Life threatening situations with taxi drivers

I have been living in the city for well over four months now. The greatest challenge or culture shock for me, has been using taxi’s as a means of transportation.

Needless to say, taxi drivers have a bit of a reputation here in South Africa. Most citizens have a love-hate relationship with them (some, just hate) due to the fact that they break road laws and even go as far as creating their own.

Yesterday, I was in a taxi to town. Halfway to my destination, my taxi got stopped by a mob of taxi drivers. They had taken over the entire lanes of the road, therefore turning it in a one-way street.They stopped the taxi that I was in and threatened the driver to turn his taxi and join them. They were on strike, a common feat here in SA. We were ordered to disembark and walk! Without our money!

Sigh… I need a car!

I laugh about it now, but a part of me wonders what would have happened if we, and the driver, refused to comply to the orders given to us by the mob. Would we still be alive? Would I be sitting here laughing and writing this post?

Appreciate every moment. It might just be your last…

Peace,

R

Life threatening situations with taxi drivers

I have been living in the city for well over four months now. The greatest challenge or culture shock for me, has been using taxi’s as a means of transportation.

Needless to say, taxi drivers have a bit of a reputation here in South Africa. Most citizens have a love-hate relationship with them (some, just hate) due to the fact that they break road laws and even go as far as creating their own.

Yesterday, I was in a taxi to town. Halfway to my destination, my taxi got stopped by a mob of taxi drivers. They had taken over the entire lanes of the road, therefore turning it in a one-way street.They stopped the taxi that I was in and threatened the driver to turn his taxi and join them. They were on strike, a common feat here in SA. We were ordered to disembark and walk! Without our money!

Sigh… I need a car!

I laugh about it now, but a part of me wonders what would have happened if we, and the driver, refused to comply to the orders given to us by the mob. Would we still be alive? Would I be sitting here laughing and writing this post?

Appreciate every moment. It might just be your last…

Peace,

R

[FOOD] Richmond’s Chutney and Rooibos Chicken

Wow! It has been a while. Pardon the hiatus. Between not having a computer and trustworthy internet, I’ve neglected my blog . Well not that I’ve had anything to share anyway.

I’ve been missing home a great deal lately so I thought I should share one of my fave dishes from home with you . Thank me later.

1. Rub chicken breasts with salt and chilli powder. Cayenne pepper also works.

2. In a bowl, mix fruit chutney and a cup of rooibos tea. The consistency must be a bit thick.

3. Cover the chicken with the chutney mixture in an oven dish. Throw it in the oven at 180 °C

Enjoy!

I have been watching BBC Food quite a lot lately. My favourite shows are Aarti Party and Barefoot Contessa. Look forward to some recipes, right here. Of course I will add my own twist to them.

Eat, pray and love.

R

[FAH-SHON] All things grey

I have absolutely no idea how this infatuation started, but it exists. I love the colour GREY!

 

I was out window shopping today and yes, people still do that. And found these gor-jus grey items at Markham. I’m broke, so I took pictures but I stopped when I started getting side-eyed by the shop assistants otherwise I would’ve snapped some more stuff. Didn’t even get enough time to snap the prices. Hayi that shop assistant spoiled my mojo.

 

Now, I wait on someone to buy them, for me

I’m gonna call this a Grey Cotton Jacket. That’s what it is after all. It costs R 399. I actually got the chance to see it’s price. Love it!

Next up is this beautiful grey tie with purple detail. I did not look at the price. Hahaha…

Another jacket. I was not sure weather it was leather. Looked like it though…

And last, but not least, the grey waistcoat. Loved this one kakhulu. It comes second to the cotton jacket though…

Summer is drawing to an end and I cannot wait! Winter, for me, is the most fashionable month. I always look stylish in winter. Without effort at that. Oh ja, and I was born in winter

[FAH-SHON] What are YOU doing?

Milisuthando Bongela is a fashion journalist and co-owner of MeMeMe, which is a fashion boutique with branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town. My favourite, out of the many hats she wears, is Blogger-nista! Her blog is called missmilliworld (missmilliworld.blogspot.com). Milli blogs about fashion, music and art, amongst other things.

 

 

 

THE POINT: Last Night at 9pm, South Africans were glued to their TV screens for the first episode of CNN’s new series, called The Millenials. She was one of them! It’s almost like her own “Life in the fab lane” – minus the scripts and “acting”. A reality show with actual reality.

