John Els, Author At South Africans In Austin

How To Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Immigration Fraud

April 7, 2022October 5, 2018 by John Els

immigration fraud - avoid the evil immigration clown's visa scam

South Africa is a country in turmoil. Many people are making plans to emigrate. They don’t see a future for themselves there.

Immigration can be difficult though… especially to the USA!

This difficulty to immigrate to the US creates a problem. People become desperate. And when they become desperate, they become prime targets for immigration fraud and visa scams. The result can be that such people end up out of money, out of luck, or even in prison.

Here’s how to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of immigration fraud…

How To Make Boerewors Like A Pro

November 23, 2019May 8, 2018 by John Els

One of the first things that South African expats look for in a foreign country, is boerewors. You know… that yummy South African sausage that everyone likes to braai on a Sunday (or a Tuesday, or a Friday…) The problem is… the USA isn’t like South Africa where you can go to the grocery …

How To Have An Amazing South African Braai

May 10, 2018October 12, 2015 by John Els

“Let’s have a braai!” – Epic words spoken by many a South African.

(The word “braai” means “to grill food” and is pronounced “bry.”)

The South African braai is much more than a way to cook food. It is an event that fills voids in lives!

When things go right, like the Springboks winning, South Africans celebrate with a braai. When things go wrong, like Eskom cutting electricity again, a braai is the answer. The braai fixes anything!

Emigration… What To Expect When Moving To Another Country

July 20, 2017July 10, 2015 by John Els

From the many email inquiries that we receive at SA-Austin.com, one thing is clear… emigration is a topic that comes up in many South African households.

This is not a new trend. South Africans have been moving to other countries in droves for at least a couple of decades. Politicsweb published an article that put the number of South African emigrants at more than 588,000 in 2010.

People have many reasons for wanting to leave South Africa, and it is typically thought that such a step will remove those issues from their lives. Depending on which country they go to, for the most part, that is true.

Rhino Poaching – Africa’s Filthy Secret & Why It Must Be Stopped

May 6, 2022September 9, 2014 by John Els

rhino poaching - a victim — This must be stopped!

Africa has a secret… a filthy secret, that is in fact not so secret at all… rhino poaching!

In 1970 there were 70,000 rhinos in Africa.
Currently, there are fewer than 30,000 rhinos left.
That decline is largely due to rhino poaching.
In 2013 alone, more than 1,000 rhinos were killed by poachers!

Rhinos are magnificent animals that have inhabited our planet for about 50 million years. Now, humans are threatening to wipe them out.

Austin Urgent Care Facilities That Will Save You Money

March 10, 2022March 21, 2014 by John Els

Medical costs in the US are outrageous! We’ve discussed this earlier. According to CNBC and many others, medical bills are the #1 cause of personal bankruptcies in the US!

Emergency Rooms can be some of the worst culprits when it comes to outrageous costs. They will charge $1 for a single ibuprofen tablet, while you can buy a bottle of 500 tablets at Costco for $5.

Medical Costs In The US: Outrageous Or Justifiable?

May 13, 2022February 2, 2013 by John Els

medical costs

Medical costs in the US are high! Anybody who has recently made a trip to the ER, been hospitalized, or even had some routine medical tests done, will agree.

The question is, are high US medical costs simply out of control or are they justifiable?

A friend who recently visited us from South Africa (i.e. no US health insurance) got sick on a Saturday evening. All of the symptoms pointed to the possibility of meningitis.

Poll: What Were Your Main Reasons For Leaving South Africa?

July 20, 2017April 20, 2011 by John Els

Over the past 20 years, hundreds of thousands of people, and by some estimations, more than a million people have been leaving South Africa and settling in other countries.

Some might say, “So what? People have migrated for thousands of years and will continue to do so in the future!”