Why everyone should go to a Rodeo, at least once in their life...

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

“It’s boots and chaps, cowboy hats, spurs and latigo, ropes and the reins & the joy and the pain; They call the thing Rodeo.” -Anonymous

Being in Texas is surreal. Everything about Texas screams beauty; everything is green and big and it kinda feels like home. There is a rich, cultural history and it is also the place that stole my heart! We had the opportunity and privilege to experience Rodeo at Tejas Rodeo on the 4th of July celebrations.

My family and I at Tejas Rodeo

Here’s why Rodeos are awesome:

1. There is eye candy for everyone: Women: The cowboys who are riding the bulls/horses are gorgeous! They are strong, handsome and they are entertaining to watch… doesn’t it sound amazing?

Men: The women watching the rodeos are gorgeous, as well. Dresses/ skirts, boots and cowboy hats, need I say more? I think not.

2. It is great fun for everyone to watch! It is entertaining to watch the barrel jumping, the horse riding, the bull catching and the bull-riding. Children can participate in the ‘Mutton Bustin’ where they try to catch sheep or the calves. The women can enjoy the eye candy around them, as well as in the arena and the men can enjoy the view around them and all the action in the arena! Score, right?

3. There is a dance and live music afterwards! Hello, is this not a bargain and a score? You can dance the night away with your friends/family, plus you can dance with the cowboy/cowgirl, that you have been eyeing the whole night. The live music is also great; country singers, line dancing… Need I say more?

4. It is affordable: It is hours of entertainment and great fun for the whole family. It is worth every single penny.

5. The beer is cold: It is summer and EXTREMELY hot at the rodeos in summertime, but there is a cure! BEER!!!!! So drink up and enjoy!

My sister enjoying the action in the arena

RODEO IS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!

If all this is not motivation enough, just go anyway! Put it in your Bucket List! Just try it! If you don’t enjoy it, then I will apologize and send a chocolate, but I doubt that I will ever have to do that! There is entertainment for everyone and it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Love,

From the girl buying a mechanical bull to practice her bull-riding…

Texas, the Lone Star State that stole my heart.

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I haven't blogged in a while, because I had exams in June and then went on an amazing holiday to San Antonio, Texas.
After the holiday our plane landed, I have hit the ground running when university started two weeks ago. So it has been hectic! But this post is not about how hectic it is going, but rather how amazing my holiday was...

IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT I BLOG ABOUT TEXAS!!!!

My uncle has been living in San Antonio, Texas, for the past few years. My grandparents and aunt already went to visit him, ranting on about the beautiful country, so finally our turn came to visit him. We swapped  our very cold winter here in South-Africa for a very hot summer there! So here is my general feeling about San Antonio and Texas:

• Texas is green: Coming home felt like leaving Avatar to come back to Earth. We left the green, beautiful, warm and green country to come back to a very dull and cold South-Africa. While flying over Texas, we just saw green green trees and land and then a few hours later, we flew over South-Africa, the brown, dull country of ours. 

The Valero Trailhead- the green is everywhere and majestically beautiful!

• Everything is big; the food, cars (trucks), the drinks, the roads (which is mostly highways), did I mention the food?

My dad next to a truck- it is BIG!!!

The highway interchanges goes 4-5 levels up! Holy crap that is high and MASSIVE!!!

• Everything works; Postal services, packages arrive a day after it has been ordered, without getting stolen! People want to work there, they don't have the attitude of that they HAVE to work, they WANT to!
• Their beer is AMAZING! 

CHEERS!!!

• They have Rodeos!!!!! You know like the sexy cowboys and bull-riding... Like where do I sign-up for a sexy cowboy husband??? 

Looking all cowgirl-ish

• It is safe! We did not have to check over our shoulders or be afraid. Even the dodge areas of San Antonio didn't scare us. There is not crime like we know it in South-Africa. We felt safe and relaxed. Postal services can drop packages in front of your door, without it getting stolen. 
• We were in the company of two gorgeous dogs: Mila and Percy!

Mila and my sister

Percy getting some loving from my uncle

The locals are so friendly! The locals always greet you and they always ask where you are from. They made me feel welcome and at home. My 'thank-you' was always met with a reply of 'you're welcome'! They have manners like you cannot believe...

San Antonio has stolen my heart! I still want to travel the world and see all there is to see, but I think that San Antonio will be my home one day. It is the type of place where I can live out my days with my family and be extremely happy.

So, how can I get my green card?

I will be writing of my trip in more detail on my other blog: In Travel Of Adventures.
Check it out and follow my journey...

Cheers to the first semester!!!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

"I look my best when I'm totally free, on holiday, walking on the beach."- Rosamund Pike

Finally, after all the blood, sweat and tears, my semester has ended. Exams are like so yesterday. Or the day before that....

I SURVIVED!

Let's drink to that!!!

Cheers to the first semester!

Now my fun-packed holiday can start. I am talking chilling, sleeping late, spending time with the friends and the for the Grand Finale: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS!!!!!!!

Hope you have successful exams and fun-filled holidays.

Xxx

Travelling between places

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

In a few days my family and I will be jetting off to San Antonio, Texas. I can almost not contain my excitement!! Already planning my outfits and itinerary, whilst trying to study for exams...

