im back :-0
Friday, September 05, 2014
Friday, February 08, 2013
Ah , the long awaited four years
Its 4 years and working in the real world has hurled me out of the comfort zone of a student into a tumultuous world of ever changing plans and fights for bottom-line expansion.
i have waited for this day for many a reason. when I started in this company, the idea was to enjoy the work and do what i had studied to do; design. BUT a few binding agreements held me to the company with no way to escape. my four years have escaped me with a sigh and much to talk about.
four years have seen to my exceptional professional development, one that i could never have sought after but tough times with tough lessons and stories to write home about.
four years ago my idea of work was fairly idyllic. Go to work, design something, implement it, see positive results, get paid at the end of the month , love the job , etc etc.
So, i discovered that its not really like that. Work is made up of people. the biggest reason why work doesn't get done is people and the most productive operations are done by people.
in my fairly contradictory statement, it turns out that I can quite easily find reason not do anything and get away with it because , well, "everyone Else's" productivity is akin to zero. Also, my ego plays a role in how much i get done .i wont explore this one...it is just true. My drive is what sets me apart.
strangely as i have reached this great age of 4, i remember my naivety and am grateful for where i am : on a growing path , understanding the aerial view of business minds and hopeless souls.
not exactly the promise of engineering, but hey, I'm still an engineer of sorts and I'm still doing what i love.
no complaints from the journey thus far, just a big happy birthday to me.
i have waited for this day for many a reason. when I started in this company, the idea was to enjoy the work and do what i had studied to do; design. BUT a few binding agreements held me to the company with no way to escape. my four years have escaped me with a sigh and much to talk about.
four years have seen to my exceptional professional development, one that i could never have sought after but tough times with tough lessons and stories to write home about.
four years ago my idea of work was fairly idyllic. Go to work, design something, implement it, see positive results, get paid at the end of the month , love the job , etc etc.
So, i discovered that its not really like that. Work is made up of people. the biggest reason why work doesn't get done is people and the most productive operations are done by people.
in my fairly contradictory statement, it turns out that I can quite easily find reason not do anything and get away with it because , well, "everyone Else's" productivity is akin to zero. Also, my ego plays a role in how much i get done .i wont explore this one...it is just true. My drive is what sets me apart.
strangely as i have reached this great age of 4, i remember my naivety and am grateful for where i am : on a growing path , understanding the aerial view of business minds and hopeless souls.
not exactly the promise of engineering, but hey, I'm still an engineer of sorts and I'm still doing what i love.
no complaints from the journey thus far, just a big happy birthday to me.
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Don"t burndown the E-Toll Gantries
Dear Mr Vavi,
Is your role
to propagate destruction in South Africa? I don’t think so. As a man whose
voice is meant to represent the millions of people in this country that work
hard to feed their families, I can’t see why you would stand up for a
destructive approach to solving a problem. There’s more at stake in demolishing
the e-toll gantries than saving the further expenses of the 700 000 odd
daily commuters that travel proposed tolled roads! Do you not see this?
South Africa
has a reputation in the world for our smooth transition in 1994; our ability to
avoid a civil war, our stance to embrace each other’s differences and become
one nation. That is a constructive approach. That is what makes us famous. All
of this yet in the past few months we have been exceedingly destructive.
We are always praising the Japanese and the Germans for
their high-tech solutions to everyday things. We tend to say that the system is
great but “we are a developing country and we won’t get such technology anytime
soon”. We have appropriated this advancement, albeit psychologically, for our
northern first world counterparts. Well Mr Vavi, have you noticed that we haven’t
even allowed ourselves to celebrate the availability of one such advancement in
our own country? The gantries that will run the e-toll system will be used for
the reduction of car theft, to make our roads safe from bad drivers and even to
improve on the services of the metro police (for whom we all have an impolite
word to utter). Its progress and hi-tech at that! Something that we can show
off to our European and American visitors with African pride alongside the
Gautrain and our world-class stadiums; we built it ourselves!
Don’t get me
wrong, like every other commuter; I don’t want to pay for the new system. Most can’t
afford it and many others don’t want to be restricted by the speed limits it
will impose. I know that it will start off at a small charge and then escalate
into something that will have me looking for a second income to supplement the
toll depleted first one. I don’t believe that we as citizens should pay for the
tolls. After four years of driving those roads almost daily, I believe that we’ve
already paid in damages to our vehicles during the many years of road upgrades;
shocks worn, windscreens chipped and many an hour lost in unnecessary traffic
caused by these constructions. All I am suggesting is that instead of point
blankly rebuking the system, we should find alternate solutions to funding it.
South Africa
has in the past few month’s experienced a tirade of incidents which call for
good representation, for quick action and sustainable solutions, to give hope
to a people getting frustrated by the systems that keep failing them. We had
the Marikana massacre in which miners lost trust in their employers, in unions
and in government. Could innovative negotiations have saved lives? With the
Limpopo text-book debacle again the trust that learners’ had for the education
system was lost when books were not delivered on-time and many were later found
destroyed and washed up in rivers. Will you tell the people that you represent
that you could not do anything to save the future of their children? In Lenasia
the poor, struggling home owners whom you represent had their homes demolished because
they had built homes on government property. Could you not intervene to save
the lives of these families? And this while our president gets away with
spending millions on a home he will barely spend time in. And now this!
You, Mr Vavi,
represent so many of these people. I am suggesting that you need to lead them
to constructive negotiations with government and private enterprise to take
this country forward. It’s not about the talk-shops and the papers. Let me
stress on the psychological impact that this has on South Africans. Our current
solutions to solving problems have reduced to making the problems bigger: we don’t
like the wages offered and so we destroy the our places of employment and leave
a trail of death behind us, we burn busses and trains when we want better
transport, break down houses when we want improved housing, throw away books
when we want education! The president of this country and the government are
caught up in a battle of policy making and have lost touch, it seems, with the
people. You have not. But you do have their (governments) support and so I urge
you to engage them and to lead your people to improvements.
