Just a reminder to all living in Natal

If you are not on board yet, come and join our next meeting on Sunday the 10th April @ 10h00 at the DURBAN ICE RINK. We are practicing for Canada.

We plan to share information about immigration to Canada and assist with the important task of NETWORKING.

A final reminder of the meeting.

If you are not on board yet, come and join our next meeting on Sunday the 10th April @ 10h00 at the DURBAN ICE RINK. We are practicing for Canada.

PM me for details.

awwwwwwwwwwwwwww I am reading this at 12pm 10th April. Rats, I would have loved to be there.

Sorry guys, was my own fault, haven't been on here for a few weeks. Hope you all have a joll.

PS. I expect to be in Canada very soon, next few weeks. If anyone is going to be in or near Oakville and wants to hook up, or wants help in anyway, please feel free to email : rosecharlton[at]myway.com.

I will post when I arrive so you know I am there.

Larry

How about some feedback on your meeting? Number of folks, number of broken limbs, number of bruised egos?

We had a reasonable turn out. I remind you folk in the greater JHB area that we have very few members in the wider Durban.

The session at the ice rink was good and a new member of the club, Craig was glad to be in involved. I am not sure Sundays are the best day for members, but have never had input to the contary.

I again call upon member that have not yet joined in on the activities to look out for our next appointment and come and offer info and get info about this immigration task face to face.

Hi There Durban Coffee Club

First of all I'm sorry if i'm posting this in the wrong place, please feel free to move it to the appropriate spot.

My mom will be returning back to South Africa - Durban an the beginning of September, is there anyone leaving SA at that approx. time that has a small inexpensive car for sale, preferably a UNO -5 doors or 3 door.
Please email me at pinnocks[at]primus.ca

Thanks
Lisa

Don't know of anybody that is in-waiting and received their visa but maybe you should ask JHB CC as I know of 2 folk that have PR visas and maybe they can do a swop. Getting the car to Durb's is not a problem

Thanks for the reply and info

Lisa

Lisa,
You may have some reasons for returning to SA that you would want to share with the rest of the forum. How long have you been in Canada and have you got citizenship?

Hi Larry

It not me that is returning to SA, it's my mom, she has been here for approx. 3 years now (with 1 year break in between when she went back home to do her residency). We have been here for 7 years and we are Canadian citizens. My mom is 71.

Firstly (MONEY) her SA pension dosesn't amount to much after the conversion rate. She can't afford a car and insurance is astronomical at her age +_$5000 per year. We help out as much as we can, but we are in a fix at the moment, my husband accepted a job out of town for less money (but a very good company to get into) and we are trying to keep 2 homes at the moment until we can move, which doesn't look like it will be soon. Thus when we move we will need to buy a 4/5 bedroom house which we won't be able to afford so thus another reason my mom is going home, is too help us get on our feet.

Secondly(HEALTH) the winters are not good for her health, she has hips and knee problems, aswell as other things, so finds herself housebound during the winter months. Her health has deteriated so badly during this last winter. and I feel that she has come here just to wither away, when she was in SA she was a lot more active. She loves her gardening and as we all know it's seasonal here. she has life long friends that she misses, at the end of the day she had a richer quality of life back in SA. Good Nurseries/Decent shopping malls (woolies etc)/casino = Rands/friends/Ocean + salt water seafood/good weather/Good old flea markets, etc etc.

Thirdly (FAMILY) my brothers want her back in SA, I don't want her to go but It's the best thing for her. It's extremely sad because when you immigrate the most important thing that you miss is family infra-structure, my 2 kids adore my mother and it's going to be a traumatic event when she leaves in August.
She would love to spend 6 months there and 6 months here but she feels she is getting too old to travel back and forth. We are living a roller coaster ride at the moment, my husband says if he didn't accept this job we wouldn't be in this position, so he keeps asking himself, did he make the right decision OR should he leave the company and get a job back down here. Very frustrating, he comes home on the weekends and tries to fix up the house so we can sell it. He is a perfectionist and wants this 50 year old house almost brand new before selling it.

(CANADA) My mom will miss the seasons changing, especailly spring when all the bulbs come to life and the trees get their leaves. The medical aid OHIP system has been extemely good, she even gets tax money back every year because of the income she bring over (her pension money). She will miss the safelty aspect here, she never locks her doors ( She has her own granny flat). Mostly she will miss us.

Well that's our story.
Thanks for asking
Lisa

Lisa,
Hope all your plans come together and that the are able to do soon. Regarding your mom, you need to make sure she is moves into accomodation that has enough security, something like a grannyflat. Too many old folk are attcked in their homes.

I look forward to the day my visa is granted and we can get on with our new life in Canada.

Your mom should consider a small new car that will not have maintenance needs as they are fairly cheap and we now have a hoard of these miniture vehicles in SA. Cars are rather expensive and many have resorted to this form of transport.

Thanks Larry

My brother lives in Kloof, Durban and he is building a granny flat onto his house for her.

I forgot to mention anther reason she is returning home, is that she is expecting an additional pension payout and she is afriad that if she is not in SA they won't pay her out. The banks have frozen her accounts whilst living abroad, they manually transfer her money monthly.

She will definetly be in the market for a small car, she would like a 5 door UNO if anyone has one forsale August/September.

Thanks for your reply.
Lisa