Two years living abroad

StellenboschStudent said:
Moved to industry... And yes, current job is in a non-existing market in SA (semiconductors). There seems to be a more diverse range of jobs available - especially in industries you won't find in SA (high tech).
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Cool. What type of semiconductor work if I may ask? Fab process work or HW design?
 
MagicDude4Eva said:
Every overseas state-pension scheme is collapsing...
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Pretty lofty claim presented sans evidence...

cguy said:
True, although there is only a fixed finite amount of crime in the world. By the Conservation of Crime principle, if South Africa had just a little more crime, there would in fact be no more crime in Europe, so nearly there...
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I've never understood the way people phrase that. Is anyone saying there isn't any crime in Europe/rest of the world? It's all about the rates of crime, which makes all the difference in the world.
 
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Dave said:
You working at NETPark?



Been in and around the area for 20 years now, on and off.
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Jip. Enjoying the daily commute up and down the A1...


cguy said:
Cool. What type of semiconductor work if I may ask? Fab process work or HW design?
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I am more involved in the actual Fab process - Process Engineer.
We are working on flexible ICs... Making RFID tahs for about 1 cent, with the idea of integrating it into almost each and every product.
 
Quick thought just in case of, extend you schengen visa (easy since you've lived in France) for a 3 year multi entry one just before Brexit is effective !

Sorry I didn't answer to your mp like a year ago but I actually live in SA, not in Paris !
 
Pakka said:
Meat is meat, and a man must eat
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Come here, pakka pakka
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OrbitalDawn said:
I've never understood the way people phrase that. Is anyone saying there isn't any crime in Europe/rest of the world? It's all about the rates of crime, which makes all the difference in the world.
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Yeah, it's a strange combination of the perfectionist fallacy and a straw man - it doesn't have to be perfect to be significantly better, and nobody is making the claim that Europe is literally crime free. I get that it is an attempt to point out that there is no qualitative difference between crime in the two places, only quantitative, but that's just wrong - sufficient quantitative disparity is a qualitative disparity.
 
cguy said:
Yeah, it's a strange combination of the perfectionist fallacy and a straw man - it doesn't have to be perfect to be significantly better, and nobody is making the claim that Europe is literally crime free. I get that it is an attempt to point out that there is no qualitative difference between crime in the two places, only quantitative, but that's just wrong - sufficient quantitative disparity is a qualitative disparity.
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I sincerely have a strange bias.

I've moved to SA 6 years ago and have lived 19 years in Paris, I've never been a victim of crime either in SA or Paris, but though I feel vulnerable and uncomfortable in the subway in Paris (while the worse possible thing is getting robbed, maybe punched and extreme scenario stabbed not to death if resisting) while in SA I know that the risk is being shot at for close to no reason, but somehow being in my car makes me feel much safer...
 
cguy said:
Yeah, it's a strange combination of the perfectionist fallacy and a straw man - it doesn't have to be perfect to be significantly better, and nobody is making the claim that Europe is literally crime free. I get that it is an attempt to point out that there is no qualitative difference between crime in the two places, only quantitative, but that's just wrong - sufficient quantitative disparity is a qualitative disparity.
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Exactly. Although even that sounds a bit strange to me. The qualitative disparity was immediately noticeable for me.
 
f2wohf said:
Quick thought just in case of, extend you schengen visa (easy since you've lived in France) for a 3 year multi entry one just before Brexit is effective !

Sorry I didn't answer to your mp like a year ago but I actually live in SA, not in Paris !
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Luckily I travel to EU regularly for work. Currently have a 1 year multi-entry visa. Will apply for a 3 year one this year... my wife got a 3 year visa without even asking!
 
f2wohf said:
I sincerely have a strange bias.

snip/ somehow being in my car makes me feel much safer...
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Yup that false sense of security...
That's why a lot of people go all apesh111t/ roadrage in cars, they feel "protected" by sitting inside that cage.
Although, bullets don't ricochet off cars like they do in the movies ;)
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Exactly. Although even that sounds a bit strange to me. The qualitative disparity was immediately noticeable for me.
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I follow the local police department on twitter, and they report most of the crimes (more serious crimes) via twitter and ask for any witnesses. I'd say, about once every 2 weeks, there is a rape reported, stabbings, about once a week... people getting punched every three days (mostly drunk people). In the 1 year only 1 report of someone being shot. No car jacking, some break-ins into cars and homes (but doubt if they tweet about all of them).

