The Relocated South African | Emigration stories

Dr. Deepak Bhootra spent 15 years building a career in South Africa before taking that experience across Singapore, India and eventually the United States.
Born in India and raised around the world thanks to his father's work as a forensic pathologist, Deepak arrived in South Africa in the early 1990s and quickly discovered a country that would shape the rest of his life.
Today he's based in Houston, where he coaches business leaders, entrepreneurs and sales professionals around the world. But despite living on three continents, he still credits South Africa for much of his work ethic, leadership philosophy and outlook on life.
In this conversation, Deepak reflects on adapting to new cultures, earning trust, building a meaningful career, and why success is no longer measured by money—but by the lives you impact.
It's a thoughtful conversation about identity, purpose and what emigrants can teach the world.
"Success isn't about how much money you leave behind. It's about what people say about you when you're gone." — Dr. Deepak Bhootra
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For over 30 years Sable International has offered seamless solutions that simplify the complexities of cross-border movement and financial management, so that you can focus on what matters most – building your future beyond borders.
Find out how Sable International can support your journey: https://bit.ly/3R3g1sy
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TIMESTAMPS
00:11 – Introducing Dr. Deepak Bhootra
01:06 – Life in Houston and surviving hurricanes
02:32 – How his family ended up in South Africa
06:12 – Falling in love with South Africa
07:38 – South Africans' unique sense of humour
10:09 – What South Africa taught him about work ethic
12:52 – Experiencing South Africa before democracy
17:02 – Leaving South Africa for Singapore
20:18 – Moving to India, then Houston
21:26 – Why South Africans succeed overseas
29:12 – Reinventing yourself after emigration
33:33 – Why trust is the foundation of success
37:42 – Leadership, balance and life beyond work
40:05 – How his definition of success changed forever
47:39 – "Grow Together. Rejoice Together."
51:00 – His message to South Africans living abroad
56:35 – Where to connect with Dr. Deepak Bhootra
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Your documents should not slow down your new life.
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Connect with Dr. Deepak Bhootra:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/deepakbhootra
Website: www.deepakbhootra.com

Connect with the podcast:
Website: www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com
Podcast: The Relocated South African — available on Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
If Deepak's story resonated with you, please share this episode with another South African navigating life abroad.

Werner Trieloff left the Free State at 21, chased whiskey and languages through Scotland and London, then followed a Brazilian love story to Porto Alegre in 2008 with only enough Portuguese to order a beer. Nearly two decades later he runs a business connecting Africa, Brazil, Europe and the US — despite qualifying as a CA and never doing a single day of actual accounting since.

Jan and Werner get into Brazil's brutal tax bureaucracy (rules can change ten times a day), the WhatsApp group of 55+ South Africans in Porto Alegre swapping milk tart recipes, and why joining a local rugby club and a motorbike gang did more for Werner's integration than any expat community ever could.

"Life has got its way of bringing magic to you." — Werner Trieloff

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For over 30 years Sable International has offered seamless solutions that simplify the complexities of cross-border movement and financial management, so that you can focus on what matters most to you – building your future beyond borders.Find out how Sable International can support your journey: https://bit.ly/3R3g1sy
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TIMESTAMPS
00:10 – Welcome to Werner in Porto Alegre
00:52 – Where Porto Alegre sits in Brazil
01:53 – Free State roots, early moves abroad
03:11 – Meeting a Brazilian in Austria
03:52 – Learning Portuguese from scratch
04:55 – Whiskey connoisseur talk begins
05:33 – Talisker 18 and Japanese Hibiki
06:05 – From CA to management accounting
06:52 – Hired without speaking Portuguese
11:14 – Business grounding without doing accounting
11:49 – South Africa, easiest entry to Africa
12:46 – Africa's cultures vary country to country
13:23 – Comparing Brazil and South Africa culture
13:53 – Brazil's brutal tax complexity
15:04 – South Africans in Brazil WhatsApp group
16:57 – Continental Brazil, huge regional differences
18:43 – Regional food differences across Brazil
20:43 – Braai with just salt, no spice
21:04 – Physical safety versus South Africa
22:57 – Corruption and policing realities
24:52 – Public healthcare system SUS explained
26:35 – Visas, red tape, bureaucracy
27:35 – Company registration much faster now
30:42 – Biggest sacrifice: distance from family
34:09 – Advice: find a local sport
36:42 – Wife's adjustment to South Africa
37:37 – Cost of living in Brazil
38:58 – Minimum wage and daily prices
40:20 – Comparing prices to Portugal, UK
41:05 – Housing costs, apartment living
41:56 – Would he ever return to SA?
43:21 – Raising bicultural kids in Brazil
44:55 – Advice to his 22-year-old self
46:06 – How to connect with Werner

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Your documents should not slow down your new life. Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world. Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted? Visit Apostil here - https://tinyurl.com/apostilcoza Documents with convenience.
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Connect with the podcast:
Website: www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com
Podcast: The Relocated South African — available on Spotify and all platforms

Werner's on LinkedIn (Werner Trieloff) if you want to reach out about business in Brazil or planning a trip there.

