Get Talking!
Siteta's philosophy is based on the idea of learning by talking. We save so much time by communicating - sharing ideas, contacts and information. Talking links each individual to another. It helps business grow and keeps the good ones going. It takes the stress out of planning. Siteta is a blog for positive thinkers and talkers - it's about community: spreading insights and sharing knowledge. It hopes to help you plan your move to South Africa, or if you're here already, to provide you with new insights and hopefully inspiration.
The “Job Browse” – finding a job in South Africa
The web has brought a lot more joy to aimless job “hunting”…you could call it the “Job Browse”. One has to be a little careful of doing just that though – browsing. I’ve seen some lovely looking jobs online, saved them to my Favourites and then totally forgotten about them. I think it’s because I’m still in migrant recovery state and I’m liking the luxury these pounds have afforded me to do the browsing.
For those wondering if there are indeed jobs in South Africa, look no further. I’ve compiled for you below, a list of my preferred job spots with comments on the browsing experience. As I’m new to this game, I’m sure the list will grow and change organically.
Industry-specific jobs: -
Bizcommunity.com: Jobs in Media / Marketing / Advertising Industry. Easy to find what you’re looking for.
The Skills Portal: Focus on Human Resources, Training/Learning and Development. Informative resource.
Role-specific jobs: –
Compujobs.co.za: Easy-on-the-eyes interface with location/sector/skill level/job type/employer criteria.
Intuitive job-searching all industries and careers: -
Jobspace.co.za: Interesting Blog format with blog search capability, categories and tags.
PNet: Clean site offering jobs by category, recruiter and search. Offers email job alerts.
Careerjunction.co.za: So many jobs! Useful search results for the broader browse.
Less-intuitive job-searching sites: –
Careerjet: Feeds mostly from Gumtree – often with expired links. Search results quite random.
Careers4u: Job type title search best. No job posting dates. Page two results came up with null return.
If you prefer to search by rated employer, here is a link to the Best Employer South Africa Website.
We’ve also put together some live job feeds at 2010 cape town and sorted them by job type in the toolbar.
I hope you find something enticing to match your skills and come to SA soon!
…this is what it looked like from the top….
….beeuuuuuwtiful! Views to Lion’s Head and the Upper Cable Station with a cable car in action!
If you’re seeking activities…
Looking out at that mountain and the beautiful blue sky, I just had to organise a hike up TM tomorrow. Skeleton to Platteklip. Searched Google for “Weather Cape Town” and my first pick was http://www.uncoverthecape.co.za. Great find! I like especially the Cape Town Hikes section. Hike route descriptions are included, with approximate length in hours, photos and a printable map!
The site also gives some useful information about activities in the Cape, as well as the usual accommodation etc. The Events section by month is pretty comprehensive. You can add your own event for free using an online form. Whilst I’m on the mountain tomorrow, I’ll be missing The Three Little Pigs at the Baxter and Bushmans Kloof Gourmet Food & Wine Weekend.
They’ve got a complete Gauteng Guide too, which I know I’ll use when I’m there. Can’t seem to find any RSS Feeds though. We like to add upcoming events to our 2010 Cape Town Music Gigs to help all the tourists and locals (including me!) have a good time.
Deer Park Café and the hot choc experience
The first Nutella hot chocolate ever to melt my heart was sipped in a wonderful airport restaurant (!!) in Berlin. Every airport should have an “organic”-style welcoming. * See our “Business ideas to bring you home”. Marché Zigolini bakery in Schoenefeld airport had vegetable and fruit baskets, fresh bread and an array of delicious looking German sandwich toppings and…. la pièce de résistance … hot chocolate!
This was no ordinary hot chocolate. It arrived in a tall glass, a generous helping of nutty chocolate lacing the sides, accompanied by a jug of hot milk to pour. The resultant delight is a bit like the feeling that comes with the ceremony of caffè latte pouring. It somehow adds to the elasticity of that indulgent moment.
