On Sat, 23 Jun 2007, David Young wrote:
My name is David Young. I'm a South African Linux Geek, and I run a small
consulting company over here called "Funky Penguin". For the past three
years, we've been assisting clients with Open Source systems, developments,
and customizations. I've subscribed to this list because my wife and I are
giving very serious consideration to immigrating to your fine country.
(South Africa is not the safest place to start a family). I'd want to ply my
trade as a consultant over there, while continuing to manage my fledgling
company back in SA.
YAFUSAN! (Yet Another Fine South AfricaN)
You'll find a lot of us around here. More than enough to be considered
a "significant ethnic minority". :-)
I have severe doubts about the feasibility of managing the company
back in ZA at the same time. This is "The Far Far Side".... I found
hopping from side to side of the planet whilst setting up the move
damn near killed me.
I enjoy working with technology in general, specifically open-source
software, ....
Fortunately NZ is one of the more net connected and Linux friendly
societies on this sorry globe. (even the corner curry house has a web
site). (That's a plus (people use the 'net a lot) and a downside
(there are a lot of OSS based web development shops in Christchurch
already) and a plus (maybe someone's hiring).
I'm continuously amazed at how many NZ'ers are quietly plugging away
making really good contributions to OSS. Way out of proportion to the
size of population I believe.
Not that M$ & co doesn't have a strong bash at making it an unfriendly
society...
The wife and I are coming over there for a month in August, to get a "feel"
for the place, before making our final, life-altering decision. I'm hoping
to make friends and contacts on this list, and to establish some "street
cred".
As I have been through that unmerry "do six impossible things before
breakfast every day for two years" process....
...you are welcome to ask me questions about the process off list.
I can also recommend the friendly folk over at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Expats-in-New-Zealand/
for such questions.
Finally a brief commercial... keep an eye on
http://www.taitworld.com
for jobs at Tait's. We make fairly heavy use of Linux here,
if any of them fit you, send your CV to me and I'll make sure it hits
the right person at HR.
(Declaration of self interest. I get a hiring bonus if they hire you,
I get to have more Linux friendly geeks in the company...and
Canterbury Linux User Group grows bigger. :-)
John Carter Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639
Tait Electronics Fax : (64)(3) 359 4632
PO Box 1645 Christchurch Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Zealand
