“Stay Here Forever”: Canadian Woman Shares Honest Review of South Africa After 8 Months, SA Moved

• A Canadian woman living in South Africa has shared the cultural differences that shocked her the most after relocating
• The expat discussed everything from freezing indoor winters to the high cost of imported snacks and food items
• Warm-hearted local citizens flooded her with welcoming messages and encouraged her to make the country her permanent home

A Canadian expat has opened up about the biggest cultural shocks and surprises she encountered after relocating to South Africa. In a video posted on 30 June 2026, Instagram user @sommerdaay detailed her first eight months living in the country as she adjusted to a brand-new lifestyle alongside her South African fiancé. Among her biggest surprises was experiencing winter indoors, explaining that back home in Canada, central heating and proper insulation keep homes warm. In contrast, South African houses often feel colder inside than outside.

Canadian expat shares what surprised her about South Africa

Read also

"Hang in there, boet": Homesick Afrikaner H2 farmer opens up about missing South Africa, SA moved

She also expressed shock at the steep prices of imported goods, noting that a single can of Pringles costs the equivalent of eight Canadian dollars. Other adjustments included navigating a slow spousal visa immigration process, adapting to heightened situational safety awareness, and breaking her lifelong Canadian habit of wearing shoes inside the house. On the positive side, she highly praised the freshness of local farm produce, noting that she prefers natural food that spoils quickly over chemically preserved imports.

Watch the Instagram reel below:

Local viewers responded with immense warmth, filling her page with positive comments and enthusiastically inviting her to stay in the country forever.

User @megs.greyvenstein said:

"You should stay here forever 🫶🏼🤗❤️."

User @taniablomrobb added:

"I feel you on one and two 😅."

User @millanicole111 shared:

"Our homes absolutely do have insulation! It’s required."

User @josh_running25 asked:

"As a Capetonian, I need to ask you this question: have you tried the Cape Town and Gatsby sandwich? Otherwise, you'd be doing Cape Town an injustice 😂. Another thing is, what is better: biltong or beef jerky?"

User @zarli.minnie added:

"So good👏."

User @charlieengelbrecht21 commented:

"Brit here living in SA for a year, and my goodness the winter here is no joke! Also agree with the spousal visa; it takes forever 😱🙈."

3 Briefly News articles about expats

• An American woman who relocated to Johannesburg left social media users in stitches after sharing her first hair-braiding experience in South Africa.
• A South African mom shared an update on her family’s relocation to the Netherlands, and reflected on the challenges and achievements of the last four years.
• A local woman impressed many after showing off her successful shipping company in China, which she started after her partner told her she couldn't register one as a foreigner.

Source: Briefly News