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  • The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace Delois Wattles – Chapter 1

    The Right To Be Rich.

    WHATEVER may be said in praise of poverty, the fact remains that it is not possible to live a really complete or successful life unless one is rich. No man can rise to his greatest possible height in talent or soul development unless he has plenty of money; for to unfold the soul and to develop talent he must have many things to use, and he cannot have these things unless he has money to buy them with.

    A man develops in mind, soul, and body by making use of things, and society is so organized that man must have money in order to become the possessor of things; therefore, the basis of all advancement for man must be the science of getting rich.

    The object of all life is development; and everything that lives has an inalienable right to all the development it is capable of attaining.

    Man’s right to life means his right to have the free and unrestricted use of all the things which may be necessary to his fullest mental, spiritual, and physical unfoldment; or, in other words, his right to be rich.

    In this book, I shall not speak of riches in a figurative way; to be really rich does not mean to be satisfied or contented with a little. No man ought to be satisfied with a little if he is capable of using and enjoying more. The purpose of Nature is the advancement and unfoldment of life; and every man should have all that can contribute to the power; elegance, beauty, and richness of life; to be content with less is sinful.

    The man who owns all he wants for the living of all the life he is capable of living is rich; and no man who has not plenty of money can have all he wants. Life has advanced so far, and become so complex, that even the most ordinary man or woman requires a great amount of wealth in order to live in a manner that even approaches completeness. Every person naturally wants to become all that they are capable of becoming; this desire to realize innate possibilities is inherent in human nature; we cannot help wanting to be all that we can be. Success in life is becoming what you want to be; you can become what you want to be only by making use of things, and you can have the free use of things only as you become rich enough to buy them. To understand the science of getting rich is therefore the most essential of all knowledge.

    There is nothing wrong in wanting to get rich. The desire for riches is really the desire for a richer, fuller, and more abundant life; and that desire is praise worthy. The man who does not desire to live more abundantly is abnormal, and so the man who does not desire to have money enough to buy all he wants is abnormal.

    There are three motives for which we live; we live for the body, we live for the mind, we live for the soul. No one of these is better or holier than the other; all are alike desirable, and no one of the three–body, mind, or soul–can live fully if either of the others is cut short of full life and expression. It is not right or noble to live only for the soul and deny mind or body; and it is wrong to live for the intellect and deny body or soul.

    We are all acquainted with the loathsome consequences of living for the body and denying both mind and soul; and we see that real life means the complete expression of all that man can give forth through body, mind, and soul. Whatever he can say, no man can be really happy or satisfied unless his body is living fully in every function, and unless the same is true of his mind and his soul. Wherever there is unexpressed possibility, or function not performed, there is unsatisfied desire. Desire is possibility seeking expression, or function seeking performance.

    Man cannot live fully in body without good food, comfortable clothing, and warm shelter; and without freedom from excessive toil. Rest and recreation are also necessary to his physical life .

    He cannot live fully in mind without books and time to study them, without opportunity for travel and observation, or without intellectual companionship.

    To live fully in mind he must have intellectual recreations, and must surround himself with all the objects of art and beauty he is capable of using and appreciating.

    To live fully in soul, man must have love; and love is denied expression by poverty.

    A man’s highest happiness is found in the bestowal of benefits on those he loves; love finds its most natural and spontaneous expression in giving. The man who has nothing to give cannot fill his place as a husband or father, as a citizen, or as a man. It is in the use of material things that a man finds full life for his body, develops his mind, and unfolds his soul. It is therefore of supreme importance to him that he should be rich.

    It is perfectly right that you should desire to be rich; if you are a normal man or woman you cannot help doing so. It is perfectly right that you should give your best attention to the Science of Getting Rich, for it is the noblest and most necessary of all studies. If you neglect this study, you are derelict in your duty to yourself, to God and humanity; for you can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself.

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  • The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace Delois Wattles Chapter6

    How Riches Come to You

    WHEN I say that you do not have to drive sharp bargains, I do not mean that you do not have to drive any bargains at all, or that you are above the necessity for having any dealings with your fellow men. I mean that you will not need to deal with them unfairly; you do not have to get something for nothing, but can give to every man more than you take from him.

    You cannot give every man more in cash market value than you take from him, but you can give him more in use value than the cash value of the thing you take from him. The paper, ink, and other material in this book may not be worth the money you pay for it; but if the ideas suggested by it bring you thousands of dollars, you have not been wronged by those who sold it to you; they have given you a great use value for a small cash value.

    Let us suppose that I own a picture by one of the great artists, which, in any civilized community, is worth thousands of dollars. I take it to Baffin Ray, and by “salesmanship” induce an Eskimo to give a bundle of furs worth $500 for it. I have really wronged him, for he has no use for the picture; it has no use value to him; it will not add to his life.

    But suppose I give him a gun worth $50 for his furs; then he has made a good bargain. He has use for the gun; it will get him many more furs and much food; it will add to his life in every way; it will make him rich.

    When you rise from the competitive to the creative plane, you can scan your business transactions very strictly, and if you are selling any man anything which does not add more to his life than the thing he give you in exchange, you can afford to stop it. You do not have to beat anybody in business. And if you are in a business which does beat people, get out of it at once.

    Give every man more in use value than you take from him in cash value; then you are adding to the life of the world by every business transaction.

    If you have people working for you, you must take from them more in cash value than you pay them in wages; but you can so organize your business that it will be filled with the principle of advancement, and so that each employee who wishes to do so may advance a little every day.

    You can make your business do for your employees what this book is doing for you. You can so conduct your business that it will be a sort of ladder, by which every employee who will take the trouble may climb to riches himself; and given the opportunity, if he will not do so it is not your fault.

    And finally, because you are to cause the creation of your riches from Formless Substance which permeates all your environment, it does not follow that they are to take shape from the atmosphere and come into being before your eyes.

    If you want a sewing machine, for instance, I do not mean to tell you that you are to impress the thought of a sewing machine on Thinking Substance until the machine is formed without hands, in the room where you sit, or elsewhere. But if you want a sewing machine, hold the mental image of it with the most positive certainty that it is being made, or is on its way to you. After once forming the thought, have the most absolute and unquestioning faith that the sewing machine is coming; never think of it, or speak, of it, in any other way than as being sure to arrive. Claim it as already yours.

    It will be brought to you by the power of the Supreme Intelligence, acting upon the minds of men. If you live in Maine, it may be that a man will be brought from Texas or Japan to engage in some transaction which will result in your getting what you want.

    If so, the whole matter will be as much to that man’s advantage as it is to yours.

    Do not forget for a moment that the Thinking Substance is through all, in all, communicating with all, and can influence all. The desire of Thinking Substance for fuller life and better living has caused the creation of all the sewing machines already made; and it can cause the creation of millions more, and will, whenever men set it in motion by desire and faith, and by acting in a Certain Way.

    You can certainly have a sewing machine in your house; and it is just as certain that you can have any other thing or things which you want, and which you will use for the advancement of your own life and the lives of others.

    You need not hesitate about asking largely; “it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom, ” said Jesus.

    Original Substance wants to live all that is possible in you, and wants you to have all that you can or will use for the living of the most abundant life.

    If you fix upon your consciousness the fact that the desire you feel for the possession of riches is one with the desire of Omnipotence for more complete expression, your faith becomes invincible.

    Once I saw a little boy sitting at a piano, and vainly trying to bring harmony out of the keys; and I saw that he was grieved and provoked by his inability to play real music. I asked him the cause of his vexation, and he answered, “I can feel the music in me, but I can’t make my hands go right.” The music in him was the URGE of Original Substance, containing all the possibilities of all life; all that there is of music was seeking expression through the child.

    God, the One Substance, is trying to live and do and enjoy things through humanity. He is saying “I want hands to build wonderful structures, to play divine harmonies, to paint glorious pictures; I want feet to run my errands, eyes to see my beauties, tongues to tell mighty truths and to sing marvelous songs,” and so on.

    All that there is of possibility is seeking expression through men. God wants those who can play music to have pianos and every other instrument, and to have the means to cultivate their talents to the fullest extent; He wants those who can appreciate beauty to be able to surround themselves with beautiful things; He wants those who can discern truth to have every opportunity to travel and observe; He wants those who can appreciate dress to be beautifully clothed, and those who can appreciate good food to be luxuriously fed.

    He wants all these things because it is Himself that enjoys and appreciates them; it is God who wants to play, and sing, and enjoy beauty, and proclaim truth and wear fine clothes, and eat good foods. “it is God that worketh in you to will and to do,” said Paul.

    The desire you feel for riches is the infinite, seeking to express Himself in you as He sought to find expression in the little boy at the piano.

    So you need not hesitate to ask largely.

    Your part is to focalize and express the desire to God.

    This is a difficult point with most people; they retain something of the old idea that poverty and self-sacrifice are pleasing to God. They look upon poverty as a part of the plan, a necessity of nature. They have the idea that God has finished His work, and made all that He can make, and that the majority of men must stay poor because there is not enough to go around. They hold to so much of this erroneous thought that they feel ashamed to ask for wealth; they try not to want more than a very modest competence, just enough to make them fairly comfortable.

    I recall now the case of one student who was told that he must get in mind a clear picture of the things he desired, so that the creative thought of them might be impressed on Formless Substance. He was a very poor man, living in a rented house, and having only what he earned from day to day; and he could not grasp the fact that all wealth was his. So, after thinking the matter over, he decided that he might reasonably ask for a new rug for the floor of his best room, and an anthracite coal stove to heat the house during the cold weather. Following the instructions given in this book, he obtained these things in a few months; and then it dawned upon him that he had not asked enough. He went through the house in which he lived, and planned all the improvements he would like to make in it; he mentally added a bay window here and a room there, until it was complete in his mind as his ideal home; and then he planned its furnishings.

    Holding the whole picture in his mind, he began living in the Certain Way, and moving toward what he wanted; and he owns the house now, and is rebuilding it after the form of his mental image. And now, with still larger faith, he is going on to get greater things. It has been unto him according to his faith, and it is so with you and with all of us.

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  • The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace Delois Wattles Chapter 11

    Acting in the Certain Way.

    THOUGHT is the creative power, or the impelling force which causes the creative power to act; thinking in a Certain Way will bring riches to you, but you must not rely upon thought alone, paying no attention to personal action. That is the rock upon which many otherwise scientific metaphysical thinkers meet shipwreck–the failure to connect thought with personal action.

