I made the decision to move away from SA back in 2000. It took me about a year to research etc, and then (can't lie about this) to make things easier I got married to a Welshman. We have been living in the UK for just over 6 years now. When I take everything into consideration I think I made the right choice and would not move back to SA. My eldest two children have the freedom to walk to school, their friends, the park, etc and my 15 year old even takes the train to neighbouring towns with friends. This is something both children remember never being able to do when living in SA. The biggest difference that I found when moving to the UK is the lack of crime (we live in a small town some way from London). It is a very peaceful town surrounded by countryside and more peaceful towns. I have no fear for my children to walk in the streets or visit the nearby parks.

Something else that has really made a difference is travel to European countries. It is relatively cheap to fly from the UK to the continent and we have managed to visit many countries we would not ordinarily have been able to do had we still lived in SA, due to expense and distance. We spent a memorable Christmas in Lapland with all the trimmings of reign deer, husky's and Santa's helpers.

Family and friends are very much missed, but we have visited and been visited, and the children have adapted very well to life abroad.

Initially I found everything really expensive, especially housing, however over the past eight years the cost of living has become more expensive in South Africa. We have worked hard and made sacrifices since moving here. I now feel we have a more comfortable life abroad.

Saying all that, we still visit our "SA shop" (our local butcher who stocks SA produce) once a week. What would we do without Mrs Balls, Choc Kits, ProNutro and Black Cat Choc bars???

Ingrid Fretwell