# In Johannesburg



## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

Hi,

Finally in and settled in Jo'burg (Bedfordview). Found this place on great advice from a member on here, so very grateful for the forum 

Love and hate Jo'burg - it definitely is a place of extremes!

Anyway, now I am a fully fledged ex-pat, I am happy to help others where I can. And if anyone is in Jo'burg and knocking around and wants to meet for a coffee, let me know! I am taking the radical approach of walking places til we get a second car (though never too far - I know the risks  

Rachel


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

Welcome lavidarachel, hope you will soon find your feet properly and start loving Johannesburg.


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

Johanna said:


> Welcome lavidarachel, hope you will soon find your feet properly and start loving Johannesburg.


I do love it, the hate part is the stuff I am still getting used to (the security stuff is taking me some work to get my head round!), but the people, the weather and the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the place more than make up for everything that I don't like  xxx


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## Pope (Jul 4, 2012)

Welcome welcome.

I moved here back in October last year, cant believe how longs its gone, settled into Morningside and work in Sandton.

I have setllted in very well and got use to the life here also, after living in London all my life its a great change.


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

Pope said:


> Welcome welcome.
> 
> I moved here back in October last year, cant believe how longs its gone, settled into Morningside and work in Sandton.
> 
> I have setllted in very well and got use to the life here also, after living in London all my life its a great change.


Hi,

After being here 10 weeks, its starting to feel like any other way of living was another lifetime ago!

I grew up in a small city called Lincoln, where most nights, we wouldnt even lock our front door - so its an understatement to say that life here is a bit different to what i am used to 

rachel x


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## wahoo (May 27, 2013)

Fantastic to sense the positivity in your posts. Wonderful


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

lavidarachel said:


> Hi,
> 
> Finally in and settled in Jo'burg (Bedfordview). Found this place on great advice from a member on here, so very grateful for the forum
> 
> ...


Hi lavidarachel,

I feel this way about Cape Town- place of extremes. Glad you are settling in nicely! Most people dont walk around here when I ask someone how far it is they always say: "much to far to walk need a car." It's seems a foreign idea.


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## lalorenz (Jun 7, 2013)

*Hi Rachel. I am also moving to Bedfordview*

Hi Rachel, My husband and I just arrived in South Africa May 2, 2013. We are temporarily staying in Melrose Arch but we have rented a home in Bedfordview and will be moving there sometime early July. 

How are you liking Bedforview? Any recommendations about the area you can offer would be helpful. Have a great day.  Cheers, Lisa


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

lalorenz said:


> Hi Rachel, My husband and I just arrived in South Africa May 2, 2013. We are temporarily staying in Melrose Arch but we have rented a home in Bedfordview and will be moving there sometime early July.
> 
> How are you liking Bedforview? Any recommendations about the area you can offer would be helpful. Have a great day.  Cheers, Lisa


Hi Lisa,

We really like Bedfordview. There are two good shopping malls, plenty of nice cafes and restaurants and doctors, dentists etc. There is a Virgin Active and plenty of other fitness places (I go to a great Pilates class near the Bedford Centre). We chose Bedfordview, as when we were first viewing places, we saw people walking their dogs etc, which we took as a good sign!

Hope you like it as much as we do, let me know if you need any more info, or if you want to meet for a coffee once you are settled in!

Rachel x


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## Niks00 (Jul 6, 2012)

Hi Rachel,

Lovely post! I'm looking into moving to Johannesburg later this year, although hopefully will be visiting in about a month - six weeks if all goes to plan.

Bit of background, I currently live in London. Met someone who does business here in London and he has offered me a job in Jo'Burg, as well as given me some business tips/ideas.

I guess my biggest concern would be of course the security...and also what about dating life? Social life? I love my red wine so I know I'll be in for a treat! How safe is it to go out alone as a single woman to a lounge or hotel bar?


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## laslo (Jun 10, 2013)

We emigrated to SA in 1979 and came back in 83. Really enjoyed our time there, lived in and around Joburg, mostly in Hillbrow. 

I can imagine that it's changed beyond recognition.

Hope you'll be posting photos Rachael.

Good luck.


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## cccook (May 1, 2013)

*Hi*

I am British have a house in joburg for last 6 years still trying to make contacts be interested to hear how you got into SA is your partner from SA? I am trying to get some advice from those who have secured work as a Brit over in SA. I'm over in Aug would be good to meet up with anyone interested


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

Niks00 said:


> Hi Rachel,
> 
> Lovely post! I'm looking into moving to Johannesburg later this year, although hopefully will be visiting in about a month - six weeks if all goes to plan.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Security has been my biggest adjustment, although I am getting there. I havent had a social life yet, though I am hoping one will come along  My partner isn't into nights out, so he doesn't miss it anyway! The biggest difference I have found in relation to social life, is that you cant just hop in a taxi to get home - you pretty much have to drive, or have someone else drive. You certainly wouldnt be able to walk home. It can be rum enough walking in the day. I personally think if you were drinking in a bar attached to a hotel you were staying in, people would look after you, but you would have to be cautious.

I don't mind a drink too, so let me know when you arrive!

