Cost of emigration

[Spizz]

Fsck me. There is nowhere like South Africa. Nowhere.

 

[Skandalis]

Different folks have different reasons for wanting to leave...

 

[Segg]

Fsck me. There is nowhere like South Africa. Nowhere.

In terms of natural beauty and climate I couldn't agree more, however the things that matter in a modern society we dearly lack, education and population growth probably being the most serious issues

 

[cguy]

In terms of natural beauty and climate I couldn't agree more, however the things that matter in a modern society we dearly lack, education and population growth probably being the most serious issues

Even then, YMMV. I love real seasons - nothing much better than sitting by the fire with family, friends and dogs while it snows outside.

 

[noxibox]

What will it cost in terms of education for kids and how many years will it set a kid back in a school and what will they have too do to catch up?

I'm asking in light of the following events, a friend of mine's ex husband is leaving the country too go to the Netherlands.
He asked his two kids if they would be interested in going with,they are currently residing with mom. Now no one has a issue with them going as it is a great opportunity. But after investigating, it turns out that if they are lucky they will have to redo two years.
Telling a 15 year old he will be going to class with 12and 13 year olds didn't go down well. Which I'm sure we all can understand.
(He has two kids in high school)

My question is, are we really that behind?

I know Mr Mila's brother's kids had to redo one year in the USA but that was purely to catch up in English. And they were only starting school.

Is it maybe just the location as there might not be a school that is primarily English in the region or is it our education.
How much will you have to spend to get them up to standard with kids their own age? Who here has done it?

What reason was given for the need to jump back two years? The schools that South African middle class and up children attend are usually very good. It's the poor schools that are typically dismal. The most likely thing they need to catch up on is the language, and by putting them in a class where they're likely completely familiar with the material being taught it will give them time to assimilate the language without impeding their learning of subject material. If on the other hand there is no language adjustment then there shouldn't be much of an issue. Also by the age of 15 if they're intelligent and competent it should be an option to put it on them to catch up if any is required. That includes assimilating a new language.

The cost of education varies. In the UK school and university are much more expensive than South Africa. As with South Africa if you can't afford to pay for school you try to live in the right area for one of the good state funded ones.

Getting rid of most of our large items/furniture & only need about a third of a 20ft container. Best quote so far: R30 000 excl insurance.

That often comes down to a choice between paying more for a full container and getting it shipped out quickly or saving money and hoping it gets filled quickly, so it doesn't sit waiting to leave.

 

[bwana]

Even then, YMMV. I love real seasons - nothing much better than sitting by the fire with family, friends and dogs while it snows outside.

Sorry but growing up I spent way too much time digging out my car and clearing the driveway and sidewalks to believe that those few moments gathered around the fire are truly worth it.

 

[Garson007]

Not to be too personal Lycanthrope but how come you don't have to work? You're not old enough to have retired.

He's a housewife, I gather.

 

[Spizz]

Sorry but growing up I spent way too much time digging out my car and clearing the driveway and sidewalks to believe that those few moments gathered around the fire are truly worth it.

Yes, snow is great when you are a kid, no doubt, but the burning fire scenario belongs in a tourist brochure.

Iced paths, broken bones, wet feet, car crashes and flu are the reality.

 

[cguy]

Yes, snow is great when you are a kid, no doubt, but the burning fire scenario belongs in a tourist brochure.

Iced paths, broken bones, wet feet, car crashes and flu are the reality.

Several winters of brochure reality for me. Well salted streets and sidewalks where I live. Haven't got the flu yet.

 

[cguy]

Sorry but growing up I spent way too much time digging out my car and clearing the driveway and sidewalks to believe that those few moments gathered around the fire are truly worth it.

Yeah, I've heard that from people a bit further out. I haven't got a car, and people clear and salt the sidewalks for me.

 

[Spizz]

Several winters of brochure reality for me. Well salted streets and sidewalks where I live. Haven't got the flu yet.

And I'm lying in bed in SA with a crappy cold....

I guess I'll just shut up

 

[cguy]

And I'm lying in bed in SA with a crappy cold....

I guess I'll just shut up

so far I've been lucky - ironically, the only flu I've ever gotten in the US was once when I lived in California (and it knocked me silly for two weeks).

