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…

Immigration Fraud Exists

In case you’re wondering if immigration fraud exists, here are two examples of visa scams that South African expats in the US sucked unsuspecting people into…

The Woman in Idaho

A woman in Idaho is notorious for defrauding people and other entities. She was recently arrested on a large number of felony charges.

The story doesn’t end there. At the time of writing this, the investigation is ongoing… Among several other reported schemes, this woman also offered immigration services. I noticed that she used Facebook groups to find “business.” When people asked immigration questions, she would respond with, “PM me, I have options.”

Being aware of her reputation, I wondered what she was up to. Then people started sending me details… She would charge a few thousand dollars to register a US company for the person. She would be the company’s registered agent. At least in some cases, she then advised people to come to the US on tourist visas. Once here, the idea was to change status to L1 visas.

I ran the story by a trusted immigration attorney and he immediately told me, “visa scam!” One man lost the money he paid when she went silent after receiving the money. Another family got stuck in a foreign country after a failed entry into the US. They lost a huge amount of money in the process.

It is easy to find several people on Facebook who are fuming at this woman after dealing with her. Many believe she should go to jail, with the key thrown away!

[Update 2022: This woman was found guilty of identity theft and wire fraud and was sentenced to a few years in prison.]

The Man in Oklahoma

US authorities recently arrested a South African man in Oklahoma. The charges include several felony counts of human trafficking. Many young South Africans come to the US as non-immigrant seasonal workers on farms. Farmers file the proper paperwork for these guys and they work in the US on H2A visas.

According to the affidavit, this guy lured some workers away from the farmers where they worked legally. He promised them higher wages. Then he hired these guys out to local farmers without obtaining new visas for them.

The result was that these guys ended up stranded in Oklahoma. Without new visas, they lost their ability to work. This left them without money to support themselves or to return to South Africa.

[Update 2022: This guy has moved back to South Africa. He had a number of human trafficking charges filed against him, so it is possible that his return to South Africa was part of a plea deal with prosecutors.]

Attorneys Aren’t Innocent Either

While there are excellent attorneys out there, there are also some bad apples. Here are examples of what two immigration attorneys did to people who trusted them. (People with knowledge of these events sent this to us.)

The Attorney with Bad Service

A South African couple wanted to emigrate. They went to see an immigration attorney in Texas for a paid consultation. The couple wanted to expand their existing business into the US and get L1 visas.

The attorney gave them no useful information and had not prepared any documentation. The attorney kept on saying that the couple needed to enter the Green Card lottery and see if they got selected. Beyond that, the attorney was more interested in text messages and the next client. In the end, the couple felt cheated out of their money.

This example does not amount to immigration fraud, but only bad service. The couple then went to see another immigration attorney. There they got excellent service and had a wonderful experience.

The Attorney using Fake Companies

There is an immigration attorney on the East Coast who is reportedly up to some unsavory business as well. Someone wrote the following about this attorney:

This attorney is reportedly also quick to threaten unhappy clients with lawsuits if they talk about reporting the attorney to the state bar.

These examples illustrate that immigration fraud is real. Poor service in the immigration industry is real. People get ripped off if they aren’t careful.

How To Avoid Becoming A Victim

Here are some tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of immigration fraud:

Also, visit the US Citizenship and Immigration Services resource for avoiding immigration fraud and visa scams.

What To Do If You Become A Victim

If you become a victim of immigration fraud, a visa scam, or a bad attorney, you could try to sue. You might not be successful, but it could be worth a shot. The next best thing to do is to report the person and let the law deal with them.

How to Report Immigration Fraud

Visit the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to report immigration fraud.

Reporting Attorneys

According to the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA), you have the following options:

You can also visit the US Citizenship and Immigration Services for state-by-state information on reporting visa scams.

Bringing It All Together

Now you know that immigration fraud and visa scams are real. The key to not getting caught in an immigration scam is to be cautious with who you’re dealing with. Do your own research. Make sure that what you’re getting into, is legal. And if you become a victim of a visa scam or bad lawyer, report the bastard. It will help to stop them from scamming other people as well.