Rachel


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

laslo said:


> We emigrated to SA in 1979 and came back in 83. Really enjoyed our time there, lived in and around Joburg, mostly in Hillbrow.
> 
> I can imagine that it's changed beyond recognition.
> 
> ...


I didn't think of posting photos, but I will do. Everyone has said to avoid Hillbrow, so we have only driven through.x


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

cccook said:


> I am British have a house in joburg for last 6 years still trying to make contacts be interested to hear how you got into SA is your partner from SA? I am trying to get some advice from those who have secured work as a Brit over in SA. I'm over in Aug would be good to meet up with anyone interested


I am up for meeting up! We are both British, my partner has a job with Black and Veatch, an American company, contracted to provide consultants to Eskom. They sorted housing, visas etc out, which made it (sort of) painless.

Rachel


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## cccook (May 1, 2013)

I will contact you again nearer when I arrive, try Casalingas for lunch I always find it a buzzy social atmosphere but you might have to wait for summer now! Have you been Monte Casino yet fab night out there even sober lol!


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## lalorenz (Jun 7, 2013)

lavidarachel said:


> Hi Lisa,
> 
> We really like Bedfordview. There are two good shopping malls, plenty of nice cafes and restaurants and doctors, dentists etc. There is a Virgin Active and plenty of other fitness places (I go to a great Pilates class near the Bedford Centre). We chose Bedfordview, as when we were first viewing places, we saw people walking their dogs etc, which we took as a good sign!
> 
> ...


Hi Rachel, thanks so much for your message, so kind of you.  I appreciate your info. We also really like Bedforview and the area. We were just there the other weekeend driving around and enjoyed the food lovers market, the east gate shopping centre. Nice shops and restaurants around van buren rd. 

Once I settle in , it would be great to meet up for a coffee. Thanks so much for the offer. We should be moving in around the beginning or mid July. 

Cheers Lisa xo


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

cccook said:


> I will contact you again nearer when I arrive, try Casalingas for lunch I always find it a buzzy social atmosphere but you might have to wait for summer now! Have you been Monte Casino yet fab night out there even sober lol!


Haven't tried Monte Casino yet - one to add to the list! Despite the cold mornings and evenings, the days are still quite warm (I am sat in the garden right now) Though my SA friends think I am quite mad


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## expatinafrica (Jun 14, 2013)

Hey Rachel, been reading some of your posts on a few threads and glad to see you're settling in well. Like your husband, I will most likely be contracted down to Eskom later this year although I'm not sure yet whether I will be based in Joburg or Witbank. 
I was wondering though how you are finding it in terms of iflling your day. Apologies if I am prying, but I was wondering if you were working or how you were passing the time. My partner will be coming with me and she would like to work/vounteer but we are in the dark with regard to whether there is much opportunity and how visas etc apply. I would be particularly keen to know about Witbank - I know you are not there but thought perhaps you might know some of the partners of the BnV staff based there and have an idea of how they were getting on?
Any feedback at all would be much appreciated as I want to make sure its a good move for us a couple.

Thanks.


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## lavidarachel (Dec 26, 2012)

expatinafrica said:


> Hey Rachel, been reading some of your posts on a few threads and glad to see you're settling in well. Like your husband, I will most likely be contracted down to Eskom later this year although I'm not sure yet whether I will be based in Joburg or Witbank.
> I was wondering though how you are finding it in terms of iflling your day. Apologies if I am prying, but I was wondering if you were working or how you were passing the time. My partner will be coming with me and she would like to work/vounteer but we are in the dark with regard to whether there is much opportunity and how visas etc apply. I would be particularly keen to know about Witbank - I know you are not there but thought perhaps you might know some of the partners of the BnV staff based there and have an idea of how they were getting on?
> Any feedback at all would be much appreciated as I want to make sure its a good move for us a couple.
> 
> Thanks.


Hi,

In Witbank I was very bored. Though to be fair, I dont have a car, and without one it is quite limited. I have struggled with not having a job etc - I worked 7 days a week in the UK, and saw family and friends all the time as I am a very social person, so I have missed that (If I had a car it would be much less isolating - am hoping to get one soon) There are a few couple I know of at Witbank, so if you were there longer than we were, you would have much more time to meet people etc. And as far as I know, many live in Bankenveld.

There will be loads of opportunities for volunteering - with people or animals. I have no clue about visas, but there will be lots of people on here who do. Its a great way to meet people too. The security and safety thing affects getting out and about - I wouldnt dream of driving back 40 miles from a friends at 2am on my own, as I would in the UK. That might be my perception, more than factual (better safe than sorry).

There are lots of things like art classes, exercise classes, etc to meet people. I have a vintage shop in the UK, so try to meet likeminded people at carboots and markets. I think I am being a bit inpatient too - we have only been here 12 weeks, so time yet to make friends 

It seems the main thing to be remember is that it can be harder for the partner who isnt working - without the context of work to frame the day, and that as a forum for meeting people, it can be much harder to adjust. Also, it might take longer to get a car sorted for your partner etc, so they may be in limbo for a while.

Hope that helps,

Rachel x


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