Why I Moved to South Africa… And Why I Stayed

As 2024 winds to a close, I’ve been reflecting on my own journey as a Global Citizen… especially given the dozens of people who have consulted with me in recent months about leaving the United States.

In the early 1980s, I was just out of high school and not sure what to do next. I’ve always been a person who values experiences over stability, and I knew that I didn’t want to stay where I was—which at that time was living just outside of Washington DC.

Through a series of events—and yes, there was a girl involved—I landed in Cape Town, South Africa, in late 1984. Forty years later, I’m still here. Why is that?

The short answer is that I got lucky.

The policy implications of this election will impact your retirement funds, taxes, healthcare, and more. But you can protect yourself, your family, your future. In lots of safe, warm, friendly spots abroad, you can live comfortably on a budget from $2,000-$3,800 a month (all-in—housing and extras included). We’ll show you how—and where—to go.

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I wasn’t happy living in the US in the early ‘80s. Ronald Reagan was in his first term, and although I wasn’t particularly political, I didn’t get along very well with the types of people who flooded into the DC area as part of his administration. They weren’t at all like the rural folks I’d grown up with on Maryland’s Eastern Shore… they came across as too individualistic and superficial for me.

So that was a push factor. I wanted to get away from Washington, but my wanderlust wouldn’t be satisfied by moving somewhere else in the States. I wanted to see the world.

From an early age, I’d always had a romantic connection with South Africa. My parents had visited here in 1976, and they brought back lots of books and artifacts that formed part of my upbringing. And then, when I was in about 7th grade, one of my teachers gave me a copy of Alan Paton’s classic Cry The Beloved Country, a novel about the immense damage that apartheid was doing to South Africa and its people. So when I met a South African lass who took a fancy to me, I decided to visit her for a summer in Cape Town.

The country was in the throes of rebellion. Nobody knew it then, but in less than a decade apartheid would be over, and South Africa would be a democratic republic. In those days the energy in the air was palpable. I thrived at university in that environment.

Everybody was talking and debating about the future and what it would bring. But they were doing so in a distinctively South African way… humorous, a little cynical, but immensely appreciative of all the simple joys life brings, even in a country in turmoil. I learned the pleasures of a good braaivleis (cookout). I climbed Table Mountain. I went on a motor safari all across Namibia, at that point in the midst of a brutal civil war. It was all exhilarating.

Looking back on my life, I think if I had ended up somewhere else, I may not have stayed. If I’d landed in a country that was more regimented and buttoned up, like Germany or Switzerland, I’d probably have quickly become bored and frustrated. But it turned out that South Africa and I were a perfect fit. I absolutely fell in love with the country and its people, and I still am.

That’s probably why a recent article in The New York Times got to me. The author, a long-time expat like me, made a critical point: “Those who… see ruin on the horizon would benefit from imagining what it is they want instead of reacting to what they fear.”

According to a recent Gallup poll, 21% of Americans—more than one in five—want to leave the United States permanently. Their reasons vary, but based on my conversations with my clients, I know they’re afraid that the country is in a spiral. Even if they favor the outcome of the recent election, they still don’t believe that it will change things. They just know they don’t want to deal with it anymore.

Cape Town: Nestled beneath the iconic Table Mountain, where nature meets vibrant city life.|©iStock/Jack Smith

The first question I always ask people, is “what is your motivation for doing this?” I’m not trying to pry. But I do want to know whether they have a definite goal in mind for themselves as opposed to just being anywhere other than the US. Because if they don’t, they’re just as likely to end up unhappy as if they stayed at home.

At my Global Citizen service, I can help you find visas. I can help you get a second passport. I can help you optimize your taxes, plan for an estate that spans multiple countries, and connect you with the best professionals the world has to offer to get all these things done.

But what I can’t do is tell you what sort of life, living amongst what sort of people and their culture, will make you happy. I can try based on what you tell me, but ultimately, you have to know yourself well enough to know what sort of environment will lead to the happiness I’ve enjoyed for the last four decades.

So if emigration is on your to-do list, do yourself a big favor. First, think hard and long about what kind of lifestyle, culture, and society makes you feel comfortable and happy. Second, spend as much time and resources as you can to visit places that you think will match that. Once you’ve connected with someplace, give me a call.

One of my favorite bands, New Zealand’s Crowded House, wrote a brilliant song years ago called “Take the Weather with You.” Songwriter Neil Finn was pointing out that wherever you go, your attitudes towards your surroundings are going to determine how you feel.

It’s not always possible to change your core self… but you can always find a country where your personal “weather” is seamlessly compatible with the life around you.

But only if you look for it.

The policy implications of this election will impact your retirement funds, taxes, healthcare, and more. But you can protect yourself, your family, your future. In lots of safe, warm, friendly spots abroad, you can live comfortably on a budget from $2,000-$3,800 a month (all-in—housing and extras included). We’ll show you how—and where—to go.

By submitting your email address, you will receive a free subscription to IL Postcards and special offers from International Living and our affiliates. You can unsubscribe at any time, and we encourage you to read more about our Privacy Policy.