Living in Africa!

Well once again the old adage is proven. "Even a blind chicken will find some corn if he pecks the ground long enough"! I've managed to hang on long enough that a company I do business with is expanding to Africa.

I've been offered a position which will allow me to pick a location to live. (Tanzania, RSA, Zimbabwe among a few others) If I'm going to uproot the family again then I need to do some homework before I even consider a reply. One of those considerations is obviously hunting and the ability to continue guiding. I am not pressed for time, so for once the opportunity exists to make an informed decision BEFORE moving. Of the PH associations and organizations, which do you recommend as a reliable resource for information pertaining to licensing, outfitting, and work laws?

For those of you currently living in Africa I would love to pick your brain and get some good local information pertaining to these and other aspects of living in these countries. Things I'll be researching include schools, family work permits, education, land ownership, you name it I've got a lot of questions. If you feel like sharing a little wisdom either PM me or reply here for all. Thanks.

congratulations, sounds like a fantastic opportunity!

It`s tough moving the family what ages are they? Most of the mission familys that I know employ a live in home school teacher -quite often a European student.

Good luck with your plans.

Charly

Let me know where I can be of assistance...

Thanks so much for the encouragement. My first inclination is to choose Tanzania as a location. Time and research will tell.

I broke the news to the wife today and she is ecstatic. We've got a lot, make that a hell of a lot, to figure out still. Luckily thirty years plus living abroad as a military wife has made her tougher than wood pecker lips when it comes to picking up and moving. She's already trying to figure out if she will need to buy new clothes. You got to love the woman.

KARIBU TANZANIA...

What a great opportunity............congrats!! If it was me I would be picking Tanzania I think. Great opportunities and a chance to spend a lot of time in big game country. Next would be Zim. out of the countries you named.

It is wonderful that your partner in life is as keen about it as you are.

Macs B... please get in touch with me for any information that you might need and questions that you have. Cheers,

Macs B,

Congratulations on the opportunity.

I am from a little town in South Louisiana. One of my friends met a Zim farmer while she was in college. They married and have lived there since the mid 80s while raising three children. They were kicked off their farm about 8 years ago. She still believes there is no better place on earth than Zimbabwe. It must be a special place. I hope to see her in October while in Zim.

Once you get settled in you need to invite long lost cousins to come hunting with you.

Mike Burke

Well we made our first trip. The wife and I just got back and it is looking a lot like Tanzania is the place for us! I spent the last two weeks in Johansusburg RSA working on some of the details for the job, the move etc. We did get a side trip up to Dar es Salaam on the coast. Stayed locked in meetings most of the time but what a city and what a country. I think we've about made up our minds, it is going to be Tanzania.

Shallom I would like to send you a PM with some specific questions seeing as how you have the home field advantage. If anyone else out there is a Tanzanian resident please speak up, I would love to pick some brains and learn from other's experiences.

Mike 70560 I didn't know that I had any family in Louisianna but it wouldn't surprise me a bit. I lived near Deridder LA from 1993-1997. I'd love to hear how things are back in duck hunting heaven!

You may have more long lost relatives show up after you are settled in Tan.

DeRidder, what the heck were you doing there? Fort Polk?

Duck hunting was good last year and is suppose to be better this year. Other than the hurricanes things remain the same here in LA.

Miss South Louisiana guys. Grew up in Lake Charles and guided duck hunters every day of every season while attending McNeese. I still make it down a couple of times a year, though I usually find myself chasing reds and specs rather than ducks. It's all good down there. Have a grand time on the East African coast!

Having spent many months in most of the countries of Africa, I would be very careful...Jumping out of the pan into the fire comes to mind..I could write a book on the subject but I can tell you for sure the USA is still the best and safest place in the world to raise your children...

As to outfitting, well I am sure you will be very disapointed there as it will not happen, as to hunting, that depends but it won't be a matter of just heading out any going hunting, especially in Tanzania as you will limited to certain areas that are pretty dismall hunting areas. The big concessions are controled by the concessionars..

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but I suggest you approach this dream as its always greener on the other side of the fence, NOT!

I am tanzanian resident Macs and i can assure you that you have made the right choice!Tanzania is just the right place for any keen big game hunter seeking for a place to settle in africa - good climate , warm & friendly people , abundant wildlife and a peaceful atmosphere make it the best choice!Ofcourse any country has its own 'kinks' but i still recommend tanzania from your list of countries.
ALL THE BEST!

Mac... am still awaiting your PM on matters related to your move to TZ. Even if you have everything sorted, would still like to meet you for a beer at least - cheers Bwana,

Shallom/M'bogo Hunter
Thanks so much, the great news is that the transfer is a lock, I'm officially headed to Tanzania. Everything is still tracking as scheduled, I will be moving some time in the late spring of 2010. This is all government contract work and the time frame is dictated by the host nations or I'd be there yesterday. I have a ton of questions and will get them out to you all as soon as I can get them into some format that makes sense. My cocktail napkin filing system is going to be the death of me. The wife and I have made our lists and we are in the process of working through the details now. One of the tougher questions to get a definite answer on is a work permit for my wife. Our "status" as US/EU contractors is making it hard to get a yes or no. I'll be in touch soon, thanks so much again.

Ray/
I appreciate the sentiment and you are certainly entitled to your opinions. Understand though, this isn't my first rodeo. I've lived abroad for 28 of the last 34 years. My only time in the states was at the US Army's directive not at my request. When it comes to my family and what we want, I can assure you that living in the USA is not for us anymore. Frankly the hardest decision we are facing is to leave our home in Germany. I already left the states years ago. I've always found that you will learn more about a place by living there than you ever will as a tourist. You are forced to immerse yourself into the culture and the language. Without that "going home soon" safety net you learn to see what is going on around you from a different perspective.

Cheers,

Macs