From a job opportunity to seeking safety - these are just two of the many reasons someone might decide to pack up their life in South Africa and move all the way to North Dakota, USA. But what’s it really like to swap small-town life under African skies for snowy winters in rural America?

In this episode, I chatted to Sonéll Van Niekerk, who made that exact journey with her family in 2022. Sonéll shares how a professional opportunity opened the door to a new life abroad, what it was like to adapt to icy winters, and the challenges of leaving loved ones behind. We touch on making new friends, building community through faith and volunteering, and how her family have navigated these big changes together.

Sonéll is a faith-based educator and content creator, who has built a community online sharing Bible teaching videos on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. She is active in her local church, and fosters both community integration and support among South African expatriates.

I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation – Sonéll’s positive outlook were truly inspiring. Her story offers first-hand advice and honest insight into the realities of relocating from South Africa, all while holding onto hope and building a better future.

“We have a slogan in our family... we should always stick together because we only have each other.” - Sonéll Van Niekerk

00:00 Introduction

06:10 Adjusting to icy winters

09:56 Her journey as a faith educator

11:19 Embracing community as an immigrant

16:01 Discovering a new professional role

17:39 Missing family

22:33 A family’s decision to leave

24:33 Moving to the States

29:22 SA refugee programme

Connect with Sonéll for her faith-based content on:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonell.vanniekerk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonell_vn
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonell87

If you want to connect with us or share your own story, please contact us on:

[email protected]

This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency:

https://www.zapods.com