Home by Alison Hugo

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I saw this beautiful poem about my amazing country in the menu of Mike's Kitchen. The poem is written by Alison Hugo.

Home

This is no ordinary country, this country of ours.

This is the land of the Atlantic and the Indian,

the bottom of the deepest, darkest Africa.

This is the place people dream of visiting,

yearning for adventure.

The country of mud huts and skyscrapers.

This is the 'it' spot, the heart of kwaito, jazz and soul;

the hyperbole of diversity.

Many worlds in one: the Lowveld, Highveld, Bushveld and Seaside,

Morningside and Transkei;

home to every fashion, flavour, colour and culture you can think of.

Bobotie, koeksusters, bunnychow, biltong -

all the best the rest of the world doesn't offer.

This is where it all goes down and hopes are high.

Bergie, businessman, beach bum, bru.

This is gumboot dancing, game watching, curio-selling and

taxi-driving.

Beautiful , raw, sophisticated, awe-inspiring.

Energy so electrifying you can feel it in your soul.

This is all of the above , all at the same time.

This is South-Africa; this is Mike's Kitchen.

Our sunsets! How can you not love this?

I am proud to call this my country. Even with all the problems, politics, loadshedding- I still love this place. 

Has your passion gone MIA (missing in action)?

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style" -Maya Angelou

Lately, my friends and I have been feeling like we have lost our passion. I have been wondering if I'm doing the right diploma. Is this what I really what I want to do? The hard work and late nights is making me doubt in myself and in my skills. 

I completed my studies in Communications last year and this year I'm doing a post-graduate diploma in management. In this course we have subjects like Accounting and Economics. And with all honesty I have realized that I am through and through a Communications person. Because I don't like accounting or economics.

I have been doing some introspection and trying to figure out where my passion really lies. With all my Communication studies and trying out all the fields of communication, I have realized that I want to become a Public Relations Officer. I want to do campaigns, write opinion pieces and organize press releases. Yes, I really believe that this is what I want to do. If I can't do that then I'll be happy to become a social media coordinator for any company. Social media is my jam!

My passion is: I love to blog, and doing all things social media! I am doing the social media of the residence and I have the title as the Social Media Coordinator, sounds fancy right? I feel fancy too!
My other passion is that I want to travel the world and see the wonders of the amazing Earth we live on! I have a wanderlust in me that is really hard to explain.

The question is: What is YOUR passion?

I have come across an article, who gives tips on How to regain your passion for life and everything else. View link here

There are 2 ways:

1. Give yourself permission. 

Give yourself permission to go after your passion each and every day. Remind yourself what you really want from life.

2. Symptoms not the Cause.

"Symptoms not the Cause: Getting out of your Story." We all have our stories and these stories support our actions, so we often times feel justified in how our life looks and why we don’t have what we want. Many call this being the victim. The first step in getting out of your story is being aware of your story.

"I challenge you to push past your story and uncover what it is that you are truly afraid of, could it be fear of failure, fear of being alone, fear of embarrassment. Once you have identified the fear you can begin to work on the real issue and begin setting the foundation to have all that you desire.

The author is still to release 3 more tips. But I think these two tips are already something which we can try and see how it works!

Life can get busy and we sometimes forget why we are doing something. Try to remind yourself daily why you are doing this. Is this your passion or merely a way of reaching your ideal life where you can live out your passion? 

Bad sign

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Don't you just love it when people put up signs, but forget to check the spelling?
My family saw this sign when they went camping this weekend.

Shallow Hal looking for shallow gal.

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

So social media has been abuzz about Ammiël Smith.  A guy standing at a traffic light and saying that he is looking for THE ONE. A 23-year old man. It was a plain and simple request until Wapad (our university newspaper) interviewed him.

"Looking for THE ONE. No old ladies or chancers (opportunists)."

The interview in the Wapad (Translated from Afrikaans to English):

1. Why did you decide to seek for a wife in this manner?

I have been struggling too long to find the perfect woman. It does not help to look for them in pubs, because even Cinderella looks pretty there.

