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...

When dreams have to be put on hold

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

When you know you have given your all, there is nothing more you can do.

I have failed my accounting exam. I have failed. I cannot write the rewrite, because we will be in San Antonio Texas! In your final year, you sometimes get a second rewrite, but you have to write the first rewrite and fail to get the opportunity to the second rewrite.

Unfortunately, I cannot write the first rewrite, which means I have to do it again next year. I was planning to Au pair in the Netherlands next year and travel the world a bit. But that dream has to be put on hold.

Everything happens for a reason. Therefore, I will make the best of this major  minor set back. I will get a job close to the university or maybe at the university if I am lucky. I will complete accounting and maybe do a creative course or two in Communication related things. But while I'm working, I will try to save loads of money to travel the world in 2017.

I will make the best of this set back, like I said, everything happens for a reason. Maybe I will save enough money to have a royal time overseas. Haha wishful thinking! The Rand is so weak against the Dollar, Pound and Euro that our money means almost nothing! But every bit helps!

I shall make the best of 2016! Nothing will get me down! Challenge accepted!

The Winter Trees

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words"- Robert Frost

An amazing friend of mine gave me, The Poet's Sphere, a poetry book. What an amazing gift! And since it is Winter here in South-Africa and we are freezing I found a poem about Winter.

In the woods near the university.

The Winter Trees

Against the evening sky the trees are black,

Iron themselves against the iron rails;

The hurrying crowds seek cinemas or homes,

A cozy hour where warmth will mock the wind.

They do not look at trees now summer's gone, 

For fallen with their leaves are those glad days

Of sand and sea and ships, of swallows, lambs,

Of cricket teams, and walking long in woods.

Standing among the trees, a shadow bends

And picks a cigarette-end from the ground;

It lifts the collar of an overcoat,

And blows upon its hand and stamps its feet-

For this winter, chastiser of the free,

This is winter, kind only to the bound.

CLIFFORD DYMENT

I love poetry because it awakens feelings and emotion within you, just by using words. I hope you have a warm winter's day or a nice summer's day, wherever you are.

With love xx

Looking for exam motivation? Read here:

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I would like to thank my friend, Armand, who sent me this song. This song is my exam motivation, because I have found my inner ninja and will conquer these exams!

I have received good news! I can write the Accounting exam, because I did good in my test. BUT I will have to do very good in the exams to pass! Therefore my inner NINJA will come out when studying for it!

Hope you have great and successful exams!

Millennium Lady The NINJA!!!!!!!

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!

Don't you sometimes wish for a day for every day?

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Exactly at 11:11, I made a wish. A wish that there is a day for every day.

You are probably gonna hate me for making this particular wish. Damn you person for making such a wish! Is a year not enough for you??

But I certainly need a day for every day! What do I mean by that? By that I mean that for every Monday, I need another one. For every Tuesday the same, etc....

Why? Would you ask. Well, because my workload is a lot and I am struggling to keep head above water. I am usually 'til late busy with academic work. It takes me the whole day to complete my work, which must be handed in next. The days are flying past like tennis balls being shot out of the machine.
But after my day is done, I haven't made time for the people in my life and therefore I need a day for every day, so I can get the chance to spend it with them!

Maybe I need time manage. Maybe I need to sleep less. Maybe maybe maybe.
But this is my wish, which will not be granted. So stop hating me for my wish and chill! Life is short, enjoy the days. They go by so fast.

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?

Every dog has its day.

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

You know how you watch people do things that are wrong and you can't really change that, but then all of sudden the wheel turns and they get their day like every dog gets his day?
Yeah, I call it karma.

This year, whilst studying the diploma in management, we had to form groups and create "businesses" and then do projects as if we are a company. But some of the group members have not contributed to the group from the beginning and it was a real struggle. Only a third of the time, they showed up for class, meaning the rest of the group had to do the classwork without them. Which is not fair, because they are reaping in the marks, without lifting a finger.

Also, at the place where I work, people are dishonest about the times that they are working. For instance they leave 20 minutes before the time, but log out the time that they were supposed to leave. Or the people are constantly late, making other assistants miss their classes and then usually they log in the time, they were supposed to be there.

Well, enough is enough! We kicked the lazy members out of our group. They now have to create their own company and do the remainder of the work by themselves. Unfortunately, they are getting the marks of previous projects, which they hadn't really contributed in. But, they will understand how much the rest of the group had to do, once they have to do the projects on their own.

On the work front, the people are gonna get their day. I have always been honest and always made plan not to be late for work, so can they. If you know that you are always late, then set your alarms earlier or plan your day better. But don't make it hard for other people working with you, you are selfish.

Employers won't be very nice, once they realize that you are always late and lazy. The real life is waiting and it will be hard, if you don't realize that soon enough.

Quitting the studies to travel.

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I have big news! I have decided to discontinue my studies, to go and travel the world!

I have been struggling too much with Accounting and all those other boring subjects, while I tried to silence my Communication brain. It has been really hard. While I was struggling with this diploma, the wanderlust in me has taken over and it has been nagging at me for the last few months. I have been planning 2016 for a while, I was planning to Au-pair in the Netherlands, so that I can tour Europe in my spare time, but then life decided that it has to be NOW! I have to travel ASAP!