 

My first “encounter” with Milisuthando was last year on the 16^th of June (Youth Day) when she was on 3Talk (South African talk show). Here was this girl from the Eastern Cape, with an absolute passion for fashion (have you ever?), doing what she loves, no apologies! What struck me was how much she actually loves her work and her go-getting spirit. I tweeted her that afternoon saying “When I grow up, I wanna be you!”

 

What I’m getting at here, is that we have many young people out there who are literally grabbing the bull by the horns. We have enough role-models to inspire us to achieve what we want to achieve. Now, more than ever, we are encouraged to dream and we are exposed to the needed resources to make our dreams a reality.

 

What I’ve learnt from Mili’s story is that if you really want something, you will work at getting it. Full stop!

 

If the world were your oyster, and who is to say it isn’t, what would you be doing?

Why I haven’t been blogging of late

[POETRY] My Name – Magoleng wa Selepe

We did this poem back in high school. I have absolutely no idea why I thought about posting it, but hey…

 

My Name

Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa

Look what they have done to my name……..

the wonderful name of my great-great-grandmother

Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa

The burly bureaucrat was surprised

What he heard was music to his ears

‘Wat is daai, se nou weer?’

‘I am from Chief Daluxo Velayigodle of emalu podweni

And my name is Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa.’

Messia, help me !

My name is simple

And yet so meaningful

But to this man it is trash…..

He gives me a name

Convenient enough to answer his whim…..

I end up being

Maria…..

I…………..

Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa

by Magoleng wa Selepe

[DELAYED] The Next Chapter

Wow! Haven’t been on this thing for a while!! Found this piece that I was supposed to post in January. Don’t know why I never did! Here goes…

The Next Chapter

I finally managed to get myself into a university after much struggle. Due to unforeseen events, I didn’t get into the university I initially wanted to go to, nevertheless I thank God for the door he has opened for me at the one that I’m gonna be attending this year.

It feels as though time has passed waaay too fast. Only yesterday (yesterday: 12 years ago) I was in primary school, learning to read and playing with my new (and old) friends. Then it was high school (Lord have mercy!). And now its university! Gosh, how time has flown…

Making the move is both scary and exciting. Bittersweet. I have never been afraid of leaving my comfort zone, but now I’m petrified! Not in a bad way though. The move from the village to the big city is the perfect head start to making my visions *side eyes Raven* come true. I have sooo much that I want to do and the Big City is the perfect location to make these “visions” a reality.

As scary as it is, I’m closing a chapter and starting my next chapter. Enjoy the read with me…

P.S. There are quite a lot of country bumpkins in the big city so I’m not alone

P.P.S. Luckily I don’t look like a country bumpkin. Some of the peeps I saw at varsity have VILLAGE written on their faces *hides*

P.P.P.S. I had to take a taxi home from varsity and it was not bad at all.

 

Updated: I HATE TAXI’S!!

Still

I want to share this song with you. I don’t know who it’s originally by, but Hillsong covered it beautifully. I love singing this song when I’m at my wits end because it lifts me up and gives me hope that everything will be okay and that God knows the needs and desires of my heart and He will fulfill them…

Still

Hide me now

Under Your wings

Cover me

Within Your mighty hand

 

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will sail with You above the storm

Father You are king over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

 

Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

 

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will sail with You above the storm

Father You are king over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

 

I hope these lyrics have touched you and that they will be a blessing unto you, as they have been unto me.

Be blessed

R

Writing tips

Someone who has been visiting my blog asked me how I go about writing a post. I wish he would’ve commented on the actual blog since I have zero comments to date, but quite a good amount of views. Back to the point though, he asked me for some tips on writing and I was absolutely clueless. My thing is, write what is on your mind and revise the grammar after a while. Not very helpful but yeah, that’s what I do.

I found these tips on itsjanine.tumblr.com which I think are absolutely fabulous. She found the ]m on listsofnote.com So if you are an aspiring writer, this is for you.

In September 1982, advertising legend David Ogilvy sent an internal memo to the employees of his advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather. The memo was entitled “How to Write”.

The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.

Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.

Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing*. Read it three times.

2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.

3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.

4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.

5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.

6. Check your quotations.

7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning—and then edit it.

8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.

9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.

10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

David

*Writing That Works, by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson

Pic via.