    We have not yet reached the stage of development, even supposing such a stage to be possible, in which man can create directly from Formless Substance without nature’s processes or the work of human hands; man must not only think, but his personal action must supplement his thought.

    By thought you can cause the gold in the hearts of the mountains to be impelled toward you; but it will not mine itself, refine itself, coin itself into double eagles, and come rolling along the roads seeking its way into your pocket.

    Under the impelling power of the Supreme Spirit, men’s affairs will be so ordered that some one will be led to mine the gold for you; other men’s business transactions will be so directed that the gold will be brought toward you, and you must so arrange your own business affairs that you may be able to receive it when it comes to you. Your thought makes all things, animate and inanimate, work to bring you what you want; but your personal activity must be such that you can rightly receive what you want when it reaches you. You are not to take it as charity, nor to steal it; you must give every man more in use value than he gives you in cash value.

    The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful faith that you do get what you want.

    Do not try to ‘project’ your thought in any mysterious or occult way, with the idea of having it go out and do things for you; that is wasted effort, and will weaken your power to think with sanity.

    The action of thought in getting rich is fully explained in the preceding chapters; your faith and purpose positively impress your vision upon Formless Substance, which has THE SAME DESIRE FOR MORE LIFE THAT YOU HAVE; and this vision, received from you, sets all the creative forces at work IN AND THROUGH THEIR REGULAR CHANNELS OF ACTION, but directed toward you.

    It is not your part to guide or supervise the creative process; all you have to do with that is to retain your vision, stick to your purpose, and maintain your faith and gratitude.

    But you must act in a Certain Way, so that you can appropriate what is yours when it comes to you; so that you can meet the things you have in your picture, and put them in their proper places as they arrive.

    You can really see the truth of this. When things reach you, they will be in the hands of other men, who will ask an equivalent for them.

    And you can only get what is yours by giving the other man what is his.

    Your pocketbook is not going to be transformed into a Fortunata’s purse, which shall be always full of money without effort on your part.

    This is the crucial point in the science of getting rich; right here, where thought and personal action must be combined. There are very many people who, consciously or unconsciously, set the creative forces in action by the strength and persistence of their desires, but who remain poor because they do not provide for the reception of the thing they want when it comes.

    By thought, the thing you want is brought to you; by action you receive it.

    Whatever your action is to be, it is evident that you must act NOW. You cannot act in the past, and it is essential to the clearness of your mental vision that you dismiss the past from your mind. You cannot act in the future, for the future is not here yet. And you cannot tell how you will want to act in any future contingency until that contingency has arrived.

    Because you are not in the right business, or the right environment now, do not think that you must postpone action until you get into the right business or environment. And do not spend time in the present taking thought as to the best course in possible future emergencies; have faith in your ability to meet any emergency when it arrives.

    If you act in the present with your mind on the future, your present action will be with a divided mind, and will not be effective.

    Put your whole mind into present action.

    Do not give your creative impulse to Original Substance, and then sit down and wait for results; if you do, you will never get them. Act now. There is never any time but now, and there never will be any time but now. If you are ever to begin to make ready for the reception of what you want, you must begin now.

    And your action, whatever it is, must most likely be in your present business or employment, and must be upon the persons and things in your present environment.

    You cannot act where you are not; you cannot act where you have been, and you cannot act where you are going to be; you can act only where you are.

    Do not bother as to whether yesterday’s work was well done or ill done; do to-day’s work well.

    Do not try to do tomorrow’s work now; there will be plenty of time to do that when you get to it.

    Do not try, by occult or mystical means, to act on people or things that are out of your reach.

    Do not wait for a change of environment, before you act; get a change of environment by action.

    You can so act upon the environment in which you are now, as to cause yourself to be transferred to a better environment.

    Hold with faith and purpose the vision of yourself in the better environment, but act upon your present environment with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.

    Do not spend any time in day dreaming or castle building; hold to the one vision of what you want, and act NOW.

    Do not cast about seeking some new thing to do, or some strange, unusual, or remarkable action to perform as a first step toward getting rich. It is probable that your actions, at least for some time to come, will be those you have been performing for some time past; but you are to begin now to perform these actions in the Certain Way, which will surely make you rich.

    If you are engaged in some business, and feel that it is not the right one for you, do not wait until you get into the right business before you begin to act.

    Do not feel discouraged, or sit down and lament because you are misplaced. No man was ever so misplaced but that he could not find the right place, and no man ever became so involved in the wrong business but that he could get into the right business.

    Hold the vision of yourself in the right business, with the purpose to get into it, and the faith that you will get into it, and are getting into it; but ACT in your present business. Use your present business as the means of getting a better one, and use your present environment as the means of getting into a better one. Your vision of the right business, if held with faith and purpose, will cause the Supreme to move the right business toward you; and your action, if performed in the Certain Way, will cause you to move toward the business.

    If you are an employee, or wage earner, and feel that you must change places in order to get what you want, do not ‘project’ your thought into space and rely upon it to get you another job. It will probably fail to do so.

    Hold the vision of yourself in the job you want, while you ACT with faith and purpose on the job you have, and you will certainly get the job you want.

    Your vision and faith will set the creative force in motion to bring it toward you, and your action will cause the forces in your own environment to move you toward the place you want. In closing this chapter, we will add another statement to our syllabus:–

    There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.

    A thought, in this substance, Produces the thing that is imaged by the thought.

    Man can form things in his thought, and, by impressing his thought upon formless substance, can cause the thing he thinks about to be created.

    In order to do this, man must pass from the competitive to the creative mind; he must form a clear mental picture of the things he wants, and hold this picture in his thoughts with the fixed PURPOSE to get what he wants, and the unwavering FAITH that he does get what he wants, closing his mind to all that may tend to shake his purpose, dim his vision, or quench his faith.

    That he may receive what he wants when it comes, man must act NOW upon the people and things in his present environment.

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  • It is not that wisdom provides wealth. But that wisdom itself is wealth. S

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BhD-BOxF_nY/?taken-by=africanproverbspage

    It is not that wisdom provides wealth. But that wisdom itself is wealth. So the good question is what is wealth? According to business dictionary, wealth is the tangible or intangible thing that makes a person, family, or group better off. Notice the words ‘intangible’  and ‘better off’ in the definition . The inclusion of “intangible” indicates that wealth means more than having a lot of money or possession. In fact, you can have a lot of assets and not be wealthy. This is because to be truly wealthy, you must be “better off”. Some people are better off poor than rich because in their riches, they are greedy, callous, selfish and restless, all of which they were not when they were poor. Thus, the crucial question to ask in determining whether or not you’re wealthy is: “am I better off?”. If you gain the whole world and lose your soul , you are of all people the most pitiable! Wisdom is wealth because with any amount of wisdom, you are always better off. Wisdom  can protect riches but riches cannot protect wisdom. Seek wisdom first, because wisdom is the principal thing in life. With wisdom you’ll make the most of life. Be wise! #tagAFriendToReadThis! #SouthAfricanProverb #AfricanProverb

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  • Africa: A Case of Flogging Dead Horses?

    On pure economic indicators and all other indicators of development Africa is a dismal picture. Life expectancy has declined; mortality rates increase; heavily indebted, with over half the countries having debt that exceeds their GNP; GDP growth fallen; GDP per capita fallen as population growth gets out of control; health care is collapsing and so and so on. What has gone wrong with what after all is continent rich in mineral and material resources?

    Too much medicine

    There are several factors. First and probably most simple is that Africa after independence was not allowed to chart its own course. With good or bad intentions too many ” aid ” agencies have prescribed,subscribed and proscribed all sorts of panacea for Africa’s ” that they destroyed any capacity for that continent to solve its own ills. Africa has simply become a vegetable or as some say a huge experimental waste ground. This is really not far from the truth.

    Another factor is that African governments after independence failed to formulate clear mission and objectives that could be translated into sound economic policies. Corruption and mismanagement took hold of almost every strata of society. This was further assisted by the aid agencies. Marginal benefits were put as further evidence for aid while government excesses on grand scale were overlooked.

    For political reasons, Western governments supported dictatorships and turned a blind eye to corruption and mismanagement. Cold war politics meant that the major powers had to have a balance not only in armaments but also in allies. The drive to prevent communist influence in Africa meant keeping regimes in power that supported Western interests.

    All too often these regimes were despots and perpetrators of the most sadist human rights abuses. Moreover aid agencies ignored every basic economic or social criteria for development assistance in favor of this higher political goal. This problem was further complicated by the fact that often the aid agencies will differ with their own governments. Thus vast sums were squandered on irrelevant constructions, large sums made their way into private accounts without so much as a whisper. What I call the “guilt” factor came in handy when others dare to complain of such corruption.

    The “guilt” factor argument is” oh well, we are giving and that is the most important thing. Whatever, the President choose to do with it is his business. After all they are an independent and sovereign nation”.

    The result is that today despite several billions poured, Africa is still underdeveloped and conditions are even worse than when they were at independence. My argument seems to point to the thesis that aid can work. Yes, I believe aid can work to alleviate poverty or change the society overnight. However, it cannot bring about economic development.

    Rather it should be used to ease the pain of the unpleasant side effects of harsh monetary and fiscal policy which is precisely what was needed at this point. For example due to the cyclical nature of the markets that face Africa main exports, there often severe variations in earnings. These can be very damaging especially given the fact that some countries depend on just one commodity. What aid should do is to bridge the gap between these shortfalls in earnings.

    Poverty can never be eradicated in a country; the aim should be to distribute wealth in a manner that ensures that the gap between the rich and the poor does not create social tensions.

    Counter-productive

    What “Aid” did to Africa was to exacerbate and indeed encourage irresponsible fiscal and monetary policy on the part of governments. There was some positive aspects of aid, but these were at the margin and as far as the big picture is concerned, too insignificant to alter the present argument. Look at how much money Norway has pumped into Tanzania and what condition that country is in today!

    I seem to have pointed the blame at the aid agencies and the Africa politicians. My belief is that the development agencies had good intentions. The explanation for their failures stems from the fact that the Africans that they encountered were not educated enough to challenge their assumption. Thus very soon these agencies began to get the view that the African does not know what is good for them. In effect their mission was not simply to give aid, but to make decisions for them!

