Choosing South Africa over America. The honest, researched guide for anyone tired of justifying their existence and ready to build a freer life abroad.
More than 655,000 Black Americans already live abroad, and the number keeps climbing. The Freedom in Leaving is the researched, unflinchingly honest account of choosing South Africa over America, part personal reckoning, part practical guide, and asks a question more Americans are asking out loud: what if the most powerful vote you have left is the one you cast with your feet?
“There’s freedom in having options. There’s freedom in the awareness that you don’t have to remain in the United States for the rest of your life.”
More below↓A comfortable life in South Africa — a good one-bedroom in a top area, a car, full private medical aid, regular dining, even domestic help — runs $1,800 to $2,500 a month. The book breaks down real budgets for all three major cities.
Critical Skills, Digital Nomad, Retirement, and the Spousal & Life Partner routes — including where South Africa’s constitutional equality becomes practical for same-sex couples.
Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban compared — neighborhoods, safety, cost, and community, with the trade-offs named plainly.
The Black LGBTQ+ community map, the eight Pride celebrations, and how the author built community from a laptop before ever booking a flight.
Essays on relocation, the Black diaspora, and life abroad publish weekly at Letters on Leaving. Start reading, and be first to know when the book launches this October.
Read Letters on Leaving →Join the list for the free Starter Kit now, and launch news this October.
Get the Free Starter Kit →
The Freedom in Leaving