"Thanks For Being Honest”: SA Immigrant Shares Tough Lessons After Moving to America, Mzansi Reacts

• Dirk van Reenen moved from South Africa to a small Texas town at age 14, with his family losing everything in the process
• The family of five shared a home with another family for four months before they could afford to rent their own place
• His experience as a teenage immigrant shaped his belief that no one is coming to save you and success starts with personal responsibility

Dirk van Reenen was 14 years old when his family packed up their lives in South Africa and moved to Kroll, a small town in Texas. The move cost his parents everything they had built. They arrived with nothing and spent four months living with another family before they could afford a place of their own.

In a video posted to Instagram on 29 October 2026, Dirk reflected on how that experience as a teenage immigrant shaped the way he has approached life ever since.

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Starting from zero in Texas

Being uprooted so young and watching his parents rebuild from scratch left a lasting impression on Dirk. He said the moment he realised no one was going to hand him anything was the moment everything shifted. He shared in the clip:

"If I want anything in this life, I have to learn to go after it."

He described how hard work was the first tool that served him well. But it was not until he was around 32 years old that he began thinking more strategically; then, in his late 30s, he turned his focus to leadership. That progression, he said, has been the biggest driver of his growth.

The one belief holding people back

The heart of Dirk's message was about a mindset trap he believes keeps people stuck: the idea that someone else is coming to rescue them. Whether it is an inheritance, a lucky break, or any other external lifeline, he argued that clinging to that hope slows everything down. He said:

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"As long as you think that somebody else is coming to save you, you're never going to move your life forward as fast as you can."

His advice was simple. Take full responsibility, start today, and accept that discomfort is part of the process.

View the Instagram video below:

South Africans react to Dirk's story

The video on his page struck a chord with South Africans and expats who recognised their own journeys in his words:

@prithd1 wrote:

"Very true. When you have no expectations, life gets easier"

@r77gan said:

"Same here moved to Aus in 89 started from 0 :( but it worked out"

@tashtrekker shared:

"I miss South Africa every single day, I am a Bok fan for life. However, my kids thank me for the sacrifice I made for them 22 years 🇿🇦🇭🇲😍"

@tapfuma4 responded:

"Thank you for being honest."

@suzywilalways added:

"Howzit 😎🖖🏻 It's not easy being an expat but it pays in many different ways. Very much the lessons you learnt."

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Source: Briefly News