Lynnsanity
EXPAT FOUNDERS VS EXPAT FRESHIES recently heard someone categorise expats into two groups. The first group are the founders, mostly Ghanaian and Ugandan, who arrived during apartheid and whose children were born and raised here. The second group are the freshies who arrived subsequent to independence in 1994. On hearing this I realised that although we’re all expats, we are different and experience being expats in different ways. All the founders who arrived in SA during apartheid were educated professionals who were integrated into the African population of SA. They lived with the locals and befriended them. Although they now live in what may be termed the “upper echelons” of society, they started out living in the homelands which is where blacks were allowed to live. Expats were seen as people who supported and assisted SA society. Founders’ children were raised with knowledge of being “guests” in SA and followed the trend set by the parents of taking the opportunities given, making the best of them and not taking more than that. When visiting someone’s home, you eat what’s given gratefully. You don’t proceed to open the fridge and empty the cupboards then leave. After 1994 more expats could come enjoy the freedom of SA. For most of the founders’ children, it was a new experience to meet expats who were not Ghanaian or Ugandan and it was the first time to meet non-professionals. A large number of freshies from all over the continent
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had come to SA to hustle and amass quick wealth. Many freshies believe that founders did not maximise on the opportunities but I believe that it is easier for freshies to make it in SA because of the path that founders cleared for them. Laws and rules pertaining to expats had to either be created or adjusted because of the original expats making things simpler for those who followed.
Previously no expat was allowed in SA unless they were a qualified professional. Nowadays nonprofessional expats compete with local people for basic resources which contributes to xenophobia and mistrust. This is worsened by news of expats conducting scams around the country, preying on unsuspecting people, expats robbing houses and murdering. Murder has never been acceptable, but to come all the way from your country to murder someone in their own? There is lack of integration as freshies no longer have to work closely with the vast populations of the country. It’s now possible to arrive and move straight into the suburbs, work in a high rise office and never mix with the populations of SA that aren’t rotating in the same circles. This means freshies will never understand the depth of the people of SA. In turn, the greater SA population is failing to understand and trust expats. We’ve reached a point where expats have forgotten that we’re still guests in
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someone else’s home. We’re now opening cupboards and fridges to see what more we can take, even if it’s only a crumb remaining. We’re not doing what we originally came here for. Professional or not, we expats need to remember a few fundamental principles, whether we’re founders or a freshies. We’re guests in SA and need to behave accordingly. We’ve been given the opportunity and privilege to live in and be a part of a wonderful country we need to treat that opportunity with respect. That said, it is the holiday season and what better time to find more common ground with everyone? Enjoy good music and great company, bottoms up to all expats, have fun and I’ll see you all on the other side of the party! - SHEILA LYNN SENKUBUGE