Name: Shiraz Davidz
Position: Senior Manager – Information Systems
TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR MOVE…
I moved from South Africa to London when an opportunity arose for me to step into a project-focused role as part of the infrastructure team.
I’ve now been able to visit our offices all over the UK and Ireland, spearheading our site and network upgrades in the various locations. The more accessible travel links to Europe are a huge plus, and I hope to see more of the world now that I am based here in London.
WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS?
I was excited to return to London after so many years and keen to make a difference.
I wasn’t really nervous at all, given that it wasn’t my first time in the city, but you could say I was apprehensive about tackling the trains again after getting around in my own car for so long.
WAS IT HARD TO PLAN THE MOVE AND GET SETTLED?
Packing my whole life into two suitcases was a big challenge, but it was the perfect time to strip away things that I didn’t really need. Once I found my apartment in Greenwich, everything else fell into place, and I was ready to set up my new life.
Surprisingly, the whole experience was really easy from the Cape Town side, and I was very fortunate to secure my apartment before I even got on the plane.
HOW DID JTC SUPPORT YOU?
JTC was amazing, and the Gateway process itself ran smoothly.
We had a few Teams calls in the beginning, and knowing the HR support was there if I needed it allowed me to focus more on integrating into my new team and way of life.
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THE NUMBER 1 THING TO SEE/DO IN YOUR NEW JURISDICTION?
A day spent in Greenwich Park, its surrounding market and the Old Royal Navy College are great activities to fill your days in the summer. In the cooler months, a walk along the Thames at sunset is quite beautiful.
WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE?
I’m on my third umbrella already – don’t buy the cheap ones, they don’t survive the wind in this country!
In terms of life lessons, I have discovered that alone time can be very good for wellbeing, if somewhat challenging for me in the beginning but having such a lovely park to walk through certainly helps.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
Make sure that the area where you put down roots has all the things you love back home. This will make the transition a lot more fun, and being able to still enjoy your hobbies and interests is really very good for the soul.