Constructive
action you say? Well, how about we start to own the roads? I’ll bet you that a
comrades Marathon run on the N1 from JHB to PTA or the other way round can rouse
a lot of interest and also send the e-tollers smiling to the bank! How about engaging
private business for a sustainable solution ? A barometer to indicate how much
of the pay-back is complete and where the monies are going. I personally would
like to see that any funds derived from the e-tolling system or any other
system is used up in the correct manner. How about you help us to become proudly
South African and active citizens?
Am I asking too much?
Regards,
Concerned Citizen
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A post on posts
owing to a rather busy year , my blog posts have reduced to the occasional or rather quartely rant on the personal dilemmas and fascinations to poltical drama that shades our media directed days.
I miss blogging on a more regular basis, the daily rant about a misguided persons perceptions of engineers or the quizzical behaviour of randoms.
the world has perhaps become boring to me ...every nuance that used to fascinate me and to which i'd dedicate hours understanding has found itself into the book of average.
the one "mad man" who chats to himself at length about some topic that only he can comprehend is now a person who i am sure is the guy allocated to this corner and who has a collegue performing the same opera at the next corner with a different chord.
the unenviable person dressed in a power suit and armoured head to toe in corporate confidence is just that , unenviable. this person defines lackluster aspirations of capitalist slaves.
the child that hides behind a text book in defiance of a lost future is the only glimmer of possibility that drives me. A light that shines where darkness prevails! But even this child has a standard avenue , a path that is already trodden and which is punted as the only by the lazy policy creators but which could be innovated to more sustainable solutions.
right now, when nothing really takes any effect on my being, i see myself settling into a comfortable and select space in world development .
Upskilling and upgrading of manufacturing spaces! the past few months ive actually learnt that people can achieve anything but complacency holds people back. Ive been told of the amazing leaps of the Chinese and the level of attention to detail while observing the South African industry cutting corners and losing hope little by little.
not all of it is bad but so much of our growth will be attributed to what we learn , how patriotic we are and how smart our leaders really are ...this being the subject of usual rhetoric!
And my banter begins again!!!
I miss blogging on a more regular basis, the daily rant about a misguided persons perceptions of engineers or the quizzical behaviour of randoms.
the world has perhaps become boring to me ...every nuance that used to fascinate me and to which i'd dedicate hours understanding has found itself into the book of average.
the one "mad man" who chats to himself at length about some topic that only he can comprehend is now a person who i am sure is the guy allocated to this corner and who has a collegue performing the same opera at the next corner with a different chord.
the unenviable person dressed in a power suit and armoured head to toe in corporate confidence is just that , unenviable. this person defines lackluster aspirations of capitalist slaves.
the child that hides behind a text book in defiance of a lost future is the only glimmer of possibility that drives me. A light that shines where darkness prevails! But even this child has a standard avenue , a path that is already trodden and which is punted as the only by the lazy policy creators but which could be innovated to more sustainable solutions.
right now, when nothing really takes any effect on my being, i see myself settling into a comfortable and select space in world development .
Upskilling and upgrading of manufacturing spaces! the past few months ive actually learnt that people can achieve anything but complacency holds people back. Ive been told of the amazing leaps of the Chinese and the level of attention to detail while observing the South African industry cutting corners and losing hope little by little.
not all of it is bad but so much of our growth will be attributed to what we learn , how patriotic we are and how smart our leaders really are ...this being the subject of usual rhetoric!
And my banter begins again!!!
Sunday, September 02, 2012
City girl engineer
I am a city girl
My heart beats to the jostling of people through busy streets, the bargaining of traders at the corner shop , the hooting of taxis @ Noord, the chugging of trains at the break of dawn.
Its the drone of traffic without which I cannot be lulled to sleep, the sirens sounded by earnest burglars without which I wouldn't be awakened to sweet smelling mornings.
I am an engineer. I dig deep into my soul to devise machines ...
That turn and churn and keep a pace
Persistent
Consistent
Like the endless energy of the N1 Highway
Like the tireless approach of the stop-street beggar.
Like the perfection of the smog settling dust on the Ponty tower.
I am a city girl
Ticking, clicking, texting, chiming to the abuse of the city
Dulled eyes for the innocence of "die platteland"
I'm poised and perched and vehemently pressing buttons
I am an engineer
Designing shafts to lower people to jobs
Mining my soul
Innovating a skyscraper to avenge the hollowed heart
Creating a mirage of dead-end possibilities
Replacing gold with thirst and hunger and need
For more and more and more of this pulsing antithesis;
Knowledge-Power
Wealth-Debt
Employment-Labour
Freedom-Danger
Services-Poor delivery
Gated homes-Excessive crime
Fauna -Concrete
It is by these excitements and challenges that I humbly genuflect to my city - as an engineer and city girl.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
My heart beats to the jostling of people through busy streets, the bargaining of traders at the corner shop , the hooting of taxis @ Noord, the chugging of trains at the break of dawn.
Its the drone of traffic without which I cannot be lulled to sleep, the sirens sounded by earnest burglars without which I wouldn't be awakened to sweet smelling mornings.
I am an engineer. I dig deep into my soul to devise machines ...
That turn and churn and keep a pace
Persistent
Consistent
Like the endless energy of the N1 Highway
Like the tireless approach of the stop-street beggar.
Like the perfection of the smog settling dust on the Ponty tower.
