Halifax is home after leaving Pretoria, South Africa

Andries and Cheryl van Rooyen migrated from Pretoria, South Africa, to Canada in early 2009. “To be honest, we had been thinking of leaving South Africa for a few years,” says Andries. “The crime rate there was getting hard to take and we wanted our kids to grow up in a safer environment.”

Andries, a registered nurse, was lucky to secure a job in Halifax before they left for Canada and Cheryl, a primary teacher, is happy being a stay-at-home mum for now and will look for a job next year.

“Our children were only three and 18 months old, so the adjustment wasn’t so tough for them. However, we’ve all had trouble dealing with the climate of Nova Scotia – it’s very damp and cold and a big departure from the pure heat of Pretoria,” Andries says.

“Halifax is beautiful, though,” adds Cheryl. “We love all the festivals and the quiet and safe nature of the city – it feels like bit like an old fishing village, but with more people and entertainment.

“We came here for a visit before making the move permanently and I’m glad we did. It could have been quite a shock if we hadn’t had a look around first. I recommend anyone moving to a completely new place to pay a visit first.”