Bits & Bobs: Recent Episodes
OnsVirJou-Podcast
A podcast intended to cover all aspects of life as an Expat. The pros, cons and experiences of living abroad. Whether you have made the international move or are still contemplating over the idea, this is the podcast you want to be tuned into.
In this episode we are talking to Marco LeGrand who is a returning guest from season 1 but also the co-owner of travel company – ShapShap Travel.
We will discuss ShapShap Travel and what they have to offer including destinations, travel options and more.
We are also taking a look behind the scenes to hear more about the challenges and opportunities of running an online business abroad.
If you are thinking about booking your next travel, this is how you can see all the relevant detail or get in touch:
Contact Details:
- Website: ShapShap
- Contact: info@shapshaptravel.com
- Social:
- Instragram
SAFFA INDEX: Toyota Rav 4
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When starting a job in a new county there are a few things you would wish you would have known sooner. This is also true for the people who join after you.
They might come with a few questions, so that is why we have dedicated this episode to covering some of the questions and answers your new colleagues from abroad might ask you.
We will cover the following FAQs
- “Gemeente” / City council appointment
- Open a bank account
- Public transport
- Medical aid
- Municipal Taxes to take note of: Riool, afval etc.
- 30% ruling application
- Driver’s licence
- Common insurances in The Netherlands
Although we don’t cover the topics, below in our chat, these are also somethings to consider.
- Pay run dates
- National and company holidays
- How the Timesheets work
- How the expense claim system works
- How to book leave
- How Shuttle works
- Pro-forma payslips (before 30% ruling and with 30% ruling)
- Explanation on the Tax on Holiday allowance
- How the T&T Pension contribution works
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In this episode Eduan caught up with Danelle Labuschagne from FFG Global.
Danelle is a Tax and Financial Emigration expert.
During the episode we spoke about the VERY HOT TOPIC of "Financial emigration".
- Financial Emigration in South Africa is a formal process, governed by SARS, where you stop your tax residency in South Africa
- This is necessary if your intention is not to return to South Africa.
- You have to formally let SARS know that your intention is to reside abroad in order to get out of the South African tax net. A mere emigration or cease of residency does not result in financial emigration.
- It is important to determine possible CGT implications that financial emigration might entail.
- There is a R1,25m exemption for expats working abroad. But even with this exemption, an annual income tax return needs to be submitted to SARS, which will include all income (local and foreign) in the taxable income calculation.
- Your Financial Emigration can be backdated.
- Stay tax compliant and consider financial emigration if that is the right route for you.Contact details:
- Website: http://ffg.global/
- Email Danelle directly: info@georgeca.za
- WhatsApp her @ +27 60 974 4659
SAFFA INDEX: Income Tax RatesFollow us on: Instagram: @onsvirjoupodcastFacebook: Ons vir jou podcastWebsite: onsvirjoupodcast.com
In this episode the manne from the Onsvirjoupodcast sat around the microphone for an adventurous chat with Marilize Morren.
Marilize lives in the Western Cape (South Africa) and is therefor technically not an expat. However she recently did what most expats can only dream of doing.She quite her job and used the Workaway platform to travel South East Asia while volunteering and getting first hand exposure to various cultures and different ways of life.This adventure was also a way to help her understand where her strengths and passions lie so she can choose the best career and life path going forward.
In het own words:
"A few months ago, I resigned from my corporate job to go on a 3-month solo-traveling adventure in South-East Asia to volunteer at various NGOs, through WorkAway.
WorkAway made it easy to get connected to the projects I was interested in. I could make an impact, whilst getting a very authentic traveling experience and exposure to the culture of each country.
I started my journey at an ethical elephant sanctuary (no bathing, feeding, or touching), the Somboon Legacy Foundation in Thailand. For my second month, I traveled up to Laos, to a town called Luang Prabang where I did tourism/ marketing for a farm-to-table and community empowerment organisation, the Mekong Svan. During my final month of traveling, I visited Bali and Java in Indonesia, to gain exposure to teaching."