    Bad Governments

    To say that “people deserve the government they get” is a little too harsh on Africans. In many parts of Africa, after independence there were too few university graduates or technocrats to replace the white administrators. Political rhetoric and nationalism prevented any form of expatriates assistance from former colonial administrators. Those that saw themselves in power had got there on a platform of”we can do it ourselves”. Thus any notion of keeping the very people you have been fighting against was nonsensical. The truth was many nations could not” do it themselves”.

    Governments ministers and officials with half-baked educational background suddenly saw themselves in power. They had little in the way of program or policy document. What matters was the trappings that the office brought and the personal gains one could get out of the office. Of course there some educated people. However, these quickly fell out with the government or sacrificed their principles for survival. The result of course was gross mismanagement, incompetence, corruption, graft on a scale that saw millions of Africans reduced to the lowest stage of survival.

    Is it any wonder that if things have to change, we have to start with ensuring well educated take the reins of power. There is little doubt that part of the success of the Asian countries lies in pool of well educated politicians and planners in the 1960s. These individuals not only set a strategic orientation for their nations, but they continuously surveyed their environments to see new opportunities.

    Education became a central plank of development policy. Not so in Africa- resources geared for such efforts were not used- Bad economic planning could be partly explained by such poorly educated civil servants. Take the case of monetary policy. At independence, most African countries inherit a monetary system based on the English pound, the French Franc or the Portuguese escudo. However in time nationalistic pride got in the way of financial practicalities and one country after another cut itself from the backing European currency and began turning out a spectacular array of non-convertible currencies. As one commentator note ” If nothing else the President got a chance to put their picture on the note”. And in the early and late sixties, since Presidents were short- lived it was inevitable that the currencies were too.

    Many of these currencies were worthless and not even accepted in neighboring countries or in the international banking system for that matter. As the currency weakened, the general response was to print more money. In Nigeria, between 1975-1977 the money supply increased by 180%. And this was pretty much the case elsewhere.

    As money supplies rose, inflation soared and in time rates of over 100% were not uncommon. In early post independence period as the public discontent grew, the greater the social control that was exerted by leaders. The greater the national debt, the greater the reliance grew of foreign grants to keep regimes in power.

    Tribalism

    Tribalism has been put forward by many writers as the root of Africa’s problems. Tribalism was made to look exclusively African. Events in the former Yugoslavia have shown that tribalism and ethnicity are not African preserves. Colonialism brought ethnic groups(tribes if you refer to Africa) that had nothing to hold them together except force and a colonial policy of divide and rule.

    When people talk about tribal problems in Africa, I put the question on how they would feel, because of some historical error, you had to live with people that you have no desire to. The second World War in Europe created a Europe that fell into the East(Communist Bloc) and West(Capitalist Bloc). The countries of the East under Soviet hegemony manage to hold the different diverse groups found within these countries. As the Empire collapse, so has the desire for self government risen or some form of regional autonomy.

    Yugoslavia has even manage to coin a new vocabulary, -“Ethnic cleansing”. What is very African about Tribalism is the way Africans choose to solve the problem. But even these atrocities cannot match the systematic methods of say Hitler or present day”Hitler’s” in Bosnia and Croatia.

    More to the point, economically, tribalism in some countries has crippled the economy by diverting resources to unproductive efforts. It has also meant in some places governments did not capitalize on their best talents simply because they belong to the wrong group. Vast numbers of refugees have been created which has meant whole populations have been displaced, their economic productivity unrealized.

    The Future

    The collapse of the old order has created new economic partnerships, shift resources and emphasis, which has pushed Africa further into economic uncertainty and regression. The fall of Communism has opened up new areas in the world that are far more immediately attractive than Africa for investment purposes.

    Eastern Europe provide valuable investment opportunities that are fast attracting capital. One of the legacies of the Communist era are the large numbers of scientist. These are fast becoming partners with establish Western companies for research into new fields.

    Western Governments face constituencies that are increasingly frustrated with their governments wasting money on corrupt and hopeless leaders.

    This is combined with the fact that domestic social problems are getting acute. Today Europe faces difficult social problems. Unemployment, lack of growth and increasing refugee problems from Eastern Europe. Indeed many experts believe that unemployment will become a more structural problem. What this indicates is that social services budget will become bigger. These factors make it all the more difficult for governments in the West to hand over large sums as they had done in the past. Finally, we see a new economic phenomenon or to be more precise, trade phenomenon-trade blocs.

    lready in place is the European Community EC. The North Americans are working out with Mexico -NAFTA North American Free Trade Area. In South East Asia,we see increasing Japans activity in the region. This is made doubly so with the expanding Chinese economy. It is my belief that as Japan makes efforts to address her war past and apologize, this will clear the way for some kind of trade area.

    Given this new world order, what does the future hold for Africa. It is my belief that some parts may never move from the traditional society that describe earlier on. War, famine and disease are the main preoccupation that any notion of social investment is ridiculous. The leadership is some cases actually perpetuate the situation thus guaranteeing their hold on power. However, there are a few that have the potential for spectacular development. Most impressive is Botswana. Botswana apart from South Africa is the fastest growing economy in Black Africa. This economy is characterize by a work ethic, skilled and an industrious labor force.

    Namibia is also an impressive case. However that country has only been independent since 1990. Nevertheless its institutions and policies are on the right track.

    The other group is lead by Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Gabon and to some extent Senegal and Zaire. There is another group that have all the ingredients but have yet to make any social investments. Some of these are actually at the bottom of UN list of poor quality of life. This group is led by Sierra Leone, followed by Uganda and Angola.

    Multinational Corporations

    In an increasingly global economic environment the role of the Multinational Enterprise (MNE), more commonly known as Multinational Corporations (MNCs), in fostering economic development is going to become increasingly important. Capital that is needed for domestic investment in the poor countries will come largely from investment by these organisations.

    Western governments are going to find it increasingly hard to justify flows to African governments. In another respect there will be increasing demand in African countries that the private sector plays a more central role. These will need the resources and expertise of MNCs. This will be helped by the fact Aid agencies favor joint ventures between foreign firms and local companies as a viable path to development.

    MNEs have much to offer the region in terms of capital, technology, innovation, managerial expertise, and access to world markets. It is important that the investment by MNEs is direct and not portfolio, for direct investment brings more than just financial resources. Further, it is important that MNEs source most of the materials locally so as to develop local skills and enterprises.

    It has been suggested that the target sectors for encouragement of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are the

    (a) wood and paper products, (linked to forestry)

    (b) textiles and clothing, (linked to textile fibers) and

    c) metal products or food processing( linked to the extractive sector).

    The objectives for African governments is to both attract the downstream diversification of multinationals already in the relevant extractive sector, and new the investment of multinationals whose operations in the more develop countries are tending to move downstream and may wish to relocate what for them are now upstream activities.

    Dead Horses?

    Africa is not like flogging dead horses. African countries are on a life support machine or as the world bank puts it, its in a state of transition. It needs it own doctors and experts to bring her back to life. To cure the ills of Africa is to understand its environment and no one can better Africa except Africans. The bottom line is you can take the horse to the stream but it she does not want to drink there is not much you can do. In the meantime you have wasted time. Africa is rich in mineral resources and has the potential for development.

    It has the market potential to provide people in the industrialized countries with employment through its demand for unmet needs.

    The growth potentials of the developed world are limited but in Africa there is a huge demand for food, clothing, shelter and consumer goods. What is needed as Philip Kotler points out is that the west puts purchasing power in the hands of these consumers. If this is not done the west will be saddled with over capacity and slow growth. On the other hand, there is body of opinion that believes that modernization goes through stages and that Africa is going through the same process. As such trying to speed up the process by interfering with its dynamics, merely causes cross-cultural and domestic conflicts. Evidence from South East Asian countries however indicates that this process does not necessarily have to follow a linear path. With the right set of policies, governments can make rapid development or even a leap.

    What is urgently needed are several things. In the first place governments should try to recruit their well educated citizens who arc presently abroad. These individuals could be put in special ministries responsible for charting a future for the country. This stems from the fact that Africans that are capable of generating the kinds of ideas and policies that it would take to turn what Africa is today into a modern society or at least developing nations are all abroad. We must also encourage the African entrepreneur as in many parts of South East Asia.

    What is needed in Africa is a system that propels the right people to power. Leaders that could respond to the needs of their peoples. Africa needs leaders that have the foresight for long-term constructive economic and industrial policy. Above all its needs leaders that recognized the need for social economic investments, without them, no sound economic or industrial policy will yield positive results.

    Francis Stevens George

    December 1993

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8060638

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  • TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE. NARRATIVE OF SOLOMON NORTHUP-CHAPTER II

    THE TWO STRANGERS—THE CIRCUS COMPANY—DEPARTURE FROM SARATOGA—VENTRILOQUISM AND LEGERDEMAIN—JOURNEY TO NEW-YORK—FREE PAPERS—BROWN AND HAMILTON—THE HASTE TO REACH THE CIRCUS—ARRIVAL IN WASHINGTON—FUNERAL OF HARRISON—THE SUDDEN SICKNESS—THE TORMENT OF THIRST—THE RECEDING LIGHT—INSENSIBILITY—CHAINS AND DARKNESS.

    One morning, towards the latter part of the month of March, 1841, having at that time no particular business to engage my attention, I was walking about the village of Saratoga Springs, thinking to myself where I might obtain some present employment, until the busy season should arrive. Anne, as was her usual custom, had gone over to Sandy Hill, a distance of some twenty miles, to take charge of the culinary department at Sherrill’s Coffee House, during the session of the court. Elizabeth, I think, had accompanied her. Margaret and Alonzo were with their aunt at Saratoga.

    On the corner of Congress street and Broadway, near the tavern, then, and for aught I know to the contrary, still kept by Mr. Moon, I was met by two gentlemen of respectable appearance, both of whom were entirely unknown to me. I have the impression that they were introduced to me by some one of my acquaintances, but who, I have in vain endeavored to recall, with the remark that I was an expert player on the violin.