You can imagine my joy when I discovered that Deer Park Café offers the same delectable treat! It must be said that it also offers great quality things in the way of coffees and cakes. This is definitely an Ultimate Caffeine Kick location. The café overlooks a superb children’s playground and is a favourite amongst the local community. On the downside, the restaurant can become a little rowdy when it’s hosting a children’s birthday party and it’s raining outside!
Location: Address 2 Deer Park Drive West, Vredehoek, Cape Town. Cape Town Map.
Ambience: Casual setting. Great for family get-togethers. Outside seating overlooking the park.
Seating: Choose inside seating for a quiet meeting or outside for the kids.
Menu: Varied and healthy, however main courses a little short of culinary excellence.
Wine list: Wide selection. Corkage R20.
Coffee: Coffee (and hot chocolate) excellent. Fig and honey smoothie alternative!
Screen Sports: N/A
Bookings: Not usually necessary, unless for group bookings
The “new” shopping hours
It’s taken me a while to remember that people go home here. No more of the 8 – 9 Sainsbury’s or 24 hour Tesco top up your supplies opportunities. Mostly, I leave the grocery shop to the last minute and I’d prefer not to have to trawl through web pages to find opening times, whilst the doors slowly close. If you agree, you can save this page to your “Shopping” favourites and hopefully it’ll get you to the shop on time!
Western Cape popular grocery shop locations, contact details and opening hours:
Pick ‘n Pay: (Opening hours, store locator and contact details)
Woolworths: (Opening hours not provided, contact the store directly for store opening times)
Checkers: (Opening hours, store locator and contact details – click on the store’s map marker for details)
Information about Shopping Centres in and around Cape Town (Provided by SA Venues’ Website)
- Blue Route Mall
- Canal Walk
- Cape Quarter
- Cavendish Square
- Constantia Village
- Gardens Centre
- Longbeach Mall
- The Paddocks
- Somerset Mall
- Tyger Valley Shopping Centre
- V&A Waterfront
- Willowbridge
…
Happy Shopping!
…
Yum – the homecomer’s “local”
Having been there more than thrice, I now like to think of Yum as “my local”. For those returning from London, “Local” perhaps conjures up images of beer-soaked pubs, smoky nights (in the days that this was still possible) and a good draught beer or ale for the more seasoned beer lover. There is some evidence of UK in the manager’s accent, with a generous South African hospitality (I feel very much the prodigal daughter – or sister – whenever I return).
Location: Yum Website. Address: 2 Deerpark Drive, Vredehoek: Cape Town Map
Ambience: Great for fireside cosiness. Separate restaurant for peace from the hub-bub on busy nights.
Seating: ”Romantic” table seating near the windows and walls. Outside seating popular on sunny days.
Menu: The meal portions (including starter) were hearty and tasty. Good Vegetarian options.
Wine list: There is a small selection of wines, albeit very drinkable choices.
Coffee: My table agreed that the coffees (I had a decaf) didn’t taste great. Not the Ultimate Caffeine Kick.
Screen Sports: Major sports events (including football) shown for big matches – visible from the lounge.
Bookings: Our confirmed email booking didn’t filter down to the waitress on the night.
The Ultimate Caffeine Kick
We know how it is to love coffee. Each London morning is seemingly hollow without the opportunity to queue for the barrista’s attention. To be handed a heat-resistant take-away coffee holder (a whole tray, if you’re doing the morning coffee run for your colleauges) brings mountains of joy and happiness.
It’s mandatory to talk about the coffee if it’s good and equally (worse!) if it’s bad. There is the Cafe Nero-lover (strong and rich), the Pret lover (must have Organic and Fair Trade), Starbucks (if you don’t mind being out-of-pocket) and Coffee Republic (you can’t be doing with a franchise on every corner!) to name a few.
The same tireless search for the greatest coffee experience exists in the heart of the South African, as it does in your average London pavement-treader. The joy is, you have to be a bit more adventurous here. No preset recipe. No guarantee of the same drink after your next meeting. The coffee Franchise doesn’t exist, or if there is one, it’s a bit more subtle about brand-dishing so you don’t know about it.
