It's home time!

Despite finishing exams almost a month ago, I had to stay at university as I work here and so I haven't really felt like I'm on holiday just yet. My time in Grahamstown has finally come to an end though. I leave for Durban in an hour and so this will be my last blog post for a while. I have no internet access at home.

I'll give you some time to process the horror of that...

Right, moving on.

I'm looking forward to all the free time that comes with a holiday. Actually, who am I kidding, I say that every vac and then when it's time to come back to university I'm amazed at how fast the time went and how little free time I really had.

I plan on doing lots of reading this December, as well as some baking and some DIY crafty projects which I will post about and share once I'm done.

I don't plan on eating way too much over Christmas and gaining a figure like Santa but it will very likely happen anyway. I won't be sharing pics of that!

Here's to a happy festive season filled with happiness and food (basically the same thing) and cute Christmas ideas copied from Pinterest.

Time of the Writer: on winning and losing

Due to not actually living in Durban anymore, I could only attend one night of the Time of the Writer Festival in Durban this year. Nevertheless, that one night quite possibly may have been the best! Usually the night time events are discussions between two authors, facilitated by another prominent figure in the writing world. On the night that I went, the usual discussion was preceded by the announcement of the winners of a short story competition for school learners. The competition invites learners to submit short stories in English and Zulu, and the best are recognised on the penultimate night of the festival.

The second prize of the English category was won by a student at my old high school, Durban Girls High School, so I clapped rather loudly (very much like an embarrassing parent). I also saw my high school History teacher at the event. Durban might be a big city but there always seems to be a familiar face around whenever I’m home.

There was also entertainment from local music group, Nje (which is a Zulu expression meaning ‘just’). I think they’re really cool, but I haven’t been able to find much info on them (bad journalism skills I know).

The actual discussion wasn’t a discussion after all as one of the authors could not attend at the last minute. The show must go on, and so the remaining author, BD Khawula, spoke about his writing experience and gave a reading from his debut novel about a young boy who gets involved in a world of drugs and crime. I was extremely humbled, as Khawula is not a writer by profession, but instead works at the Huletts sugar factory and only writes in his spare time. His first novel, Yihlathi Leli, was not only accepted by publishers, but also won a silver prize in the Sanlam Youth Literature Awards in 2012.

Speaking with some difficulty to the audience, as English is not his first language; Khawula explained “It is not easy to be a winner. It is very easy to be a loser.” While Khawula was referring to his prize, one gets the feeling that this statement echoes his sentiments over the battle to win in life, as exemplified by his first novel; one which he hopes will soon be a set book in schools across the country.

Time of the Writer 2013

Living in Grahamstown and studying at Rhodes is great, I won't lie but it does mean missing the Time of the Writer festival in Durban. For the past two years that I have been at Rhodes, the festival has taken place during my term time. This year, it only finishes two days after I arrive in Durban for the vac, meaning I can squeeze in the last few book launches and discussions. I am ridiculously excited! I will post more once I've been and hopefully I will see some interesting faces.

Sugar packet wisdom

Sometimes you find what you need in the oddest places.

A while ago a friend told me that I'm the kind of person who, when everyone is going left, I'll be going right and taking my own random route. Since then, I've been thinking about this, wondering whether I really do the opposite of everyone else (I didn't even realise) and whether I should try to be more normal, whatever that is. 

At the end of last year, I applied for a job to be a sub-warden in my residence at Rhodes and I was worried that I had to be more responsible, more serious, more stern, make less dodgy jokes, wear smart pants to the interview, and most importantly, be less ditzy and blonde (not sure how that's even possible). This was just one out of MANY times when I felt like to be "right" and succeed I had to be something I'm not.

And then, while taking a 15 hour bus trip from Durban to Grahamstown, I got a complimentary cup of coffee with some life changing sugar. This is what the packaging said.

I took that as a sign (from the bus driver? Huletts? God?) and decided to just be my not very serious self, say whatever is on my mind and embrace the fact that I will always be a little bit of a silly girl. I even wore a short skirt to the interview because let's face it, I look strange in formal black pants and a shirt and all that jazz. 

The result? I got the job. 

The moral? Be you. Be different. Be strange. Be a success.