    At any rate, they immediately entered into conversation on that subject, making numerous inquiries touching my proficiency in that respect. My responses being to all appearances satisfactory, they proposed to engage my services for a short period, stating, at the same time, I was just such a person as their business required. Their names, as they afterwards gave them to me, were Merrill Brown and Abram Hamilton, though whether these were their true appellations, I have strong reasons to doubt. The former was a man apparently forty years of age, somewhat short and thick-set, with a countenance indicating shrewdness and intelligence. He wore a black frock coat and black hat, and said he resided either at Rochester or at Syracuse. The latter was a young man of fair complexion and light eyes, and, I should judge, had not passed the age of twenty-five. He was tall and slender, dressed in a snuff-colored coat, with glossy hat, and vest of elegant pattern. His whole apparel was in the extreme of fashion. His appearance was somewhat effeminate, but prepossessing, and there was about him an easy air, that showed he had mingled with the world. They were connected, as they informed me, with a circus company, then in the city of Washington; that they were on their way thither to rejoin it, having left it for a short time to make an excursion northward, for the purpose of seeing the country, and were paying their expenses by an occasional exhibition. They also remarked that they had found much difficulty in procuring music for their entertainments, and that if I would accompany them as far as New-York, they would give me one dollar for each day’s services, and three dollars in addition for every night I played at their performances, besides sufficient to pay the expenses of my return from New-York to Saratoga.

    I at once accepted the tempting offer, both for the reward it promised, and from a desire to visit the metropolis. They were anxious to leave immediately. Thinking my absence would be brief, I did not deem it necessary to write to Anne whither I had gone; in fact supposing that my return, perhaps, would be as soon as hers. So taking a change of linen and my violin, I was ready to depart. The carriage was brought round—a covered one, drawn by a pair of noble bays, altogether forming an elegant establishment. Their baggage, consisting of three large trunks, was fastened on the rack, and mounting to the driver’s seat, while they took their places in the rear, I drove away from Saratoga on the road to Albany, elated with my new position, and happy as I had ever been, on any day in all my life.

    We passed through Ballston, and striking the ridge road, as it is called, if my memory correctly serves me, followed it direct to Albany. We reached that city before dark, and stopped at a hotel southward from the Museum.

    This night I had an opportunity of witnessing one of their performances—the only one, during the whole period I was with them. Hamilton was stationed at the door; I formed the orchestra, while Brown provided the entertainment. It consisted in throwing balls, dancing on the rope, frying pancakes in a hat, causing invisible pigs to squeal, and other like feats of ventriloquism and legerdemain. The audience was extraordinarily sparse, and not of the selectest character at that, and Hamilton’s report of the proceeds presented but a “beggarly account of empty boxes.”

    Early next morning we renewed our journey. The burden of their conversation now was the expression of an anxiety to reach the circus without delay. They hurried forward, without again stopping to exhibit, and in due course of time, we reached New-York, taking lodgings at a house on the west side of the city, in a street running from Broadway to the river. I supposed my journey was at an end, and expected in a day or two at least, to return to my friends and family at Saratoga. Brown and Hamilton, however, began to importune me to continue with them to Washington. They alleged that immediately on their arrival, now that the summer season was approaching, the circus would set out for the north. They promised me a situation and high wages if I would accompany them. Largely did they expatiate on the advantages that would result to me, and such were the flattering representations they made, that I finally concluded to accept the offer.

    The next morning they suggested that, inasmuch as we were about entering a slave State, it would be well, before leaving New-York, to procure free papers. The idea struck me as a prudent one, though I think it would scarcely have occurred to me, had they not proposed it. We proceeded at once to what I understood to be the Custom House. They made oath to certain facts showing I was a free man. A paper was drawn up and handed us, with the direction to take it to the clerk’s office. We did so, and the clerk having added something to it, for which he was paid six shillings, we returned again to the Custom House. Some further formalities were gone through with before it was completed, when, paying the officer two dollars, I placed the papers in my pocket, and started with my two friends to our hotel. I thought at the time, I must confess, that the papers were scarcely worth the cost of obtaining them—the apprehension of danger to my personal safety never having suggested itself to me in the remotest manner. The clerk, to whom we were directed, I remember, made a memorandum in a large book, which, I presume, is in the office yet. A reference to the entries during the latter part of March, or first of April, 1841, I have no doubt will satisfy the incredulous, at least so far as this particular transaction is concerned.

    With the evidence of freedom in my possession, the next day after our arrival in New-York, we crossed the ferry to Jersey City, and took the road to Philadelphia. Here we remained one night, continuing our journey towards Baltimore early in the morning. In due time, we arrived in the latter city, and stopped at a hotel near the railroad depot, either kept by a Mr. Rathbone, or known as the Rathbone House. All the way from New-York, their anxiety to reach the circus seemed to grow more and more intense. We left the carriage at Baltimore, and entering the cars, proceeded to Washington, at which place we arrived just at nightfall, the evening previous to the funeral of General Harrison, and stopped at Gadsby’s Hotel, on Pennsylvania Avenue.

    After supper they called me to their apartments, and paid me forty-three dollars, a sum greater than my wages amounted to, which act of generosity was in consequence, they said, of their not having exhibited as often as they had given me to anticipate, during our trip from Saratoga. They moreover informed me that it had been the intention of the circus company to leave Washington the next morning, but that on account of the funeral, they had concluded to remain another day. They were then, as they had been from the time of our first meeting, extremely kind. No opportunity was omitted of addressing me in the language of approbation; while, on the other hand, I was certainly much prepossessed in their favor. I gave them my confidence without reserve, and would freely have trusted them to almost any extent. Their constant conversation and manner towards me—their foresight in suggesting the idea of free papers, and a hundred other little acts, unnecessary to be repeated—all indicated that they were friends indeed, sincerely solicitous for my welfare. I know not but they were. I know not but they were innocent of the great wickedness of which I now believe them guilty. Whether they were accessory to my misfortunes—subtle and inhuman monsters in the shape of men—designedly luring me away from home and family, and liberty, for the sake of gold—those who read these pages will have the same means of determining as myself. If they were innocent, my sudden disappearance must have been unaccountable indeed; but revolving in my mind all the attending circumstances, I never yet could indulge, towards them, so charitable a supposition.

    After receiving the money from them, of which they appeared to have an abundance, they advised me not to go into the streets that night, inasmuch as I was unacquainted with the customs of the city. Promising to remember their advice, I left them together, and soon after was shown by a colored servant to a sleeping room in the back part of the hotel, on the ground floor. I laid down to rest, thinking of home and wife, and children, and the long distance that stretched between us, until I fell asleep. But no good angel of pity came to my bedside, bidding me to fly—no voice of mercy forewarned me in my dreams of the trials that were just at hand.

    The next day there was a great pageant in Washington. The roar of cannon and the tolling of bells filled the air, while many houses were shrouded with crape, and the streets were black with people. As the day advanced, the procession made its appearance, coming slowly through the Avenue, carriage after carriage, in long succession, while thousands upon thousands followed on foot—all moving to the sound of melancholy music. They were bearing the dead body of Harrison to the grave.

    From early in the morning, I was constantly in the company of Hamilton and Brown. They were the only persons I knew in Washington. We stood together as the funeral pomp passed by. I remember distinctly how the window glass would break and rattle to the ground, after each report of the cannon they were firing in the burial ground. We went to the Capitol, and walked a long time about the grounds. In the afternoon, they strolled towards the President’s House, all the time keeping me near to them, and pointing out various places of interest. As yet, I had seen nothing of the circus. In fact, I had thought of it but little, if at all, amidst the excitement of the day.

    My friends, several times during the afternoon, entered drinking saloons, and called for liquor. They were by no means in the habit, however, so far as I knew them, of indulging to excess. On these occasions, after serving themselves, they would pour out a glass and hand it to me. I did not become intoxicated, as may be inferred from what subsequently occurred. Towards evening, and soon after partaking of one of these potations, I began to experience most unpleasant sensations. I felt extremely ill. My head commenced aching—a dull, heavy pain, inexpressibly disagreeable. At the supper table, I was without appetite; the sight and flavor of food was nauseous. About dark the same servant conducted me to the room I had occupied the previous night. Brown and Hamilton advised me to retire, commiserating me kindly, and expressing hopes that I would be better in the morning. Divesting myself of coat and boots merely, I threw myself upon the bed. It was impossible to sleep. The pain in my head continued to increase, until it became almost unbearable. In a short time I became thirsty. My lips were parched. I could think of nothing but water—of lakes and flowing rivers, of brooks where I had stooped to drink, and of the dripping bucket, rising with its cool and overflowing nectar, from the bottom of the well. Towards midnight, as near as I could judge, I arose, unable longer to bear such intensity of thirst. I was a stranger in the house, and knew nothing of its apartments. There was no one up, as I could observe. Groping about at random, I knew not where, I found the way at last to a kitchen in the basement. Two or three colored servants were moving through it, one of whom, a woman, gave me two glasses of water. It afforded momentary relief, but by the time I had reached my room again, the same burning desire of drink, the same tormenting thirst, had again returned. It was even more torturing than before, as was also the wild pain in my head, if such a thing could be. I was in sore distress—in most excruciating agony! I seemed to stand on the brink of madness! The memory of that night of horrible suffering will follow me to the grave.

    In the course of an hour or more after my return from the kitchen, I was conscious of some one entering my room. There seemed to be several—a mingling of various voices,—but how many, or who they were, I cannot tell. Whether Brown and Hamilton were among them, is a mere matter of conjecture. I only remember, with any degree of distinctness, that I was told it was necessary to go to a physician and procure medicine, and that pulling on my boots, without coat or hat, I followed them through a long passage-way, or alley, into the open street. It ran out at right angles from Pennsylvania Avenue. On the opposite side there was a light burning in a window. My impression is there were then three persons with me, but it is altogether indefinite and vague, and like the memory of a painful dream. Going towards the light, which I imagined proceeded from a physician’s office, and which seemed to recede as I advanced, is the last glimmering recollection I can now recall. From that moment I was insensible. How long I remained in that condition—whether only that night, or many days and nights—I do not know; but when consciousness returned, I found myself alone, in utter darkness, and in chains.

    The pain in my head had subsided in a measure, but I was very faint and weak. I was sitting upon a low bench, made of rough boards, and without coat or hat. I was hand-cuffed. Around my ankles also were a pair of heavy fetters. One end of a chain was fastened to a large ring in the floor, the other to the fetters on my ankles. I tried in vain to stand upon my feet. Waking from such a painful trance, it was some time before I could collect my thoughts. Where was I? What was the meaning of these chains? Where were Brown and Hamilton? What had I done to deserve imprisonment in such a dungeon? I could not comprehend. There was a blank of some indefinite period, preceding my awakening in that lonely place, the events of which the utmost stretch of memory was unable to recall. I listened intently for some sign or sound of life, but nothing broke the oppressive silence, save the clinking of my chains, whenever I chanced to move. I spoke aloud, but the sound of my voice startled me. I felt of my pockets, so far as the fetters would allow—far enough, indeed, to ascertain that I had not only been robbed of liberty, but that my money and free papers were also gone! Then did the idea begin to break upon my mind, at first dim and confused, that I had been kidnapped. But that I thought was incredible. There must have been some misapprehension—some unfortunate mistake. It could not be that a free citizen of New-York, who had wronged no man, nor violated any law, should be dealt with thus inhumanly. The more I contemplated my situation, however, the more I became confirmed in my suspicions. It was a desolate thought, indeed. I felt there was no trust or mercy in unfeeling man; and commending myself to the God of the oppressed, bowed my head upon my fettered hands, and wept most bitterly.

