My 2c ....
First thing .... Would be not to be spooked by the crowd.
What do you YOU want to do? Are you deciding with your heart or your head?
The people who want you to stay will convince you that SA is the best place on earth.
Of course they will, they are proudly South African, and dont want to be the only ones.
Sa has a lot going for it.
The ones who are moving on, have seen enough change that they realise SA isnt for them anymore.
Sometimes you go where the work is, sometimes you go where your heart takes you.
If you decide to go, it will be costly .... no matter what, both mentally and financially.
No matter where you go, seek out the SA expat community .... there is an SA expat community in almost any country .....
Some South Africans are quite entitled and arrogant .... I am not picking a fight here, but, this is just how some Saffers are ... those who become a bit humble get along, those who don't keep harping on about what they had in SA and complain about their host country endlessly ... they usually go back.
There other options other than Africa, but you need to shake off the characteristic perspective of that place, and remember that wherever you go, it is not SA .... things will be different. I can only really talk for the Americas, because thats where we have lived after SA.
We obviously decided to make the leap out of SA, and came back to get our adult kids.
I miss SA dearly, but not some of the people, none of the government folks or the politics.
We dont have a big house like we did in SA, or a big savings, or a great job title, or a fat pension, or a big car, or all the stuff we had ........... but we do have freedom and opportunity .... and we are happy.
My eldest son lives in South America, he has learnt to weld, is a great carpenter, he has a laser and 3d printing business, and makes enough to live.
He is happy.
He cant come onto mybb and brag about his new car, or new S22, or new Nvidia card .... but he has an affordable public transport system, can walk about safely, lives without fences and has the same opportunity as anyone around him.
The butcher, the baker and the motor mech in his town are all SA expats.
Regardless of where you go, if you go (or stay) ..... it is what you make it.
