South Africa is not a five star hotel. Put your sneakers on and dig in deep. Imagine arriving in South Africa, a strange country, all alone during your first month – no cell phone, no internet, maybe no electricity, no car, no friends, ants in your cupboard, in your sugar, running up and down your bath.
BE PREPARED – you will experience load shedding, snail pace internet, customer service is non-existent and traffic officers make a quick ‘buck’ around every corner. All expats have tried applying for a drivers license, opening a bank account, getting from the airport to new home, going grocery shopping in their first day or month in South Africa can tell you their experiences.
Imagine having no car. What do you do as an Expatriate? South Africa has the Gautrain, Public Transport and other cab or shuttle services.
Gautrain is an 80-kilometre (50 miles) mass rapid transit railway system in Gauteng Province, South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekhuruleni and or Tambo International Airport. It offers commuters a viable alternative to road transport, as Johannesburg has limited public transport infrastructure. The project was completed with the opening on 2012 of the final section between Rosebank and Johannesburg Park Station.
Your kids do not like their new school, they don’t have friends, they don’t like their new teacher. Is your child in the International school or the local school? Try the local school, your kids will learn a new language like Sotho. Learn a new language with your children. For all the moms who drop off their children at the school, talk to parents at the school, ask them questions about South Africa. Make new friends through the school.
How does it feel ‘not recognising one plant or bird species!’ Take up hiking, join an expat networking club. Take up ballet, English classes, tennis, cooking classes in your area.
Lend a hand to the needy or less fortunate. Help out a charity organisation.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH – Take one bite at a time out of your apple – Crown can offer you settling in services to make your life and the transition easier.
We provide a tailored and fully accompanied Post Arrival Orientation/Settling in program which give the assignee an in-depth introduction to the new neighbourhood. The program is designed to ensure that the assignee and their families settle as quickly as possible and this includes :
- City information pack
- Introduction to public transport
- Visit to shopping mall/food markets
- Identification of options for doctor, dentists, baby health care
- Visit to bank and post office (assisting in opening bank account or post office boxes)
- Overview of leisure & hobby facilities
- Advice on employing a domestic helper
- Introduction to expatriate networking clubs & support groups
We also provide airport pick up, temporary accommodation, intercultural training (cultural awareness), security briefings (ensuring your home is sufficiently secure), personal security briefing (on crime awareness), assistance with drivers licenses and vehicle registrations, and other services to our expats at an additional fee.
For further information or urgent assistance, please contact Sally Wardle – Tel : (011) 3721700 or Email : swardle@crownww.com