You are 23, sonny boy! There is plenty of time to find her and BY THE WAY Cinderella is gorgeous and married a prince. But you aren't, so you'll be marrying Cruella de Ville.

2. Describe your perfect woman?

She must be tall and firm and must like training (keeping fit). On our first date, I will make her run 5 kilometers. If she gets tired after 1 kilometer, I will disqualify her. She must be naturally beautiful and have long hair. It is important for people to realize that you cannot change the way you look, therefore you must choose someone with good genes.

I hope you get the girl, who is fit and naturally beautiful, but that she has a crappy personality so that in the night when the lights are off, you have absolutely nothing to talk about. Except for maybe how the gym was and how healthy you ate that day. I AM SURE YOU WILL BE REAL HAPPY. 

3. Is there an aspect that will be a dealbreaker?

Yes, if she has babies or is (has been) in jail.

Liar. There are more things like: If she is not pretty. If she is not fit. If she isn't tall, firm and active. If she doesn't have long hair. If she has bad genes.

4. Why haven't you found her yet?

Because I am quite skinny and I heard that women feel safer around bigger guys.

Also, because I am shallow. Personality doesn't matter to me and most girls are nice, but I don't want nice. I just want beautiful.

5. What makes you the ideal man?

I am clever, I can dance well, I have a good heart and will treat my wife like a princess everyday.

I am glad you have a good heart. At least, you won't die from heart attacks, must be from being so fit. How do you know that you are clever? Maybe clever on how to be shallow, but you haven't learned much from life, if good looks and fitness is your main quality traits you want in a woman. And why will you only treat her like a princess, when she can be treated like a queen? 

6. You are still young, why are you looking for her now?

I also want to go on romantic cruises and I don't enjoy making food for myself.

Nobody wants to go on cruises when they are 40 or 50, right? So, you HAVE to do it when you are 23 or 24. THAT IS THE RULES OF ROMANTIC CRUISES, guys and girls. And every woman JUST LOVES to make food for her man, right. Yes, what an honor it will be. 

7. What is the worst love experience that you had to make through?

A girl and I were kissing and I started laughing, and our teeth clashed. My friends and I started talking of Tooth instead of kissing. For example "I toothed a girl last night."

Wow. That must have been so bad. You are the relationship guru after such an experience. No wonder you are looking for THE ONE, after THAT traumatic experience.

8. What is your answer when people say you look desperate?

You post selfies, get a life!

You are so creative. Guess shallowness does make you creative.

9. Did you expect so much reaction?

No, but now I don't know who to choose. All that I am going to say is never trust a girl's Profile picture. I was almost caught in the trap.

Run as fast as you can, women, it's a trap.

10. What must a girl do to stand out above the rest?

She must get my jokes. It's always awkward if you have to tell a joke twice.

Maybe you should get better jokes, ever considered that?

11. How can people who are interested contact you?

They can inbox me. Please start your message with: "I weigh _____kg."

I weigh as much as your big, fat head. 

To Mr. Ammiël Smith, I hope you find EXACTLY what you are looking for. Maybe she'll be just as shallow as you. The question is, will you then make all her requirements? 

Count your blessings, girl!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Have you ever thought about how blessed you really are?

Yesterday and today, I was feeling down. It is a tough year on finances and academically. I don't have bursaries anymore, since I am post-grad. The bursaries only pay for your degree, except if a company decides to pay for your post-grad, if they want you to go and work there afterwards. Academically, I am struggling with Accounting, because I have never had it before, EVER! The other subjects are fine, just a lot of work. Some of the people in the group are also not pulling their weight, making the workload so much more. And it just seems that there is never enough time. Not enough time to get the work done. Not enough time to spend with friends and family. Realizing you haven't spoken to someone in months, because you are to busy.

I had to stop for minute and just count my blessings.
We were sitting in a class, talking about the future of the country. My beautiful country, which cannot be managed correctly. Students, including me, were feeling negative about the country and our futures in it. The lecturer preached to us that we should stop complaining, we are so lucky to be sitting in that class. We have money to study, we are healthy, we have a roof over our heads and we have food to eat.
That makes you part of the top 3% richest people in the world.
YES, WE ARE BLESSED!

