By Yachna Singh
Over-populated…too much traffic…too few jobs…
As an Indian Durbanite, you’ve heard that way too many times to even think straight about leaving home.
“What will you do? What will you eat? You can’t live with someone else, are you NUTS?” Yes, mother dearest, father dearest and 45th cousin dearest. Before you know it, that bloody landline is ringing off its rocker with aunties and uncles frantically wanting to know when you are leaving and adding, “You must come home for dinner before you move”.
But common homely traditions and habits aside, what’s the real deal? Is it worth leaving your coastal, forever-summer home for the Jozi buzz? Honestly, I never thought I would be “that chick”, moving to an inland urban city – but now that I have done it, with the amount I’ve learnt and am still learning, I’ll say it’s definitely worth it.
Working in the digital industry means serious time management, creativity and, by far the most important, the ability to learn and keep learning no matter what position you are in. After a few rough months in the big city, careers start to form quicker than you can imagine. People get to know you in the industry, and you work on brands that you only dreamed of when you lived in Durbz. One month feels like a year with the amount of work pushed out, but with a solid team and focus, overtime doesn’t even feel like work.
The lavish restaurants, malls, casinos and markets make Jozi living a lot more fun over the weekends, especially if you’re a sucker for good food and wine like me. Take time for yourself though – take time to go home, see your family, have homemade food, enjoy the beach, the relaxed lifestyle and that famous bunny chow from down the road (because in Durbz, everything is down the road), and you’ll really appreciate what home is. So if you’re thinking about relocating to the big, scary, busy Jozi – don’t think too much – take the plunge and move, you never know where you’ll be in five years from now.
