I don't know how other people do it but I don't really remember much about my early days. In fact, I don't remember much about much these days! :) I think they call it "information overflow" - well that is MY excuse and I am sticking to it! :)
The 60's
I was born on the 9th of the 9th in Bloemfontein in the Free State, (maybe that is the reason that I have been allowed to grow up to be "free"?) ;) We moved around a bit but eventually settled in Cape Town where I started my school career in 1967. I remember that I loved school...maybe because I have always been very curious and school gave me the opportunity to feed my sponge-like mind? I also wanted to be first in everything! So I never really had a hard time in school. I don't think I was ever the "teacher's pet" but I got along with all my teachers and most importantly they got along with me! I do remember that I had to sit in the front of most classes, because I never stopped talking! (Oh, I can hear some of my friends already saying: "So, what has changed!")
From when I was little I liked to be the center of attention and my parents thought it good to let me do the drama thing! I also learnt to play the piano at an early age. I have a rather creative side to me and always enjoyed doing school projects. (My parents were always there to help me but I was allowed to give my imagination free reigns and do "my own thing" - of course within the boundaries of the strict rules that they set for both my brother and I) I participated in every Eisteddfod and if I didn't get at least an "A" I always thought that it wasn't good enough.
My mother never worked a job outside the house when I was in primary school and I think that it was the reason that I got to do so many things; as I was never restricted due to the fact that I couldn't get to extra-mural activities. (Although my mother never had a drivers' license when I was in primary school, she used jump on the bus with us and we got to where ever we needed to be) In those days most of the activities were at the school anyway.
At the end of Sub A (Grade 1) we moved to Port Elizabeth where we stayed until 1976. I have "found" some of my school mates from primary school on FB in the past few years and although I haven't seen them in person, I at least know what they look like today! Is it strange that I remember the boys better that the girls? I was never the most popular girl in school but they at least remember me!! LOL
The 70's
The person that made the biggest impression on me was my Standard 4 (Grade 6) teacher, Meneer du Plooy. Over the years I have wondered what has happened to him and whether he is still alive. I would like to meet him now that I am grown up and thank him for the wonderful lessons he taught us. I think it would be nice for him to know that he has made a huge impact on my life and my career. The one thing that I remember very clearly is that he always said: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" - something that I have converted into a life credo by not making intentions and promises that I know I cannot fulfill.
I was also very fond of sport and participated in many sports but swimming was my favorite...until my father stopped me because he said I was going to look like an Afrikaner ox! I also did gymnastics, hockey, never played netball! - always thought of it as a sissy game (sorry friends!) I wasn't very good at athletics(my mother was an ace athlete in her days) but I tried my hand at the fields numbers and didn't do so bad. And of course the drama thing and school newspaper and debate society and Voortrekkers (for my American friends, it is the South African version of the Girls scouts) and music and... yes I tried them all...except netball! :P I also liked to play rugby and soccer with the boys and had many injuries because I didn't give them any slack and neither them me!
I am so grateful to my parents who allowed me to discover and try my hands (and feet...and brain I suppose) at almost everything available to us in those days...and for supporting me...and for forcing me sometimes when I didn't want to continue with something to at least finish what I had started.
I was born on the 9th of the 9th in Bloemfontein in the Free State, (maybe that is the reason that I have been allowed to grow up to be "free"?) ;) We moved around a bit but eventually settled in Cape Town where I started my school career in 1967. I remember that I loved school...maybe because I have always been very curious and school gave me the opportunity to feed my sponge-like mind? I also wanted to be first in everything! So I never really had a hard time in school. I don't think I was ever the "teacher's pet" but I got along with all my teachers and most importantly they got along with me! I do remember that I had to sit in the front of most classes, because I never stopped talking! (Oh, I can hear some of my friends already saying: "So, what has changed!")
From when I was little I liked to be the center of attention and my parents thought it good to let me do the drama thing! I also learnt to play the piano at an early age. I have a rather creative side to me and always enjoyed doing school projects. (My parents were always there to help me but I was allowed to give my imagination free reigns and do "my own thing" - of course within the boundaries of the strict rules that they set for both my brother and I) I participated in every Eisteddfod and if I didn't get at least an "A" I always thought that it wasn't good enough.
My mother never worked a job outside the house when I was in primary school and I think that it was the reason that I got to do so many things; as I was never restricted due to the fact that I couldn't get to extra-mural activities. (Although my mother never had a drivers' license when I was in primary school, she used jump on the bus with us and we got to where ever we needed to be) In those days most of the activities were at the school anyway.
At the end of Sub A (Grade 1) we moved to Port Elizabeth where we stayed until 1976. I have "found" some of my school mates from primary school on FB in the past few years and although I haven't seen them in person, I at least know what they look like today! Is it strange that I remember the boys better that the girls? I was never the most popular girl in school but they at least remember me!! LOL
The person that made the biggest impression on me was my Standard 4 (Grade 6) teacher, Meneer du Plooy. Over the years I have wondered what has happened to him and whether he is still alive. I would like to meet him now that I am grown up and thank him for the wonderful lessons he taught us. I think it would be nice for him to know that he has made a huge impact on my life and my career. The one thing that I remember very clearly is that he always said: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" - something that I have converted into a life credo by not making intentions and promises that I know I cannot fulfill.
I was also very fond of sport and participated in many sports but swimming was my favorite...until my father stopped me because he said I was going to look like an Afrikaner ox! I also did gymnastics, hockey, never played netball! - always thought of it as a sissy game (sorry friends!) I wasn't very good at athletics(my mother was an ace athlete in her days) but I tried my hand at the fields numbers and didn't do so bad. And of course the drama thing and school newspaper and debate society and Voortrekkers (for my American friends, it is the South African version of the Girls scouts) and music and... yes I tried them all...except netball! :P I also liked to play rugby and soccer with the boys and had many injuries because I didn't give them any slack and neither them me!
I am so grateful to my parents who allowed me to discover and try my hands (and feet...and brain I suppose) at almost everything available to us in those days...and for supporting me...and for forcing me sometimes when I didn't want to continue with something to at least finish what I had started.
to be continued...
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Good intentions are not enough. They've never put an onion in the soup yet. - Sonya Levien
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