So I’m not particularly old, in fact I’m relatively young. So when someone trying to organise a ten year reunion for my primary school I get concerned.
However the most concerning thing is that out of about ten responses only two people can make it. The reasons given my all eight of the people not attending were the same, London.
A quick percentage survey of the whopping ten people shows that 80% of the people I grew up with are overseas, in London. What the hell is that? I don’t get it. Overseas, great but London? I just never understand that.
The sad thing is that there is certainly a percentage of these people who will end up staying over there never to return. Why? I don’t know. I would definitely choose to live in SA over London any day of the week. Traveling is great but I honestly don’t count England as traveling anymore. There are just too many South Africans over there right now.
I just hope that some of them start coming back so that my 20 year reunion is ruined too!
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November 19th, 2007 at 10:20 am
You’re joking, right?
November 19th, 2007 at 10:47 am
About what??
November 19th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Are you nuts, London is an amazing place to be young in, with an average salary £22 000 (not qualified to do anything) reaching £60 000(Accounting,IT), no real problems getting a job (use your SA accent here),no worrys about not been black and no worries for black people about been black,real Cosmopolitan living (never eat the same ethnic food twice), the ability to fly anywhere in the world on a whim (£50 anywhere in europe, £300 anywhere in america or north africa or asia,£600 to the antipods or South America),the pound(why don’t you pay off that house this year?),hedonistic night life (never club or pub in the same place,except your local,ever heard of Ministry of Sound,Pacha,GateCrasher),A different international band to go see every week(LIVE and UB40 what a joke,they couldn’t even fill the Shepherds bush pavilion, is that best you can do??) summer touch rugby league on the common,parklife, easy access to Girls/Guys of every nationality(I certainly recomend trying the Eastern Europeans and Australians while you’re there), getting to live with all your mates in the same house (first year,always some one to go for a beer with), getting to live with all your mates in the same area (2nd,3rd year), freedom to walk where ever you want at any time(without fear of been stabbed for 50p,raped if your a woman),January and February ski trips,been able to afford a large screen TV on half a months salary and a PS3 on a quarters,getting home when you’re pissed without endangering the lives of everyone on the road.
Its like going to rhodes university without having to learn and getting paid for the pleasure.
Don’t worry your friends will have to grow up at some point,normally around 28 – 34, some will move to Australia with their new Australian partners or company,others will sneak back into SA and get a better job than you because of their INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE,the real sad ones will move to outter London/Scotland/the midlands/Anywhere out of London and bother you daily on facebook because their life is so dull,the really clever ones will move to New York where they won’t have to grow up until they are 40…
Nic you are doing yourself one helluva a disservice if you don’t go…don’t knock it,till you try it
November 19th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Ha… ok, more than a little embellishing going on there. I mean – seriously. I’ve lived in London and that’s definitely not the case all the time or even for half the people who go there. And we could list the same amount of ‘pros’ for South Africa.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
You’re right Verashni, there were some real tough times as well, living on £5, sleeping in friends passages in the winter,but I made it through and the way nostalgia works is you embelish the good and forget the worst…In my mind living in London was akin to living in the Playboy mansion and it was fabulous,maybe you have a different way of looking at it, but I took all the oppurtunities on offer and made it.
Many Saffa’s also lived on Baked beans in the worst area for two years while saving up for a fancy jammy which they would buy when they got home they didn’t seem to be having as much fun as I was.
By the way saying some place was fun is not knocking South Africa, it was not a pro’s and con’s of one country over another,but Nic asked why London and I told him…..
November 19th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
@me – I see where you are coming from and I get what you are saying but I agree with Verashni here. London = Overrated BIG TIME.
I have lived there and many other places so I am not wet behind the ears on this topic at all. I am just stating that it is pretty strange/sad that so many people from one year at one school are overseas at one time, so early in their lives and so late after school.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
@me – I hope you didn’t misinterpret me, I wasn’t saying you were knocking anything and I can concur with some your sentiments. I have friends who LOVE London. Hell, I love London, but I don’t want to live there. It is a very, very subjective and contextual debate that will never be won or lost. It’s a matter of choice.
As I’ve said many times on this blog, travelling is essential. If you don’t travel, in my opinion, you are naive to some extent and it takes guts. But I was just saying that it astounded me that so many people in one year were all in London and not anywhere else in the world, or in SA!
November 19th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Not that weird, one of the best excuses for the unimaginative youth is my friends are all doing so why can’t I….and why try and make new friends when you can take them with you…