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  • TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE. NARRATIVE OF SOLOMON NORTHUP-CHAPTER I

    INTRODUCTORY—ANCESTRY—THE NORTHUP FAMILY—BIRTH AND PARENTAGE—MINTUS NORTHUP—MARRIAGE WITH ANNE HAMPTON—GOOD RESOLUTIONS—CHAMPLAIN CANAL—RAFTING EXCURSION TO CANADA—FARMING—THE VIOLIN—COOKING—REMOVAL TO SARATOGA—PARKER AND PERRY—SLAVES AND SLAVERY—THE CHILDREN—THE BEGINNING OF SORROW.

    Having been born a freeman, and for more than thirty years enjoyed the blessings of liberty in a free State—and having at the end of that time been kidnapped and sold into Slavery, where I remained, until happily rescued in the month of January, 1853, after a bondage of twelve years—it has been suggested that an account of my life and fortunes would not be uninteresting to the public.

    Since my return to liberty, I have not failed to perceive the increasing interest throughout the Northern States, in regard to the subject of Slavery. Works of fiction, professing to portray its features in their more pleasing as well as more repugnant aspects, have been circulated to an extent unprecedented, and, as I understand, have created a fruitful topic of comment and discussion.

    I can speak of Slavery only so far as it came under my own observation—only so far as I have known and experienced it in my own person. My object is, to give a candid and truthful statement of facts: to repeat the story of my life, without exaggeration, leaving it for others to determine, whether even the pages of fiction present a picture of more cruel wrong or a severer bondage.

    As far back as I have been able to ascertain, my ancestors on the paternal side were slaves in Rhode Island. They belonged to a family by the name of Northup, one of whom, removing to the State of New-York, settled at Hoosic, in Rensselaer county. He brought with him Mintus Northup, my father. On the death of this gentleman, which must have occurred some fifty years ago, my father became free, having been emancipated by a direction in his will.

    Henry B. Northup, Esq., of Sandy Hill, a distinguished counselor at law, and the man to whom, under Providence, I am indebted for my present liberty, and my return to the society of my wife and children, is a relative of the family in which my forefathers were thus held to service, and from which they took the name I bear. To this fact may be attributed the persevering interest he has taken in my behalf.

    Sometime after my father’s liberation, he removed to the town of Minerva, Essex county, N. Y., where I was born, in the month of July, 1808. How long he remained in the latter place I have not the means of definitely ascertaining. From thence he removed to Granville, Washington county, near a place known as Slyborough, where, for some years, he labored on the farm of Clark Northup, also a relative of his old master; from thence he removed to the Alden farm, at Moss Street, a short distance north of the village of Sandy Hill; and from thence to the farm now owned by Russel Pratt, situated on the road leading from Fort Edward to Argyle, where he continued to reside until his death, which took place on the 22d day of November, 1829. He left a widow and two children—myself, and Joseph, an elder brother. The latter is still living in the county of Oswego, near the city of that name; my mother died during the period of my captivity.

    Though born a slave, and laboring under the disadvantages to which my unfortunate race is subjected, my father was a man respected for his industry and integrity, as many now living, who well remember him, are ready to testify. His whole life was passed in the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, never seeking employment in those more menial positions, which seem to be especially allotted to the children of Africa. Besides giving us an education surpassing that ordinarily bestowed upon children in our condition, he acquired, by his diligence and economy, a sufficient property qualification to entitle him to the right of suffrage. He was accustomed to speak to us of his early life; and although at all times cherishing the warmest emotions of kindness, and even of affection towards the family, in whose house he had been a bondsman, he nevertheless comprehended the system of Slavery, and dwelt with sorrow on the degradation of his race. He endeavored to imbue our minds with sentiments of morality, and to teach us to place our trust and confidence in Him who regards the humblest as well as the highest of his creatures. How often since that time has the recollection of his paternal counsels occurred to me, while lying in a slave hut in the distant and sickly regions of Louisiana, smarting with the undeserved wounds which an inhuman master had inflicted, and longing only for the grave which had covered him, to shield me also from the lash of the oppressor. In the church-yard at Sandy Hill, an humble stone marks the spot where he reposes, after having worthily performed the duties appertaining to the lowly sphere wherein God had appointed him to walk.

    Up to this period I had been principally engaged with my father in the labors of the farm. The leisure hours allowed me were generally either employed over my books, or playing on the violin—an amusement which was the ruling passion of my youth. It has also been the source of consolation since, affording pleasure to the simple beings with whom my lot was cast, and beguiling my own thoughts, for many hours, from the painful contemplation of my fate.

    On Christmas day, 1829, I was married to Anne Hampton, a colored girl then living in the vicinity of our residence. The ceremony was performed at Fort Edward, by Timothy Eddy, Esq., a magistrate of that town, and still a prominent citizen of the place. She had resided a long time at Sandy Hill, with Mr. Baird, proprietor of the Eagle Tavern, and also in the family of Rev. Alexander Proudfit, of Salem. This gentleman for many years had presided over the Presbyterian society at the latter place, and was widely distinguished for his learning and piety. Anne still holds in grateful remembrance the exceeding kindness and the excellent counsels of that good man. She is not able to determine the exact line of her descent, but the blood of three races mingles in her veins. It is difficult to tell whether the red, white, or black predominates. The union of them all, however, in her origin, has given her a singular but pleasing expression, such as is rarely to be seen. Though somewhat resembling, yet she cannot properly be styled a quadroon, a class to which, I have omitted to mention, my mother belonged.

    I had just now passed the period of my minority, having reached the age of twenty-one years in the month of July previous. Deprived of the advice and assistance of my father, with a wife dependent upon me for support, I resolved to enter upon a life of industry; and notwithstanding the obstacle of color, and the consciousness of my lowly state, indulged in pleasant dreams of a good time coming, when the possession of some humble habitation, with a few surrounding acres, should reward my labors, and bring me the means of happiness and comfort.

    From the time of my marriage to this day the love I have borne my wife has been sincere and unabated; and only those who have felt the glowing tenderness a father cherishes for his offspring, can appreciate my affection for the beloved children which have since been born to us. This much I deem appropriate and necessary to say, in order that those who read these pages, may comprehend the poignancy of those sufferings I have been doomed to bear.

    Immediately upon our marriage we commenced house-keeping, in the old yellow building then standing at the southern extremity of Fort Edward village, and which has since been transformed into a modern mansion, and lately occupied by Captain Lathrop. It is known as the Fort House. In this building the courts were sometime held after the organization of the county. It was also occupied by Burgoyne in 1777, being situated near the old Fort on the left bank of the Hudson.

    During the winter I was employed with others repairing the Champlain Canal, on that section over which William Van Nortwick was superintendent. David McEachron had the immediate charge of the men in whose company I labored. By the time the canal opened in the spring, I was enabled, from the savings of my wages, to purchase a pair of horses, and other things necessarily required in the business of navigation.

    Having hired several efficient hands to assist me, I entered into contracts for the transportation of large rafts of timber from Lake Champlain to Troy. Dyer Beckwith and a Mr. Bartemy, of Whitehall, accompanied me on several trips. During the season I became perfectly familiar with the art and mysteries of rafting—a knowledge which afterwards enabled me to render profitable service to a worthy master, and to astonish the simple-witted lumbermen on the banks of the Bayou Bœuf.

    In one of my voyages down Lake Champlain, I was induced to make a visit to Canada. Repairing to Montreal, I visited the cathedral and other places of interest in that city, from whence I continued my excursion to Kingston and other towns, obtaining a knowledge of localities, which was also of service to me afterwards, as will appear towards the close of this narrative.

    Having completed my contracts on the canal satisfactorily to myself and to my employer, and not wishing to remain idle, now that the navigation of the canal was again suspended, I entered into another contract with Medad Gunn, to cut a large quantity of wood. In this business I was engaged during the winter of 1831-32.

    With the return of spring, Anne and myself conceived the project of taking a farm in the neighborhood. I had been accustomed from earliest youth to agricultural labors, and it was an occupation congenial to my tastes. I accordingly entered into arrangements for a part of the old Alden farm, on which my father formerly resided. With one cow, one swine, a yoke of fine oxen I had lately purchased of Lewis Brown, in Hartford, and other personal property and effects, we proceeded to our new home in Kingsbury. That year I planted twenty-five acres of corn, sowed large fields of oats, and commenced farming upon as large a scale as my utmost means would permit. Anne was diligent about the house affairs, while I toiled laboriously in the field.

    On this place we continued to reside until 1834. In the winter season I had numerous calls to play on the violin. Wherever the young people assembled to dance, I was almost invariably there. Throughout the surrounding villages my fiddle was notorious. Anne, also, during her long residence at the Eagle Tavern, had become somewhat famous as a cook. During court weeks, and on public occasions, she was employed at high wages in the kitchen at Sherrill’s Coffee House.

    We always returned home from the performance of these services with money in our pockets; so that, with fiddling, cooking, and farming, we soon found ourselves in the possession of abundance, and, in fact, leading a happy and prosperous life. Well, indeed, would it have been for us had we remained on the farm at Kingsbury; but the time came when the next step was to be taken towards the cruel destiny that awaited me.

    In March, 1834, we removed to Saratoga Springs. We occupied a house belonging to Daniel O’Brien, on the north side of Washington street. At that time Isaac Taylor kept a large boarding house, known as Washington Hall, at the north end of Broadway. He employed me to drive a hack, in which capacity I worked for him two years. After this time I was generally employed through the visiting season, as also was Anne, in the United States Hotel, and other public houses of the place. In winter seasons I relied upon my violin, though during the construction of the Troy and Saratoga railroad, I performed many hard days’ labor upon it.

