Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Edited by Tim Richman
(Two Dogs)
Have you considered emigrating? If so, first get hold of this book as it provides genuine information and empathy from people who have been in similar situations.
Here we learn from actual examples of those who have emigrated, describing their reactions as well as those who thought seriously about going but finally decided to stay.
In the book Tim Richman lets 16 individuals tell their personal stories. He begins with Andre Brink, the well-known author, who, after seriously considering leaving the country after the eldest son of his sister was brutally murdered, decided to stay despite all the crime, violence, corruption and nepotism. He does, however, concede he can never say never.
On the other hand there is the case of Gillian Tucker. She was a lecturer in English at Wits University and deputy editor of Fair Lady in Cape Town before she left South Africa in 1993 for Victoria on Vancouver Island off the west coast of Canada. After 15 years she decided with her sister, who had been living in New York City for 30 years, to pay a visit to South Africa.
“Shock set in from the moment we set foot in South Africa. On the car ride from Joburg International airport to our hotel in Parktown, almost every wall we passed was topped with razor wire. Windows in Joburg’s grand old buildings had been smashed and their innards gutted… Yet just beyond the old city centre and over the hill, another Joburg came into view. There were lovely buildings and green forests, opulent beyond anything. Gated communities and high walls.” She returned to Canada and decided to stay there.
In contrast there is the chapter: I Want to Stay, I Need to Stay by Ian Macdonald. Ian was born in Joburg in 1974. After gaining a BSc from the University of Cape Town in 1995, he left South Africa to see the world, living in London, Israel, Boston and Colorado and travelling extensively, before returning to South Africa in 2002. While staying in Joburg for some time he became the editor of the South African Good News website (www.sagoodnews.co.za) for five years. He returned to Cape Town to join the renewable energy section in 2010. He lives there with his wife and two children.
Whenever he hears of some friend who intends leaving South Africa, it touches a nerve as he desperately wants South Africa to succeed. “For us to realise our potential as a nation we need the educated, skilled and law-abiding people who have the opportunity to emigrate to stay.”
He adds: “These days also make me question myself. Should I too be thinking about leaving? Am I being foolish? Short-sighted? Is there a future here? Is this the right country to raise a family? Should I stay or should I go? But there is really no question in my mind. I want to stay. This is the country of my heart, the country of my soul. I love it here. I love the people, the beauty, the rawness, the vibrancy, the excitement, the essence and the challenges of life in South Africa.”
He concludes: “If the South Africa I want to live in is to become a reality, I know that people like me need to stay and make it happen. There are so many reasons to be optimistic and I truly believe that we are on the right track in many ways. If we pull it off, if we become the country of our dreams, fantastic. If not, then at least I can say I gave it my best shot. My country, which has given me so much, needs work, needs me. And so, during its need, I choose to stay and return the favour.” – Cyrus Smith