Proudly South African

So many times before, I took part in discussions about the situation in our country. Saying thins as I would love to move abroad, leave the country or was just praising the so-called green grass on the other side. Furthermore, most South Africans wish for the day some one would ask them to go to Europe or the States, just a chance to see the “better life”…today I sin a different song

Late last year I was offered an opportunity to do an internship in Germany for three months. Of course, I accepted, what better way to see the “greener grass”? I can still recall the millions of times people responded with the words: “a once in a life time experience” – this is what I believed as well. However, this picture and ideas we have is idealistic and I had to go trough a hard time to learn about this reality.

Today I am convinced that I live in the best country in the world, I will not tell you all the reasons why I never want to live Germany (because I met some great Germans, who doesn’t qualify for this reasons), but I will tell you what you miss about this magnificent country when you leave it….

We are different from the rest of the world. South Africans are friendly and warm and hospitable. We are happy, despite of the suffering and inequalities we experience. We have braai’s, Castle and Black Label. We have beskuit, and biltong and Mrs Balls, not to speak of marmite toast and real rooibos tea and butternut. We have the sun and long hours of daylight, all year round! We don’t have snow as a given and that is great! We have the ocean, two of them, mountains, the laeveld and the hoë veldt, fynbos and of course “Saul se bos” (the Knysna woods). What's more, we can celebrate Christmas and new years on the beach – a concept no European can understand….