Living vs. Rat Race

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

“Life had become some kind of profound competition, where my emotional loss was substituted by my professional success. I became a part of what they call the rat race.”
― Saurbh Katyal, Seduced by Murder

From the day I was born, life has been a rat race. People going to work, trying to make money, rushing home in traffic, feeding the kids and getting them into bed. Only to fall asleep yourself.
Day spent.

After studying, you get a job. You get the man. You get the house. You get the children. And this is it. I know I have reached the time when I should send out CV's and decide where I want to work. The type of work that won't feel like work. I should aim to be successful. Maybe, I'll meet the man, while being successful in my work. Then comes the baby and the golden carriage. Constantly chasing success. Will it even make you happy?

Hell's Bells!

I want to shout at the rat race to slow down! Smell the roses around you. Live. See. Touch. Experience. Travel.

There is nothing wrong with being in the rat race and having a family and kids. BUT IT'S NOT ME. IT IS NOT ME. For now....

I want to go to places, which I have read about in books. I want to touch the Tower of Piza. I want to swim in Jacob's Well. I want to ride a bicycle in Netherlands and go places on my bicycle.
I want to do and see things, which not many people do after getting a job, the man and kids. I want to travel in Europe. I want to eat things, I have never eaten before. Walk where I've never walked before. Learn about different cultures. I want to travel. Maybe, once I have done that, I will be ready for the rat race. MAYBE.

I'll never be the common rat racer. I will always have feet itching to go places and see things. Is there a job where I can do that? Please make suggestions, if you know about something like that.

But for now, I'll be completing my studies and in the meantime, I'll be contemplating about what my next move is gonna be. The rat race has to wait for a while.

Love
The Wanderluster

The scary future of 2015

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Hi, my name is Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen and I have no idea what I'm going to do next year and I am scared.

My third and final year has crept up to me like a mouse. How did this go so fast? I can still remember my first day in Grade 1 and here I am: A university student and a final year at that!

I have always had these big dreams about what I wanted to become. First it was a book editor, editing books and reading them all day. Sounds like a jolly good dream. Then, I wanted to become a diplomat for South-Africa in France, that dream was when I was enchanted with France. I also took French at school, but when I went to France, I realized that I love my country. 

My dream was then to become a journalist, but that dream faded very quickly, when I started studying Communication and realized all the possibilities, which I can do with Communication.

My problem is that the possibilities are too vast! I don't know what I want to do! Next year included. The question is do I want to do my honors in Communication, then the question is in which Communication? Do I even want to my honors? Would I rather do the Business School course, which is also a year? What do I want to do?

I DON'T KNOW!

The only thing I know for certain is that I want to travel the world. But when I mean travel, I mean SEE EVERYTHING, EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING. My plan thus far is to start working on a tourist ship, where I can make money. Enough money for the travels for at least one or two countries. In those countries I'll do petty jobs, where I'll save up for the next country. 

My plan is also to travel for at least 2-3 years... 

This is the only thing, which I'm certain about my future. I WILL TRAVEL! But for now, I'm having sleepless nights about the year 2015 and everything that it holds! 

Am I naive about this travelling thing? Should I relax about my future or start making plans?