Please share this article far and wide. This has to stop!

If you have a comment to add, please do so below…

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 store and buy boerewors. You either have to buy it online or you have to learn how to make boerewors yourself.

While it is convenient, buying boerewors can be a hit or a miss. This is why some people choose to learn how to make boerewors themselves.

Luckily, it isn’t rocket-science. Here’s how to make boerewors yourself…

Disclaimer: For complete transparency, I want you to know that there are affiliate links in this article. That means we get paid a commission for products you buy. BUT it does not cost you more money. The retailer shares some of their profit with us. If you have questions about this, please contact us.

What You Need To Make Boerewors

You will need a few items to make boerewors. Here’s a list:

1. Meat: We use a beef/pork mix of 75% beef and 25% pork. For the beef, we use trimmed brisket because it already contains a good amount of fat. You need about 10 – 15% fat in your meat mix.
2. Casing: You can buy casing online[link to Amazon.com], or in the meat section of many grocery stores, or at a meat market. Here in Central Texas, we buy hog casing at HEB. One packet makes about 20 lbs of boerewors.
3. Spices: Some people buy boerewors spices online [link to Amazon.com] and others use a boerewors recipe that they adjust for taste as they go along.
4. Meat Grinder with Sausage Stuffer: When we started out, we used a $100 meat grinder with a sausage stuffer attachment. It worked fine, but was quite slow. Then we bought this meat grinder [link to Amazon.com] and it changed our world!
5. Cutting board & knife: You’re going to need to cut your meat into cubes.
6. Large plastic tub: You’ll need a large plastic tub [link to Amazon.com] (or two) to mix your meat cubes with the spices and to hold your ground meat before stuffing.

Hint: Make sure your grinder has a 6 mm (1/4 inch) cutting plate [link to Amazon.com]. It gives the correct coarseness to your ground meat.

Preparing The Boerewors Meat

In a nutshell, to prepare the meat, you’ll cut the meat into cubes, mix in the spices, and grind the meat. Here are the details:

1. Cut all the beef into 1.5 – 2 inch cubes.
2. Since you’ll have less pork and want nice distribution, cut the pork into slightly smaller cubes, let’s say 1 – 1.5 inch cubes.
3. Mix all the beef and pork in your plastic tub.
4. Add the spices to the meat and mix thoroughly. (I usually spread about 1/4 of the spices over all the meat, mix, and repeat.) Our method also uses malt vinegar and water, which I add at this point as well.
5. Grind all the meat. Remember to use your 6 mm (1/4 inch) cutting blade. (If you use a 10 mm cutting blade you’ll have to grind twice. If you use a 4 mm cutting blade, your ground meat may be too fine.)

Preparing The Casing

Natural sausage casing, like the hog casing we use, comes packed in salt. So you have to prepare the casing before stuffing:

1. Remove the casing from the package and rinse under running water. Also run the water through the casing.
2. Put warm water (not hot) in a bowl. Add a little white vinegar to the water. About 1 tablespoon is enough. The vinegar softens the casing and helps to give it that little “crisp” on the braai. (Thanks to my friend, Ron Hetzler, for that tip.)
3. Put the casing in the water for approximately 45 minutes before stuffing.

Stuffing – Making The Boerewors

You are now ready to make your boerewors, that is, stuffing the meat into the casing.

Hint: Up to this point, one person could do it all, but with the stuffing, it’s easier to have two people… one person to feed the meat into the stuffer and one person to control the flow of the casing off the stuffer pipe. You don’t want to over-stuff the casing, or the sausage will burst on the braai.

1. Set up the sausage stuffer on your grinder. We found the bigger stuffer pipe to work better than the small one.
2. Pull one or more of the pieces of casing over the stuffer tube.
3. Fill the stuffer with meat, turn it on, and wait for the meat to start pushing out of the stuffer tube.
4. As I mentioned earlier, the person who controls the flow of the casing off the tube, has to stay aware of how tight the sausage is being stuffed. You definitely want to avoid over-stuffing it.

