Torn in the new South Africa In January 2004, expatriate Bronwyn McIntosh wrote an Internet article entitled Dangers Of South Africa: Fear Of Crime.
That October she was denounced as a racist by President Thabo Mbeki in his weekly column.
Now she is writing a book based on the correspondence that ensued with hundreds of people around the world.
"I will always be split in two - did I make the right decision? And I will ever have a life that straddles the ocean - a foot on each continent. I will not ever be completely whole again."
These were my words written in an article four years ago. I wrote of feelings personal to myself and my experience, never for a moment thinking it would trigger an emotional deluge.
The passage is the one quoted by most expats who correspond with me. It aptly communicates feelings that never leave them. A continuous stream of e-mails arrive weekly for me, from all over the world. The ebb and flow depends on the time of year and events on the political and economic stage.
In four years, this has never stopped. Many describe intense emotional upheaval upon leaving South Africa (and the experiences that led to their decision). They feel torn at "having" to leave and their families are torn apart by their departure.
Others remain in South Africa (and want to leave) but describe their ambivalence - they ask me for help and guidance with their decision. Their desire to leave is triggered by a fear for their future.
Fear fuels most of the departures. The major fear is crime - most people have experienced violent crime and been touched by it in a myriad of ways. They tell me that these days, the fences are higher, the steel bars and safety doors have multiplied and are stronger and the criminals are becoming cleverer. Despite all of that, people feel that it's simply "a matter of time" before crime will affect their family and they want to stay ahead of the statistics.
South Africa draws a passionate response from people. Students, tourists, businesspeople who've visited the country for a short period of time write about how deeply the visit affected them and, in some instances, changed their life path. These people want to return.
Others write and thank me for changing the course of their life because they read my article and decided not to go and live in South Africa. Do I feel good about that? No. That was not my intent.
When I receive letters asking for information about visiting the country, I encourage them to go and see South Africa. I explain that I haven't lived there in six years and I cannot give them advice about safety. I also tell them that South Africa is a unique country and culture and they will fall in love with it.
Read More:http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?newslett=1&art_id=vn20080407060113831C136313&click_id=79&set_id=1&em=54602a6a20080407at
Topic: Torn in the new South Africa (Read 952 times)