I am a city girl
Ticking, clicking, texting, chiming to the abuse of the city
Dulled eyes for the innocence of "die platteland"
I'm poised and perched and vehemently pressing buttons
I am an engineer
Designing shafts to lower people to jobs
Mining my soul
Innovating a skyscraper to avenge the hollowed heart
Creating a mirage of dead-end possibilities
Replacing gold with thirst and hunger and need
For more and more and more of this pulsing antithesis;
Knowledge-Power
Wealth-Debt
Employment-Labour
Freedom-Danger
Services-Poor delivery
Gated homes-Excessive crime
Fauna -Concrete
It is by these excitements and challenges that I humbly genuflect to my city - as an engineer and city girl.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Thursday, May 24, 2012
In Expression of DIStatse
The media is alive again after a rather quiet few weeks of post Malema, no uncanny cum irrational outburst- like- announcements or remarks. We had all forgotten that Malema's rather loud voice was masking a similar and perhaps more decisive voice of Mr Zuma.
so the circus acting has yet again begun . This time the media is aflock with drama of the presidents family jewels being painted by an artist. The painting named, "Zumas Spear" . Ive never understood art and by the reactions of the public , neither does majority of the country, i don't think I'm deep enough to share the understanding that the shades used or the type of brush stroke or the scene depicted can mean anything more than i see.
So to me, Jacob Zuma in the Van Gogh like replica with his pants unzipped is really just that...the artist finds Zuma worthy of being in a VG( i hope i have the famous artist right ) painting but perhaps feels that Mr Zuma is a bit free below the belt. Whether this is an insult or not is probably dependent on the artist. Perhaps like poetry, art is dependent on the artists impression...i guess. That's all i can gather from the painting which i haven't even seen. Ive heard about it...on every news show from radio to TV and i cant stand it!!!
there are millions of other things that we need to fix up in this country and we asked for freedom of expression in the constitution. This gives people the right to curse openly , gives homosexuals a place in society , gives songs like "shoot the Boer" a chance of being heard and draws a grey line between moral and immoral. WE ASKED FOR IT. WE ACCEPTED IT.
so what am i doodling on about ?
we are unfair in that we put the presidents image before the rest of the country I am a citizen too, i have rights too, dont I ? If I am a victim of crime don't i deserve the same kind of swift action, the same kind of hullabaloo? If the same people who are given first prefernec in the courts are the same ones who have left a residue from previous or pending implications in the very crimes that we feel are unresolved. if i am burgled, hijacked, raped and my case never reaches court but my presidents painting is given first preference then are we not a nation led by DISrespectful, DIShonest, DISregarding , DISpleasing, DISgraceful and even DISturbing persons?
Perhaps when the painting is dealt with and Mr Zuma has his name re-etched in the minds of hos supporters, he will win the next election. Perhaps the artist will be fined or imprisoned for expression of something he felt legal, perhaps those in power will sleep well knowing that they have won....but for the rest of us who live in the real SA, sleep will still be disturbed by fear of losing ones life, losing our hard earned possessions, being prey to monsters that are justified by the actions of our leaders...if they can , why cant we?
its no wonder that people are again beginning to take things into their own hands. It may be wrong , but their plight is not being heard. Everyone needs to live and dignity is everyone basic right. Why should we leave this as a privileged for the people in power. Surely we should consider this as a something that people earn like respect. in this case , those in power don't deserve it...they have turned us into their minions...working for their comfort. When you look at the really poor people in this country...its a real pity that this is allowed.
so the circus acting has yet again begun . This time the media is aflock with drama of the presidents family jewels being painted by an artist. The painting named, "Zumas Spear" . Ive never understood art and by the reactions of the public , neither does majority of the country, i don't think I'm deep enough to share the understanding that the shades used or the type of brush stroke or the scene depicted can mean anything more than i see.
So to me, Jacob Zuma in the Van Gogh like replica with his pants unzipped is really just that...the artist finds Zuma worthy of being in a VG( i hope i have the famous artist right ) painting but perhaps feels that Mr Zuma is a bit free below the belt. Whether this is an insult or not is probably dependent on the artist. Perhaps like poetry, art is dependent on the artists impression...i guess. That's all i can gather from the painting which i haven't even seen. Ive heard about it...on every news show from radio to TV and i cant stand it!!!
there are millions of other things that we need to fix up in this country and we asked for freedom of expression in the constitution. This gives people the right to curse openly , gives homosexuals a place in society , gives songs like "shoot the Boer" a chance of being heard and draws a grey line between moral and immoral. WE ASKED FOR IT. WE ACCEPTED IT.
so what am i doodling on about ?
we are unfair in that we put the presidents image before the rest of the country I am a citizen too, i have rights too, dont I ? If I am a victim of crime don't i deserve the same kind of swift action, the same kind of hullabaloo? If the same people who are given first prefernec in the courts are the same ones who have left a residue from previous or pending implications in the very crimes that we feel are unresolved. if i am burgled, hijacked, raped and my case never reaches court but my presidents painting is given first preference then are we not a nation led by DISrespectful, DIShonest, DISregarding , DISpleasing, DISgraceful and even DISturbing persons?
Perhaps when the painting is dealt with and Mr Zuma has his name re-etched in the minds of hos supporters, he will win the next election. Perhaps the artist will be fined or imprisoned for expression of something he felt legal, perhaps those in power will sleep well knowing that they have won....but for the rest of us who live in the real SA, sleep will still be disturbed by fear of losing ones life, losing our hard earned possessions, being prey to monsters that are justified by the actions of our leaders...if they can , why cant we?
its no wonder that people are again beginning to take things into their own hands. It may be wrong , but their plight is not being heard. Everyone needs to live and dignity is everyone basic right. Why should we leave this as a privileged for the people in power. Surely we should consider this as a something that people earn like respect. in this case , those in power don't deserve it...they have turned us into their minions...working for their comfort. When you look at the really poor people in this country...its a real pity that this is allowed.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
beginning of yet another year
i wish i could sound more enthusiastic about this beginning. Beginnings are supposed to be chocolate coated with hope of better and bigger and brighter.