Hint: If the sausage appears to be over-stuffed, simply turn off the machine, pull some more casing off the tube, and redistribute the meat in the sausage by squeezing it by hand.

And that’s all there is to it. You may feel a little unsure at first, but you’ll get the hang of it in two ticks!

Now it’s time to head outside and have a nice braai!

Resources From This Article

Save

LEM #5 Big Bite Meat Grinder [link to Amazon.com]

Save

LEM #5 6mm Cutting Plate [link to Amazon.com]

Save

LEM Heavy-Duty Meat Lug (Plastic Tub) [link to Amazon.com]

Save

Crown Ouma’s Boerewors Spices [link to Amazon.com]

Natural Hog Casings [link to Amazon.com]

Please share this article with your friends, and share your boerewors successes with us in the comments below!

Now there is a new event for South Africans over Labor Day weekend!

We recently spoke to one of the organizers of the South African Potjie in Texas about this new event… 

“The South African Potjie in Texas was established as an alternative event to the Texas Potjie Festival and is in no way affiliated. We are providing an alternative event for South Africans over Labor Day Weekend. Our goal is to promote the original spirit of camping together, having fun, visiting friends and making new friends.”

South African Potjie in Texas

And so, the South African Potjie in Texas was born…

This new event will have no competitions, like the Texas Potjie Festival does. Instead, there will be a potluck dinner where everyone prepares food and brings it to a central location for everyone to share and enjoy together.

Fun and games will be available for the children with the central theme to teach and preserve the South African Heritage for years to come.

On the Saturday evening, there will be a “sokkie” (dance), in typical South African tradition.

The 2017 event will be held in the KOA campground in Rusk, TX. It is a smaller campground.

“With people camping closer to each other, it helps to create a better community spirit.”

The South African Potjie in Texas will begin on the Friday and end on the Monday of Labor Day weekend. Those who want to arrive earlier, are of course welcome to do so.

“We invite any South Africans and their families in the US to join us for a weekend of fun!”

The first event will be from September 1 – 4, 2017.

“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!

South Africans will braai in any type of weather. There have even been sightings of South Africans clearing an opening in snow to make a fire and have a braai.

The Typical Fun South African Braai

 With a typical South African braai, the guests will arrive close to the set time. 

The first order of business is for everyone to open or pour their favorite drink… usually alcoholic. Most of the guys will open a beer. Some will go straight for brandy and Coke. The ladies often drink wine. Many love a beer shandy, which is a mixture of beer and Sprite.

The first 20-30 minutes is about catching up on news and chatting about important things, like the Springboks. The braai isn’t lit yet… Remember, this is a process and like any decent process, it takes time.

After a while, the hostess might get antsy and give her husband the look. “Go light the braai!”

The host will then head to the braai to light the fire. All the other guys follow closely. This is an important job and needs to be done right. Advisors need to be on hand.

Once the coals are ready, the meat goes on the grill. The host braais the meat and anything else his wife tells him to braai. The other guys won’t interfere with this. They only offer occasional advice and refill drinks when necessary.

The ladies will usually hang out in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the side dishes. Their discussions are a bit of a mystery. There is a rumor that they might discuss their husbands from time to time.

After all the food is ready, everyone dishes up and eat together. Some might sit at a table, but many will have their plates on their laps.

After the meal, everyone will visit together for at least another two hours before the first guests start heading home. Another perfect braai under the belt!

How To Plan Your Own Braai

Let’s get down to planning your own South African braai…

Something has to Cook the Food

We have to get one thing clear… a real South African braai is done on coals, not on a gas grill! You can use charcoal, but if you want to stay traditional, use wood. That’s the law of the land!

What is a Braai without Meat?

The typical meat for a South African braai is boerewors (sausage) and lamb chops. People also braai chicken, steak, and sosaties (kebabs).