    I was in the habit, at Saratoga, of purchasing articles necessary for my family at the stores of Mr. Cephas Parker and Mr. William Perry, gentlemen towards whom, for many acts of kindness, I entertained feelings of strong regard. It was for this reason that, twelve years afterwards, I caused to be directed to them the letter, which is hereinafter inserted, and which was the means, in the hands of Mr. Northup, of my fortunate deliverance.

    While living at the United States Hotel, I frequently met with slaves, who had accompanied their masters from the South. They were always well dressed and well provided for, leading apparently an easy life, with but few of its ordinary troubles to perplex them. Many times they entered into conversation with me on the subject of Slavery. Almost uniformly I found they cherished a secret desire for liberty. Some of them expressed the most ardent anxiety to escape, and consulted me on the best method of effecting it. The fear of punishment, however, which they knew was certain to attend their re-capture and return, in all cases proved sufficient to deter them from the experiment. Having all my life breathed the free air of the North, and conscious that I possessed the same feelings and affections that find a place in the white man’s breast; conscious, moreover, of an intelligence equal to that of some men, at least, with a fairer skin, I was too ignorant, perhaps too independent, to conceive how any one could be content to live in the abject condition of a slave. I could not comprehend the justice of that law, or that religion, which upholds or recognizes the principle of Slavery; and never once, I am proud to say, did I fail to counsel any one who came to me, to watch his opportunity, and strike for freedom.

    I continued to reside at Saratoga until the spring of 1841. The flattering anticipations which, seven years before, had seduced us from the quiet farm-house, on the east side of the Hudson, had not been realized. Though always in comfortable circumstances, we had not prospered. The society and associations at that world-renowned watering place, were not calculated to preserve the simple habits of industry and economy to which I had been accustomed, but, on the contrary, to substitute others in their stead, tending to shiftlessness and extravagance.

    At this time we were the parents of three children—Elizabeth, Margaret, and Alonzo. Elizabeth, the eldest, was in her tenth year; Margaret was two years younger, and little Alonzo had just passed his fifth birth-day. They filled our house with gladness. Their young voices were music in our ears. Many an airy castle did their mother and myself build for the little innocents. When not at labor I was always walking with them, clad in their best attire, through the streets and groves of Saratoga. Their presence was my delight; and I clasped them to my bosom with as warm and tender love as if their clouded skins had been as white as snow.

    Thus far the history of my life presents nothing whatever unusual—nothing but the common hopes, and loves, and labors of an obscure colored man, making his humble progress in the world. But now I had reached a turning point in my existence—reached the threshold of unutterable wrong, and sorrow, and despair. Now had I approached within the shadow of the cloud, into the thick darkness whereof I was soon to disappear, thenceforward to be hidden from the eyes of all my kindred, and shut out from the sweet light of liberty, for many a weary year.

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  • Africa Safari – Choosing The Right One

    Google “Africa Safari” and one becomes completely overwhelmed by the hundreds of thousands of choices presented, page after page of safaris on offer by hundreds of tour operators. It is no easy task but with a little preparation, searching for the ideal Africa safari can be a success.

    Here are several essential points to consider ensuring you choose the right Africa safari;

    1. Where to Go

    If it is animals you are after the obvious choices are Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia or South Africa. If it is Gorilla trekking and African wildlife choose Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. If it is culture try Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; if you are really looking to get off the beaten track try Cameroon and Gabon in Central Africa.

    East Africa: Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania offer a more “romantic” African safari; the roads, services and cultures are more authentic than the Southern African options.

    The most famous parks of the Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, Masai Mara and Queen Elizabeth are in this part of Africa. The tropical African coastline of Kenya and the world famous Spice Island of Zanzibar. Anyone after animals, culture and a few days of relaxation on tropical beaches; East Africa is the obvious choice.

    Southern Africa: Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa are far more western and comfortable than East African countries however they tend to lack the “real Africa” flair that we are accustomed.

    The most famous parks in this area are Chobe, Etosha, South Luangwa, Okavango Delta and Kruger; the famous Namib desert and Fish River Canyon to the wine region of Stellenbosch. Southern Africa offers a very different experience to East Africa.

    West Africa: Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana if you are after culture and not bothered about wildlife. Mali is famous for Djenne, Timbuktu and Dogan Country; Burkina Faso is well known for its music scene and Ghana offers historical sites from the old slave trade years, tropical beaches and a few game parks with very few animals.

    Central Africa: Cameroon and Gabon is for the real adventure traveller. A safari through these countries will take you into a different world of tropical beaches, pygmies, bush meat markets, surfing hippos and thousands of low land gorillas. This part is far less travelled by the average tourist and can be difficult to find an English speaking tour.

    2. Level of Luxury

    5 star luxury accommodation to camping are all on offer in East Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa. Central Africa expect a minimum of 3-5 star accommodation.

    Upmarket accommodation options are endless however expect to pay hefty prices for 3-5 star accommodation. Facilities are excellent offering well stocked bar/restaurant, often swimming pools, hot showers, flushing toilets as well as the romantic African colonial style most tourist lodges and hotels have adopted.

    Campsites have changed immensely over the years. Gone are the days when there was no grass to pitch tents, cold showers (if water at all) and warm drinks in the fridge. Most campsites in East and Southern Africa are very well serviced and equipped boasting hot showers, flushing toilets, extensive bars and restaurants and good clean room accommodation to upgrade if camping does not take your fancy every night. Of course there is always the chance the power may go off and hot water may not last but overall campsites offer excellent value for money and all the amenities the average traveller desires.

    3. Transport

    Transport through Africa varies from Fly-in safaris, 4×4 Land Cruiser/Mini Van to custom built Overland Safari Trucks.

    The most expensive but possibly practical way for those with a large budget and not much time is to fly from destination to destination. Most parks and major tourist attractions have air strips to cater for the fly-in safari traveller. Don’t expect to camp on these safaris; companies offering fly-in also offer 5 star lodge accommodation. The downsides to fly-in safaris are that you miss out on the local sites, sounds, smells and culture of a country. Not really exposing to the real Africa. These tours offer full luxury.

    Opting for 4×4 Land Cruiser or mini van is far cheaper than Fly-ins and offer anything from 5 star accommodation to camping safaris. Often group size is limited to 8-12 people per tour allowing for a small group feel without it being too overwhelming. These are popular safaris as they suit most budgets. These tours mostly stay in hotel/lodge accommodation with very little camping.

    Overland custom built safari trucks are the cheapest option. Most tours offered in safari trucks are camping with the exception of a couple who offer hotel/lodge accommodation. Travelling in a large safari truck gives you the best viewpoint enhancing your Africa experience. The vehicles are totally self-sufficient complete with camping equipment and extensive kitchen. Travelling as a group, anything from 13-25 people offers communal style living and is particularly popular with single travellers or older couples wanting the extra safety and security. These safaris often blend animal viewing, community projects with adventure activities, appealing to, but not limited, the 20-40 year old traveller. These tours are becoming more and more popular with the over 50s looking for the more adventurous style of travel. There is nothing like cooking on open fire, shopping at local markets and socialising with locals.

    4. Private or Group Safaris

    A number of companies offer tailor-made private safaris. For a price you can have your own vehicle, own tailor-made itinerary developed to your exact requirements and personal driver/guide. The options are not limited to lodge or camping but to what you desire. These options are popular with couples, honeymoon couples and business people with limited time and restricted travel dates.

    Group safaris can be very rewarding. Itineraries are developed to include the key highlights of each region/area and are cheaper than private tailor-made safaris. The biggest concern with travelling in a group is whether all parties will get along, in most cases all are likeminded individuals who want to see and experience Africa. Where things do go wrong is when clients are sold a safari which does not meet their expectations.

    5. Expectations and Level of Participation

    It is important to book a safari which meets expectations. If you are after the full pampering luxury safari than book the pampering luxury safari. Do not expect a luxury safari but book a participatory camping safari. Although it may be cheaper you will not be happy with the product and hence will damper your African experience. The great thing about Africa is it suits all expectations and budgets. Know what you want and expect; then look for a Company who provides that level of safari and service. At the end of the day you get what you pay for.

    Different safaris offer different levels of participation. The most expensive luxury safaris are hand-holding and pampering through to budget overland truck safari where it is expected that clients help out with the day to day running of the safari.

    If you want to participate in the day to day running of the safari, help cook and shop for fresh food for the group then book an Overland Truck safari. Most companies offer the services of a cook so client participation is limited to helping prepare meals rather than take responsibility for the final product. These safaris work on a client rota system so it may be that over a 3 week period you have to assist only 3-5 times; enough time to learn about bartering for fresh fruit and vegetables in local markets and how to cook on open fire. With the aid of an experienced safari cook the meals are often better than what the average person eats at home!

    There are a couple of Overland Truck Safari Operators where the shopping and cooking are entirely the groups’ responsibility. This can be a great way to fully capitalise on the Africa experience. Although rewarding, this can also be rather stressful particularly if you have never cooked for 20 people before let alone cook on open fire. Expect the meals to be a random mix from excellent to barely resembling edible.

    6. Budget

    How much you want to spend on your African safari will also dictate the type of safari you book. There are beliefs that as most African countries are developing, they are very cheap like Thailand. Think again, Africa is a lot more expensive than most realise. Ultimately the key places most safari operators visit does not differ between luxury fly-ins and overland truck safaris. Most operators offer itineraries which include the major parks and attractions; what differs is mode of transport, time spent in places and type of accommodation.

    7. Time

    How much time you have also depends on the safari you will choose. However, the itinerary that includes the most may not be the best safari; consider and ask the operator/agent how much time is spent travelling versus time in places. Time and time again clients compare itineraries from one Company to another and choose the Company that include the most highlights only to realise on day 2 that in order to see all the highlights means breakfast at 5am every day and not arriving at the final destination until 8pm at night. Defeats the purpose of a holiday! Be realistic about what is achievable, the safari industry is very competitive hence operators cram as much into the itinerary as possible to make their product more attractive and saleable to potential clients.

    Look at a map of the countries you want to travel, Africa is a huge continent. Assume the road conditions are not up to Western standards hence don’t expect to cover 500kms stopping at several tourist sites in one day.

    8. All Inclusive Versus Pay-As-You-Go

    Choosing an all-inclusive versus pay-as-you-go has many pros and cons. Benefits of the all-inclusive means you only have to take enough money to pay for your visas and personal spending. The disadvantage is you may be paying for activities you have no interest i.e. forest walk or canoeing down the Zambezi.

