I’ve just stumbled across a great website called WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?
This site uses web 2.0 features to provide a space for South Africans, wherever they may be located, to log on and share information about what they miss about home. This is an initiative of The Homecoming Revolution with funding by DBSA and FNB.
Its no surprise that Jacqueline in Perth misses biltong and boerowors… Doug in the USA misses the bushveld… Ian in Moscow misses red wine and the climate …. Namous in Delhi misses the fresh air…. Lungile in Senegal misses Ubuntu…. and Gordon in Lugo misses the Rainbow Culture…. unsurprisingly most also mentioning missing family and friends and niknaks.
What is interesting is how dispersed South Africans have become and even though many have settled elsewhere they still yearn for home and take the time to go-online and affirm this. Most are based in the UK with 2924 registered users, 1135 in the States, 658 in Australia, 319 in New Zealand, and so the numbers reduce from there with a few mentions in offbeat locations such as Kazaksthan, Laos and French Guinea.
An online survey is used as a tool to ascertain reasons for emigrating, levels of education, current location and occupations – along with the more lighthearted categories such as what food one misses most. With 2010, growth in the economy and the current scarce skills shortages in South Africa The Homecoming Revolution is cleverly making use of technology to instigate and facilitate a return home.
I loved the website too, although I was not able to access the survey. Would have loved to see the range of questions asked. As one not staying in my own country and having siblings, relatives and friends overseas, I can relate to what these guys miss about their country, food, friends and family, the people, and the beauty of the motherland.
On the other hand people make new friends, learn to acquire a taste for certain foods and to some extent get new family i.e. through marriage etc and so the new country becomes the new home.
I guess South Africa is still better off than most countries in Africa; it has no war and has still a good economy. For most of us who come from countries where the economy is in shambles or could be at war or recovering from war, we miss all those things as well but for the family back home to survive and enjoy the braais etc you have to be in another country doing something to help others back home. Yes, you can go home and visit if you can, send money back home but one has to think of the future of their kids for example and also wanting the basics and the comforts of life that another country may provide. It’s a question of whether opportunities are available or not I think.
Having said that, I think many of us still hold on to our cultural values to the extent that maybe, they fit in to the new culture. What I mean is our fathers may never dream of leaving their native countries but many of us are still and will remain identified with our countries wherever we are. We will carry the flags speak the tongue and support the national teams; I doubt that I or my fellow country men will return to our beloved motherland to stay, visit yes, that we will.
In this new generation of the nuclear family, home is where the heart is. When I am with my children and my husband that is where my heart is. I will try my best to help my parents and brothers and sisters back home. So where am I? I am far away from my motherland, trying to make ends meet for my self, my immediate family and those back in the motherland. I do miss the motherland and my other friends, but I am learning to eat the food here, where I am and make new friends.
Comment by sizirose — September 13, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Exposure. Perhaps the one word that encapsulates that which an individual gains when he or she travels. The list of destinations in the above article are but a few of where South Africans reside in the world. What about where all the Zimbabweans have emigrated to? Malawians? Tanzanians? The list is endless.
It is a valuable thing to have people from African countries living not only in other continents, but also across our own. We gain the opportunity to represent ourselves as individuals as well as South Africans, Zimbabweans, Tanzanians etc. The privilege of travel should not be taken lightly. For it is through our journies that ideas of positive change can travel and evolve. I see in Cape Town, people taking the time to stop, have a cup of coffee (sitting down) and then go about their day. I miss that about Cape Town but I carry the idea with me to Dar es Salaam (despite the hot weather!). I see in Dar es Salaam, neighbors taking the time to greet each other and genuinley ask about your health, your family, your career. I may miss that about Dar es Salaam, but I chose to carry this blessing of interaction with me to Cape Town and begin with greeting the lady living next door to me.
Travels serve as a medium for the transportation of information. Of ideas. Use your travels to make a positive change – in your life and in the lives of those around you – no matter where you are, no matter how small the effect. Such should be the way for development in our continent.
It is often the finer things in life that we miss. But we can make every effort to share that which we know brings us joy. That which we have learnt through exposure. So let us meet. Let us laugh. Let us exchange. We get may even get frustrated. But we are exposed. And through exposure – we learn.
Comment by N.N — September 18, 2007 @ 6:13 pm