I feel that i am neither better, nor brighter and only my waist line has found itself a whole lot bigger.
i keep trying to put things into perspective. I have a whole lot to be grateful for. For one i have the job that many will dream of, i have a wonderful family with whom i spend lots of quality time despite the physical distance between all of us, I have a successful NPO that keeps good kids in school and motivates them to be as much as they can be, i am well set on the path of completing my masters degree and I have my car in which i disappear to meditate (so to speak) when i need to find direction.
so i guess this is sounding a tad bit too similar to the girl next door! I cant help it. She's going through it too. The quarter life crisis. I have everything that independence can buy but I'm stuck in a vicious cycle of being so independent that i don't want to depend on anyone. And dare anyone offer to be of assistance to me! These people are not looked upon with much regard as they try to steal my hard earned independence. Why on earth would you like to help me if I can do it myself? no don't pick up those shopping bags for me I can do it myself! how dare you buy something for me, don't you think i could have bought it for myself if i needed to ? Oh no you wont solve the problem for me, I have the ability!!!
i have discovered though that with all this independence comes a large ( and i mean super huge ) amount of stress and the impossible "I" problem. I worry that i wont actually be able to carry those shopping bags or solve that problem. I worry about the need for the item "i really didn't need". What if i need it ? So yes I'm stressed. Stressed that I'm not good enough on any level. My competitiveness has gotten the better of me and boy oh boy is it harmful.
so here i am, 2012, starting off with tons of stress that i cant deal with. I don't know how to slow down. some little being inside me is warning me that I'm heading for a breakdown!
Sometimes all I wish for a shoulder to cry on (dependence!) . That's what friends are for , right? When i meet up with friends though, its always the same story. We are competitive to the extent that lunches turn into shows of accolades, comparison of status symbols and battles for first place.
we were never like this. Growing up, we used to be there to support each other. A wedge has grown between us and the only description that i have for it is the mantra that adults taught us..."strive for success"
i wish they explained in more detail what success is. Why must success be depicted as the flashiest cars and the latest apparel. To me success is being able to manage the shift in responsibility of older societies to modern society. Where the older generation barely grappled with these questions because it wasn't their focus, I find myself and people in my circles constantly trying to solve their modern lives while deeply immersed in the remnants of the genetically superior beings shortfalls. there is no written plan on how to make it work. the goal post keeps shifting though. Next month , success will be painted in a different shade of grey.
I'm standing at a crossroads at the beginning of this year. while the two paths wont kill my ambition they may redefine success for me: the one may lead me to another mirage of ultimate success, the other will yield and accept the present achievements as my success and perhaps success of a different kind. Its a choice i have to make.
the only enthusiasm that I have is hidden in the pursuit of happiness. I hope that the existence of happiness isnt another fallacy created to get the world to beat to a silent pulse.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Friday, July 01, 2011
Travelling in the USA: Part 2
New York City: The thought of going there formed knots in my stomach which tightened and tightened as the time drew nearer and the minutes ticked away.
My expectation of NYC were really the same as any there city. I recall thinking that i was being collected in a car from the airport! i also asked a colleague to leave me at the airport for my return to homebase because his flight was later ( and he had a car)
for all the fears and apprehension i had about the place, NYC turned out to be nice.
well , actually it is nothing and everything. in one way it is cold, indifferent , individualistic, intimidating and contained. in another way it is welcoming, challenging , freeing , accepting and contagious. Nothing makes sense and anything goes.
i spent 3 day s there, 2 of which were very much by myself. I was always alone but never felt lonely. Theres a heartbeat t which NYC pulses and soon as i tuned to it, i was hopping between subways , catching meals on the go, waving down taxi's, rushing, rushing and rushing.
on Saturday morning i finally got a tour of uptown NYC; Harlem , Bronx, Central park and the theatre district. On TV we aways see it as a dangerous place, the Bronx that is. It has actually changed and is really safe( def safe compared to home )
Central Park lks lovely. Its surrounded by the wealthier people of Harlem and is thus used as such( my opinion). Thes rich people include the likes of many Hollywood stars.
throughout my tour, I was reminded of how many different cultures are represented in NYC. Mexicans, Germans, Chinese, Italians, Africans (from all over Africa i guess) and of curse Indians( the native red-Indians of America)
NYC used t be owned by these Indian people who called it Manna Hatta ( something t do with the mountains of what is nw call Manhattan). It was sold for $24 in the beginning of the 19th century to the Dutch( I think). Today only the name Manhattan reminds one ( if you know the history) of its roots. Its such a mix of people and cultures , even its architecture is diverse that n0thing can be called "UNIQUELY AMERICAN" except the bright lights and sleepless character of the place.
In NYC its really difficult nt to fit in. Everyone comes from a lineage of expats and everyone is welcome. Hobos and rock stars share the same street sin a harmony quite unlike in many other cities. i guess that's the beauty f NYC.
President Obama studied at the Columbia university in the city. He shared the subway with many people. I doubt he shared his dreams and aspirations . Like many others, I experienced the solitude f the city. Where your neighbour could be anyone but who cares!
I guess that's the arrogance if NYC.
Its the perfect contradiction.