I have been contacted by a travel agency on Facebook, who wants to me to blog for them overseas. I will be blogging on their site, but I have free reign on my blog about what I blog about my travels. Guess my blog will be transformed into a travel blog!

The amazing deal includes that they will pay for my flight, my accommodation and meals, wherever they send me, as long as I blog for them, rating the place's stay. And I still earn a salary per month! My first stop will be Ireland, since I don't need a Visa to enter the country, thereafter we will arrange Visa's as we go.

My parents are not really happy about this decision. They feel it is a bit rash and I should think it through. My mom feels that I should first finish my studies, before doing this. But an opportunity like this only comes around once in a lifetime, whereas studies can always be completed later on. After all, traveling has been my dream for many years! I will join my parents in San Antonio in June, which I'm also looking forward to!

My flight takes off on the 11th of April. I am going to live the dream. I cannot wait for this amazing adventure to start! It will be so much fun!

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. 

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

Time, precious time...

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Some people never have it, others have too much on their hands and others never make it and others are never on it. What can it be?

TIME, OH PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS TIME!

Many of my friends are in relationships, but mostly not in happy relationships. Why? Because they never have time and their significant others never make time. Catch 22 much?? How can you expect the other person to make time, if you never make time yourself? YOU HAVE TO MAKE TIME.

Lately, I have realized how precious time really is. Most of my friends don't want expensive gifts or surprises everyday from their lovers. They only want their precious time! But how do you make time if you never have time?

YOU MAKE IT:

• Get up earlier and buy/make coffee for your lover before his/her day starts.
• Do homework or projects in the company of one another, at least you can see them then.
• Ask them which classes they have and show up early and surprise them. Even if it is for 5 minutes only
• Make food together or go and eat together. You have to eat so might as well do it with your lover.
• Prioritize and plan ahead so you will be able to make time.

There are so many ways to make time to see the precious people in your life and to make spend it with them. Life is short and we should prioritize so we have time for the things that really matter. 

Let the adventures begin: My final year as student!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

My fourth and final year has started! This is the year of adventures, hard work and good times. This year I have a big, single room, which means music all day long and being only considerate to myself!

2015 will also consist of great friends and food, in no particular order! They will be part of the adventure of 2015! 

On the RAG farm, soaking wet with great friends!

The food of 2015!

I also have a bucket list to complete this year that will be part of the adventure. Check it out here.

This will be my year! Let the games begin and may the odds be ever in my favor. How will 2015 be for you??

How to be an employee from hell

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Holiday jobs always have their ups and downs. This job was the best holiday job that I had, by far! But I had to train the new girl who is going to replace me and she is THE EMPLOYEE FROM HELL!

So this is how to be the employee from hell:

• Go for the job interview in tracksuit and slipper shoes.

• Be smarter than everyone in the office that has been working there for years.

• When the boss asks for coffee, say NO because you are busy with the work that he gave you.

• When your colleagues offer you lunch, say you are fasting for no apparent reason

• Smell like sweat.

• Smell like cigarettes.
• Climb on the hip of the person training you, who accidentally hates the smell of cigarettes.

• Wear jeans and slipper shoes the whole week, even though Friday is the only day that jeans are allowed.

• Say that you get the filing system and no help is needed anymore, stuff it up, just so you can get the person, who is training you, in trouble.

• Say no to colleagues when they ask you to watch out for their fax, because you are busy with the machine. 

"Like yeah, I'll quickly call the people who is sending the fax and tell them to hold it, so that Your Royal Highness can finish your job."

• Smoke a packet of cigarettes per day, but tell everyone how poor you are.

• Tell your colleagues that you and your sister have a good relationship and you sort out your problems by hitting one another.

• If a colleague asks you to do something, ALWAYS have a reply ready to reject their request.

• Do not. I repeat: DO NOT GREET ANYONE IN THE OFFICE.

• Tell people you are going to the loo. Come back smelling like smoke and glasses that went shady because you were outside. (Didn't know she found a longdrop?) 

"You know there is toilets on the inside of the building, right?'

'Yeah, but I prefer the longdrop that makes me smell like smoke."

This pretty much explains my experience when the training the new girl at the company. I won't be there to save her butt if she messes up anymore, so good luck in keeping that job! I'm sure people are thrilled with you being a:

*Memes made on Meme Generator Free. Available on Google Play.

Painting for holiday fun

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

What do you do when you get bored? You get creative (sometimes).

This year, I will have my own room at my residence and it will be a lot bigger, so I need to decorate it with more things. But decorations are expensive and not exactly what I want, therefore I decided to buy and paint my own decorations with my favorite color: Blue, especially turquoise.

Adventure: my word for 2015

"The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure."- Christopher McCandless

This is my motto for 2015. I simply want to have fun and adventures. Read about it here.

Happ(y)iness: My word of 2014

My motto and word for 2014 was: Happiness and the motto: Happiness is an inside job. I had an extremely happy year and it was because I chose to be happy. Read about it here.

I am impressed with my attempts at painting! I will take orders (ha-ha).

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?