    Pay-as-you-go offers flexibility in paying only for the activities you are interested in resulting in better value for money. The down side is deciding prior to embarking on your safari what activities you do and don’t want to partake. It is always best to overestimate what you may do while on safari ensuring you are not left short of money.

    10. Brochure Versus Booking Over the Internet

    Over the past 2-3 years there has been a trend away from brochures as more and more people are confident to book trips over the internet. Furthermore, as a society we are more conscious about wasting precious resources such as paper. Most websites have extensive information about safaris taking away the need for brochures. Further, responsible tour operators are leaning away from brochures as it is seen as contradictory to offer safaris that are focussed on saving the environment only to print thousands of brochures.

    11. Ask the Right Questions

    Before booking a safari firstly ask yourself (and be honest) about what type of safari you would love to do.

    Where do I want to go?

    What do I want to see and experience?

    How much time do I have?

    What do I expect?

    Do I want Private or group safari?

    How much do I want to spend?

    Do I want all inclusive or pay-as-you-go?

    What type of transport do I want?

    Once you have asked and answered these questions you can begin the search for an appropriate operator which meets you expectations.

    Once you have found several possible operators ask questions that relate to what you want from your safari. Hopefully this will identify the right operator for the Right Africa Safari.

    Choosing a safari in Africa can be daunting however if you know what you want, not only will you focus on Operators offering these requirements, your Africa safari will truly be an unbelievable amazing life changing experience.

    Deborah Thiele is Director of Africa Expedition Support, a safari Company based in East Africa. Deborah has worked in the travel industry for over 7 years in administrative, tour leading and crew training roles. She has travelled and worked in Africa, South America, the Middle East and the UK. As a Tour Leader she lead over 200 tours across 3 continents. Originally from Adelaide, Australia she now calls Africa home.

    Africa Expedition Support specialises in tailor-made, group and 4×4 guided self drive safaris. Deborah can be contacted either via http://www.AfricaExpeditionSupport.com or emailing info@AfricaExpeditionSupport.com. Please note that as this is Africa emails are sometimes lost in the system; if no response within 2 days please email again. Alternatively phone or text +254 725 459 063

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Deborah_Thiele/131752

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/946121

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  • Relocating to South Africa – Immigration Information

    Whilst many foreigners dream of relocating or moving to South Africa, many foreigners are actually taking a chance and moving their families and lives to our beautiful country. As this process can often be difficult and tedious, more so if you are not correctly informed prior to your immigration process, there are many aspects of relocating to South Africa that is required to be thought through before the new adventure can begin.

    Many foreigners only realize the amount of matters that have to be sorted through and arranged once they arrived in our stunning country. There is no need to stress, if all information is at least known before arriving, this will save you many nights of worry and many more days to enjoy our sunshine, beaches, mountains and beautiful flora and fauna with yourself or your family.

    Transferring money, bank accounts, exchange control, taxation and investments information

    – Transferring Money into South Africa For a foreigner wanting to reside in South Africa, or even if a foreigner wants to invest in the country in one way or another, an agent or consultancy is always the best to approach for the finer details regarding best exchange rates when transferring money, investments, transferring of money and tax implications.

    – Bank Accounts in South Africa Opening up of bank accounts is a simple process, provided the correct documentation is supplied to the relevant consultant. If a foreigner wants to obtain a personal/individual bank account (while on a visitors visa), a “non-resident” account can be opened for that person. Whilst these accounts can have all the features of normal banking account, the “non-resident” accounts are restrictive in as much as they cannot generally receive deposits in Rands. Once on a temporary residence permits, these accounts are changed to “resident” accounts. It is best to speak to a Bank consultant to get the best possible service and views.

    The foreigner’s closed corporation can obtain a business account, there would be no currency restrictions in terms of Rand deposits, as the closed corporation is viewed as a legal identity in its own right and in the foreigner’s case, is incorporated in South Africa. To receive the best service and required documentation, speak to a banking consultant or an agency that can assist with this nature of services.

    – Exchange Control Upon transferring money to South a foreigner will be confronted with the exchange control regulations in South Africa.

    South African Exchange Control Regulations are a set of laws controlling the in and outflow of money in South Africa. An authorised dealer in every major South African bank are required to make sure on behalf of the Reserve Bank that incoming and outgoing money complies with the regulations.

    A foreigner can transfer an unlimited amount of money into South Africa. As long as the foreigner transfers the capital via a bank within South Africa, it will get registered with the Reserve Bank.

    There are limitations in place when it comes to transferring capital out of South Africa. The rules and limitations for a foreigner depend on the status for exchange control purposes when the person arrives in South Africa. The Reserve Bank distinguishes between foreign nationals, temporary residents, immigrants and South African citizens.

    Since the status of people relocating to South Africa varies according to the kind of permit they receive, individual advice is necessary.

    It should be noted that it is not correct that foreigners relocating to South Africa cannot take any of the money they brought into the country out again. There are rules and regulations, but they do not permit the retransfer of capital introduced into South Africa.

    – Taxation South Africa has a residence based tax system, which means that all tax residents are taxed on their worldwide income, irrespective of where it was earned.

    Even in case that a foreigner is not classified as a tax resident in South Africa from the start, the foreigner will have to pay tax on income generated from a source within South Africa.

    It is important that a person takes care to that he or she is compliant with both Revenue Services, the one in South Africa and the one in his/her home country. South Africa has signed double tax agreement with many countries to avoid that a person pays tax for the same income in two countries at the same time.

    A foreigner should seek expert advice to determine from when they will be classified as a tax resident in South Africa and what consequences this status will have on your tax situation.

    – Investments South Africa has always welcomed foreigners who invest in our country. For those foreigners who know only limited information on investment options, this matter should be dealt with by an expert financial controller or agency that can assist with this service. Investment in this country is on a large scale and many foreigners, who immigrate to South Africa, do not receive the best service, exchange rates, etc – therefore, causing losses, instead of financial gain. With a mixture of different opportunities and jurisdictions, it can prove to be a multitude of choices and decision to make.

    Buying Property in South Africa

    There are many opportunities to buy a property in South Africa, for a holiday home or for indefinite periods – there is an extensive market for those on the look out for the best possible properties that South Africa has to offer. Although the market is aimed at the “Seller” and the ‘Seller’s” needs, there are those agents who are on the side of the buyer (foreigner). These agents are the best to speak with concerning purchasing a property in South Africa, as they will always ask the right questions, find the best possible prices, areas, etc for the foreigner and family.

    Prospective foreign buyers face a number of matters that are unique to those purchasing property abroad, some matters are: correct financing, exchange control matters, decreased knowledge of geographical areas, difference in buying method from abroad. It is best for the foreigner to find an agent or South African company who can assist with these matters and others, through the entire process, as to not leave the foreigner with questions unanswered but, to enable the foreigner to enjoy their time in South Africa and see their path leading to their new beginning growing.

    School and Employment in South Africa

    With all families, foreign or South African, finding the right school and employment in the country, if needed, is two of the most important aspects of relocating to another country.

    In South Africa, there are many educational institutions, whereby children of foreigners (after obtaining a study permit for that school) spend most of the days. It is always important to find a school that has many of the activities that the child enjoys, some schools focus on sports activities and some schools focus on recreational activities, there are many schools which have a medium with both kinds of activities offered to their students.

    South Africa offers many wonderful benefits to reside in, with its increasingly first-world infrastructure and its growing influence in the international market, career aspirations can constantly be fulfilled. If a foreigner would like to work in South Africa, the necessary work permit would need to be obtained in order for the foreigner to work legally in the country. It is best to speak with an immigration agency in order to find out what work permit would be best suited to the foreigner in question.

    Permits for residence in South Africa

    In order for a foreigner to reside legally in the country, irrespective of the visitor’s visa obtained either at the border when entering the country, or before arrival from the relevant Embassy, the foreigner would need to reside in South Africa on a valid permit constantly in order to prevent fines incurring, deportation back to the country of origin or imprisonment.

    There are many different permits and these are issued at the discretion of the Department of Home Affairs to the foreigners who qualify for these appropriate permits.

    – Visitor’s Extension Permit (holiday/visit) A visitors extension permit is issued to a foreigner only once in succession (after initial issuance of visitors visa when arriving in South Africa), therefore, the maximum stay that a foreigner can reside in South Africa on a visitors permit/visa is 6 months (160 days), this is dependent on the country of origin’s initial visitors permit, as many countries issue the visitors visa under 90 days, etc. Once the 6 months has come to an end, the foreigner would need to leave the country, or apply for a temporary residence permit (if the foreigner qualifies for a specific permit).

    In order to receive a visitors visa at the border (i.e. airport), the foreigner who is entering South Africa is required to show a return ticket to the country of origin within 3 months (90 days) after arrival, if not, the officials at the borders are able to deny entry into South Africa.

    – Study permit In South Africa, a foreigner who would like to study in an educational institution would require a South African study permit (temporary residency). There are 2 options for a study permit for the respective foreigner(s):

    The first option would be for foreign families immigrating to South African with children from the age 6 to 16 (as all children from the age of 6 to 16 are required by law to attend schooling, therefore, requiring a South African study permit). If a child is young enough to attend crèche, pre-school, etc, provision may be made by the Department to issue a study permit to the child(ren), this is done with their own discretion. These permits are issued to the length of the schooling period, the maximum period length of a study permit is 3 years and these permits can be extended a number of times.

    The second option would be for individual (stand alone) foreigners wishing to continue their studies in South Africa (e.g. university, college, etc). These study permits are issued by the Department of Home Affairs to the applicant who has been “provisionally accepted” to a South African Registered Educational Institution. These study permits are issued to the length of the course; this is done with the Department’s discretion and can be extended is necessary.

    A person (foreign student), over the age of 16 years is able to conduct work for 20 hours per week during their term (semester) or when the workplace is a learning institution on a South African study permit.

    – Business Permits Business permits are issued to foreigners who wish to operate a business in South Africa, whether it be closed corporations, sole proprietors, etc. These permits are issued to those foreigners who wish to invest in an already established business or establishing a new business.

    In order to qualify for a business permit, the foreigner must submit proof stating that they wish to invest or have already invested an amount of (a) ZAR 2.5 million in cash in foreign currency, (b), a capital contribution of at least ZAR 2.5 million or (c) at least ZAR 2.5 million in cash in foreign currency and a capital contribution of ZAR 500,000 into the book value of the business in question, along with other substantial documentation proof (i.e. business plan).