My expectation of NYC were really the same as any there city. I recall thinking that i was being collected in a car from the airport! i also asked a colleague to leave me at the airport for my return to homebase because his flight was later ( and he had a car)
for all the fears and apprehension i had about the place, NYC turned out to be nice.
well , actually it is nothing and everything. in one way it is cold, indifferent , individualistic, intimidating and contained. in another way it is welcoming, challenging , freeing , accepting and contagious. Nothing makes sense and anything goes.
i spent 3 day s there, 2 of which were very much by myself. I was always alone but never felt lonely. Theres a heartbeat t which NYC pulses and soon as i tuned to it, i was hopping between subways , catching meals on the go, waving down taxi's, rushing, rushing and rushing.
on Saturday morning i finally got a tour of uptown NYC; Harlem , Bronx, Central park and the theatre district. On TV we aways see it as a dangerous place, the Bronx that is. It has actually changed and is really safe( def safe compared to home )
Central Park lks lovely. Its surrounded by the wealthier people of Harlem and is thus used as such( my opinion). Thes rich people include the likes of many Hollywood stars.
throughout my tour, I was reminded of how many different cultures are represented in NYC. Mexicans, Germans, Chinese, Italians, Africans (from all over Africa i guess) and of curse Indians( the native red-Indians of America)
NYC used t be owned by these Indian people who called it Manna Hatta ( something t do with the mountains of what is nw call Manhattan). It was sold for $24 in the beginning of the 19th century to the Dutch( I think). Today only the name Manhattan reminds one ( if you know the history) of its roots. Its such a mix of people and cultures , even its architecture is diverse that n0thing can be called "UNIQUELY AMERICAN" except the bright lights and sleepless character of the place.
In NYC its really difficult nt to fit in. Everyone comes from a lineage of expats and everyone is welcome. Hobos and rock stars share the same street sin a harmony quite unlike in many other cities. i guess that's the beauty f NYC.
President Obama studied at the Columbia university in the city. He shared the subway with many people. I doubt he shared his dreams and aspirations . Like many others, I experienced the solitude f the city. Where your neighbour could be anyone but who cares!
I guess that's the arrogance if NYC.
Its the perfect contradiction.
Travelling in the USA: Part 1
written in March or April...I'm not sure
its now hurtling toward the end of my stay in the USA and what an experience it has been .
Today I'm off to the Amish region , elk spotting and cheesecake factory visiting in Pittsburgh. This after fun yet exhausting group work session that ended at the early hours of the morning.
So after 4 hours of sleep I'm up again , and swapping my bookish hat for a more welcome yet equally stressful travel hat . The unexpectedness of what lay ahead of us in the paces visit , the reaction of people to me , to us, the unfamiliarity all add an extra heartbeat to my natural pulse.
we're driving through the country now and for miles and miles the roads are lined with barren trees trying to dare a smile while reaching up from the snow relieved grounds.
here a little town. i wonder how many people live here . I guess we're on the main street in Mercer. Subway to my left and a bit further down , MacDees. A little way from the Subway theres a jail house and a City hall. This is what country movies are made of.
okay so we have reached the little Amish town called Wilmington. A few buggies have passed( nothing too exciting!)
![]()
its now hurtling toward the end of my stay in the USA and what an experience it has been .
Today I'm off to the Amish region , elk spotting and cheesecake factory visiting in Pittsburgh. This after fun yet exhausting group work session that ended at the early hours of the morning.
So after 4 hours of sleep I'm up again , and swapping my bookish hat for a more welcome yet equally stressful travel hat . The unexpectedness of what lay ahead of us in the paces visit , the reaction of people to me , to us, the unfamiliarity all add an extra heartbeat to my natural pulse.
we're driving through the country now and for miles and miles the roads are lined with barren trees trying to dare a smile while reaching up from the snow relieved grounds.
here a little town. i wonder how many people live here . I guess we're on the main street in Mercer. Subway to my left and a bit further down , MacDees. A little way from the Subway theres a jail house and a City hall. This is what country movies are made of.
okay so we have reached the little Amish town called Wilmington. A few buggies have passed( nothing too exciting!)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Pi Day , team lunch, St. Patricks Day and Girls Night
and i guess i shouldn't forget to mention that Paintball is planned for today along with ice-skating perhaps tomorrow.
I guess i sound like a serious party animal but truth is, I'm working off the envy of the people back home and their work-less public holidays.
So Pi-day is a strange geeky nerdy day which only Americans can identify with because no-1 else int the world has a date format that goes month-day-year .
so when 3.14.year (22/7 or Pi) arrives...it only happens in the states. I was terribly confused when i found out about it because I still automatically revert back to the day-month-year format - in my world 3.14.year is impossible!!!
Team lunch...well for me this was just an excuse to spend social time with my team. They're amazing and witty and diverse and proudly individual...and amazingly hard workers so its was kewl to see them take a break and catch their breaths
an amazing thing happened at lunch...well after lunch but due to living by tight time schedule.
I paid for my meal, but couldn't wait for change because i had to race back to work for A-course. So i asked Greg to hold on to my change and id get it from him in the office...
I didn't get back ti the office till Thursday morning,,,a half a day later
And i found my change on my desk. According to Greg...it had been there from the day before. No1 touched it!!! the beauty if being able to trust your co-workers\. I was absolutely surprised.
Moving on to St. Patricks Day...that was Thursday. According to the Champe this is how it goes...
Basically , for us worker bees, it was a normal day. But every other person seemed rather excited about going downtown for some green liquid.
So finally girls night came , with chick flicks and chocolate delicacies planned as the highlight. Work took precedence as it always does. By 7:30pm the study/work -group had dis-assembled ; the earliest for the week. DCespite looking forward to this ina biig way, we landed up wishing that we didn't have to go.
