Have you ever wondered what it takes to pick up your entire life and move it - all five family members, ten suitcases, and countless memories - halfway across the world? What does it really feel like to leave everything you know for the “land of opportunity”, and face the wild adventure of starting over?

In this episode, I chat to Kirsten Halcrow, who - along with her husband Sheldon and their children Cassidy, Keenan, and Chase - made the life-changing move from Johannesburg to Florida, USA. Their story started with a family vote after Sheldon was offered the chance to spearhead a new division of his company in the USA. From there, it was a two-year rollercoaster of visa hurdles, emotional goodbyes, selling almost everything, and finally landing in their new American life, nervous yet excited.

I loved hearing Kirsten’s honest take on the all-too-familiar confusion of driving on the right side of the road, wrestling with Fahrenheit and pounds, and building a credit score from scratch - despite decades of being responsible adults in South Africa. Through the chaos, frustrations, and sheer hilarity of American life, the Halcrow family have shown true resilience and found their place, even as they miss those left behind.

Kirsten’s experiences led her to create www.emigrate2usa.co.za - a fantastic resource that offers trustworthy guidance for South Africans considering a move to the USA. It’s a platform shaped by their hands-on knowledge and committed to helping others demystify the process, from bureaucracy to cultural quirks.

“The problem with the US is there's not that many routes to entry. It's not a, you know, it's not, let me just get a job and a work visa.” - Kirsten Halcrow

00:00 Introduction

04:09 Halcrow family moves abroad

08:45 Navigating new beginnings

09:40 Guiding newcomers through relocation challenges

15:14 Adjusting to expensive cleaning costs

17:41 $25,000 to have her daughter’s tonsils out

20:26 Creating a second family abroad

24:42 “Did we abandon our roots?”

27:55 The Lekker Network

31:41 Relocating requires unity

35:19 It’s a journey, an adventure

Resources

• Reach out to Emigrate2USA: https://emigrate2usa.co.za/
• Join the Emigrate2USA Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/Emigrate2USA.co.za/
• Check out the Lekker Network: https://thelekkernetwork.com/

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