If this one hit home, send it to a fellow South African abroad — and follow the show wherever you listen.

Justin Levitt grew up in Welkom and Cape Town, toured the country as guitarist in rock band Red Tape Riot, then built a career in SEO.

In 2019 he followed a partner to the Netherlands, landing in Amsterdam just two weeks before COVID lockdown hit.

What followed was six unsettled years: a relationship that didn't survive lockdown isolation, a company sponsorship that evaporated when the business went bankrupt, and a year spent without a couch because he never knew if his contract would be renewed.

Justin talks candidly about finally getting permanent residency, the night in Paris when the Springboks won the 2023 World Cup semi-final, and why he's still proudly South African at heart.

"I don't know if I'm going to have my contract renewed. So, you know, I'll just live with the bare minimum until I really know." — Justin Levitt
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For over 30 years Sable International has offered seamless solutions that simplify the complexities of cross-border movement and financial management, so that you can focus on what matters most to you – building your future beyond borders.Find out how Sable International can support your journey: ⁠https://bit.ly/3R3g1sy⁠ _____________________________________________________________

TIMESTAMPS:
00:26 – Guest intro: SEO specialist
00:37 – Growing up in Welkom, the Goldfields
01:04 – Welkom's famous traffic circle legend
01:41 – School, university, bands in Cape Town
03:22 – Landed in Netherlands, COVID hit
04:18 – Learning guitar, convincing parents
05:05 – Backing a solo artist, touring years
06:40 – Forming rock band Red Tape Riot
06:54 – Why music never became a career
08:06 – Jan's theory: SA diversity vs France
08:45 – Radio stations that once launched careers
10:35 – Still plays guitar daily
11:31 – What SEO actually means
13:38 – Expectations before leaving SA
14:53 – Netherlands isn't just a Dutch UK
15:31 – Better government, worse restaurants
15:59 – Afrikaans doesn't help much here
16:47 – Dutch switch to English instantly
17:10 – Dutch know little SA history
17:51 – Arrived days before lockdown
18:17 – Locked down in a small town
19:02 – Lockdown strain on relationship
20:06 – Dutch bureaucracy, organized online
21:25 – Working remotely through lockdown
22:17 – Never settled, five cities
23:56 – Relationship ended in 2022
24:50 – Biggest sacrifice: uncertainty
25:45 – No couch for a year
26:09 – No regrets despite the struggle
27:20 – Struggle as priceless life experience
28:57 – Dutch supermarkets' tiny meat sections
30:30 – Hard to crack Dutch friend groups
31:12 – South Africans seen as hardworking
32:29 – Strict 5pm cutoff culture
34:00 – Feels completely safe here
35:36 – Still proudly South African
38:31 – Who Holland suits best
40:24 – Surprised by SA's racial dynamics
40:51 – Advice: experience first, then leap
41:50 – Doesn't see himself moving back
42:08 – Realizing the weight he carried
42:42 – Misses family and biltong most
43:35 – Best night: Paris 2023 World Cup semi
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Your documents should not slow down your new life.  Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world. Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted?  Visit Apostil here -⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/apostilcoza⁠⁠ Documents with convenience.

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Connect with the podcast:
Website: [www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com](https://www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com)
Podcast: The Relocated South African — available on Spotify and all platforms

Loved Justin's story? Share this episode with someone weighing their own move abroad.

In this episode of The Relocated South African, I sit down with Jenny Forest Angel, who moved from Johannesburg to Wellington, New Zealand in 1997 with a 20-month-old and a 3-year-old in tow — no internet, just fax machines and expensive phone calls. 

Nearly 30 years on, Jenny's sons are thriving, her late parents followed her out and are buried in New Zealand, and she says she'd do it all again without hesitation.

We talk about the break-in that finally pushed the decision, the 18 months it took to feel settled, the "green stars on the calendar" trick she used to track her hardest days, and why she'll never send a car or a dining room table overseas again.
For over 30 years Sable International has offered seamless solutions that simplify the complexities of cross-border movement and financial management, so that you can focus on what matters most to you – building your future beyond borders.Find out how Sable International can support your journey: ⁠https://bit.ly/3R3g1sy⁠