You’ll like this change, I promise. Each coffee brings with it a new experience. We do know that drinking an unpalatable coffee can really put a damper on your dining, so we’re hoping to save you that unbearable pain. When we find a good coffee spot, we’ll review it here on our Siteta Blog under “The Ultimate Caffeine Kick” and then post its location under the same heading on the 2010 Cape Town Map, where we’ve listed CBD hotels and restaurants.
If you’re feeling a bit mal-adjusted to your new environment, you know that coffee will perk you up, so after you’ve sent out those job applications (or even better, whilst sending them) go out and find your favourite. Spend a few pounds (pence!) on a daily coffee somewhere new. Eavesdrop on the “local vibe”…
We’d love to hear your own coffee views. Let us know if you’ve found somewhere that you think deserves to be on The Ultimate Caffeine Kick.
South African entrepreneurial role models
How lucky we are to be inspired by those brave souls who venture forth and start their own businesses and do great things! These are the people that have changed my life by showing me their greatness and making me brave the business world. I have a strong belief that South Africa needs more heroes, so here is my very own “Heroes Roll” to those people who I have encountered who have risked their security to make their dream a reality.
Technology and Design:
Trevor Swart was one of the pioneers – the first of my friends to start up his own now successful digital, branding and design company in Cape Town. Take a look at Sploosh to see his work. I love what he’s doing. You’ll also find his informative blog at supersploosh blogspot.
The Tall Norwegian, Sigve Bessesen is forever pushing the boundaries of my web knowledge. I owe my ongoing internet adventure to him. For-the-Weekend is one of my favourite explorations – the travellers’ online pocketbook for quick getaways to Europe (especially for those who live there!).
Learning:
Robin Booth has instigated an exceptional new approach to Schooling. He started Synergy Schooling in South Africa. Read about it here.
Publishing:
Arthur Attwell has launched his publishing company Electric Book Works. His own published collection Killing Time is reviewed by the Sunday Independent.
Health:
Equine Physiotherapy:
Patrick Thomas enjoys a bit of a challenge. He set up his own Equine Physiotherapy company in 2000 which keeps the horses of the Western Cape in good shape. He commits the same dedication to his own health and recently cycled 12,000km in 120 days (125km p/d) through 10 countries in Africa. You can travel with him Thru Africa, his own Tour d’Afrique experience.
I truly believe in supporting small business. My experience is that the small business will always care that little bit more their customers. I’m hoping that I’ll meet many more inspirational small business owners to which I can dedicate these pages.
Delicious restaurant browsing
Meeting up with friends or potential business partners brings about the mandatory task of having to find the restaurant. It’s a tough task when your reputation is at stake! Cape Town has a number of websites covering these topics, however it took me some time to find a restaurant in a particular location with the right menu, good wines and ambience I was looking for.
The Tall Norwegian and I have decided to take the pain out of restaurant-searching and have posted on our 2010 Cape Town site, a list of restaurants in the CBD under the Cape Town Interactive Map section (we’re working at further afield!). This is very much a work in progress. We wanted a page to go to that would let you search by location first (we generally agree to “where” first, unless someone has heard of a good place to go).
We’ve added the restaurant details to each placename on the map, so that you can find out more if the location is right. We’re adding more capability to the filter section, because we’re wanting to let you search by other important faculties like parking (I’m still getting used to the Long Street walk at night), nearest petrol station and ATM (for those who leave these things to before, during or after the meal).
You’ll be able to find our own reviews on the Siteta blog in the Meals Out section. We have a lot of restaurants to cover and we’re meant to be exercising off the London pounds, so be patient!
If you’ve heard of a good restaurant worth visiting, or you’d like to comment on one the restaurants we’ve reveiwed, please do let us know.
Keeping up to date with affairs back home…
I love the South Africa Info site. It’s a great read, with a really good overview of current affairs in South Africa. It gives a broad insight for the traveller or resident. Whilst pining for our sunny shores, I kept up-to-date on business happenings on their business pages and often referred my foreign friends planning their South African visits to SA Info’s Interactive map. Having recently arrived in South Africa, I realised that SA Info was also writing about South Africans Abroad. A handy way to connect to home and re-ignite that good ol’ homesick feeling!