So yes, there definitely is crime. Just like in SA, and any country in the world, you know which areas to avoid, to avoid 90% of the crime.

Like I said, I have no problem walking through a dark park at 2 am, or through a dodgy, dimly lit street. I just feel safer compared to SA...
 
StellenboschStudent said:
Luckily I travel to EU regularly for work. Currently have a 1 year multi-entry visa. Will apply for a 3 year one this year... my wife got a 3 year visa without even asking!
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Don't hesitate if you need any help or sponsoring with it ! :)

You can actually get up to 5 years, but they're not that easy to get. I couldn't even get one for my girlfriend, they only gave her 2 years (we requested only for one trip though).
 
raind33r said:
Yup that false sense of security...
That's why a lot of people go all apesh111t/ roadrage in cars, they feel "protected" by sitting inside that cage.
Although, bullets don't ricochet off cars like they do in the movies ;)
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That's when you realize how strange is the human brain.

I'm somehow more scared of 0.xx% chances of having my phone stolen in a subway than a higher odd of being carjacked/house robbed and in addition living 24/7 with constant reminders of the threat (high walls, electric fences, armed response none of which exist where I come from).
 
f2wohf said:
Don't hesitate if you need any help or sponsoring with it ! :)

You can actually get up to 5 years, but they're not that easy to get. I couldn't even get one for my girlfriend, they only gave her 2 years (we requested only for one trip though).
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For current visa I just asked one of the companies we regularly visit for a letter... This time I will get 2-3 companies to write letters, that should hopefully help.

Thanks for the willingness to help, might just take you up on it.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
For current visa I just asked one of the companies we regularly visit for a letter... This time I will get 2-3 companies to write letters, that should hopefully help.

Thanks for the willingness to help, might just take you up on it.
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No problem, don't hesitate if you have any doubt. I love to prove to Trump hardliners that EU visas are granted to everybody worldwide without any sort of background check.

From what I've heard from friends, avoid getting applying for it at the German/Dutch/Scandinavian consulates and prefer Belgium/Spain/France who tend to be more generous.

Though, avoid to get one linked to your company, in case you change. Or get a business one + a personal one while it's still rather easy.

I've never applied for a EU visa or checked thoroughly the criterias but I honestly doubt you'd get any sanctions for carrying business meetings with a tourism visa (at least in Western Europe), they really couldn't care less about the tourism/business difference as long as you're not a threat.

I have a hint that Brexit will allow British without any issues but that visas for non-EU people will only get harder and harder to get.
 
f2wohf said:
No problem, don't hesitate if you have any doubt. I love to prove to Trump hardliners that EU visas are granted to everybody worldwide without any sort of background check.

From what I've heard from friends, avoid getting applying for it at the German/Dutch/Scandinavian consulates and prefer Belgium/Spain/France who tend to be more generous.

Though, avoid to get one linked to your company, in case you change. Or get a business one + a personal one while it's still rather easy.

I've never applied for a EU visa or checked thoroughly the criterias but I honestly doubt you'd get any sanctions for carrying business meetings with a tourism visa (at least in Western Europe), they really couldn't care less about the tourism/business difference as long as you're not a threat.

I have a hint that Brexit will allow British without any issues but that visas for non-EU people will only get harder and harder to get.
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I've had luck with the Dutch so far. Since I had a 1 year Schengen from France, they might be more willing to give me another long term one...
Will see where I go in August when my current visa expires...

The other joy is getting a stamp in and out of every country = passport gets full really quickly. Applied for a new passport through the SA embassy in London... takes 4 months! Don't understand that... and of course the service is crap.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
I've had luck with the Dutch so far. Since I had a 1 year Schengen from France, they might be more willing to give me another long term one...
Will see where I go in August when my current visa expires...

The other joy is getting a stamp in and out of every country = passport gets full really quickly. Applied for a new passport through the SA embassy in London... takes 4 months! Don't understand that... and of course the service is crap.
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Got my SA visa renewed in 2 days (including a public holiday) at the SA consulate in Paris ! (though their entire phone system was off for like a week...)

And my passport for free in 8 working days at the French consulate in Joburg (they actually gave a 60 pages one as the previous was full in 3 years).

But basically, try to secure a long one before Brexit effectively occurs just in case of, if you build a record of going into Schengen like once every 3 months, it will support it.

Just out of curiosity, when you go from UK to EU, do they check your visa when you exit UK or enter EU ? (as I can travel with just my ID)
 
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