Out and about is a column where we chat to people who currently live abroad, or who used to live and work there. This week we chat with Francois Nortje who lives in Kelowna, Canada.

Hello Francois, where in South Africa are you from and what made you decide to live in Canada?  

We are originally from Johannesburg, Kempton Park but lived in Nelspruit for a year before coming to Canada. We decided to move here for work after I lost my job in South Africa and received a job offer in Canada.

Tell us a little more about your job. What does a typical day look like?  

I am an aeroplane technician, we work Wednesdays to Saturdays every week for ten hours a day. We wake up at 05:00 to start working at 06:00 and go home at 16:30. I work for a company that converts passenger planes to cargo planes. It is hard work and we are very busy, I am part of a group of four South Africans who came over and there are about 11 South Africans who work for the same company here in Kelowna.

Tell us more about your family.

I am happily married, and my wife and I also have two dogs.

How did you experience the emigration process to Canada?

It was very stressful, and we spent a lot of time making the decision to come over. The process took about eight months from receiving the job offer until we flew over. It was also very sad to say goodbye to our friends and family.

Do you get the opportunity to travel?

We visited a few overseas countries before coming to Canada, but since coming here we have only travelled locally. There is so much to see, and the country is very big. We stay in British Columbian Province, which is basically the same size as South Africa. There is a total of ten large provinces in Canada and the country also has six different time zones, so it is really a very big country.  

Are there any South African businesses (shops, restaurants, services) near you that you like to support?

There is a shop selling South African products in every large town in our province, selling anything from cookies, Jan Braai sauce, to different spices and canned products. We have a few South African doctors in our town, and it really helps to be able to speak Afrikaans when visiting the doctor. There are also so many South Africans in Canada, you know for certain that you will hear someone speaking Afrikaans in the shops this week, and it is always a nice way of meeting people.

Do you have any advice for anyone who is planning to emigrate?

Think very carefully about your decision and remember that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Every country has its problems. Canada is a very safe country and there are a lot of job opportunities, but there are also things in South Africa that are better than in Canada.

What is your favourite memory of South Africa? What are the things in South Africa that you miss the most?

Our family, friends, culture, the weather and of course our beautiful outdoors and the bushveld!

The friendliness of our people and the delicious food are also things you miss a lot.

Interesting facts about Canada

Your South African driver’s licence is only valid for 90 days, after which it is destroyed. We had to do our driver’s licences from scratch in Canada. It was quite an adjustment to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road. The town we live in reminds us of Stellenbosch – with wine farms surrounded by mountains. Okanagan Lake is just as beautiful.

Will you ever return to South Africa?

For sure, if things in South Africa can change with regards to safety and job security, any time.

Is there anything else you want to share with us?

Personally, I think the main reasons why people are leaving the country are for their children’s future and for fair job opportunities. In conversations I’ve had with a few older people here in Canada, most of them said they miss South Africa, but they will stay here because their children have a better future here.

Write to us

Do you live abroad or have recently returned from abroad? You can also write us an Out and About column. Send an email to wereldwyd@afriforum.co.za and we will send you questions to answer.