A theme I come across often in Facebook posts, is where people, after moving abroad, say that they are surprised by the weather/taxes/how people live, etc., in their new countries.
Research is SO important. I understand that you can google temperatures and weather and still be blindsided by what it really feels like. And I know that there are things you never consider because they’re simply not within your “realm of normal”. I get that.
BUT, a lot of surprises can be avoided by doing research.
Medicare is the primary government health insurance program for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents age 65 and over. Most seniors are very happy with their Medicare insurance coverage; it covers hospital care, most outpatient doctor visits, diagnostic tests, and therapy, and there is a separate Medicare prescription drug plan to help pay for your medications.
If you are a new U.S. citizen, or permanent legal resident hoping to apply for citizenship soon, here’s what you need to know about the Medicare insurance program.
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…
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 …
If you have been in Texas for a while, you may be aware of the Texas Potjie Festival. This is an annual South African cook-off that takes place in a campground over Labor Day Weekend.
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 1994 elections in South Africa brought big changes to the country. The African National Congress (ANC) won the first all-race elections.
With the changes came a lot of uncertainties.
Everyone was wondering where the country would be heading under ANC rule. Was it going to flourish and grow, or was it going to become another failed African state?
The ruling ANC’s supporters were hopeful of a wonderful new life. Many other people were uncertain. But they hoped that things would be OK. Others feared that South Africa would start falling apart.
Now it is more than 20 years later. Who was right?
“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!
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.
Africa has a secret… a filthy secret, that is in fact not so secret at all… rhino poaching!
Rhinos are magnificent animals that have inhabited our planet for about 50 million years. Now, humans are threatening to wipe them out.
Biltong is still seen as a South African classic. Although many individuals compare South African Biltong to American Jerky, it is simply not the same.
Whereas American jerky is usually made from slim strips of meat that consist of very little fat, traditional South African biltong are manufactured using large cuts of meat, often having a third of the cut consisting of fat.