Boerewors isn’t always easy to buy in the US, but there are some people out there who sell it. Many people make their own boerewors.

Lamb chops can be really expensive in the US, especially loin chops. A cheaper option is to buy a deboned leg of lamb and then cut it into 3/4-inch slices. Lamb chops are seasoned before the braai, or while on the braai. If you don’t have a favorite seasoning, salt and pepper work well.

Chicken drumsticks are very popular. A great variation is to wrap them with bacon before the braai.

Hamburger patties? No! This is a braai, not a barbecue.

Side Dishes and Desserts to make your Mouth Water

If a braai were up to men, as in a “guy-braai,” there would only be meat and drinks. But most braais include the ladies and kids too, so we have side dishes and desserts as well.

Side dishes include various salads. A Greek salad or pasta salad works well. Potato salad is a favorite!

“Pap en sous” (grits and gravy) is a favorite with many South Africans. Some people make a tomato-and-onion gravy, but many also use regular brown gravy.

“Braai broodjies” (grilled sandwiches) is another favorite. They are quite easy to make. Make a sandwich and fill it with sliced tomato, onion, and some cheese. Then braai the sandwich after the meat when the coals are not quite as hot. (Tip: turn the bread regularly to avoid burning.)

Dessert can be as simple as ice cream, but South Africans love traditional desserts, like malva pudding or milk tart.

You now know most of what you need to know to have an amazing South African braai.

Join the Braai Party

Do you have anything to add to make an awesome braai even better? Tell us in the comments…

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.

However, nobody should be under the illusion that emigration is easy. It is of course not impossibly difficult, but it is not necessarily a walk in the park.

Here are some of the issues that will come up…

Emigration… Which Country?

The first emigration question to consider is which country to emigrate to. You must have some sort of idea about whether you think you can live there happily. For example, if you simply can’t function in cold weather, Canada would not be a good choice for you. Do some homework on what life is like in the countries you are considering.

Visas

Some people think that you can simply show up at your new country with a tourist visa and move in. Not true! You need a specific visa that allows you to live and work in your new country.

Sometimes these can be very difficult to obtain. The USA is notoriously difficult to get into. If you win a Green Card in the Green Card Lottery, you’re set. If not, you will have to a find a job with an employer that is willing to sponsor a work visa (H1B). If you have an established business in South Africa and you want to open a branch in the US, you can transfer yourself to the branch on a L1 visa.

However you do it, the visa is critically important and can be a deal-breaker. Despite your preferences, you may be forced to pick a country where you can get the right visa.

Wrapping Up Your Affairs

Assuming that you have the correct visa for the country of your choice, the next step will be to wrap up your affairs in South Africa.

This may include selling your house and/or possessions. Some people ship their possessions to their new country, but this may not be practical if you don’t have many valuable possessions or your new country has a different electrical system.

You will have to wrap up your income tax affairs with SARS. This will include closing your old bank accounts and obtaining a new “blocked” bank account, as well as obtaining a tax clearance certificate from SARS (a certificate that states that all income taxes have been paid).

Your Family

Here comes the potentially sensitive part… your family and how they feel about your decision to leave.

Some families understand and support the new emigrants-to-be, but others don’t. They might not share your sentiments about your reasons for wanting to emigrate.

You will have to break the news gently, especially to parents for whom it can be a devastating thing to see their children go off.

Departure

Brace yourself for some strong emotions on the day of your departure.

You will be anxious because you’re heading into the unknown. You will also be sad because you’ll be saying goodbye to your family, not quite knowing when you’ll see them again. Your family, and especially your parents, will be anxious and sad for the same reasons.

After 20 years in the US, and several trips to South Africa to go visit, I can tell you that the goodbyes at the airport are still not easy.

Arrival In The New Country

When arriving in your new country, you will probably still feel a little anxious because of the unknown-thing, but you will probably also feel somewhat excited. There you are, standing at the beginning of something new and exciting, ready to take on the world.

