.

I don’t think I have the words to express what a difference this has made in my mental health.

I’ve learned to enjoy just being. I’m much more relaxed, my stress levels are down, and even in the middle of Stage 6 loadshedding I’m able to shrug my shoulders and laugh it off.

I can’t imagine going back to the insane pace of life where there’s never enough time to do anything nor the time to truly enjoy what you are doing.

The South African People

You often hear about how South Africans are some of the nicest people on the planet. It’s not hyperbole, it’s true. From the staff at my local Spar to the Car Guards to just random strangers we’ve met on a wine farm, South Africans are genuinely the nicest, warmest, most welcoming people on Earth.

Everyone I’ve met has been so kind and so gracious, helping me understand my new home. The folks up at the shops by the house all know me, some by name, and they always make sure to say hi with a big smile on their face, even when they’re teasing me about my lack of ability to speak the local languages.

Maybe it’s because life is slower, people aren’t as stressed out, it’s more natural to just be gracious and kind.

South Africans also have a sense of humor that can turn the most stressful things into belly busting laughter. If you ever want a crash course in how to approach the lemons that life throws you, follow some South Africans on Twitter or Facebook. Yeah, we might be upset for a few hours, but inevitably the memes will start flowing and we’ll all have a laugh.

The Rich Historical and Cultural Diversity

South Africa has such a culturally rich and diverse history that one would have to go out of their way to miss it. This is something I’m just beginning to scratch the surface in learning. I’m working my way through History of South Africa from 1901 to 2021 by Thula Simpson. It hasn’t been easy reading, but that’s due to my ignorance and not Thula’s writing. Growing up in the US, history of non western countries isn’t something taught in schools.

And any African history? Forget it.

Another book I highly recommend is Africa is not a Country by Dipo Faloyin. A condensed look at the history of Africa through humor and the seriousness of jollof rice recipes.

Learning the history of my new home country is really helping me appreciate and understand South Africa in the present day.

It’s impossible to walk through the streets and not be amazed by the richness and diversity present in South Africa. Whether it’s overhearing someone speaking in one of the 12 official languages (ok, hearing one of 11 since number 12 is African Sign Language), seeing the beauty of Cape Dutch architecture with their thatched roof houses, or sitting down to experience a truly South African meal, you’re never not deeply immersed in what truly makes this place the Rainbow Nation.

The Best Scenery Around

There’s a spot on the drive from our house to mom in law’s house where Kim and I always fall silent. No matter how many times we’ve made the drive or what’s going on in our lives, as soon as we hit that stretch of road, the beauty just overwhelms us.

From the beaches of Gordon’s Bay to Whale Watching in Hermanus to the views from Chapman’s Peak, to the gorgeous colors of a South African sunset displayed on ‘our mountain’ as seen from the balcony of our house, South Africa is just stunningly beautiful.

I often catch myself just staring off into the distance, admiring the view. It doesn’t matter whether we’re driving to the shops or headed out to for an experience…it just never gets old. And every time we drive into Cape Town, I can’t help but be enthralled with the view of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, and Lion’s Head standing majestically over the city.

C’mon… really?

How is this the view from my house?

Things to Do and See

Whether it’s catching a production at Artscape, catching a concert on a wine farm, or spending the day with the penguins at Boulder’s Beach or Betty’s Bay, there are endless things to do and see here. Here’s just some of the things we’ve done:

Zipline through the mountains in Grabouw.
Swim with the seals on Seal Island.
Trivia night at Van Ryn’s (where we won a bottle of 10 year old brandy each!)
N’dlovu Youth Choir at Artscape (which we’re seeing again).
Numerous concerts on wine farms.
Whale watching in Hermanus.
Winemaker’s dinners.
Petting Cheetahs
Eagle Encounter at Spier
Made our own Gin at Distillers & Union
Made our own perfume and cologne at Perfume Prive
Visited the Giraffe House

…and much, much more.

This is just what life is like here. Doing these sorts of things in the US is mostly seen as a ‘special treat’, but here it’s normal. I can’t count the number of times we’ve seen something advertised and one of us said “Hey…do you want to do X this weekend?” and we just booked tickets.

Some of our best adventures have come while driving from one place to another, seeing something interesting, and taking the detour.

Life is truly about the journey and not the destination.

We’ve experienced so much and I think I’ve seen maybe 1% or 2% of the country. The diversity of things to do in South Africa is only exceeded by the diversity of its people.

Food, Wine, and More Wine

The food here is amazing. Between the curries and the potjies and the tiny diabetes inducing snack koeksister (not to be confused with the coconut covered abomination koesister), there’s always something new to try. Oh, let’s not forget the abundance of meats like lamb, ostrich, kudu, warthog…definitely head and shoulders above the standard US fare of chicken, pork, or beef.

Then there’s the cheeses. The glorious, glorious cheeses. I never thought I’d be eating so much blue or feta in my life. Now they’re staples in my fridge and show up in everything from soups to sauces to salads.

I’ve even learned to enjoy butternut (you know…that painted thing that people use to decorate their houses come fall)…but I can’t get behind beet root…that still tastes like hot dirt to me.

As I’ve said before, prior to moving here I knew fokol about wine and it’s taken me over a year to begin to develop a palate that can distinguish between a Merlot and a Mourvèdre. I’ve even graduated from simple tasting to now looking for unique pairings and winemaker’s dinners. We just experienced a dinner at Fairview, and I’ll be writing about this soon.

I’m way behind on visiting 50 farms in my 50th year, something I’ll be remedying soon now that everyone has their winter specials going.

This is Home

I’ve always dreamt of living overseas, but never in my life did I think I’d be living in South Africa. Yet now that I’m here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. This is home. It’s all I dreamt life could be and so much more. I’m looking forward to living out my years here with Kim by my side.

And when my time is over, spread my ashes over a vineyard, and let me roam this beautiful place forever.