Check out the amazing places Marilize volunteered at:Somboon Legacy FoundationMekong SvanInstagram @mindful_living_with_marilize
If this is something that you might consider doing, checkout the Workaway website and start planning your life changing adventure!
SAFFA INDEX: Bottle water
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We hosted Illa (Ilanda) on the podcast late in November. She actually took the call while sitting on her bed in her cabin on the yacht just of the coast of Genoa, Italy.
Illa left her corporate day job a few years ago and flew to the south of France at the time to explore possible opportunities to work on yachts in the Mediterranean
Over the past few years she gained a lot of experience, made great friends and have some amazing stories to share and "yacht myths" to bust.Life on the water sounds and is amazing, but it is not all about the glamour and it is certainly not a fulltime holiday!
Tune in for this entertaining episode.She also share some tips during the conversation for those who would love to explore life on the yachts.SAFFA INDEX: IPhone
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Eduan recently caught up with Andrew and Lizette Watts.
The Watts family (Andrew, Liz, and their daughter Emma) currently live in Italy and is in pursuit of a simpler and meaningful life in the Italian countryside.
They traded in the hustle and bustle of city-life and corporate jobs in South Africa, for an 'adventurous slow-life' in Emilia Romagna.
During the episode you'll hear how the Italian dream came about in the first place.
Liz and Andrew also share stories about Emma's Italian language skills, their vegetable garden, their interesting parking solution during the winter, and they tell us about the wonderful 'Nona' who took them under her 'Italian-kitchen wing' so to speak.
You'll also realise that like most things in life this adventure also has a few hurdles and hoops that the Watts family need to jump through and navigate from time to time (for example the Italian language and the visum/visa that they need to renew each year).
Tune in, sit back and relax as you listen to their inspirational story :-)
Ps. The Watts family has a dream of opening a B&B soon in the Italian countryside. Watch this space! And be sure to follow them on:
https://www.wattsinitaly.comhttps://www.instagram.com/watts_in_italyhttps://www.facebook.com/WattsinItaly
SAFFA INDEX: Spotify Premium
Follow us on: Instagram: @onsvirjoupodcastFacebook: Ons vir jou podcastWebsite: onsvirjoupodcast.com
In episode 2 of season 3 Corrie and Eduan had the privilege to take time and sit around the virtual microphone with Sean and Suzanne.
Sean and Suzanne moved to New Zealand back in 2017 after Sean got a job opportunity there. After nearly five great years in Wellington they recently moved to Wanaka on the south island of New Zealand where they are now based.
We took the chance to talk to them about covid and how they experienced this period in their personal lives. Because like a lot of us know, New Zealand were one of the countries that took a really hard stance with respect to covid-19 rules, lockdowns and other safety measures during the pandemic. NZ basically closed its borders for months on end to the outside world… or atleast that was our perspective of the matter. But like all things in life, it is never as bad or as good as it might seem.
Therefore we wanted to talk to the two of them to hear their expat story and to hear what impact (good and bad) Covid had and still has on their life, work, lifestyle and expat journey.
Being 1000s of kilometers from South Africa, their family and closest support structure they also became parents during the covid pandemic and in this episode they specifically reflect and talk about the joys of this period.
Sean and Suzanne are both really upbeat people and they seem to have figured out the expat life and there are a lot of positive take aways in this insightful and jampacked episode.
Tune in to hear their story 👍🏻👍🏻
Welcome back to season 3 of Ons vir jou.
In this season - Bits & Bobs - we will look into a variety of topics ranging from passport colours, to being a business owner aboard and everything in-between.
In this Episode we look back at the past 6 months and we take a closer look at our passports.
We are excited to be back, and look forward to talking about all things expat again.
SAFFA INDEX: Big Mac
Follow us on: Instagram: @onsvirjoupodcast Facebook: Ons vir jou podcast Website: onsvirjoupodcast.com