The Relocated South African
The Relocated South African
Podcast Description
The show for navigating emigration from South Africa for a better future.
Join host Jan Hugo as he shares authentic emigration stories from South Africans who've taken the leap. You'll hear about what drove their decision to leave, the mistakes they made, and how they've built new lives abroad.
We'll explore everything from the emotional reality of leaving friends and family behind, to the challenges of emigrating to a foreign country.
Relocating isn't always simple, but this show will provide you with the certainty, practical information and support to make the whole process easier.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers essential emigration topics such as motivations for leaving South Africa, individual challenges faced in new countries, and the emotional toll of relocating. Episodes delve into specific themes like finding community abroad, cultural adaptation, and building new lives, with concrete examples from guests like Steven Phyffer discussing family moves to Australia and Siobhan Erasmus sharing her journey to Spain.
The show for navigating emigration from South Africa for a better future.
Join host Jan Hugo as he shares authentic emigration stories from South Africans who’ve taken the leap. You’ll hear about what drove their decision to leave, the mistakes they made, and how they’ve built new lives abroad.
We’ll explore everything from the emotional reality of leaving friends and family behind, to the challenges of emigrating to a foreign country.
Relocating isn’t always simple, but this show will provide you with the certainty, practical information and support to make the whole process easier.
In May 2025, the US welcomed its first batch of white Afrikaans South Africans as part of its divisive Refugee Admissions Program.
Some people are saying that they will be back, while others don’t even think they should have been accepted in the first place – it’s been dominating the headlines for months and today’s guest has become somewhat of a voice for the programme’s participants.
Andrea Shea is a wife, mother, and passionate activist for South Africans living in the United States. Andrea shares her journey of relocating from South Africa after her family won the diversity visa lottery, after many years of trying. We talk about everything from settling in Florida, cultural adjustments, and raising a family in a new country, to her activism in support of South Africans seeking a ”safer and brighter future”.
My discussion with Andrea was a truly eye-opening experience. Her honesty about the challenges of leaving South Africa, the realities of moving to the US, and her tireless work supporting others really struck a chord with me. I left our conversation feeling inspired by her resilience and her unwavering commitment to help fellow South Africans navigate these uncertain paths.
If you’re considering relocation, wanting to know more about the refugee programme to the US, or simply curious about what life is like after such a big move, this episode has plenty of insights and practical advice you won’t want to miss.
“I think people have it in their head that [if] you're a refugee, there's kind of like a stigma behind it. But no one I've known that has gone over on the programme has been stigmatised.” – Andrea Shea
00:00 Introduction
07:18 Visiting South Africa
12:19 US-SA relations
14:50 South African politics and the race debate
18:22 Is change imminent?
19:35 Addressing poverty
23:56 Chaotic start to refugee programme
27:20 Relocating for children’s future
31:37 Work visa vs. refugee programme
32:32 Misconceptions about being a US citizen
38:35 Embracing local culture abroad
Resources
- Contact Andrea via email: [email protected]
- Follow her on X: https://x.com/andrea_spook
Find your digital home with fellow Relocated South Africans around the world. Visit https://therelocatedsouthafrican.com and connect with Jan at [email protected]
This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency:
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