South Africa question

So my girlfriend is heading off to South Africa to study abroad in a town called Pietermaritzburg. It seems like a great place and there are zebras and crap there for her to play with, but people keep making comments to us that its super dangerous. Now I know that the rape and crime rates are out of control in South Africa, but this town seems like it might be a little bit more legit. After all, like I always say, "The further away from Oscar the safer".

So here is the question, if you live or have been to or just have a good knowledge of South Africa, how safe is it for a 20 year old blonde girl to study abroad at Pietermaritzburg?

Im thinking it should be absolutely fine, but who knows. Just wanted to get some opinions from people who arent just saying what the TV has told them about Africa.

20 year old blonde you say?! [}:)]

[Oscar]

Show us a picture of her so we can best determine the risk factor.

Na, its cool, I dont know if I want a picture of my girlfriend added to Coasterkids personal files haha.

Ahhh! I already booked my flight.

Polokwane/Pietermaritzburg isn't too bad though the worst is here in JHB but also only in the central business district and townships. If you?????????re street smart, anyone can make it out alive.

FYI she shouldn?????????t make use of any public transportation systems, electricity is a thing of the past (SA decided to head in a new direction) and at this very moment US $1.00 = R10.55, nobody knows who our real president is at the moment, to get the credit card you applied for is practically impossible, BEE is in full effect and just a 5 gig cap worth of Internet is unaffordable.

She will be living in the dorms at the college and most likely wont be traveling to far from there. Ya the internet thing sucks big balls, so no Skype I guess.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Your girlfriend is a goddamned moron since all of the people who happen to have brown curly hair who shall remain unlabeled that moved to my neighborhood from South Africa are loaded as hell and I tell you it isn't their money, they stole it from the natives as part of the wonderful political system they used to have.

Africa as a majority is a starving disease pit with a smattering of mineral deposits. This is why you don't send missionaries running around introducing European farming techniques that don't work and set up borders with no consideration of local tribes, and then watch in astonishment as everyone tries to kill each other. The dual income level gap is disgusting in that country. If I was a native I'd be whooping her ass all up and down the block for that reason alone, not to mention everything else.

Also test her ass for AIDS when she gets back.

[Oscar]

I think she met someone on the Internet and is going to shack up with him there. I don't think she'll be your girlfriend anymore when she steps off the plane. Sucks for you. I can always rent out coasterkidmwm to you for $5 a day.

Originally posted by Coasterkidmwm

Your girlfriend is a goddamned moron since all of the people who happen to have brown curly hair who shall remain unlabeled that moved to my neighborhood from South Africa are loaded as hell and I tell you it isn't their money, they stole it from the natives as part of the wonderful political system they used to have.

Africa as a majority is a starving disease pit with a smattering of mineral deposits. This is why you don't send missionaries running around introducing European farming techniques that don't work and set up borders with no consideration of local tribes, and then watch in astonishment as everyone tries to kill each other. The dual income level gap is disgusting in that country. If I was a native I'd be whooping her ass all up and down the block for that reason alone, not to mention everything else.

Also test her ass for AIDS when she gets back.

Thanks for the lovely advice and for calling her a goddamn moron. Ill make sure to pass that on to her.

That's not really subtle indeed.

I'm sorry I can't give you any advice, but I guess DJ-DJ gave you some usefull stuff. Good luck to you and your girl though.

I have a question.
How is she going to play with Zebras?

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by Symbiotic
Thanks for the lovely advice and for calling her a goddamn moron. Ill make sure to pass that on to her.

Problems with South Africa:
*Serious electricity issues (no light means studying at night, no computer usage for papers, etc)
*Massive "brain drain" (all of the white people fled with the country's money, most of which they stole)
*They hate white people/Americans (your girlfriend is one or both)
*They have a ridiculously high rape and murder rate
*Massive xenophobia problems

My point is that if she isn't having her death thought about constantly by outside locals she is getting is getting soup with a high urine content (or other bodily fluid dumps, remember South Africa doesn't have FDA regulations to follow) or something of the like. If you're not welcome in an area, going to that area is generally a bad idea.

