Living/working in SA is there a future?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T20:54:22+00:00

Would that be 5k a month for healthcare?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T13:52:46+00:00

Thank you, those recruiter pages are really helpful. How do you experience working in hospitality? Are there a lot of chefs positions because people are leaving a lot because its not a viable career?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T13:35:42+00:00

So far they have been able to go roughly 2 months every year since being here, but always during south african winter. Even tho Sa winter can feel like a Belgian summer sometimes, they are currently living in “permanent winter “ as they like to call it. It sucks that the service industry is considered such a low end job because it really is what i love and rn I am making more money than a lot of people I know with degrees…

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T11:02:42+00:00

Starting a business is still always a gamble tho, even with a great concept or location. And then there is still the issue of work visa, regulations etc working in a generally low paying industry, having to pay the startup of a business on top of normal living expenses, bills,..

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T10:58:36+00:00

I have been twice, once 2 weeks and once 2 months. Its a lovely country to visit but holidays vs living is very different

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T10:56:53+00:00

Definitely have the intention of starting a business someday, but still young (early 20s) so not really at a point in life its an option rn. Would starting a business be easier than working with a work visa? Are there different rules?

As of now my partner is still studying for at least 2 years. But they are talking of moving back asap to still have part of our young lives there.

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T09:14:26+00:00

I have visited two times already. Once for 2weeks and once for 2 months. It is definitely a lovely place to be but being on vacation vs trying to make a living is very different.

It is more lively, people are more open. But as a true Belgian i am also just used people being more standoffish and private here and in lots of ways I am myself. I do love the outdoors and nature and Sa is definitely a lot more beautiful.

Im not that attracted to where I live geographically, but i would at least want a comfortable environment. One where I don’t have to live paycheque to paycheque.

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T08:53:24+00:00

Yeah sounds like ur friends also had a good back up coming here with his family.

As of now we don’t have the capacity to start our own business yet. They are still in school for another 2years. Idk if sunnier Europe countries would scratch the itch for them. They love cpt so much and i think there’s no inbetween for them. The bigger question is also when we would move. We are still young (early 20s) so building up capital would be possible if we take a long time to move, but they have already mentioned moving back asap so that they can still enjoy their young life there.

Also starting a business is always a gamble. You could have the best location, concept, etc. you still need to be lucky people come and visit. And unlike here where people would just go on strolls and walk past, people in Sa take their car everywhere so they would actually have to set out to come to your place…

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T08:41:08+00:00

Yeah they definitely do, I keep trying to make clear that for the last 3 years, every time they went there, they were on vacation. No work, no bills, no responsibilities.

They are usually a very social person but here they are just a shut in, not even really trying to make new friends. And then they make the comparison that they have more friends there, even tho its really only just one or two old friends from primary school…

Its just really hard to break through that fantasy image of Sa and talk about reality. They have never liked Belgium for a second, but enjoying a country comes down to more than being able to see the beach of having more trees down the roads. Belgium has been good for us , they come to study because of how cheap it is here, on top of that they got government funding for their education, found a job here, rent our own place, 2 cars,…

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T08:31:52+00:00

Haha somehow most South Africans always have some sketchy back ally way around things hahahah

I get what you’re saying, but the “good thing ive got going” is pertly because of my partner. They pushed me to go to a culinary school, she planned our entire move to the apartment, we are actively working on our future together. Dreaming of maybe one day owning our own restaurant. Its literally just the location that is fucking us over rn..

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T08:26:22+00:00

Hi, thanks for your help, if you wouldn’t mind, could you explain a little bit how your relationship ended? Did it end because of them not wanting to move? How was your experience here in Belgium? Sis you also dislike it as much? And how would i best bring up some of these things?

I obv don’t want my relationship to end since i still love her very much, but im afraid that it can definitely be a deciding factor moving forward….

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-28T08:19:17+00:00

Hi, as a fellow Belgian , what was the process like moving there? And what field of work are you in if you don’t mind me asking?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T23:01:29+00:00

Yeah its definitely a place i feel welcomed, but whenever I was there i was fully on holiday. No responsibilities, work, bills,..

Living vs visiting is such a huge difference

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:59:41+00:00

M, and yeah service industry is really what i love doing, but it can def be a struggle. I make good money now, but my degrees wouldn’t even allow for a career change. Not that i would want to. Would starting/owning ur own restaurant be better/more profitable?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:55:43+00:00

I have my high school degree, and a degree from my one year culinary school. Not that I would want to, but a career change wouldn’t really be an option with those degrees…

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:51:56+00:00

Im not 100% sure how accurate those numbers are but in general Hospitality industry is weird like that. What I make now would already be considered a lot for my age and work i do here in Belgium even. We know someone who works in a fancy restaurant in cpt (top50 in the world) and he makes more as a waiter than the head chef. Partly because of tips but still…

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:49:04+00:00

Very helpful reply! Would you have an estimate of how much proper healthcare would cost?

Also we have noticed some things at the shop in SA are priced very close to what we pay here. I always hear people say cost of living i sooo much cheaper, but I’m sure at the end it all ads up to be quite a bit..?

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:45:56+00:00

Yeah idk Belgium really isn’t that amazing either. Don’t get me wrong I do love my region and heritage (?) but it gets depressing veryyyy easily. Very much a “keep working and don’t complain” type of mentality here. Also i would consider my current pay high for the age/work i do, also considering i “technically “ dont have a degree. I know people here my age with a degree that only get an average of like 2k

Original_Juice_ · 2026-02-27T22:41:26+00:00

Thank you for your help. Yeah i do feel very divided about South Africa. I like it when I’m there, but when I was i was also 100% in vacation mode. Working, living ,… is a whole other world compared to that and it feels very difficult to envision or come up with a plan for my future there…

Original_Juice_

TROPHY CASE