African American Expatriate Couple

 

In a gated community in northern Johannesburg, I met an African-American expatriate couple, Clara Priester, the mother of my close friend, and her husband R. Courtney Priester.  Anxious to meet the Priesters, I was curious how and why African-Americans from Chicago’s Southside end up living in South Africa. 

            Early Sunday morning, I arrived at the couple’s home. Missing “my religion”, I was happy Mrs. Priester had invited me to church. I admired their beautiful home’s decor— zebra-skinned rugs, a plethora of African art and books, roomy architecture, and an adjoining pool.  A down-to-earth woman, Mrs. Priester asked my friend and I to fold church bulletins, while she finished getting dressed for church.

            I hadn’t met any other African Americans since I arrived in South Africa, so I was ecstatic to hear the Priesters’ familiar accents and to speak in my relaxed “twang.” I noticed that Mr. Priester possessed the same “cool” and relaxed demeanor mastered by many of Chicago’s African American males.  His dress and smooth conversation tone immediately reminded me of my “too cool” father, while Mrs. Priester’s mannerisms and devotion to the church reminded me of my mother.

            At church, I was stunned at how eerily familiar the service was. I learned that the minister was African American, as well as many of the congregation members.  During the service, I sang along to American gospel songs, and watched traditional South African dance mixed with a break dance routine. Some of the African Americans in attendance were travelers, but many were full-fledged expatriates who’d “fell in love” with South Africa. Finding a close-knit African American community in South Africa, reminded me of the power of the African American church and its’ function as a unifying cultural institution.

            Back at the Priester home, I spoke with the couple about their life as expatriates. Clara Priester came to South Africa in 1998, after becoming South Africa’s first marketing and communications director for the McDonald’s corporation. Not sure about the position, she said “I didn’t know anything about South Africa other than apartheid. But when I came over for my look-and-see, I said, ‘I can do this.’  So I went back, packed up my stuff, sold my house in Chicago, and moved here.” 

            A former hospitality professional, in 2003, Courtney Priester joined his wife in South Africa.  He too, fell in love on his first trip. Both professed to have “adventurous spirits” and enjoy the idea of living in a country where the majority of the people are black.  Courtney elaborated,  “I have a militant love for my people.  America is a white country—it will always be that way.  I’d rather pick my struggle.” 

            Although the Priesters have much professional experience to offer, and faith in the newly democratic South Africa, their journey hasn’t been easy.  Because they aren’t “previously disadvantaged” by South Africa’s standards, it’s difficult to take advantage of the opportunities afforded under South Africa’s new Black Economic Empowerment initiative. “South Africa doesn’t necessarily wrap its arms around expatriates”, Courtney said.   But rather than becoming dismayed, the Priesters became entrepreneurs.

            “How does one make such a dramatic transition?” I asked Clara Priester. She explained, “I did fifty years on that side. I call this the South Africa chapter—that was the U.S. chapter.”  She continued, “It’s an individual thing.  Not everyone can do it. Packing up and going to another country by choice is another mindset.”

Now the Chair of Johannesburg’s Businesswoman’s Association, and a lecturer at a prominent business school, Clara Priester believes South Africa is fertile ground.  “I don’t know if I would have the same impact in the U.S.”, she said. In addition, Courtney Priester feels South Africa offers a means of self-renewal and a good quality of life. “The best things about living here are the weather and the open land.  You can drive for hours and be in totally different environments.  The food is of good quality—no preservatives.  It’s a much more natural environment,” he said.

            Most inspiring, was Clara Priester’s statement: “For young folks like yourself, if you have the chance, get out and experience different parts of the world.  This thing about globalization, the world is getting smaller.  Today, if one country sneezes another feels it.”

After speaking with the Priesters’ I thought about other African American expatriates like Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, and Stokely Carmichael. I also thought about Pan-Africanist thinkers—W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Haile Selassie, and Kwame Nkrumah. 

In South Africa, I’ve learned that Africa Americans have much to offer globally. The entrepreneurial mindset, education, and in-depth understanding of capitalism gained living in North America, could be incredibly useful in many African nations. Also, living abroad has allowed me to see American culture as an “outsider” and get over my “American arrogance.”  First hand, I’ve felt the fall of the American dollar, and have begun to realize that America may not offer the best quality of life.

Continually, I reflect on the words of my favorite writer and expatriate, James Baldwin. “Once you find yourself in another civilization,” he notes, “you’re forced to examine your own.” In a 1970 interview, Baldwin said he’d left America because it was killing him. 

Sitting on my deck enjoying a mountain view and the hot Africa sun, I smile.  Now I understand exactly what James Baldwin meant.