--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I lived in South Africa until I was 11…" description: "\"I lived in South Africa until I was 11 when we first immigrated. My mom had sent me back there when I was 14 for summer vacation. I wasn't doing very w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kandyse-mcclure-25057_africa_i-lived-in-south-africa-until-i-was-11-w_1561070.jpg" --- # I lived in South Africa until I was 11 when we first… ![“I lived in South Africa until I was 11 when we first immigrated. My mom had sent me back there when I was 14 for summer vacation. I wasn't doing very well in school, my grades were slipping. I called my mom one day and told her that I wasn't coming back. I ended up staying there until I was 17…” quote by Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kandyse-mcclure-25057_africa_i-lived-in-south-africa-until-i-was-11-w_1561070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kandyse-mcclure-25057_africa_i-lived-in-south-africa-until-i-was-11-w_1561070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kandyse-mcclure-25057_africa_i-lived-in-south-africa-until-i-was-11-w_1561070.jpg) > “I lived in South Africa until I was 11 when we first immigrated. My mom had sent me back there when I was 14 for summer vacation. I wasn't doing very well in school, my grades were slipping. I called my mom one day and told her that I wasn't coming back. I ended up staying there until I was 17 before coming back to North America.” [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early migration shaped her education and identity, leading to a decisive break from returning home. **In simple terms:** Migration affected her schooling and choices. Key Takeaway Own your path despite challenges. Themes migration family education self‑determination Mood introspective emotional Type personal narrative When to use this quote - school struggles - family decisions - immigration experience Key Concepts identity formation resilience Questions to Reflect On - What drives a young person to reject returning home? - How does early migration affect long‑term identity? A Different Perspective It may simplify complex family dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north/) [North america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-america/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/) [Summer vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer-vacation/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) ## Related quotes > [“I knew the vacation wasn't going to last forever... 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They arrived from different regions of Mexico with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/my-parents-immigrated-to-california-from-mexico-in-the-1960s-in/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) > [I immigrated when I was six so I had to learn English and I was always an outsider from a young age, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu-wang/i-immigrated-when-i-was-six-so-i-had-to-learn-english-and-i-was/) [Lulu Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lulu-wang/) > [My parents immigrated to the United States with $10 in their pocket and a belief that the America they had heard about really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-love/my-parents-immigrated-to-the-united-states-with-10-in-their-pocket/) [Mia Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-love/) > [I went to a predominantly African-American school. I didn't even understand our immigration system. I knew my parents immigrated here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/i-went-to-a-predominantly-african-american-school-i-didn-t-even/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [My mother was a proud and capable woman. She was among the first class of college graduates after China's Cultural Revolution, then immigrated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/my-mother-was-a-proud-and-capable-woman-she-was-among-the-first-class/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [My parents, Santos and Lupe Padilla, immigrated separately from Mexico and met in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. It was love at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/my-parents-santos-and-lupe-padilla-immigrated-separately-from-mexico/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) > [We immigrated when I was 3 1/2 years old, to Toronto. But I'm still very, very close to my culture and - back home in Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mena-massoud/we-immigrated-when-i-was-3-1-2-years-old-to-toronto-but-i-m-still/) [Mena Massoud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mena-massoud/) > [I was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was 4. I spent most of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/i-was-born-in-hong-kong-and-immigrated-to-the-united-states-with-my/) [Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/) > [When I first immigrated to the United States, there were not many jobs that stood out. So I worked at a gas station, cleaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/do-won-chang/when-i-first-immigrated-to-the-united-states-there-were-not-many-jobs/) [Do Won Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/do-won-chang/) > [My family immigrated when I was 3, and our predecessors inhabited the Korean Peninsula for as long as can be recalled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/my-family-immigrated-when-i-was-3-and-our-predecessors-inhabited-the/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [ We're different men \[with Donald Trump\], different life experiences. But I've always been struck by our common heritage. His grandfather immigrated to this country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/we-re-different-men-with-donald-trump-different-life-experiences-but/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) ## More by Kandyse McClure > [Ive always loved the power of stories to transport me to another world, to imagine extraordinary possibilities, to experience things I may not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/ive-always-loved-the-power-of-stories-to-transport-me-to-another/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [I read that when cats are cuddling and kneading you, and you think it's cute, they're really just checking your vitals for weak spots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/i-read-that-when-cats-are-cuddling-and-kneading-you-and-you-think-it/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [My mom is my best friend and always offers me great perspective and reminds me to be compassionate to myself in moments when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/my-mom-is-my-best-friend-and-always-offers-me-great-perspective-and/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [No matter what is going on around or within you, everything at some point must change. 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Scrubbing away at the dirt helps clear my mind as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/playing-the-ukulele-and-singing-is-a-fantastic-stress-reliever-so-is/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [I could never have dreamed the life I lead. Given where I started, it's remarkable to me the constant adventure that my life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/i-could-never-have-dreamed-the-life-i-lead-given-where-i-started-it-s/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [However you learn and whatever your circumstances, an education that prepares you for the world is every child's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/however-you-learn-and-whatever-your-circumstances-an-education-that/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [Candice is the original spelling of my name. I changed it to Kandyse when I was really young and first starting out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/candice-is-the-original-spelling-of-my-name-i-changed-it-to-kandyse/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [The quiet of the morning offers a perfect time to do a meditation and yoga practice. It also allows time to be creative or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/the-quiet-of-the-morning-offers-a-perfect-time-to-do-a-meditation-and/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [I find that if I've taken care of myself first, I can then be there fully for everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/i-find-that-if-i-ve-taken-care-of-myself-first-i-can-then-be-there/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [I have to say, as a young woman of color, and this may sound controversial, in sci-fi, anything is possible. In sci-fi I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/i-have-to-say-as-a-young-woman-of-color-and-this-may-sound/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [The very first role I ever played was as a 17-year old South African girl who dreamed of being a star and left home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/the-very-first-role-i-ever-played-was-as-a-17-year-old-south-african/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [Take a leap of faith. You will either land somewhere new or learn to fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/take-a-leap-of-faith-you-will-either-land-somewhere-new-or-learn-to/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) [Explore all 23 Kandyse McClure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. 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We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. 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