TIMESTAMPS

00:01 – Introducing Jenny Forest Angel, 30 years in Wellington
00:41 – What prompted leaving South Africa in 1997
00:54 – Five burglaries in 18 months and a safety tipping point
02:48 – The break-in that made them commit to going
03:15 – Selling the house, packing a truck — "what a mistake"
03:41 – Landing in NZ on 31 August 1997, the day Diana died
04:39 – Leaving parents and siblings behind
05:26 – How her parents adapted to a hard move at a late age
06:50 – "We were the lucky ones"
07:12 – Husband's contract ending and landing a NZ job offer
08:57 – Deciding to bring her parents across
09:08 – Sorting her parents' residency paperwork
10:24 – The brutally hard first year, no support networks
10:44 – Crying every day for three months
11:21 – The infamous fish and chips "scoops" story
12:25 – Fax machines twice a week, no Facebook groups
12:35 – Her parents packing up 40 years of life in four months
14:07 – The airport reunion and chocolate-ginger confetti
14:26 – Were her parents financially secure enough to move?
15:33 – How her sons adapted — school, university, careers
16:34 – Sons' success: actuarial science and a master's degree
16:47 – The key to success: green stars on a calendar, "don't give up"
17:49 – Settling financially, and a quirky job exploring Wellington
20:14 – South African pride vs. "no job's beneath me" overseas
20:58 – Would things have turned out the same in South Africa?
21:24 – All Black or Springbok supporter?
21:46 – A 2011 Rugby World Cup ticket mix-up story
23:18 – Making friends: Kiwis vs. fellow South Africans
23:47 – Why the "soft landing" myth doesn't guarantee friendship
24:56 – What she'd leave behind if she did it again
26:56 – The personality traits that make immigration succeed
27:23 – "You can't swim upstream" — adapting without losing yourself
29:10 – "As the plane took off, I knew we were here to stay"
29:20 – How long it took to feel safe again
29:40 – No security bars, no fear — leaving windows open
31:17 – Returning to SA in 2001, her kids' reaction to locked doors
32:11 – Kids playing freely — the value of living without fear
32:25 – Advice for parents on the fence about immigrating
33:06 – Why moving young helps, but older kids adapt too
34:00 – The shrinking window for older parents to immigrate today
34:24 – Her parents' legacy and why she never gave up
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Your documents should not slow down your new life. 

Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world.

Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted? 

Visit Apostil here -⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/apostilcoza⁠⁠

Documents with convenience.
_____________________________________________________________
Connect with the podcast:
Website: www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com
Podcast: The Relocated South African — available on Spotify and all platforms

Martiens Bekker is a sculptor, blacksmith and multi-medium artist from Naboomspruit. 

He served in the SA Police Force, studied forestry, and built a career making scrap metal sculptures and film props for Warner Brothers and DreamWorks. 

In 2009 he moved to Cornwall, UK, where he ran a coffee shop, served on the Coast Guard rescue team, and sold art — including a piece to the drummer of Queen. 

A chance invitation brought the family to rural Norway in 2014, where they've lived ever since. Martiens became a Norwegian citizen in 2024.
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Whatever taking your future global means for you, Sable International has the expertise to unlock what the world has to offer. With cross-border services spanning visas, second passports, tax, wealth planning, forex and studying abroad, they'll simplify the complexities so that you can focus on what matters most to you – building your future, beyond borders.

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Timestamps
00:44 — Introduction: calling in from the mountains of Telemark, Norway

03:16 — Growing up in Naboomspruit, a family of Springbok athletes, and losing his father at age four

03:68 — Police force, forestry, Israel — finding his path back in South Africa

04:35 — Meeting his wife outside Cape Town and deciding to leave in 2009

05:35 — Life in Cornwall: coffee shop, Coast Guard, exhibitions — and worrying about British youth culture

07:26 — How Norway happened: a sawmill invitation that fell through, and a school principal who convinced them to stay

09:17 — SA → UK (2009) → Norway (2014) — and a visa battle with the Home Office involving a court case

11:41 — Becoming a Norwegian citizen in 2024 and the language test

13:20 — Which move was harder? Why he'd tell South Africans: "Find somewhere they speak English first"

15:07 — What Norway gets right: unlocked doors, great healthcare, open-source tax transparency

17:24 — The scrap metal art: making props for Warner Brothers and DreamWorks from a Cape Town workshop

23:29 — The Falmouth market story: selling a fish made from pick handles to the drummer of Queen

27:49 — Living with narcolepsy, diagnosed after sepsis in 2016

29:30 — Winter income: copper jewelry, firewood for a traditional bakery, and a heritage market in Mjønøy

31:56 — The price of immigration: reuniting with his brother in California after 16 years apart

36:12 — Why they left: giving the boys a better chance — and what that cost in family connections

37:10 — Would he do it again? His son thanked him for getting him out of Cornwall

38:12 — What he lost: his heart is still in South Africa, but his mind can't align with what he sees there now

39:43 — Could he go back? A brother-in-law's farm and a nephew with Angelman syndrome

41:22 — Advice for young South Africans: understand passive income, tax, and build a foundation

43:28 — Final advice: don't set expectations too high — every country has its problems

Quote of the Episode
"The grass is greener on the other side — you know why? Because there's more sht there."* — Martiens Bekker

Links & Resources
Martiens Bekker — Instagram: search MJ Bekker or Martiens Bekker
BBC Autumnwatch -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DowbAXSquqA

More conversations. More destinations. More stories of South Africans navigating life abroad. Explore the full episode library at http://therelocatedsouthafrican.com.
_______________________________________________________________
Your documents should not slow down your new life. 

Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world.

Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted? 

Visit Apostil here -⁠https://tinyurl.com/apostilcoza⁠

Documents with convenience.
_______________________________________________________________