I'm back in the USA and so glad to be home!

Took me a week to get home after writing inspection courses in South Africa for 3 months.
It helps to be reminded sometimes of what we so often take for granted:

  1. Lightning fast internet
  2. Access to experts in fields connected with home inspection
  3. A reasonably effective bureaucratic process (if I’m lyin’, I’m flyin’)
  4. An industry in which 95% of homes are inspected at the time of sale.
  5. Manufacturer’s associations that are helpful.
  6. Contractors that for the most part think logically and are honest (see parentheses of #3)
  7. Standards of Practice for a variety of construction-related stuff

Welcome back Kenton. Glad to have you back home. Must have been quite an experience. :):wink:

Did you feel safe there ?

Welcome back!

Anything that you liked better than here?

Ostrich Eggs and burgers?:):wink:

Overall, a great experience. No need to avoid South Africa because of racial or social tensions. It’s a great place. It’s modern. I recommend it completely to anyone who wants to see Africa. I’d love to go back.

Still, it’s like the US, it depends on where you go. I felt safe everywhere except for the last couple of days when I stayed in a hotel near the airport in Johannesburg. To get to the mall/supermarket I had to walk through a bad neighborhood where I was looked at in an appraising way, like was stopping me for what I might have on me worth the effort. You try make them think it’s not worth it.

Being there was like living in the past and present at the same time. I don’t think I can really explain here, but I will say there’s about a two-week period during which you’re nervous because it’s so different and you don’t know the social rules. Some of it makes for pretty funny situations, like the Zulu cultural habit of not knocking before coming through the door. I’ll post more if anyone wants to hear about it, but I just got back and I’m whipped.

Thank you Larry.

Marcel, I ate so much ostrich… I even ate it cold for breakfast with mustard and pickled onions.

:mrgreen:Hope you get a few days to come back down to earth and relax a bit.

I, for one, would enjoy that.

Welcome Home! Hopefully when you’re rested you can sit back with a cold beer and reflect on difference your hard work will make on an entire country, and their industry. You should be proud!

Welcome back Kenton! Get some much needed rest.

Bert

Your last couple days there made for interesting story line.
I think we all want to hear more about your trip from a personal viewpoint.
Tell us about that part of it as well as the work you did.

Were you actually out working regular hours or was it more like a vacation?

welcome Home Kenton…

Welcome home Kenton.

OK that is enough resting get back to work! Nice to see you back also Kenton.

I’d certainly read more about your trip as well. Glad to hear you’re back and safe and sound.

Who needs rest lets go climb roofs in Kansas city:p

I look forward to hearing more about your trip. Hopefully you can share some pictures as well.