NationStates Jolt Archive

I only ask this question because quite a few of them are turning up in Japan (mostly in the form of bankers working for American companies). I know how they are viewed here, but I am curious as to how they are viewed overseas, so here goes:

How do you (and other people in your country(ies) as far as your know) view South African (mostly white) expats?

My IT teacher was a South African expat, he left after being shot. Interestingly, he had a pair of crocodile shoes.

And to answer your question, not any differently to any other migrants.

Seeing your poll options I guess we're talking ex-pats who left the country after Apartheid ended?

I wouldn't know how "my country" reacted to them seeing how it isn't any issue here at all; I for one wouldn't know a single person who'd fit that group, either.

And, of course and as always, the whole "I refuse to judge an entire group of people as a collective" sermon applies, especially if you go out on such a limb as to assume a uniform motivation to leave the country.

ETA:

My IT teacher was a South African expat, he left after being shot.

Surely you mean "after being shot at"?

*dons protective anti-zombie hat*

i have no idea what the rest of the country would think of a SA immigrant.

i would have no automatic opinion of him.

We get a fair few in West Oz. If they're Brit or Black, they got no problems, but I've noticed Boers tend get it a bit rough.

My buddy is from Botswana and born in South African, and his father served in the South African army and has lived all around Southern Africa.

They're pretty interesting people. :)

I know quite a few saffas...some are bat shit insane....many are pretty cool...

/meh

Surely you mean "after being shot at"?

*dons protective anti-zombie hat*

He could have been shot somewhere not entirely vital, such as the leg, shoulder, arm, something like that.

I'm in California, and my cousin married a (white) girl from South Africa. She seems normal. I don't think anyone in the family thinks anything (positive or negative) about South Africans in general. There aren't enough of them around here for it to be considered.

A couple showed up in Luxembourg, I guess...One's cute, the other's a bit odd.

Surely you mean "after being shot at"?

*dons protective anti-zombie hat*

No, sweetie, that's just a common mistaken assumption that native German speakers make. As Wallonochia pointed out, "he was shot" can mean both "er wurde erschossen" as well as "er wurde angeschossen". Endlessly irritating when deciding whether to send a condolence or a get well card.

the only contact I have had with them was some girl who was a quarter South African or something, she was chavtastic so I assume all South Africans are dressed in tracksuits working for my mother:p

He could have been shot somewhere not entirely vital, such as the leg, shoulder, arm, something like that.

zombie leg?

I view them as democrats fleeing a fascist, is it me or is there no option like that?

He could have been shot somewhere not entirely vital, such as the leg, shoulder, arm, something like that.

No, sweetie, that's just a common mistaken assumption that native German speakers make. As Wallonochia pointed out, "he was shot" can mean both "er wurde erschossen" as well as "er wurde angeschossen". Endlessly irritating when deciding whether to send a condolence or a get well card.

I decide to ignore the well-meant advice of my fellow ESL (nope, that's not Esel) and keep on blaring at the top of my lungs that "to be shot" can only mean "to have been killed by a (gun)shot", and not "to have been wounded suchly". Yes.

Surely you mean "after being shot at"?

*dons protective anti-zombie hat*

He could have been shot somewhere not entirely vital, such as the leg, shoulder, arm, something like that.
He got it.;)

I decide to ignore the well-meant advice of my fellow ESL (nope, that's not Esel) and keep on blaring at the top of my lungs that "to be shot" can only mean "to have been killed by a (gun)shot", and not "to have been wounded suchly". Yes.

That's ok, I do the same sort of thing in French.

zombie leg?

It has no brain to shoot it in! It can't die!

With one notable, recent exception, my experience of white South African expats has been (nearly uniformly so, I'll add) that it's only a matter of time before they begin 'feeling me out' on their own, inevitably racist, sensibilities. Been down that road a few times too many for there to be any sort of misapprehension on my part.