1 Nov

Today we drove out to the Vaal Technikon to get transcripts of my results and curriculum for my period of studies there.

Getting the results was no problem – R30 and you’re done. Getting a copy of the curriculum was another story. Nobody in the Admin offices had heard of anybody asking for that required before. Although this sounded kinda unlikely considering the amount of folks emigrating these days, we continued our search for someone in the know around campus. Eventually we were sent to the Head of Engineering.

As we get to his office I see that he is one of my ex-lecturers. Amazing enough after 11 years he remembers me. Not for the wrong reasons though (by that time I was rustig), but because of the overalls I used to wear. At that time I was working for one of the petrol refineries in Sasolburg and at one point we were having a shutdown when I needed to attended his class. The result was I used to slip away from work to go to class, but didn’t have time to change so just pitched up at class covered in oil, looking more like a mechanic than a technician.

Anyway, he knew what we were looking for & confirmed that he has to compile these curriculi on a daily basis for folks that are leaving the country.

As it takes him time to compile these documents, we will have to return for it though. Riding up and down seems to be the story of our lives at the moment.

10 Nov – Fetching my docs from Vaal Tech

As we had stayed in the Vaal Triangle for many years, we decided to make a day of it.

We collected my curicculi at the Tech and then drove around to all our old haunts to see if they still existed. Many did, others didn’t. We were however very dissapointed at how Vanderbijl Central had deteriorated. On the other hand we were pretty impressed with the new malls that have sprung up.

Emerald Casino was also on our route and can honestly say that if you have seen it from the outside, you can turn around & leave as that is all there is to it. Boring.

We then had a braai and sleep over at my cousin’s house that night. Great seeing them again.

We left the next day wondering if that was the last time we would see them and the Vaal Triangle.

18 Nov – Year End Meetup

We had our year end meetup today at Johann & Tanya’s house in Midrand.

This was our biggest meetup yet with 7 families attending, giving us about 14 adults and 6 kids.

Although it was drizzling for a good part of the day we still managed to braai. The food was superb with everyone bringing something.

As usual the conversation simply never stopped as everyone has so much to tell & ask.

We love these meet ups as it seems as though the folks leaving SA are all the good folks (not that the folks staying are bad), it is just that everyone is the kind of folks we would normally make friends with.

Thanks for a great day guys.