Zimbabwe vs UK
Posted by Chirundu JasonOct 23
This post forms part of my section on Returning to Zimbabwe.
For me it is a tough decision to decide weather to stay in the UK or return home to Zimbabwe. If you take out the “feeling” of wanting to return home, just because it is my home, both countries have their advantages and dis-advantages and so in a very simplistic way, I decided to put together a scorecard, just to see in my mind which country had the edge and to see if it could help me with my decision.
I must stress that the scores below reflect my current feelings and are related to my current situation. They are also not based on fact and are just my current feelings for that particular category. For example most of my immediate family still live in Zim and other than my wife and baby, I have no family her in the UK. This will obviously be different for everyone and so if you like the idea, you should put together your own score card.
Where I have a very strong feeling I have given a higher score and a lower score for a less strong feeling towards that particular country:
Zimbabwe |
England/UK |
|
Weather |
4 | 0 |
Family |
4 | 0 |
Friends |
1 | 1 |
Health Care |
1 | 4 |
Police/Law/Security |
1 | 4 |
Schools |
2 | 1 |
Cost of Living |
1 | 1 |
Potential Earnings |
1 | 3 |
Ease of Day to Day Tasks |
0 | 4 |
Things to Do on the Weekend |
3 | 1 |
Accommodation – Comfort/Space |
4 | 1 |
|
|
||
Total |
22 |
20 |
This table is kind of a work in progress and does change as my feelings and situation changes, but as you see Zimbabwe currently has it, but by only a few points.
As always, I would love to get you thoughts and comments – what categories have I missed out and is there anything you would add or change?
Further Reading
This post forms part of my section on Returning to Zimbabwe.
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It looks like a fare assessment well though iam also in the Diaspora in West Europe and honestly speaking the only thing that keeps most of us away from home is potential earning so in the process we give up everything else. Maybe what you can also do is to try and arrange the categories in their order of merit
Adding an Australia (Queensland) column and according to my feelings about each place (I lived in the UK for several years before moving here and most of my family are in the UK) I score Zim 17, UK 35 and Oz 39. Marking each category out of 5, meaning a maximum score of 55.
Category-wise I’d also consider;
Mid-Long Term Economic Viability (it’s no good earning a good packet today if you’re going to loose the job/go bust tomorrow)
Civic Freedom (perhaps moot if you don’t want to get politically involved but it will still affect you & yours)
Retirement Potential (how likely are you to be comfortable in your retirement in each country)
And maybe split Ease of Day to Day Tasks into;
Availability of Basic Goods
Civil Infrastructure (Roads, Public Transport etc)
Civil Service Efficiency (Ease of doing the things we must do from time to time like get a new passport, register a birth or a death, etc)
Reading your comments that is a good way to do it! However all of you look at your earning potential there as low, whereas if you have a good business idea you can earn great money in Zims, far more than you are probably earning overseas. You can get everything in the shops and petrol is easily available. Having just come back I was surprised at the changes and how many young people have returned, mainly those who were born in the early 80′s so the never knew the Zimbabwe I grew up in and financially they are doing extremely well! Take out expatriate medical insurance to cover them in South Africa and are very happy there.
Agree with Charlie, Jas, living out of Zim, rose tints your hind sight, ease of task is greatly assisted by domestics and unskilled labour, mowing, filling with petrol etc, but factor in, reporting a crime to the police, getting a birth certificate, new passport, drunk and dangerous road conditions etc and it looks a lot different.
I lived in Zim all my life, I had 3 years in UK and now my 4th in Aus. I find no reason to return home, I have mates here (Aussies) as good as any Zim mate, my kids leave their bikes/skateboards out front overnight, I have no burglar bars and don’t lock my car. I know the guy that fixes my car/geyser/motorbike is qualifies, and when my son needs stitches, it will be done right, first time.
This is not a post to disrespect Zim, my home and the country I love, but I have found security and happiness here in Aus….I strongly believe UK is not the place for ‘Babweans
Beer in the sun beats beer in the rain and both beat sorry we have no beer suh:)
On the Zim vs UK chart i think you forgot Food and Catering Hospitality and 1 think Zim would definately have 4 points
Oh yeah and Wildlife