After a few days, that feeling will likely subside and the reality of what you have done, will kick in. That is not necessarily bad, but you might feel somewhat lonely.

This is why it is a good idea to try to connect with other South Africans in the area as soon as you can. They will help to give you back that feeling of belonging that you need. These days it is quite easy to connect with such groups. Many of them have websites (like this one) or Facebook groups.

[Update] As Jurie Korkie suggests in the comments, it is also important to make some friends with locals in your new community. When they hear your accent, many will be fascinated and interested in your story. Look for social events or clubs in your area, or if you are religiously-inclined, join a local church.

The First 2 Years

In my experience, you need to give yourself at least two years to make peace with the fact that you are now living in a new country. You will probably question your move and sometimes feel sad about it. You may even strongly consider packing up and moving back home. Give yourself at least two years to get over these feelings and to adapt to your new home.

If all this sounds negative, it isn’t meant to be negative… it is meant to be realistic. It is meant to help you understand what you will be facing when you emigrate. It is meant to strengthen your mind to take on the challenges that you will be facing and to become one of the hundreds of thousands of people who have made a success of their emigration.

If you are considering emigration, I wish you all of the best   

Do you have an opinion on emigration, or an experience to share? Let us know in the comments…

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.

If something is not done to stop rhino poaching, rhinos will be gone in another 30 years!

Why Rhino Poaching?

The short answer to why rhinos are being poached at such an alarming rate, is money.

There is a huge demand for rhino horns in the East, particularly in Vietnam, where people believe that rhino horn has medicinal properties. The demand for rhino horn is so big that it sells for about $45,000 per pound on the black market. The average horn weighs about 15 pounds.

This belief in medical properties of course absolute nonsense. Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material found in hair and fingernails. There is not a single scientific study that even remotely supports any kind of claim that rhino horn has medicinal properties.

So, all of these rhinos are being killed for absolutely no good reason at all!

How To Stop Rhino Poaching

There are a handful of organizations that actively fight rhino poaching.

One such organization is Rhinos Without Borders. It is an anti-poaching organization that has arrested more rhino poachers than any other organization. Rhinos Without Borders is also a leader in ground support and education in the fight against rhino poaching in South Africa.

To be able to function effectively, these organizations need money. They have equipment to purchase, and staff to train and pay. One of the best ways that you and I can support the fight to save the rhino, is by supporting these anti-poaching organizations with donations. It keeps them functioning!

Here in the US, two South Africans, Clint Weimann and Graham McDonald, have created an organization called Project Rhino Charleston, based in Charleston, South Carolina. Project Rhino Charleston‘s mission is to raise funds to support Rhinos Without Borders.

In 2013, Project Rhino Charleston exceeded their fundraising goals more than 4 times! In 2014, their goal is to raise $36,000 to support the wonderful work of Rhinos Without Borders.

This year’s fundraiser will be a massive “Save the Rhino Party” on November 8 from 1 pm – 6 pm. The party will include live music, a South African “potjiekos” competition, kids’ activities, and much more.

If you would like to make a contribution to the fight, here is how you can help…

• Attend the Save The Rhino Party (that will be a lot of fun!)
• Make a Donation if you can’t attend the party.

Fighting rhino poaching is a very worthy cause! It needs to be stopped! If we fail in this, rhinos will be gone in 30 years!

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.

A single visit to the ER could cost thousands of dollars. A relative recently had to have a half-inch splinter removed from his leg. The cost? $6,100. Last year, a visitor went to the ER with a headache that could have been meningitis. She was discharged 4 hours later with no firm diagnosis. The cost? $8,500.

So what do you do about this? Avoid the ER, if at all possible!

But you still need medical care… what do you do? Go to an Urgent Care facility instead! (Update: What if you need an ER? See below…)

Austin Urgent Care Facilities

There are several Urgent Care clinics in the Austin area. To be able to use them effectively, you need to know which services they offer and where they are located.

