Living in America: How one South African couple came to rural America for a fresh start

It was 1994. Nelson Mandela had just risen to power as the first black president of South Africa, a country similar in size to Texas with a population of 53 million people. A 46-year reign of racial segregation under a system of legislation called apartheid was coming to an end. A new constitution enacted in 1996 established a strong central government based on majority rule and prohibited discrimination against minorities, including whites, but tensions remained.
Jeanet Van Der Merwe watched the political struggle unfold from her home in Ladismith, a town in the Klein Karoo at the southern tip of the country.
“I went to a segregated school, and I remember seeing a lot of riots in my 20s,” Jeanet said. “As time went on, my country became less safe.”

Life in South Africa

Ladismith is a rural farming community of about 7,100 people. It is nestled at the foot of a mountain range and is about an hour’s drive east from Cape Town. Jeanet describes her hometown and country as “beautiful” and that it is known for its vineyards, coal and diamonds. She remembers picking fruit out of orchards and dining on fish fresh from the ocean, located about an hour’s drive south of Ladismith. She compared her childhood to that of everyday life in rural Nebraska—quiet, filled with friendly people and most of all, safe.
She met her husband, Wihann (nicknamed Van), who grew tomatoes and cucumbers with his father on the family farm. The area had been in a seven-year drought, causing financial stress on the family. After only eight months of marriage, Jeanet and Van decided to work in America on an Agricultural Work Visa after visiting with a friend who had done the same.
“We wanted to give Van’s parents a break financially; it was too hard to support two families on one farm,” Jeanet said. “Plus, we were excited to explore and try something new.”

The first visit

The couple worked in Long Island, Kansas, for seven months before returning to South Africa. The U.S. Work Visa program allows U.S. employers or agents to offer temporary or seasonal jobs. Van and Jeanet worked through an agent where placement was determined by job availability.
While there, they experienced something they hadn’t felt in many years—safety.
“We couldn’t believe that people left their homes and cars unlocked,” Jeanet said. “If I went for a walk, I would tell Van exactly where I was going and how long I was going to be gone. Here, people just don’t worry like that. When out in public, I would never hang my purse on the back of my chair for fear of it being stolen.”
Visiting with the locals was always pleasant, even with a language barrier. Jeanet learned to speak and write both Dutch and English in school, but most people within her village spoke Dutch. Van previously served in the South African Navy and was about 80 percent fluent in English, so he usually did most of the talking.
“But I’d say that’s completely the opposite now!” Jeanet added, laughing.
The couple marveled at how much the culture and the people reminded them of home.
“The people, they are so friendly!” Jeanet said. “I think farmers are the same no matter where you go in this world—they are all hard working and willing to help out in any way that they can.”
Before the couple’s work visas expired, they began looking into applying for Green Cards of legal residency through employment. They quickly learned it wasn’t easy.

Applying for a Green Card

Paperwork as thick as a Merriam-Webster Dictionary was carefully filled with historical information on each individual dating as far back as the age of 16. Background checks were conducted to look for criminal records. Medical exams looked at the applicant’s overall health. Anyone with a medical issue that is contagious or of public concern could be deemed inadmissible, like those with HIV or tuberculosis. Van and Jeanet hired a lawyer to assist them with the application.
During the application process, the couple learned of the “Green Card Lottery,” or the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. This program grants 50,000 immigrant visas annually and is drawn from random selection among all entries of individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to America.
“The chances of winning the lottery were one in nine million,” Jeanet said. “So we put our names in, but didn’t expect anything.”
Against all odds, Van’s name was drawn.
“We couldn’t believe it,” she said.
The lottery helped the couple obtain their Green Cards faster, but they were still required to satisfactorily complete all the necessary paperwork. At last, in 2009 the couple was granted their Green Cards.
Van was offered a job with Central Valley Irrigation in Holdrege. Because the Green Cards were granted through employment, Jeanet also needed a job. Central Valley Irrigation offered her a position, too, as secretary of the Kearney office. The couple made Holdrege their home for five years.

A  cultural adjustment

Adjusting to life in America proved to have its challenges, like asking for items at a store.
“People in America use brand names to describe items, and we don’t,” Jeanet explained. “One time, we went to the store for ear buds, but the employees didn’t understand. Finally, one employee said, ‘Oh, you mean Q-Tips,’ and my husband said, ‘No, I don’t want to play pool.’ It was very funny afterward.”
Candy is referred to as sweets in South Africa, and South Africa’s French Fries are America’s potato chips. Americans drive on the right side of the road; South Africans drive on the left.
One of the biggest misconceptions Van and Jeanet encountered was the average American’s image of Africa.
“A lot of people thought that we would be black and were used to seeing lions, giraffes and zebras running wild,” Jeanet said. “That may be true in some parts of Africa, but that’s not the case where we’re from.”
Jeanet said that her hometown had more bugs and birds than anything, but it wasn’t uncommon to see baboons along the side of the road.
“They aren’t that bad,” she said. “They’re usually looking for people to throw them some food, but you wouldn’t want to try to pet them.”
One of her first wild animal encounters in Nebraska was meeting a hungry opossum that snacked on her pet cat’s food.
“I remember seeing it on my front stoop and wondering what it was, and also thinking that it was creepy with its long tail.”

Living the American Dream

In January 2015, both Van and Jeanet became American citizens. They purchased a home near Kearney about seven months ago and both still work for Central Valley Irrigation out of their respective offices.
The couple visits with their parents via Skype every Sunday and travels to South Africa to visit family each winter. The time change is seven hours ahead of the Central Time Zone, and it takes about 22 hours of traveling to reach Ladismith.
“It can be hard sometimes to leave because all of your family is still there and you miss them,” Jeanet said, “But, we are so happy to be living in Nebraska where the people are friendly and we feel safe.”
July 2016