Staying in South Africa
18/09/2008 09:30 - (SA)
Georgina Guedes
I have just returned from two weeks in London. I had a wonderful time, saw my friends, ate at some fine establishments, used fabulous public transport, but at the end of it all, I am very, very happy to be back home.
I was in London to attend a friend's wedding, and the week before the wedding, I took part in the hen party, which started out as a fairly laid-back affair, but soon turned to debauchery.
At some point, a group of girls - all of them South Africans living in London - started to discuss South Africa. They mentioned that a friend of theirs, living in South Africa, had sent them an email discussing the glorious weather that we'd been having.
But then, a week later, the same friend wrote to tell of the hijacking of a family member, and the unanimous conclusion among all the overseas South Africans was that a bit of good weather wasn't worth the daily risk to your safety.
It's an interesting conundrum, and those of us living in South Africa have obviously made the other decision - that weather, space and quality of life are worth the risk of becoming a victim of crime.
The London lifestyle
I love London, I love visiting there, and I love how cultural activities catering to just about every interest and way of thinking are available every day. But every time I visit and stay with a friend, I look at their lifestyle and am very grateful that it's not mine.
Life in London is hard work, and it's expensive. There may be a world of cultural and epicurean opportunities available to everyone who lives there, but they cost so much that they can't be taken advantage of that often. And as soon as they have kids, people have less time and less money, and babysitters are so expensive, that they actually never leave the house.
The weather is terrible. It's there every day. Every day, the dank, damp, endless grayness casts a shroud over London. It's miserable. Aside from the impact this has on mood, the laundry never dries.
The weather is a big factor, because in London there is no space, so a family of four might live in the equivalent of a starter apartment in South Africa. The entire interior space is perpetually draped with laundry, because it won't dry in the fine drizzle perpetually soaking whatever postage stamp of exterior place the home might have.
So you want to get out, and you can, but you need to don a rain coat, take an umbrella, put the rain cover down on your child's pram, and then you wonder haplessly in your local park (because getting on the public transport in this get up is pretty intolerable and no one drives in London), where you can't do anything much anyway, because all of this paraphernalia doesn't lend itself to unbridled romping in the fields.
The public transport is great, and as a visitor to London, for me, the novelty hasn't worn off. I ride the tubes for the joy of riding the tubes (and locals think I'm odd). But I could see how having a daily route to work, in peak times that required me to be sardined into a cramped and often smelly space with a thousand other bored commuters could start to get me down. Londoners hate the tubes, and with a little imagination, it's not hard to see why.
And as convenient as the public transport might seem, it does limit you to your own area. Best friends who live at opposite ends of London don't see each other for months because the idea of traveling the distance is unbearable. And if you don't make arrangements months in advance, you won't even get to see the people in your own area - that's just how London works.
There's no popping in for a braai when the fancy takes you, no dropping in because you were in the area, and no casual phone calls to say, "we're having breakfast down the road, why don't you join us?"
Be part of the solution
Then there's South Africa. As a nation, we have huge problems - there's no denying it. But we're also a country with so much potential. I want to stay here and be part of the solution, part of a country that can show the rest of the world that democracy can work in Africa, and decisions can be made for the good of everyone.
And people talk about the racism (from both sides), and the crime, and the financial uncertainty, but I think that most South Africans are an optimistic bunch who just want what's best for their country.
On my first evening back home, I took my dog for a walk in my local park. As we made our way along the trail, I encountered so many people - black and white - who make eye contact, smile and say hi. This is in stark contrast to London, where a greeting is met with suspicion, or if it's returned, a curt nod of the head is all that will be proffered.
I felt great to be home, among people who really do want to make a connection. We're going to be OK. We've just got to try to get the national mood up.
) 
And there are lots of comments.
Public transport this side is WAY better and much safer. If you are going for a good piss-up, then just catch a cab.