Why Do Ex Oranjemunders........?

[Michael Alexander]

I got an email today from an ex Oranjemunder.... and I was just wondering why a lot of ex Oranjemunders seem.... (1) Amazed that some of us have lived here for so long and not left yet...... and (2) Feel Sorry for us.........

Anyone want to comment?

 

[Clive Symes]

After 52 years in Oranjemund, I reckon I'm entitled to comment.

Living there was good and I enjoyed it, but as things change so do we. I reckon we know when its time to go and realize that there is life outside, it takes getting used to but you soon realize what opportunitys were missed while living in Oranjemund.

I don't ever feel sorry for staying there, because its made me what I am now, I do sometimes think that it may have been better to leave earlier. ( but that's with hind site)

[David John Long]

@Milke, I get that a lot from my mates that are living all over, they still give me shit about living here. But hey each to their own.

I lived in CT for almost 8 years, 5 of those for boarding school and the other 3 years working. I spent 90% of my time working and not enough time having fun... just to make ends meet there. It's tough out there in the big bad real world and it was always nice to come home to the peace and quiet of Oranjemund.

I think if I was still in CT, I still would have been working in a bar, either that or lying somewhere dead in a gutter. I am glad I came home.

Granted there is some great stuff out there to learn, but there is a hell of a lot more bad habit's that you can pick up out there as well.

[SandyB]

Why do people have to equate being sucessful at life as  moving around ??  I meet so many people that have this strange mindset ... I hear all kinds of crap about " comfort zones " etc ..  sure i left O'mund  almost 28 years ago  but then  i have worked for my  company for  since then ..  i had lots of job offers  years ago .. they involved moving to gauteng ..  eastern cape .. durban and environs ..  two where i would have been in america .. all of them i decined .. In fact by staying in the same company  with all the takeovers , expansion , contraction i " moved ' without having to move .. and have a wealth of  indusrty experience  that rivals many ...  i was building a  life that I liked .. and yes it has done me good .. the lure of even more money  and promotion  did not make me move ,, and yes i am happy for my choice ..  I have stayed in the same home for 28 years .. yes added layers over the years .. bought the house next door ..  expanded .. i go back to my Moms wise words when  i showed  her  No 89  in 1980 .. she did a strange thing .. walked around the house  stamping her feet  and then  said .. " my boy this is your home enjoy it  grow it "  for me O'mund was a comfortable place  and yes i could have stayed many more years , but destiny   was calling ..  I had to  create .. I had new potential  to explore .. a  romance that became a  lifelong commitment  to explore ... so yes i moved ..  but for anyone that established their life in the oasis that O'mund was and still is ..  never feel slighted by anyones comments ...  enjoy ...

[Michele Alexander (Voden)]

  - great words from all of you!

I feel privileged to have grown up here in Oranjemund and for my kids to also be able to grow up here. After having spent a couple of days in Cape Town I was more than happy to leave the hustle and bustle and come home to our little home in the desert where our work is a 2 minutes walk away, the girls school is a 2 minute drive away and we spend only 5 minutes a day in the car. Sure there are many advantages to living in Cape Town but there are many disadvantages as well!

It doesn't help to ponder what could have been or might have been but to be happy and satisfied with where you are and the decisions that you've made.

[SandyB]

May  i add the  expression " content with ones choices '   not in the context of the content cow in the field chewing the cud  they know no better  , but as  individuals who have made choices  and are content with them .. how many of the " chasers of life ' are really deep down happy ??  restless maybe and yes trying to compensate .. but what for ??

[Rhona]

Chasing because people think the grass is always greener...........don't spend your life on 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' - grab it with both hands and laugh your way through it..........do what you want and go where you want and don't begrudge others the choices they made...........that's my 2c

[SandyB]

I  rest my case on the comments ...   mine included ..         pan   we are happy folk ...

[Richard Opperman]

Life is what you make of it!

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

As Richard says Life is what you make of it. We left O'mund after 20yrs and moved onto Letseng (Fickberg). then to Phalaborwa. I was very happy in all 3 towns and could very well have stayed in any one of them for ever. It was great for my children to grow up in the small towns and they all adapted very well to Cape Town when we moved here. The mines were very good to us and enabled us to start our married life without any financial burdens. O'mund is still very close to my heart as thats were I consider my roots to be. For those of you that are still there...great....you happy!!!!

[Clive Symes]

The only place where the grass is said to be realy green is Ireland   

[SandyB]

An old  adage  .. " the grass is only greener on the other side cos theres more  shit there "   Ok now count on your hands ... how many people in your life do you know  that have followed the  " green " only to find more cowpats than  what they expected ??  no insult  but thats the gamble ..    for many an ill timed and not well thought out  set of decisions ... ??  my 2 $ worth ..

[Clive Symes]

Sandy,
just for you, I have had my daughter scan in a few photos.

More to follow

[SandyB]

Aah ! so good  thanks Clive ...   so when you and your Mum coming to a  family do at  pete and   Sans place ??? tell her i insist ....

[Clive Symes]

You any good with a crowbar, I can handle the excavator. Its so difficult to get her to budge.

Would love to take you up on the offer and see Peter & Sandy , but I'll need dynamite to move my Mum.