The get together, albeit 9pm onwards was nice...just being out of the academia , work, formal behaviour box was wonderful because i got to meet the real people that have created the legacy.They're normal after all, and wonderful at that too.
All in all, a long and wonderful and amazing week.
These are few and far between in SA. I can also attest to not being too envious anymore of the public holiday braai crews in SA anymore. Iv had my fill of fun this week,
I guess i sound like a serious party animal but truth is, I'm working off the envy of the people back home and their work-less public holidays.
So Pi-day is a strange geeky nerdy day which only Americans can identify with because no-1 else int the world has a date format that goes month-day-year .
so when 3.14.year (22/7 or Pi) arrives...it only happens in the states. I was terribly confused when i found out about it because I still automatically revert back to the day-month-year format - in my world 3.14.year is impossible!!!
Team lunch...well for me this was just an excuse to spend social time with my team. They're amazing and witty and diverse and proudly individual...and amazingly hard workers so its was kewl to see them take a break and catch their breaths
I paid for my meal, but couldn't wait for change because i had to race back to work for A-course. So i asked Greg to hold on to my change and id get it from him in the office...
I didn't get back ti the office till Thursday morning,,,a half a day later
And i found my change on my desk. According to Greg...it had been there from the day before. No1 touched it!!! the beauty if being able to trust your co-workers\. I was absolutely surprised.
Moving on to St. Patricks Day...that was Thursday. According to the Champe this is how it goes...
"St. Patrick’s Day is a Catholic holiday. A very large portion of Ireland happens to be Catholic. As for Saint Patrick, when he was about 16, he was captured from Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Church, he returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked. By the seventh century, he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.
St. Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day, but outside of Ireland, it is largely a celebration of Ireland itself.
Americans tend to celebrate by drinking, wearing green (if you wear green, leprechauns can’t see you and won’t pinch you), and eating cabbage and bacon (Irish Staples). A lot of Americans eat corned beef because during the mass Irish immigration to the US, bacon was too expensive and corned beef took substitute."
Basically , for us worker bees, it was a normal day. But every other person seemed rather excited about going downtown for some green liquid.
So finally girls night came , with chick flicks and chocolate delicacies planned as the highlight. Work took precedence as it always does. By 7:30pm the study/work -group had dis-assembled ; the earliest for the week. DCespite looking forward to this ina biig way, we landed up wishing that we didn't have to go.
The get together, albeit 9pm onwards was nice...just being out of the academia , work, formal behaviour box was wonderful because i got to meet the real people that have created the legacy.They're normal after all, and wonderful at that too.
All in all, a long and wonderful and amazing week.
These are few and far between in SA. I can also attest to not being too envious anymore of the public holiday braai crews in SA anymore. Iv had my fill of fun this week,
Friday, March 18, 2011
Saturday, March 05, 2011
POST 100
Last week was a shock to the system as training went full swing and i became so overwhelmed , i thin ki forgot to breathe. By friday , afetr many late nights and complicated problems, i just needed some shut eye and a good book.
Instead, i chose to go to Canada for a family reunion of a sort. I got a 3 hour drive to Toronto from Erie via the niagara falls to be met by the bubbliest bunch of people i've met in a while. So sleep wasnt a question, but for a change it was worth it.
Canada was great , the place is more city like so i loved it , the diversity rocks, the freedom (to not have to look over your shoulder every second) is enjoyable...i def want to go back.
So after a greeeeeat e weekend away...reality hit me with a report deadline looming. I walked around the office on Monday liek a Zombie after my first attempt to complete the report. Monday night...my final attempt resulted in one of those all nighters reserved for uni kids and programmers.
By Tuesday i was the picture of "happiness": droopy eyes, shabby dressing , yawning punctuating my sentences.
Wednesday ...it was downhill from here
Lectures from 1pm and project update required
Thursday ...
Project presentation...and would u believe a change again
Friday...i remember a Janazah...sad
n more recently i stayed up to hear from people back home( whi btw knew i was waiting ) and im still waiting
its past midnight
im pooped
i cant go to the group activity because im too tired coz i waited up
did i mention im tired
what a week...and this was supposed to be an easy week.
good luck 2 me
Instead, i chose to go to Canada for a family reunion of a sort. I got a 3 hour drive to Toronto from Erie via the niagara falls to be met by the bubbliest bunch of people i've met in a while. So sleep wasnt a question, but for a change it was worth it.
Canada was great , the place is more city like so i loved it , the diversity rocks, the freedom (to not have to look over your shoulder every second) is enjoyable...i def want to go back.
So after a greeeeeat e weekend away...reality hit me with a report deadline looming. I walked around the office on Monday liek a Zombie after my first attempt to complete the report. Monday night...my final attempt resulted in one of those all nighters reserved for uni kids and programmers.
By Tuesday i was the picture of "happiness": droopy eyes, shabby dressing , yawning punctuating my sentences.
Wednesday ...it was downhill from here
Lectures from 1pm and project update required
Thursday ...
Project presentation...and would u believe a change again
Friday...i remember a Janazah...sad
n more recently i stayed up to hear from people back home( whi btw knew i was waiting ) and im still waiting
its past midnight
im pooped
i cant go to the group activity because im too tired coz i waited up
did i mention im tired
what a week...and this was supposed to be an easy week.
good luck 2 me
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
20 02 2011
This past week has been amazing in a whole lot of ways
Getting over jet lag- i keep waking up at random hours , just because! And then i cant sleep again!
then there's work ...yep we hit the ground running and work , training , living all started as the plane doors spat us out in this foreign land.
In-between all the formalities , there were workshop tours , discussions about the differences and similarities between our employers and trainers and briefing on what to expect of our projects.
