Tips and advice to thrive in South Africa

How did you manage to adjust?
The best way to "adjust" is to start getting involved in things as soon as possible - take a course (language, drawing, cooking, dancing) so you are meeting other people. Also, join a community on Meetup.com who share similar interests and start exploring the area with others.

How long does it take to feel at home? Would you say it is an easy process?
It took me 2 years to feel at home and I wouldn't say it was easy but it wasn't hard either - I've never felt at home in any other country I lived in.

According to you, what is key for a successful integration process in South Africa?
South Africa, like any other country, has it's own history, mores, and customs. Learn to be patient, take things as they come, try not to get upset, and things will be ok.

Also if you are coming from a first world country there are noticible difference obviously. More so depending in the area that you are living in big city versus smaller town. Try not to get into the habit of "oh but is such and such I used to be able to get this or that". While it frustrates you it irritates the people there. Let's face it you are the one choosing to live in SA. One thing that helped me develop is payients coming from Miami where every thing is fast passed and you want it done yesterday, SA teaches you that you can live at a different pace and not everthing you thought you needed was really a need.

I have been to a few countries and immigrated to South Africa.

I feel the greatest challenge in South Africa is surviving crime. 

I say that having survived being held at gunpoint at work in a robbery, surviving an attempted car jacking and being assaulted for my mobile phone walking home.  I've also had my home broken into and by what ever course, was lucky I went to the spare bathroom and not en-suite as they were still in the house in my bedroom packing the bags with my things and left the premises while I was in the bathroom, leaving me unharmed.  Sadly, I can say, that a family member of mine was not so fortunate and was strangled to death in her garden for R300 and a Dvd player, it was a horrific scene to come home to.

The way I see surviving crime and being able to live in some beautiful places in South Africa is to be responsible.  First of all, do not lead into temptation.  Do not leave your laptop in full view while driving your car so you tempt someone to smash your window at a stop street.  Do not wear expensive jewellery unless you are under armed guard.  Lock your house properly. Stay clear of travelling in remote places or at night.  Travel with others in a crowd rather than being a hero and alone. Keep a network.  Be neighbourhood friendly - get to actually know your neighbours!  Just be sensible.  Crime is not always premeditated, many times we carelessly provoke situations.

I love the culture diversity but I've enjoyed that throughout Africa and into Saudi Arabia and the Uk.  I love Cape Town, although I have lived in and worked in every province of South Africa!  Cape Town I find to be a beautiful city, clean, orderly and when I left temporarily to attend to a family death, I found I yearned for "home" and realised that I was lost until I was blown away in the Cape.

I think the key to any integration process is to understand a brief history of the country, respect that you are a guest, that you are an ambassador representing yourself, family, company and country and should have a broad mind, be ready for challenge, conduct yourself accordingly and love people.  If you enrich your knowledge and experience with other people's culture, just learning a song in a foreign language, or taking time to help a 'Mama' carry her bags, or smiling and being polite to a cashier that has just pulled a twelve hour shift and realise that the little people are just as important as the VIPs then you will appreciate the process of any country from bottom to top.

My family all headed overseas in the great fear of the new South Africa.  I stayed to make it work.  I feel that every country has problems and the grass is not greener on the other side - it is how you live your life, that makes a difference.