I hold no sympathy for people who go to hellholes and then get kidnapped/killed/whatever, it's their own damned fault for not doing research. I hear the same shiz from kids going to Israel in my hometown all the time. If you're concerned about being blown up at Sbarro, then don't go there because you're obviously in danger. I really am sorry for calling her a moron, but if you willingly put yourself in a bad place, I don't care.

Additionally, if she has barely enough money to eat, she's rolling in the dough over there. People envy this.

Why would you leave the American school system, which is one of the best at the university level, for a developing country?

Whats that smell? do I smell a possible racist argument brewing up in the near future?

I was eating in a restaurant in Capetown 5 min after i lives the restaurant there was a men with a steel suitcase that entering the restaurant then Boooom a bom was exploded
(THIS IS NO JOKE 100% TREU)

Sorry for my bad enlish.

Originally posted by Coasterkidmwm
Why would you leave the American school system, which is one of the best at the university level, for a developing country?

She is a zoology major. The zoology department in Pietermaritzburg is one of the best. It sucks that it has to be in an unstable country, but thats just how it is. If it were in antarctica, she would go there.

I know plenty of people who have studies in south africa, and Isreal as well, and every single one of them came back with a much more open mind and a great experience.

So ya, she did the research, and we know what the internet and what word of mouth says about Africa, but I was more hoping for someone who lives there firsthand to give some feedback...

And djdj, when I said she was going to be playing with Zebras I was jsut being lighthearted and joking. She will be playing with Hippos though.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by Symbiotic
So ya, she did the research

Then I stand by my complete idiot statement.

Originally posted by Coasterkidmwm

I hold no sympathy for people who go to hellholes and then get kidnapped/killed/whatever, it's their own damned fault for not doing research. I hear the same shiz from kids going to Israel in my hometown all the time. If you're concerned about being blown up at Sbarro, then don't go there because you're obviously in danger. I really am sorry for calling her a moron, but if you willingly put yourself in a bad place, I don't care.

Confidence bro! You will get killed/mugged/raped if you?????????re scared shizless. You should look like you?????????re part of the killers/muggers/rapists here in South-Africa. Anyone whom is that afraid of a place should rather stay away maybe. A dog won't byte you if you show him who the boss is.

Not all the whites left yet. Even the place I work at is generally a white Afrikaans community.

Yes there is a lot of racism here, but it goes both ways. How can the whites hate white people?

I work for every penny I own and I'm around the corner of fleeing anyways (Bigger better things). Tax unfortunately steals my money.

To Symbiotic: Sorry for not giving any positive pointers but I had a shiz day and like always, it's this damn country?????????s fault. Zoology hey. This could probably be the best place for her to study IMO. This is a more natural environment anyways with a crap load of animals you wouldn't really find anywhere else in the world, especially in there natural state. She?????????ll love the Kruger National park Game reserve if she doesn't have a problem with driving around untouched, Lion and Kroc infested land for 3 days in the burning sun just to spot one that is not hiding. I Love it!

Crime is way out of control yes but like I said, if you?????????re street smart you should make it. Don't go to places where you?????????ll be looking for crap. (My no. 1 question of all time is why Americans and British always want to see Soweto? This place is where most of the shiz that you read about happens and 80% of the crimes that you don't read about.)

[Coasterkidmwm]

95% of the time if yo can afford to go somewhere that far away you're NOT street smart enough lol.

Dude Coasterkid, thanks for your input, but just stop. I understand your views (even though you have never been there and I was hoping for only first hand views). So ill pass it on to my girlfriend that she is a stupid rich dumbass who is going to get raped and killed...

Your kind of a bitch sometimes.

[Coasterkidmwm]

You're the one dating the future fat lady.

[Oscar]

vip fight!!!

Originally posted by Symbiotic

Na, its cool, I dont know if I want a picture of my girlfriend added to Coasterkids personal files haha.

lol [lol][lol][lol]

[Coasterkidmwm]

I avoid the certain religion she happens to be like the plague so don't worry about it.

Ya? What religion might that be? Dont be talking trash on the jews now too (if that is what your guessing she is)

I will hire Weird Al to go and kick yo little ass (by singing sarcastic songs about you).

So back to the topic. Thank you djdj for your help, it was pleasant.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by Symbiotic

Ya? What religion might that be? Dont be talking trash on the jews now too (if that is what your guessing she is)

Ooooh an intimidating threat.