After the class, when I was at work, we got the news that we will be getting our pay in March instead of April, which also lightened the weight even more.

Things are looking up! Stress is an evil thing, because in the end everything will work out like it should, but stress makes you believe the opposite!

"Everything will be alright in the end, and if it's not alright, then it's not the end." -The Exotic, Marigold Hotel

How to beat the student poorness....

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Everyone has been there... that time when you count the cents in your pocket. Or when you binge on Two Minute noodles or tuna. When you measure everything you buy and how much drinks you could have bought with it. When you are nice to people in clubs, so they would buy you drinks, because entrance just made you poor. Have you ever experienced this?

Yes, we have all had the student poorness syndrome.

I am a student, who is always keen for jobs or holiday jobs. I have worked at shoe shops, at lawyers, at daycare centers, you name it! I also work at university at the Reading Labs, where we help first year students to better their reading skills, so they can do better in their academics. But then, we came across the idea to buy t-shirt strips and make headbands, armbands and necklaces from it.

A braided headband

A double finger weave armband

A sailor's knot headband

We had a market day at the residence, where I did pretty well. But then I decided to go bigger. I am going to sell my things at Life Market. "The LIFE Market is a local market where fresh, interesting and out of the ordinary food can be found. In addition to the really good food, you can also find decor and clothing goods".

I decided to take a chance and try to get into the Life Market. They are a very prestige market with beautiful things every time. It is a bad place to go if you have money, because you want to buy every single thing. The e-mail came through that I am approved for the market. I am looking forward to sell it!

I hope this will help to cure the student poorness, which I am suffering from! But I also enjoy making these things, it is therapeutic and relaxing.

The things a student will do for money is amazing! You just have to get something that is worthwhile to do!

What have you done for student jobs, just to survive?

My beautiful mom's birthday

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I hope you have a great day! I hope you have an AMAZING year! You are a woman, whom I look up to! Therefore you deserve the best birthday ever!

You are strong. You are loving. You are kind. You are soft-hearted. You are beautiful. You are hard working, but most of all, YOU ARE LOVED AND APPRECIATED!!!

I cherish every moment that I can spend time with you, because you are my hero. My Superwoman. You were strong for me, when I couldn't be strong for myself and you loved me unconditionally. You fought for me and I am so thankful for that, my gratitude can never be put into words!

I am blessed to have such an amazing mom like you. Thank you for being my mom. I am proud to call you my mom.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her" -George Washington

The older you get, the more beautiful you become! I strive to be like you.

I hope you have a splendid day. Wish I was there to spend it with you!

I am officially a graduate!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen 

I am a graduate.

I am a graduate!

I AM A GRADUATE!!!!!!!

The idea is only sinking in now, since I officially have my degree in Communication and Languages! These 3 years have been hard, but extremely amazing, as well! All the hard work, the late nights or the nights with no sleep at all, the calls to my mom in tears, the partying with my friends, going out even though there is still work to be done, the last minute running to give in a project on time: it has all come down to this day. The day that I have GRADUATED! But believe me, without all the amazing people in my life, I would not have been able to achieve it!

   

My amazing friends, who won't even let me be silly alone, because they wanna join

There must always be a balance in your life, otherwise you will go batsh*t crazy, so to my friends, thank you for ensuring that I have a social life outside of all the academic work! You make life worth while and fun.

My group. We achieved so much together in our studies and projects

We cried together, we laughed together and we motivated one another through the 3 years of studies! We achieved a third place in one of our campaigns last year, because we made an excellent team! I am so proud of them and so glad we could all graduate together!

My amazing and beautiful parents

My parents are the people, who made it all possible! I am infinitely grateful to you and everything you have done over the years! You guys are my motivation and my inspiration!!!! Thanks for always being there and supporting me through everything! YOU ARE AMAZING AND ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! 

My gorgeous grandparents

They are my No. 1 supporters! My grandpa, grandma and my Aunt Debbie, Ronel, Anton, Wynand and Leon, thank you for everything! I am really grateful for your support! 

Without my friends and family, I wouldn't have been able to do this by myself! So, I am sharing my degree with all of you!