Out and about is a column where we chat with people who currently live abroad, or who used to live and work there. This week we chat to Marni Wolmarans, who lives in Australia.
Hello Marni, where in South Africa are you from and why did you decide to live in Australia?
My husband and I were both born in Vanderbijlpark and after we met we moved to Kempton Park. While I was pregnant with our youngest, we moved back to the Vaal Triangle and lived there until we relocated to Australia. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but we both realised that there was no bright future awaiting our children here. At first we did it for our children but right now, as parents, we enjoy the move just as much as our children do, if not more.
Tell us more about your family.
My husband Hennie and I got married in 2010 and we have three beautiful children together. We really enjoy doing things together as a family and love exploring and discovering. We like to camp as a way of familiarising ourselves with our new country and currently our favourite activity is visiting different beaches. As a child my dad often took us to museums, monuments and other attractions and it was one of my best memories. We try to do the same for our children and want to cultivate in them a love for nature, culture and everything that is interesting. We will easily start a road trip early on a Saturday – three hours to get there and three hours back home.
You mentioned that you have three children. How old are they and how did they adjust to the new country?
Maja (10) is our oldest, Henru is 8 and Liam is almost 5. It was somewhat of an adjustment for Maja in the beginning – she was very close to her friends – as there are undoubtedly some cultural differences between the Afrikaners and the Australians. Henru and Liam adjusted exceptionally well and both Maja’s and Henru’s teachers went the extra mile to make the shift easier on them, which meant a lot to us as a family. Luckily, it did not take long for Maja to also find her place, and although all three our children experienced the huge adjustment, they quickly found their place and started feeling at home in their new environment.
Adjusting to a new country can be challenging, what was the strangest things you had to get used to?
After the holiday feeling was over, family and friends were far away. Getting used to the time difference took time, but apart from that we adjusted rather easily thanks to the weather and environment in Perth which is very similar to South Africa. There were smaller things that took more time, such as learning not to convert prices to rand, I also haven’t gotten used to the shopping trolleys in Australia despite being here for almost two years. You can ask any Saffa in Australia, it is the most uncomfortable exercise to do shopping.
Do you still speak Afrikaans? How do you keep Afrikaans alive abroad?
We only speak Afrikaans at home and sometimes the children mix their languages, but then we offer the Afrikaans alternative and I encourage them to speak Afrikaans. Most of our friends are Afrikaans, so the children get a lot of exposure to Afrikaans.
If you could go back in time, what else would you have packed before leaving South Africa?
We decided to sell everything and start over from scratch. So we only brought very sentimental items (paintings, my late father-in-law’s guitar, LOTS of photos), clothes, toys and a few other things. We had to pay in a substantial amount on our overweight baggage, but there really wasn’t anything else we wanted to bring along.
We understand you are an entrepreneur. Tell us more about your business.
Silli SA’s focus is on a sensory product that it ideal for all ages – mats made from silicon, each made with a different texture and colour for infant development, children with sensory sensitivity, adults who have trouble with their circulations, etc. The product originated in South Africa and I am still managing the business from Australia. We took the decision to expand to the Australian market. Silli can really make a huge difference here as well, as Australia has a huge focus on mental health and on helping people with disabilities. We are very excited over what the future holds!
There are many South Africans in Australia. Do you sometimes get together?
We quickly made new friends and we see each other often. We also connected with an Afrikaans church and of course the children also enjoy all the extra grandmothers and grandfathers! There are regular socials and dances to get as many Saffas gathered together as possible.
Are there any South African businesses (shops, restaurants, services) near you that you like to support?
There is a Saffa shop around every corner and these are also the only places where you can buy proper boerewors, so they get a lot of support from local Saffas. We love buying South African products from a variety of these shops and it is always nice to go in and to hear fellow Afrikaners talking. My hairdresser is a Saffa and we buy our meat at a Saffa butchery. The South Africans really support the Saffa businesses very well.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
My advice to any family that is setting foot in a new country: make friends fast, become part of an organisation such as a church, etc., where you can be surrounded by fellow immigrants, explore your new country and make it exciting for yourself. There are people who find it difficult to adjust, but in my experience it is mostly those who are not willing to put themselves out there. The quicker you create a support network, the easier you will make it for yourself.
ALSO READ: an email from Cornwall, England
Write to us
Do you live or work abroad or did you recently return 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 the questions you have to answer.
