Out and About is a column where we talk to people who currently live abroad, or who have previously lived and worked abroad. This week we chat to Minette Keyter who lives in Suffolk
Tell us more about yourself and where you live.
I grew up in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, and moved to England in September 2018 to obtain a master’s degree here. For the moment, I stay in Suffolk in the east of England. Suffolk is well known for the beautiful countryside, little hamlets and breath-taking beaches.
What do you do there?
I am a full-time student who are studying for a master’s degree in business and management. I also try to travel as often as I can to discover and explore new places.
What did you have difficulty to adapt to?
Everything is new; it is a completely new discovery for me. Every shop, street, building and area is unknown to me. Moreover, you must convert every rand to pounds and every kilometre to mile. These are difficult concepts that I must get used to in this new and foreign environment.
What do miss most of South Africa?
There are many things that I miss now. I miss speaking Afrikaans; whenever I am in a shop or public place, I strain my ears to maybe hear someone with whom I can talk in my own language. The part I long for the most is the warm weather. If I see that all your friends are at the sea or in the Bushveld, or braai or swim, I get a bit jealous.
What was the strangest thing that you had to get used to?
The strangest thing I had to get used to, was the sun. It only rises at 08:30 in the mornings, but already sets at 15:30. The days feel much shorter, but in summer the days will feel extra-long again. Another weird thing is to walk on the beach wearing shoes. Instead of soft white sand like we have here, there are only millions of small pebbles that make it very difficult to walk barefoot in the beach.
What do you enjoy the most of England?
It is a wonderful country to live in. There is so much to see and do. What I enjoy most is to visit small villages and making use of the excellent public transport. We had a few days of snow, and this was a highlight for me up to now.
Do you have lots of opportunities to travel?
Because I am currently involved in my studies, I do not often get the chance to travel abroad. I do have ample opportunity to travel around England, and I enjoy visiting a new place every weekend. Especially in Suffolk there are lots to see and many places to discover. Suffolk is also fairly central, making it easier to travel to other towns like London or Cambridge.
What is that one thing that no-one told you about emigration?
Information about emigration is freely available and there are many sources that prepare you for the processes and steps that you must take. Many people also warned me that it would be difficult. No-one told me, however, how nice it would be to embark on such a new adventure. Yes, it involved major administrative processes and took months of preparation, but in the end, it was all worth the while.
Was it easy to make new friends and to connect with the community?
It is unfortunately a difficult process to join a community. The university makes it easier to some extent to make friends and meet people. I think it will take a long time to become part of the community, but it goes better every day.