Which Services Do Austin Urgent Care Clinics Offer?

Some typical services that Austin Urgent Care clinics offer are:

• Injuries, like sprains, breaks, bites, cuts, puncture wounds, etc.
• Illnesses, like allergies, asthma, diarrhea, headaches, flu, infections, etc.
• Diagnostics, like X-rays, lab tests, etc.
• Vaccinations, like meningitis, tetanus, flu, hepatitis B, etc.

Keep in mind, however:

• Some life-threatening conditions may  require that you visit an ER. An Austin Urgent Care clinic will probably tell you that very quickly. In such a case, see the update below.
• Urgent Care clinics are typically not open 24/7 like an ER, but they are open outside of office hours.

Where Can I Find An Austin Urgent Care Clinic?

Here is a map that shows the locations of many Urgent Care facilities in the Austin area.

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I would recommend that you take a careful look at the map and find one or two Austin Urgent Care facilities near you. Check out which services they offer.

If you do this, when the need arises, you will be prepared and won’t automatically go to the ER where you are likely to get ripped off on costs.

Update: What If You Need An ER?

Sometimes your medical situation needs an ER. My best advice is to look for a free-standing ER. This is an ER that is not associated with a large hospital group. (Note: Sometimes a large hospital group will build an ER that is in a building away from the hospital. That is not a free-standing ER.)

One such free-standing ER is Cedar Park Emergency Center.  They are a full ER that can handle any type of medical emergency. For people with health insurance, they charge mandated ER fees. If you don’t have health insurance, or your health insurance company sticks you with the bill, CPEC will work out a much better financial deal than a hospital-based ER will. CPEC is also on the map above.

PS. What are your experiences with ER and Austin Urgent Care facilities? Tell us in the comments…

South African musician, Kurt Darren, will be in Texas on the weekend of Feb 8-9, 2014 and will have a concert in Bandera on Sunday, Feb 9. It will be an afternoon concert to fit in better with people’s travel schedules.

This isn’t only about the concert though… it is about a whole weekend of fun! There will be a big Bring & Braai on the Saturday evening where people can mingle and have a decent South African party!

On top of this, Bandera is a beautiful Texas town that is known as the The Cowboy Capital of the World. There are many dude ranches and other interesting “cowboy” places to visit.

It is easy to make an unforgettable weekend out of this one!

If you’ve been out of South Africa for a long time and you’re wondering, “Who is Kurt Darren?”… here is one of his songs…

(Pick the “Austin TX” tickets)

Here are more details…

The Venue

The Kurt Darren Concert will take place at the 11TH STREET COWBOY BAR in Bandera – Map to the Venue

Weekend Program

Saturday, Feb 8

• SA Bring & Braai to start at 5 pm. at 11th Street Cowboy Bar
• Band : “Homer Whisenant and the Plainsman” performing for us at 8:30 pm. fun, dancing etc.
• BBQ pits, braai equipment and eating utensils supplied free, bring meat and dish to share.
• Cash wine/beer/sodas bar available, bring own hard liquor – $5 cover charge.

Sunday, Feb 9

• 11:30 ish am. Arrive at 11th Street Cowboy Bar (bring ticket and hard liquor)
• 12:00 :- Curry and Rice and Malva Pudding served ($5 per person total)
• 1:00 pm :- Kurt Darren Concert starts!!
• 2:00 pm :- Intermission – The Austin Bagpiper performs for us (Tips welcome!)
• 2:30 pm :- Kurt Darren Concert continues ! Sokkie floor is huge!!
• 3:30 pm :- Gifts, prizes and auction to be presented…. with thanks!
• 4:00 pm :- Picture time and SA Bazaar opens! (If you have baked goodies or goods you want to sell – this is your time!) Free stand.
• Party and music and sokkie and fun will continue… drive home safely or spend another night!

