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!

Jingle bells, jingle bells...

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Don't you just love Christmas time? Me? I'm a sucker for it!

I love the Christmas songs, the decorations, the whole feeling... Some people hate it but I REALLY LOVE IT! For me it resembles a time of love and when family comes together.

I also love to do Christmas shopping and I always try to make my presents personal. I don't buy expensive gifts that has no meaning, I will even buy them a cold drink if i know that it is their favorite.

Like I mentioned, Christmas is a time when family comes together and every year me and my family go and watch beautiful lights in Randpark Ridge at 14 Appelblaar Avenue. So, if you would like to check it out, it is really worth it. Last night, we went there again and there were people camping out there and bring picnic baskets. There was even girls using their entrepreneurial skills by selling sodas!

Do you love Christmas? Please feel free to leave a comment :)

Working in a shoe shop

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Can we please have shoes?

As a student, we discover that money does, in fact, not grow on trees. Therefore, I got myself a holiday job to pass the time of a three month holiday and to earn a bit of money.

 I have worked at this shoe shop before and retail is not the best or most fun job in the world, but at least it's money.

Most of my co-workers are black and over this period of time that I have known them, they have taught me a lot. They are teaching me Zulu and Tswana, which is a lot of fun, because when I greet the people in their home language they immediately light up and talk to me, which is not so fun ( Because so far, I only know how to greet).

We are also trading food at work. They find my food very interesting. I have eaten chicken feet (which are not bad, it just doesn't have a lot of meat) and many other things I am still learning to pronounce and spell! WATCH THIS SPACE!

They always thought that white and indian people automatically have cancer, because of our immense hairloss (when sweeping the floors, there is a lot of hair lying on the ground).

Another thing they observed is the ring on my middle finger and asked if I was married. To them wearing a ring before marriage is a curse, which means you will never find a husband. And a ring on any finger means you're married or either looking for bad luck.

They are also trying to teach me to dance. Which in my opinion is a lost cause, because I have no rhythm and will never had. It seems that they automatically have the best rhythm!

These guys are making the job worth while and I am never without a smile when they are around.

Eager beaver for holiday jobs

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the poorest of them all?"
"Students!"

I never understood it when people said that students are the poorest of them all, up until I became one of them. Counting change has become a common habit between me and my friends.

I am not a lazy person and I love to earn my own money. I had been doing holiday jobs, since I was 16. My first holiday job was at my baby sister's daycare. I had to look after kids between the ages of 6-10 years old. I was responsible for their holiday program and looking after them.

I am currently working in retail at a shoe shop. It is hard work, but I keep telling myself that it is good money to help out with my studies.

I also occasionally babysit a couple's daughter. She is a real sweetheart and she is not difficult when it comes to bedtime. In fact, when she's tired, she climbs in bed. She doesn't need bedtime stories or lullabies. She just sleeps.

This past September holiday, I worked at a festival called Aardklop. It is a Afrikaans music and culture festival. It was the most fun job I ever had. We also met a lot of local stars. See the photo above of me and Matthys Roets.

Next year, I am starting to work at my university's Reading lab. This reading lab is set in place for first year students to learn to read. The shocking thing is that people can't read anymore. This reading course is compulsory to all the first year students. You have to pass the subject, in order to get your degree. I will just be an assistant in these reading labs. I am very excited!

With these holiday jobs, I have paid for a lot of things, including a French tour to Paris.