From Kempton Park to Kent — Crime, Courage & Coaching Expats with Kerry Deamer- Ep 70
The Relocated South African | Emigration storiesPlay episode
Show notes
Kerry grew up in Kempton Park, playing cricket and hockey his whole life before building a bulk tanker business with his wife on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. After years battling fuel theft syndicates and escalating personal threats, he made the call to move his family to the UK in July 2019 — arriving just months before COVID-19 turned everything upside down. Now, drawing on five years of hard-won expat experience, Kerry has retrained as a life coach to help South Africans navigate the emotional realities of emigration — before, during, and after the move._______________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________Timestamps00:06 — Jan introduces Kerry and sets the scene: Kent, just outside London01:13 — Growing up in Kempton Park.01:40 — Building a bulk tanker business from scratch.03:47 — The moment everything changed.04:43 — The reality of transport crime in South Africa.06:06 — Impact on the kids.07:04 — Moving as a team.07:57 — Arriving in July 2019.09:32 — When reality sets in.10:59 — Cost of living surprises.12:44 — Making friends in the UK.15:30 — Did they ever consider going back? 16:43 — What Kerry found personally hardest.18:50 — The pivot to life coaching: from trucks to transformation.20:33 — Jan on the broader need.22:08 — Kerry's coaching business.23:10 — Why focus on South Africans specifically? 25:03 — The two biggest struggles Kerry sees.26:29 — Identity loss and cultural shock.28:19 — Are people regretting emigrating? 30:13 — Wrong reasons to emigrate.32:45 — How to make a better decision: 33:33 — Practical advice for new arrivals.35:28 — Sitting on the fence? 36:55 — Pushed vs pulled.37:59 — How to reach Kerry: kerrydeamer@icloud.com (website coming soon)Quote of the Episode"Stop digging the hole. Just take account of where you are in life, how you got there, and understand what needs to change — to make change." — Kerry DeamerKey Takeaways* Don't emigrate out of frustration. Decisions made from a negative, exhausted mindset rarely lead to the outcome you're hoping for.* The hardest part of the move isn't the logistics — it's the loneliness. Deep friendships take years to build, and the UK makes it harder than most.* You have to assimilate, not replicate. Trying to recreate South African life in the UK will leave you disappointed.* If you've just arrived, get involved — sports clubs, volunteering, community. Don't wait for people to come to you.* The story you're telling yourself about why you left matters. Make sure it's true.If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Don't forget to follow and rate The Relocated South African wherever you listen to podcasts._______________________________________________________________Your documents should not slow down your new life. Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world.Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted? Visit Apostil here -https://tinyurl.com/apostilcozaDocuments with convenience.
______________________________________________________________More conversations. More destinations. More stories of South Africans navigating life abroad. Explore the full episode library at http://therelocatedsouthafrican.com.