 

[proxilin]

But after investigating, it turns out that if they are lucky they will have to redo two years.
Telling a 15 year old he will be going to class with 12and 13 year olds didn't go down well. Which I'm sure we all can understand.
(He has two kids in high school)

What schools are these? Dutch "public" schools or private international schools? Plenty of South Africans go overseas, and I've never heard of kids having to redo more than a year, but they usually go to English medium international schools. Keeping them behind for a year is also partly due to the difference in the school year (September to July vs our January to December). So even if a kid his kept back by a grade, they aren't more than half a year behind their SA peers. The problem comes in when the people then come back to SA for some reason, then due to the shifting school year they can be held back again, resulting in them being very far behind.

I'd ask for the reasons they are being kept behind, since it shouldn't be 2 years. Also hear from various schools. If it's a year, and they are planning on staying there until they finish, then I'd say go ahead. But keeping kids behind with 2 years isn't really the greatest idea. Then I'd rather just stick with SA schools, since it sounds like they are in a position to go to very good SA schools. Our university degrees are on par with the rest of the world, so once they have that, they can look at doing postgraduates overseas if their dad is still there.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

.... Then I'd rather just stick with SA schools, since it sounds like they are in a position to go to very good SA schools. Our university degrees are on par with the rest of the world, so once they have that, they can look at doing postgraduates overseas if their dad is still there.

My younger brother and sister both went to top Australian private schools through scholarships and they are part of the elite few in Oz. They each got a good education but nothing above average to what a good public school (Model C) has offered my kids.

An opportunity to relocate overseas is on the table for me (work visa only) but I'm not convinced to take it because of my kids education. I can offer them a far better education in my town than I can where we would go. Reality is it all costs money and I can do more here for my kids than overseas with half the salary.

 

[proxilin]

My younger brother and sister both went to top Australian private schools through scholarships and they are part of the elite few in Oz. They each got a good education but nothing above average to what a good public school (Model C) has offered my kids.

An opportunity to relocate overseas is on the table for me (work visa only) but I'm not convinced to take it because of my kids education. I can offer them a far better education in my town than I can where we would go. Reality is it all costs money and I can do more here for my kids than overseas with half the salary.

+1. The schooling they can get in SA can be on par with the world (if you can afford the good public schools/private schools/universities). The education w.r.t. life experience they get by being overseas is a whole different matter, and well worth it if all else is equal.

 

[Maverick Jester]

As per the others, I too shall be following this thread. Will come in handy in the foreseeable future.

 

[Skandalis]

That often comes down to a choice between paying more for a full container and getting it shipped out quickly or saving money and hoping it gets filled quickly, so it doesn't sit waiting to leave.

We don't think the property sizes will be the same, so we've decided to only take essentials.

Like you said, we'll play the waiting game for the container to fill up.

 

[maumau]

He's a housewife, I gather.

Lucky

 

[zippy]

In terms of natural beauty and climate I couldn't agree more, however the things that matter in a modern society we dearly lack, education and population growth probably being the most serious issues

Not true. There are amazing places all over the world. Each unique in its own right. In SA, my best spots are in the Blydepoort and Knysna areas. There is some amazing scenery in Ireland. I can find fault with the SA climate. I think there are far better places in Mediterranean when it comes to climate. In the US, the west coast near San Diego has a great climate too. Better than SA, I think.

I actually prefer South East England to Gauteng's awful dry climate. Cape Town on the other hand beats South East England, but Sardinia trumps any beach location in SA by far.

The problem with SA is that you are so far from everywhere else. So you are more or less constrained to Southern Africa.

 

[Nicodeamus]

Not true. There are amazing places all over the world. Each unique in its own right. In SA, my best spots are in the Blydepoort and Knysna areas. There is some amazing scenery in Ireland. I can find fault with the SA climate. I think there are far better places in Mediterranean when it comes to climate. In the US, the west coast near San Diego has a great climate too. Better than SA, I think.

I actually prefer South East England to Gauteng's awful dry climate. Cape Town on the other hand beats South East England, but Sardinia trumps any beach location in SA by far.

The problem with SA is that you are so far from everywhere else. So you are more or less constrained to Southern Africa.

Which in itself is a very big area, bigger than most people think.

After traveling a bit around the world, I tend to find that SA's middle class lifestyle isn't better or worse than most places. There are some other African countries that I also wouldn't mind living in for a year or two.

In terms of weather and climate, that is always a very personal choice. I sometimes like even the gloomy rain of England and I hated the hot summers in Tanzania.