I have a wanderlust in me, that is just killing me. Every day, I want to explore and have the urge to see and experience things!!!! San Antonio will be the first of many!

A sketch of Brian Patten by an anonymous artist

Anyway, I found a poem about a traveller in The Poet's Sphere:

Travelling between places

Leaving nothing and nothing ahead;
when you stop for the evening
the sky will be in ruins,

when you hear late birds
with tired throats singing
think how good it is that they,

knowing you were coming,
stayed up late to greet you
who travels between places

when the late afternoon
drifts into the woods,
when nothing matters specially.

-Brian Patten

My curiosity to see the world, will one day be satisfied. But for now, I can dream and plan until then!

Love,
The Wanderluster

Where has the semester gone???

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

"Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end the faster it goes." Anonymous.
Mr. Anonymous, never have you been more right than with this quote!

Oh man, just the other day I started with my post-graduate diploma in management, just figuring out how to wrap this arty, communication brain around business subjects and all things management. Changing my way of thinking. Making new friends and trying to keep up with the old.

And in a wink of an eye: here I am, beginning to stress for exam preparations!!! Like HELLO! Where has the semester gone? How has 6 months gone by so fast? Have I been sleeping for half of the time?

Exams are starting in a week. Scary!

Like I have mentioned in previous blog posts, I am struggling with Accounting. Never in my life have I worked so hard to master a subject and then failing miserably in it. Usually hard work pays off. We wrote our last test on Thursday. The test of Thursday will determine whether or not I have enough marks to write the Accounting exam. If I didn't pass the test, then I will not be getting my diploma at the end of the year, because I will still have to complete Accounting. So, I am holding thumbs, toes and hair that I have passed the test! I want this year to be my final year, please!

In my other subjects I am doing so good! Getting distinctions all the way. My other subjects are Economics, General Management, Information management systems and Strategic management. Never in my degree of Communications have I gotten distinctions for my subjects, so it feels really good that hard work is being reflected... (except for Accounting, of course!).

I will be making this exams successful, so I can fully enjoy my holiday in San Antonio, Texas with my family and my uncle, who we will be visiting!

Please hold thumbs that I get those grades for Accounting, it will give me the fighting chance to conquer my exams!!! It will also give me reason to celebrate in San Antonio!

I hope you all have great and successful exams and that the holidays will be as glorious as mine will be!

San Antonio, Texas = 2 Months!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

You know that insane headache you get. The headache that drives you mad and almost makes you want to scream. What's its name again?
Visa! Yes, Visa.

We had to go and apply for our visas today. Oh man, the preparation, filling out the DS-160 and getting all the papers in order for our visa application was definitely a huge headache. Where are those painkillers? The stress had us in tight knots. After all our preparation they didn't even take our papers, only asked a few questions! Our Visas got approved!

But even the stress could not dampen our excitement: in less than two months, me and my family will be travelling to San Antonio, Texas. We are going to stay at my uncle's house.

I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!

It will be the middle of winter here in South Africa, so we will be skipping winter for two weeks and going to high summer. Yippeee!!! We will be basking in the sun, while the people at home freeze! We will be wearing summer dresses, okay you get the point! I'll stop rubbing it in your face!

The wanderluster will be going on an adventure! Adventure is my word for 2015 and that is what I'll be doing. I will also be celebrating my 22nd birthday in the country of Cowboys with the best family! Oh, this is going to be good!

What places are recommended whilst visiting San Antonio?

My bucket list for 2015

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

2015 is going to be my year. It will be the best year I have ever had. How do I know this? Because I am going to make it the best year EVER!

I have compiled my bucket list, late last year, so if it looks familiar: it is! I have completed some of the things on the list already, but most of them will be happening this year.

• I want to 'Sokkie' in Impala (It is a dance form, which I want to do in Impala [a bar/pub/dance place])
• I want to attend a class, that I am not registered for.
• I want to hide in the library so that I can spend the night there with friends and watch movies.
• I want to pull an all-nighter with my amazing friends or someone special or both.
• I want to go to the roof garden in F1.
• I want to go to the 'Purple' garden, which is on one of the roofs on campus. I always see it when we drive over the bridge.
• I want to go to Potch Liggies, but with someone special or great friends (view where you see the city lights)
• I want to go on many adventures with my friends.

Went to a theme park with friends, just before exams

• Dress silly and go and eat in the Draak (Our campus restaurant/bar)

Dressed up like a cow girl and went to the Draak, before our Halloween Party

• I want to go and eat at all the dining halls.
• I want to see what is behind the random doors on campus.
• I want to work harder on my blog and gain more followers. I will also want to find out what my readers are most interested in and will read more.
• I am going to San Antonio with my parents and sister.
• I want to go and watch a rugby game with my dad.
• I want to go to a spa therapy with my mom
• I want to dress up silly with my baby sister and go out to a mall or something.

This year, I will say 'YES' to adventures and opportunities, because it is my last year of university. My motto will be Carpe Diem. It is going to be a great year. I will post each and every thing, which I have completed on my bucket list of 2015.

My big bucket list of what I want to do and achieve before I die can be seen here. What is your bucket list for 2015?