We've also had some (failed) attempts at team building. Paintball , bowling(i dont know if this was offficial) and lunch of which we haven't managed one as yet! We wil have to try harder. Last night we made it to a get-together which was not my scene but at least a beginning.
some other unusual things strange to the SA eye:
Snow melts very fast
When we arrived here last week , snow covered almost everything. Over the week , snow turned parking lots into quicksand mud grounds, gutters have been really full even though the rain hasn't come as yet.
so i looked out my window today and would you belive it, it turns out theres a basketball court down in that snow covered area! Not an icicle left in that clearing.
And the fountain to the left of that is even visible now.
Michelle Obama is on a mission to make Americans more health concious. So Feb= "heart month" and in a flash mob style fashion happy shoppers in malls start dancing in unison to get their daily exercise.
anyway , I was hoping to go to New York City this weekend but low and behold there isnt a bus that can get me there in good time to actually expereince the city. I still had a fab day yesterday because Aunty Rookiya and Uncle Goolam (My Grandads brother and sister-in-law) drove from Canada to spend the day with me :-D
how cool is that ??? They're super awesome. Uncle Goolam is just like my late Grandad and Aunty Rookiya has to be the youngest , most active grandma around. Im going to see them next week .
I off course have to concentrate on work and training and ReDineo aswell. But I almost feel like a tourist now...:-)
Getting over jet lag- i keep waking up at random hours , just because! And then i cant sleep again!
then there's work ...yep we hit the ground running and work , training , living all started as the plane doors spat us out in this foreign land.
- Monday morning we pitched up at the training facility and went through the motions of getting settled.
- Tuesday we got an induction
- Wednesday we had lectures
- Thursday we were assigned projects
- Friday we got access cards
In-between all the formalities , there were workshop tours , discussions about the differences and similarities between our employers and trainers and briefing on what to expect of our projects.
We've also had some (failed) attempts at team building. Paintball , bowling(i dont know if this was offficial) and lunch of which we haven't managed one as yet! We wil have to try harder. Last night we made it to a get-together which was not my scene but at least a beginning.
some other unusual things strange to the SA eye:
Snow melts very fast
When we arrived here last week , snow covered almost everything. Over the week , snow turned parking lots into quicksand mud grounds, gutters have been really full even though the rain hasn't come as yet.
so i looked out my window today and would you belive it, it turns out theres a basketball court down in that snow covered area! Not an icicle left in that clearing.
And the fountain to the left of that is even visible now.
This train locomotive in a workshop is what I call a Monster Loco. The SA loco's below can fit quite comfortably inside this Monster with space for a person to pass. I was completely wowed with the size of these. SA is definitely the petit kind.
finally (only because im running outr of pictures) Pennsylvania is essentially landlocked but I found the strangest vehicle out here...
uhuh, thats a ship. These guys build ships in the local ship yard!I dont think this pic does justice to the size of this ship...its ENORMOUS. how they get it to sea is beyond me!
anyway , I was hoping to go to New York City this weekend but low and behold there isnt a bus that can get me there in good time to actually expereince the city. I still had a fab day yesterday because Aunty Rookiya and Uncle Goolam (My Grandads brother and sister-in-law) drove from Canada to spend the day with me :-D
how cool is that ??? They're super awesome. Uncle Goolam is just like my late Grandad and Aunty Rookiya has to be the youngest , most active grandma around. Im going to see them next week .
I off course have to concentrate on work and training and ReDineo aswell. But I almost feel like a tourist now...:-)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Valentines Day in a white washed city
The Learning Centre is all kitted out for the occasion
This is the Residence Inn(below)...my home for the next 3 months ...pretty looking hey :-)
There is beautiful , soft snow all over the place...its cold outside and people dress like eskimo's
A school, I think, on the way to the Training facility ...its like a picture out of Dead Poets Society
Charlottes Webb connecting the wooden homes
Snow outside the window incidentally of the swimming pool area
Typical house in Erie
Monday, February 14, 2011
11 02 2011
I woke up yesterday morning with a start enough to scare the accents off the air hostesses who were walking up and down the isle as American air hostesses usually do, using words like trash and lavatory instead of dirt and toilet. I finally realised that I was on my way to America!!! The day before, much like the 3 months preceding the flight in question, had been a gas(erm I'm converting too...i meant petrol) guzzling, traffic enduring, last minute packing, visa collecting, double checking race to get everything done. And then almost shell-shocked , i boarded the plane ...
and at 8am South Africa time, 1am America time ( i have no idea what time it was in the area that I was in at that specific moment), there I was discovering what actually happened!
Shock and horror aside, at 6 am (US time) I arrived in Atlanta where true to their hospitality non-Americans were ushered into long queues with documents and forms in hand. "special" people , like myself found themselves in the "ssss" office for the second time in one trip having to validate the need to travel to the USA. *SSSS- some sort of special security check which singles out individuals and subjects them to frisking , verbal information confirmation, scans and gunpowder detection (yes i was subjected to these)
When flying into Johannesburg (or out of JHB for that matter) the world seems to be painted green with random spots of blue and brown adding depth and detail to the picture. Flying over the Miswest here in the USA , the shapes landscapes look very similar. The landscapes are covered in white with paths carved to depict roads.Its a different kind of beauty with little perception but rather flawless tranquility.
on a closer look , or perhaps a close encounter when driving on a different side of the road with a differently operated car one quickly realises that Its not flawless. driving on snow and ice is tricky and wheels quickly skid. Driving on the wrong side of the road , or right side as it may be, is mind boggling. we often follow force of habit and change to the left side which is verry dangerous. My first "driving lesson" in the vehicle went very well though. Yay. Thanks Walter for letting me drive to WalMart
Walmart is my newest fav mall/store/supermarket thing-a-ma-jig. It sells everything and its in the next street so im already planning my next trip.Its also open 24/7 so its very convenient. I think Im gonna get shopper of the month award, Ive been ther twice(nearly thrice) in the matter of 20 hours.