    If a foreigner wishes to invest less than ZAR 2.5 million into the book value of the business, a recommendation letter (waiver) is required by the Department of Home Affairs, these recommendation letters are issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to waiver the capitalized requirement. These letters are also issued for specific industries, e.g. Tourism industry (guest houses), information and communications technologies and others.

    Business permits are issued usually for 24 months, but can be issued for up to 5 years, this is at the Department’s discretion. Before the expiry of this permit, the same can be extended.

    Permanent Residency can be applied for based on the Business permit category, based on self-employed applicants who invest more than ZAR 2.5 million into the book value of the business. If a foreigner’s investment is less than the prescribed amount, waiting on the outcome of the waiver application is required to be done before permanent residence can be applied for.

    For foreigners wishing to operate a business in South Africa, the best option would be to seek advice from an established Immigration company to receive the correct advice and protocol to be established to avoid future problems if done personally.

    – Retired Permits A South African retired permit is issued to a foreigner who wishes to reside in South Africa for 6 months or longer, there are no age minimum or maximum requirements for this permit category.

    A foreigner wishing to retire in South Africa and obtain a retired permit must be able to prove the following financials (a) ZAR 20,000 per person, per month for a maximum period of 48 months (four years) through cash assets, capital (bank statements), pensions, actual rental income or investment interest income for a temporary residency application or (b) ZAR 20,000 per month – life-long guaranteed income through pensions, actual rental income or investment interest income for a permanent residence application.

    If a foreigner who would like to apply for permanent residence based on retired category and has not been married/in a permanent relationship for 5 years or longer, the above ZAR 20,000 per month, would be per person, resulting in the foreigners submitting proof of ZAR 20,000 per month, per person, each.

    The retired person’s temporary residence permit is issued for a period of 6 months to 48 months (maximum period); the period on the retired permit is dependent on the financial income provided.

    If a person would like to obtain a retired temporary residence permit, this retired permit only does not permit the holder to work in South Africa. A work endorsement would be required in order for the foreigner to conduct work. If a work endorsement is endorsed with the retired permit, this endorsement is specific, therefore, not allowing the holder to work at any establishment, but for the company employing the foreigner at that time.

    No holder of a temporary residence retired permit is able to operate a business or study in South Africa.

    – Life-Partner / Spousal permits All foreigners require a permit to reside legally in South Africa, whereby a spouse (husband or wife) or a life-partner (permanent relationship) of a South African citizen/permanent resident holder would need to apply for a spousal or a life-partner permit. A temporary residence permit can be issued to a foreign spouse/life-partner who has been married/permanent relationship to a South African for less than 5 years, but in turn, permanent residence can only be applied for once the couple have been married/permanent relationship for 5 years or more and can prove this time together.

    It would be the more valuable option to apply for temporary residence first (whether married/permanent relationship for more or less than 5 years), as permanent residence takes approximately 18 months (these timescales are not guaranteed), therefore the foreign spouse/life-partner would be legal to reside in South Africa, whether applying for permanent residence or not.

    It is very beneficial to obtain a South African spousal or life-partner temporary residence permit, as foreigners who are holders of these permits are able to work, operate a business or study in South Africa with the correct endorsement. This permit negates the need for work permits and business permits to be applied for and all the vast number of documentation that is required. While these spousal or life-partner permit endorsements require only a few additional documents to enable the foreigner to work/operate a business or study in South Africa.

    If a foreigner will be conducting work, operating a business or studying in South Africa, it is best to know exactly what endorsement or company to work for, business plans or educational institution, as these endorsements are specific. Therefore, the name of employer/business or educational institution will be mentioned on the permit, not allowing the foreigner work for another company, operating a different business or studying with a different institution, without re-applying (with a new application) for a new specific endorsement on the spousal or life-partner permit.

    The length of the temporary residence permit is issued by the Department of Home Affairs at their discretion and is issued for a period between 1 – 3 years. The South African spousal or life-partner permits can be extended at the end of their validity, provided that the marriage certificate or proof of relationship is submitted with the extension application.

    – Relatives Permit While many foreigners who reside in South Africa do not have direct family in the country, there are foreigners who do have family (direct – 1st and 2nd kinship) residing permanently (obtained permanent residence) or are South African citizens in the country, these foreigners may apply for a relatives permit.

    For temporary residency, the following lines of kinship may apply for temporary residency, parents, children, siblings. In order to apply for permanent residence, only parents and children are permitted to apply under this category.

    The temporary residence permits are usually issued for a period of 1 – 3 years, these permits can be extended if necessary provided the documentation is supplied. Conducting work, operating a business or studying in South Africa is not permitted for the holders of this permit.

    – Work permit In order for a foreigner to work in South Africa, a work permit is required to be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs. Obtaining a work permit can seem daunting and a complex process as foreigners often are informed by potential employers that they cannot employ them until a work permit is in place, this is not necessarily correct, as many immigration companies may contact the prospective employer and communicate the realities regarding work permit matters.

    There are four types of work permit categories for foreigners wishing to conduct work in South Africa:

    1. General Work permit – a foreigner wishing to apply for a General Work permit is required to provide a conditional offer of employment from a South African based employer amongst other documentation (i.e. advertisement, etc). This work permit is also required to include confirmation that the foreigner who is applying for this permit possesses the necessary qualifications, certified and approved by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and confirmation of the relevant work experience.

    These permits are issued by the Department for a period of 1 – 5 years. A person, who has been residing in South Africa on a General Work permit for 5 years or longer, may apply for permanent residency thereafter.

    2. Quota Work permit – a foreigner who falls within a certain professional criteria in which skills are considered scarce within South Africa are able to apply for a Quota Work permit. No employer is required for this permit to be applied for. This work permit is also required to include confirmation that the foreigner who is applying for this permit possesses the necessary qualifications, certified and approved by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and confirmation that the applicant has at least 5 years of relevant working experience in the appropriate field.

    These permits are also issued by the Department for a period of 3 – 5 years. If a foreigner enters the country on a Quota work permit, the holder must submit confirmation of having secured employment within a specific category within 90 days of arrival (i.e. the Quota Work List issued by the Department of Home Affairs). After a foreigner receives a Quota Work Permit, while in South Africa, this foreigner is required to confirm employment in the specific category within 90 days of receiving the permit; thereafter a General Work permit is applied for to the Department of Home Affairs.

    3. Exceptional/Extraordinary Skills permit – a foreigner who possesses exceptional skills may obtain this temporary residence permit. In order for a foreigner to qualify for this permit, the application for an Exceptional Skills permit must be accompanied by letters from foreign or South African organs of state or from an established South African academic, cultural, business body confirming the exceptional skills of the applicant. With these letters, any proof which substantiates the claim to exceptional skills/qualifications must be submitted, such as testimonials from former employers, publications or dissertations are required.

    This exceptional skills permit is issued for a period of 1 – 5 years, at the Department’s discretion concerning the exceptional skills. Permanent Residency is permitted to be applied for under this category.

    4. Intra-Company Transfer permits – a foreigner who is being relocated from a branch in the country of origin to a sister branch, subsidiary or affiliate in South Africa. The holders of these permits are seen as a temporary recruitment options for the employer by the Department of Home Affairs; therefore, these permits will only be issued for a maximum period of 2 years.

    – Corporate Permit A Corporate permit is seen as a thread of a work permit, but is issued by the Department of Home Affairs to South African based companies (corporates) who wish to employ foreigners who may take up employment for the applicant for a limited time. These permits also offer these companies the possibility to employ great numbers of employees abroad.

    Due to South Africa’s ever growing market, the corporate permit enables the companies, an excellent way to manage their human resources, as each application is aimed at an individual work permit for a predetermined number of required foreign employees, with this application, having to submit detailed job descriptions, specific requirements and the proposed remuneration in respect of each employee.

    These are detailed and lengthy applications that require vast amounts of attention to detail. The Department issues corporate permits for a maximum period of 5 years. In order for an extension to be considered, the corporate companies have to appeal to the Department of Labour and Department of Trade and Industry that the positions they require are still in shortage in South Africa.

    There are a number of other permits that can be applied for, if the foreigner qualifies, but the most common South African permit options would be the above.

    With South Africa’s ever growing economy and population, it comes as no surprise that the matters, such as money matters, taxation, schooling, properties and permits, etc are required to be looked over, dealt with and knowledge increased prior to arrival in order for the foreigner to make the best possible decisions to make their new lives easier and run efficiently for themselves and their families.

    Claire Roodman claire@intergate-immigration.com http://www.intergate-immigration.com

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2753956

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  • TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR FINANCES: TIPS ON BUDGETING

    TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR FINANCES: TIPS ON BUDGETING  

    With prices of commodities increasing day by day it is proper to make your very own strategic plan on maximizing your financial resources and making sure that every penny earned is well spent.

    Make your move on coordinating your finances and list of expenditures that may affect the way you use your income and empower you on your economic stability as a working individual.

    Your source of income, lifestyle, spending habits, current job and house location, cost of living, payables and loans determines your level of budgeting needs. Starting to take charge of your finances is one sure way of becoming successful in a field of self-fulfillment and success.

    The following tips and recommendations will provide you details on how you can help yourself manage your finances and assume a new outlook to become responsible in your spending.

    ط    Treat Math As Your Lifetime Partner – Do the entire math in your purchasing needs. Try to compare prices across your current location for the price of a range of grocery and household items you need in a day-to-day basis.

    Save as much as you can in an item you are trying to buy. Chinese businessmen exercise effective buying techniques. They save as much as they can and usually purchase in bulk to increase their revenue index on the item they plan on selling as well.

    ط    Gambling – Gambling tops the chart in making your life as chaotic as it could get. Gambling strips you off your finances and keeps you vulnerable from the threats of bankruptcy.

    ط    Know Your Wants and Needs – Limit your spending on something which you are not in dire need of. According to a recent study, luxuries are second to gambling in terms of the degree of money-stripping capability.

    ط    “Do Not Spend More Than you Earn” – Rags-To-Riches stories do not fail to mention this famous cliché. There is always truth to this phrase for you cannot live in a world where you consume more than what you can produce.

    ط    Keeping A List – Making your own budget list is vital to your success to becoming prudent. A wise buyer needs to consider the amount of a certain commodity and how will it impact his life as an individual.

    An unconscientious consumer would not care about what is being purchased as long as he or she has money to buy for them. Unless you are someone who has a considerable amount of wealth and income resources, you can not afford to disregard this recommendation and go ahead with your practice.

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