We’re movin’ on up

by Posted on

So I’m moving to the leafy northern suburbs today. Greystone Park to be exact.

While it could be seen as a move up, I’m not really that excited. After living in the same place for close to three years, you get kinda comfy, and so does your stuff.

The distance is a little daunting, and it happens to be 37 degrees out, so this will be Fun.

Sigh. At least I have a pool now.

Published by Joe Black

41 Replies to “We’re movin’ on up”

  2. Oh don’t worry girlie, we’ll have a small one when settled in. Hmmm I was wrong, the weather’s gone a bit dodge now. So all I have to worry about is rain!

    And I currently have neither power nor water at the new house. And that’s … normal.

  4. So are you paying in fuel, money or by cheque. No RTigo or internal transfers at some banks. Gono is a bigger saboteur than sanctions

  6. And the prize goes to … Tara. I put that in there on purpose, to see who’d go there first.

    My brother and I are movin’ Tara.

    Gono is on some sort of economic suicide mission here. Like, what the hell??

  8. Emtpy pool = sunbathing 🙂 Although at 37C, you’d be burnt to a crisp. Congrats anyway, on this new uptown acquisition lol.

  10. Thanks Ms Joe. Anon … GP?

    I’d like to say I’m George, but George is a clown and Weezie pulls the strings. But Weezie’s a woman, and that’s just wrong, so we’re neither!

  14. LOL. I just discovered my passport expires in January. Ironically, this was as I walked opposite Zimbabwe House on The Strand…

  16. Man, you’d be surprised with the amount of freedom you were missing out on once you get a burgundy one. Also surprising if the reduced amount of hassle in getting one compared to what I went through to get my Zim passport which expires next year. You can do it all through the post. And, I didn’t have to make a pledge to Her Majesty or learn the anthem either.

  18. LOL. I have never known the anthem beyond “God save our … Queen” so PHEW.

    Having said that though, I still want a green one. Word has it it’s greatly advantageous in Zim – cheaper holidays etc. 😉
    (Hope no-one with the ability to rat on me about the dual citizenship thing reads this)

  22. JB: I have been trying to post a web page and the post keeps not coming up. You have a block on posting web pages?

  27. I find it extremely amusing when diasporans ask why we are still in Zim (I know it was directed at JB but ndatenga nyaya – so shoot me).

    Played golf today at Chapman – a brilliant course it cost me US$8. Half way house was about $5 then at the end we had lunch for another $5. I went back to the office and chilled – had a few drinks from my in office fridge. Sent my driver to get me diesel ($1.30 per litre – beat that peeps, no Americans allowed). I am gonna go home soak a bit then go to watch a play – have some cheese and wine. Then home to watch TV which I pay $60 a month for which includes Emmy Award winning shows, Oscar winners and the best sports in the world.

    That’s one day. Am I privileged of course. Am I staying in Zimbabwe hell yeagh. Shit and I didn’t even mention the drinking and driving, domestic workers and great restaurants.

  29. it cant be that amusing for Tara to ask that question when JB remarked “and I currently have neither power nor water at the new house. And that’s … normal.”

    in any case the average joe in the dispora does not consider playing golf, taking a soak, diesel, sattelite tv, cheese and wine to be restricted to the privileged only

    but i do acknowledge that whilst the overwhelming majority of zimbabwean are struggling, a few of you are doing really well – even better that some in the diaspora.

  30. Was thinking this morning after reading anonymous’s message on my free gprs service and thought to myself – diasporans are interesting in the large part because the roles have reversed. I remember them coming to Zim and flashing the cash but that doesn’t happen anymore. That got me thinking about the groups. I talk only of the recent diasporans, not the ones who have become assilmdado after their decades abroad.

    I reckon there are two broad based groups the ones in Europe North/America and the ones in Africa. Those two groups in turn get broken down. The ones in the West are all (yes I said all) from a relatively middle to upper range. Why I state this is that they either managed to pay their own airfare or had a sponsor. Furthermore they are either professional – upwardly mobile types or ordinary labourers. None of them can be truly said to be economic refugees. Even the BBC’s are there to improve their economic positions.

    The ones in Africa are professionals and the true economic refugees. They had no choice but to border jump into SA or Bots. They were forced into it because of the economy in Zim.

    I was going to write a lot but then I guess I would need to get my own blog.

    BTW Anonymous I do think that playing golf in the west or even in SA is a privilege and you can’t play on world class courses regularly like we do in Zim, let alone pay $8 for it.

  31. Buffy, the point is playing on a Zim golf course is NOT worldclass and therefore no big deal. Also very cheap probably no one is willing to pay more.