(Pick the “Austin TX” tickets)

Accommodation

Here are the accommodations available. They are all close to the venue. Use the discount code “South African Concert”:

1. River Front Motel
   7 great cabins walking distance – blocked for one week and only 7 cabins left!!
   Call Sheryl at : (830) 460-3690 asap. $99 per night
2. Bandera Lodge
   PHONE CALL FOR DISCOUNT
   Less than one mile away… $84 + tax per night.
   Call (830) 796-3093 or visit www.texashillcountrymall.com
3. Carriage House Inn (Behind concert venue)
   3 Units available (full apartments, sleeps 4)
   Call (830) 796-4086
4. River Oak Inn
   2 min drive away – on the river
   Double room $109 + tax per night
   Single king room – $99 per night
   Call (830) 796-7751 / 2 or visit www.riveroakinn.com
5. If you feel like camping… Cowboy Capital RV Park and Camping (SA Owned)
   5 miles away…
   Call Gerhard Retief on his cell : (832) 264-4580

This promises to be a fantastic pre-Valentines break-away weekend in the gorgeous Hill Country with friends and SA culture, music, braai, fun and sokkie !! 2 days of BLISS

See you there !!!

(Pick the “Austin TX” tickets)

 
Bandera Is The Place To Be On Feb 8 & 9!
 

Questions or Comments? Post them below and we’ll answer them.

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.

After a quick call to our family physician, we took off to the ER of a newly-built hospital not too far from where we live.

Upon arrival at 8 p.m., the ER staff immediately tended to our guest and provided all of us with masks just in case it was meningitis. Our guest was put in a room in the ER. Some blood tests and a CT scan were done. Our guest was also put on a drip to provide liquids and given some pain medication.

In total, the attending physician spent maybe 20 minutes with the patient, and the nurse spent maybe an hour, if that long. In the end, with long periods of waiting alone in the room, we were sent home at about 1 a.m. with a prescription for some medication. Luckily, no meningitis.

The service was excellent, but then came the bills. The cost of this little excursion to the ER… a little over $8,000.

A Comparison of Medical Costs

Earlier this week, a family member of ours fainted and was taken to the ER of a private hospital in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Some blood tests, an EKG and a CT scan were done. Everything was found to be in good order, but to be safe, it was decided to take our family member up into the High Care unit of the hospital for the night.

All went well and the patient was sent home the next morning.

By all accounts, this hospital also provided excellent care. The cost for the ER care and a night in High Care? R14,000 or a little over $1,500 at the current exchange rate.

That is less than 20% of the cost of our trip to the ER here in the US!

US Medical Costs: Outrageous or Justifiable?

Before this second ER incident with our family member took place, I looked at the $8,000 bill for the first ER incident and simply could not see where $8,000 in value comes from.

$8,000 provides housing for a family for many months. It can buy a used vehicle that can be driven for a few years. It can buy food for a family of four for at least a year. How is it possible that 5 hours in an ER, with not much more than basic care provided, can cost $8,000?

After the second ER incident took place, it confirmed in my mind exactly how outrageous the cost of medical care in the US can be.

As our politicians like to remind us prior to each election, our medical care system is broken. It is not that the service is bad, but rather that the medical costs to patients are out of control.

I am not convinced that simply forcing everybody to have medical insurance is the solution. The crazy high medical costs will simply find its way back into the pockets of the American people in the form of high insurance premiums.

What Do You Think?

So what do you think about medical costs in the US? Is it outrageously high or can it be justified? Take our poll below and leave a comment…

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

The thing is, South Africa’s emigration rate has been higher than what can be described as “normal migration” and there has been significant concern over the so-called “brain drain” – skilled people leaving.

Given the audience of this website, many of the readers of this blog fall into the category of people who have left South Africa in recent years to build a new life in another country, including the United States.

Ever wondered why? What are expats’ main reasons for leaving South Africa?

To all of you South African expats who have permanently settled elsewhere, I ask this… (Pick up to 2 answers, but if you have only one reason, pick only one.)

Vote in the poll and leave your comments below…