KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (14 October 2024) – There’s an undeniable magic in coming home, especially when that home is South Africa. For Alex Bartholomew, who spent 25 years living in the UK and Europe, returning to South Africa wasn’t just about changing locations; it was about rediscovering the soul of the land that never left her heart. After her youngest son was diagnosed with autism, she and her family made the life-changing decision to return to the unpredictability and beauty of South Africa—a decision that brought hope and healing in more ways than they anticipated.
In an interview with Good Things Guy, Alex shared her family’s whirlwind experience of packing up their lives abroad and returning to a country that, despite its chaos, offered them a renewed sense of belonging and a brighter future for their son.
“We packed up our life with two kids and a 40ft container in tow and flew South within six weeks,” Alex recalled, speaking to the overwhelming logistics and emotions that came with the move. Yet the chaos didn’t diminish the excitement of reconnecting with a country that had always been in their hearts.
Settling into Ballito, Alex and her family found themselves amidst the raw beauty of South Africa, a far cry from the structured life they left behind in Surrey. Reflecting on the differences, Alex humorously recalled a work call interrupted by the sight of monkeys scavenging from bins—an amusing reminder of the “crazy and opposite” life they now led.
But beyond the chaos was something profound: a sense of healing and reconnection. South Africa’s raw beauty, from its sunsets to the sounds of wildlife, fed their souls. For their autistic son, the change was immediate and dramatic. Enrolling him in a specialised therapy school, Alex watched as he transformed, becoming more verbal and connected to his surroundings.
“The ‘grounding’ everyone goes on about has changed my autistic son beyond measure,” Alex shared. “He sat for hours staring into the garden with all the sounds and sights of Africa—now a different child.”
The journey home was not without its challenges. Alex openly discussed the exhaustion and cultural adjustments, but in the end, South Africa gave them something that Europe could not—a deep, soulful connection to the land and its people.
For the full story of Alex Bartholomew’s remarkable return to South Africa and the transformation her family experienced, read the full interview on Good Things Guy and join the conversation in the Return to South Africa Facebook group here.