    Eleanor may take offence for your choosing to overlook the diasporans in Asia.

    And Buff, I detect an ever so slight negative vibe aimed at diasporans. A sorta defensiveness even. 🙂 Resentment maybe? 😉

    don’t get me wrong, I ain’t making out that all Zimbos should aspire to jumping ship. My question was specific to Black purely because he moans a lot and would love it on the outside, purely because of things like his love for Liverpool FC and drink, which would be cheaper outside, electricity and running water, which would actually exist constantly. The one power cut in London during my 9years here was exciting and scary. No emergency candles were to be found in the pitch black. Just sat there blinking in the dark.

  32. and what are you BD?

    relatively middle to upper range? – upwardly mobile type? ordinary labourer? professional?

  33. Tara, you say playing on a Zim golf course is NOT world class? And what exactly the fuck do you know about what a world class golf course looks like?

    Are you judging the quality of the courses or is their class diminished by the fact that they’re located in Zim? Clarify, please.

    To presume that I’d “love it” on Mud Island is a joke. I love it where I am just fine, thanks. And I’m sure if you actually made a choice for yourself and came back for a visit, you’d see why.

    I dare you.

    In fact, I motherfucking double-dare you.

  34. Alright Mutherfucker! 🙂 You’re on! Works both ways though. You come yonder too. Ms Joe’ll put you up. Brighton is great. Most culturally diverse place ever. It is what San Francisco is to the US.

    I must warn you that I hate hot weather! 🙂

    World Class – As in world class players wanna play on it.

  35. Oh, this conversation! Haha. Tara, Joe would hate it here, even with me around. Brighton would increase his blood pressure from pure disgust at the flagrant homosexuality and transgender-isms.

    From what I’ve seen and heard, I think that people on the same relative middle class level in Zim lead a better life than those in the UK. If I didn’t hate the inefficiency and street corruption in Zim, I’d probably move there myself.
    Oh, and the fact that it’s rather difficult to make an international career in music from there unless you have dreads and play mbira 🙂

  36. Yeah, I know he’d hate Brighton. Would have been fun to see how long it’d take him to notice. Another place that would wig him out is Camden Town on a Saturday. It’d be like an initiation.

    But seriously, I still maintain that there is a lot here for JB. Imagine, being at Anfield, The Oval, Wimbledon, free health care…etc.

  37. Tara has obviously never heard of the Zimbabwe Open. Or the Borrowdale Brooke golf course, where stars come to play. Anyway. I hate golf.

    Ms Joe, you know me. But I do try to be accepting of other peoples’ … ways. As long as they don’t affect me, gays can copulate on the streets for all I care.

    Eish, the corruption. I’ve realised that cops are people too 🙂

  38. Ooh, Borrowdale Brooke is so nice! My granny used to live there. 🙂

    Camden Town on Sat LOL. That would be such fun to watch – terror of the Black one lol. I’m starting to warm up to this challenge actually… come on then Joe.

  39. I ain’t scurred of y’all and your gay gangsters.

    So, you’re coming first, of course. I’ll come back with you, and show you what I’m made of!

  40. Anonymous by Zim standards I have to be rich but by international standards – young and upwardly mobile.

    Tara you should not display your ignorance to the world so freely. When you are next in Zim it will be my absolute pleasure to take you around our WORLD CLASS golf courses – Royal Harare (Royal Assent – you should google that), Chapman, Borrowdale Brooke, Leopard Rock,

    As for resentment of the diasporans – been there done that like Dr. Dre. I loved living in London and enjoyed Swiss Cottage and had a fantastic Philipino maid called Betty. I almost thought of bringing her to Zim with me when I came back. London is regularly on my vacation list. I like the fact that all I need is my Virgin Mobile card which never expires, connect card and oyster card. Incidentally your sleepy town of Brighton is quite fun. I fell asleep on the pebble beach one day after a night out partying and an early breakfast sometime in 2006.

    Almost forgot, Tara. Anfield – brilliant. Had friend who lived across from the Liverpool training ground and in the morning we would see the team train. The Oval – good cricket ground but there are definitely better grounds (Lords, Edgbaston). Wimbledon – don’t like tennis but other members of the family have shared their experiences.

    Please let me know when you are coming to visit so I can have the driver waiting for you at the airport.

    Black went to Borrowdale Park – horse racing. Was very unimpressed how people of various opions (Povo) were flittering away their hard earned money.

    Tomorrow is my birthday, also garden party at the Spanish Ambassadors – he always has a good bash on Spanish national day.

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