Reenie and I continue to prepare for our mission to Africa. I am on the road every day for the next three weeks training the three individuals that will take my place at work and looking forward to the October 3 retirement date, and Reenie continues the arduous task of evaluating what of our 36 years of 'stuff' we keep and what we part ways with before our settlement date of October 3. We are making great progress, but there still seems to be much remaining to do.
We were pleased to get our FBI background checks back from the Dept of Justice, and find that we are both squeeky clean....whew! Now we should be good to go for a visa to enter South Africa for 18-24 months.
We have also found out a few more interesting things regarding our new home in Johannesburg. We will have a small plain Nissan car (to avoid attracting any carjacking attention), we have to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, we have to tip the fuel attendant when they fill the car with that $6.99/gallon petrol, and when buying gas, we must give the attendant our odometer reading, hmmm?, we need individual visas for entry into Lesutho, Nimibia, Mozambique, DRCongo, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Madagascar, but the LDS church travel department in SA does all processing for us. Currency exchange is also necessary in 9 of these 11 countries. The current state of the dollar is good yielding 8 Rand to the dollar. A hot summer day in February in Johannesburg is 27C (80F) and a cold winter day in July is 3C (37F) and yes everything is measured in metric.
Yes, lots to learn and prepare for, as the process continues.
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11 comments:
Good Luck with everything you two! Driving on the wrong side of the road will take some getting used to I imagine. I am so excited for you two!!
So much to do and so many different things to get used to. I know you guys are up to the task though. Infact, you're going to do such a great job, they're not going to want to let you leave.
I do worry about driving on the wrong side of the road. I think Mom should do the driving. Dad, you're so ingrained in driving because you do ALL the time that I'm afraid that you won't be able to break those habits. Mom still has to think about what she's doing when driving so the change might be easier on her.
Wow, oct.3 is coming right around the corner.... I am so happy you are excited about this and think that you will both be great! I am glad you passed the FBI screening... :o) A nissan.. I thought you said KIA?
The weather sounds great, but the driving on the other side thing would DEFINATELY do me in... in fact, if they saw my driving record.. I don't know if they would want me driving at all. well, they better just issue me the junkiest car they have because I couldn't make any promises regarding its condition.
It is neat to hear about all the things you will have/get to learn over there. The metric system would be hard for me as well as getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. I can't believe you leave in just over 2 months! Good luck getting everything done.
I am sooo excited for you both. So much to learn and do but knowing the two of you, I am SURE you will be fine (and even better than fine; you will be great). I look forward to reading your blog...
With LOVE
Well if you read two postings down you would have seen I was spiritual THAT day! How exciting about all your many new things. The whole time I read it I just thought, "they are very smart people and will be fine!" and I really mean that. I have no doubt...they will want to keep you forever.
My brother's brain tumor is back in the form of brain cancer this time. It is inoperable in that it has fingered through his brain. It was non-responsive to the best form of traditional chemo and so he went off chemo and started an alternative program about a year ago that has proven to be very difficult. He has just gone off that alternative program to save his sanity and marriage =) and we are praying that the tumor doesn't start growing again. He is back to work, but losing his job and health insurance in the next few months as the business has been sold and is moving to the East coast =(. He is just not the same...struggles with repetitiveness when talking, slurs, has lost muscle control on one side of his face and is always tired and still fighting daily to weekly seizures. We all pray that he and his family experience peace and strength at this time through these difficult challenges. He has received some great blessings, but life is very overwhelming and tough right now for them.
That is his update and we would love prayers and I will try to keep you better posted as things change. Thanks for the note.
Good luck with retirement right around the corner. I have a "to-do" list here at the house if you and Reenie wanted to come for a visit before you leave! I heard that you do that for Brielle. Hmmmm...yea I have a list for sure.
Hmmmm....noticed we were moved to the bottom of the list. I knew the sibs would be jealous! No hard feelings...swear.
Hi
I found you through April Kennedy's site. I am from South Africa, spent several years in Swaziland and my mom, Gina Randall works for the church office in Johannesburg. She is the assistant to the area president and it seems that she is very involved with the missionary couples that come through. You may have spoken to her.
Anyway, just wanted to offer my services should you want anymore insider ;) information. I know I appreciated anything anyone could tell me when I came over to the States for the first time.
South Africa is magical, and once it is in your blood you will never be the same :) Wish I could stow away in your suitcase. I hope you have a wonderful mission. It sounds as though you will be seeing a lot of Africa! My brother went on his mission to Zimbabwe and the other to Namibia. They had wonderful experiences. Good luck!
kirsty.sayer@gmail.com
PS: I *still* 13 years later sometimes have issues with driving on the wrong side of the road here.
To answer your question, Kirsty Sayer is an old friend from Napa 3rd Ward. She and her family were in our ward for a few years and then moved away. I'm not sure where she is living now, but found her blog on another friend's blog. Why do you ask?
Aha...now I see her post! Got it. Small world. She is great and I forgot that she was from South Africa.
Jim & Reenie, I'm so glad you have a blog!! (Thanks, Brittany & Brielle!). I can't wait to follow your mission. Everytime I read or hear you talk about your mission (like on this past Sunday), I just get overwhelmed with how excited I am for you. What a wonderful, blessed opportunity this is for you two, your family, and your friends.
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