The accommodation Im in is the biggest surprise of all. I though that I was a bit crazy when i entered the lobby and a few nasty looking kids came bouncing by in "bathing suits". The swimming pool next to reception was actually full of people enjoying themselves. So what hey, we swim in winter in SA. Besides, i figured it was a warmed pool. It turns out that the hotel is linked to a water theme park adjacent to it. The kids that i saw were only a handful of hundreds of little people and their parents enjoying the slides and splashes of the park. Also linked to the hotel-theme park arrangement are a host of restaurants and more accommodation.
It looks like the valley of the waved with a roof. might just be losing my mind.
Perhaps its all just a weird dream. When I wake up, It will all be very normal and I'll go build a snowman.
cheerios ;-)
and at 8am South Africa time, 1am America time ( i have no idea what time it was in the area that I was in at that specific moment), there I was discovering what actually happened!
Shock and horror aside, at 6 am (US time) I arrived in Atlanta where true to their hospitality non-Americans were ushered into long queues with documents and forms in hand. "special" people , like myself found themselves in the "ssss" office for the second time in one trip having to validate the need to travel to the USA. *SSSS- some sort of special security check which singles out individuals and subjects them to frisking , verbal information confirmation, scans and gunpowder detection (yes i was subjected to these)
When flying into Johannesburg (or out of JHB for that matter) the world seems to be painted green with random spots of blue and brown adding depth and detail to the picture. Flying over the Miswest here in the USA , the shapes landscapes look very similar. The landscapes are covered in white with paths carved to depict roads.Its a different kind of beauty with little perception but rather flawless tranquility.
on a closer look , or perhaps a close encounter when driving on a different side of the road with a differently operated car one quickly realises that Its not flawless. driving on snow and ice is tricky and wheels quickly skid. Driving on the wrong side of the road , or right side as it may be, is mind boggling. we often follow force of habit and change to the left side which is verry dangerous. My first "driving lesson" in the vehicle went very well though. Yay. Thanks Walter for letting me drive to WalMart
Walmart is my newest fav mall/store/supermarket thing-a-ma-jig. It sells everything and its in the next street so im already planning my next trip.Its also open 24/7 so its very convenient. I think Im gonna get shopper of the month award, Ive been ther twice(nearly thrice) in the matter of 20 hours.
The accommodation Im in is the biggest surprise of all. I though that I was a bit crazy when i entered the lobby and a few nasty looking kids came bouncing by in "bathing suits". The swimming pool next to reception was actually full of people enjoying themselves. So what hey, we swim in winter in SA. Besides, i figured it was a warmed pool. It turns out that the hotel is linked to a water theme park adjacent to it. The kids that i saw were only a handful of hundreds of little people and their parents enjoying the slides and splashes of the park. Also linked to the hotel-theme park arrangement are a host of restaurants and more accommodation.
It looks like the valley of the waved with a roof. might just be losing my mind.
Perhaps its all just a weird dream. When I wake up, It will all be very normal and I'll go build a snowman.
cheerios ;-)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
D-day has dawned
Yesterday I had my US visa interview. After all the stress and planning and checklist ticking , i almost forgot my passport in the car. Yes, rather blond I am.
Anyways, the interview wasn't bad but it was really nothing like the interview that I had imagined. It took a few check points and scans and so on just to enter the embassy. The actual interview was through a glass window , sort of like the bank tellers in JHB town crossed with a high security prison visit. Despite the effect of the place to make even the most honest child feel like a wanted criminal, the efficiency of the place could teach our home affairs departments a thing or two.
The interview ended on a happy note, with the consol officer agreeing to process my Visa. Yayness to that.
So D-Day (Departure Day) is tomorrow. My bags are packed , my papers in order and now , finally, I'm beginning to look forward to the trip.
My next post will be from the USA.
Adieu
Anyways, the interview wasn't bad but it was really nothing like the interview that I had imagined. It took a few check points and scans and so on just to enter the embassy. The actual interview was through a glass window , sort of like the bank tellers in JHB town crossed with a high security prison visit. Despite the effect of the place to make even the most honest child feel like a wanted criminal, the efficiency of the place could teach our home affairs departments a thing or two.
The interview ended on a happy note, with the consol officer agreeing to process my Visa. Yayness to that.
So D-Day (Departure Day) is tomorrow. My bags are packed , my papers in order and now , finally, I'm beginning to look forward to the trip.
My next post will be from the USA.
Adieu
Sunday, February 06, 2011
To my birthday buddies
Usually around this time of the year, while everyone else is getting ready for Valentines Day and finding the most awful uses of the colour red, myself and a couple of friends are celebrating our birthdays.
I wont be around (in Jozi) for the celebrations this year, the gift exchanges or the innovative birthdays songs but I will be remembering each of my friends with a little prayer.
So to Dipsy, Mike, Zahra, Thuli, Soul Sista, Vidhya, Katlego and all the other Feb birthday pals, may you have a birthday to remember. Wishing you all many happy returns of the day.
Love
Naeema
I wont be around (in Jozi) for the celebrations this year, the gift exchanges or the innovative birthdays songs but I will be remembering each of my friends with a little prayer.
So to Dipsy, Mike, Zahra, Thuli, Soul Sista, Vidhya, Katlego and all the other Feb birthday pals, may you have a birthday to remember. Wishing you all many happy returns of the day.
Love
Naeema
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