Carte Blanche on a Sunday night has always been a must watch on my TV viewing schedule. Sometimes I am not sure why because it is generally very depressing. Not the light hearted frivolity that one needs to end a weekend.
They do feature happy or inspiring stories from time to time. One such insert was on The Ubuntu Girl – Sonja Kruse. She left her dorp of Eshowe with R100, a camera and a backpack to walk around South Africa. Bloody nuts, right? I agree.
So when I saw that she was going to be the guest speaker at The Inspiring Women Network banquet at the Riverside Hotel nearby – I immediately booked my ticket (besides – the dress code was traditional so I could finally wear my sparkly salwar again) I am not the jump out of aeroplanes or off bridges type of person. I see getting in my car to collect the Alien from school as quite adventurous considering how some people drive. I am therefore interested to hear what makes people do crazy things. Why do they do it? Isn’t a balanced life staying at home with a glass of wine in one hand and the telly remote in the other? What gene am I missing that these lunatics seem to have a double dose of?
Well, besides having inherited the red hair gene in abundance, Sonja proved to be the most normal, down to earth person I have ever met. Her infectious giggle and sparkling personality is undoubtedly what earned her an invite into strangers’ homes every night of her year-long walkabout.
My key take-out after listening to the Ubuntu girl? We Saffers are still a distrusting and nervous bunch even with people like Sonja highlighting just how much good there is in this country. I am a positive and optimistic person but underlying fears and prejudices, although for the most part buried and ignored, will always rear their negative head and influence my thoughts and actions.
So, although I won’t be catching a taxi to Orania any time soon – I will make a more concerted effort to keep my mind open and my fears based on fact and not on prejudice. I still believe that collecting the Alien from school is a justified fear by the way.
Links for the UBUNTU Girl:
www.theubuntugirl.co.za
ubuntuabundance@gmail.com
Blog
Twitter
Facebook Page
Thanks so much Alma. It was awesome being there. You were such an 'easy' crowd haha 😉
You have a gift with words! I look forward to reading your blog
Happy 'Alien' fetching,
Sonja – the UBUNTU girl
Thank you for your kind words, Sonja. The bubbles definitely assisted in making Friday a sparkling event! All the best of luck to you and I look forward to reading your book as soon as it hits the bookshelves.
WOW! Sonja (Ubunto girl) is so the opposite of what I am! I wonder, did she write a book or kept journal about her trek across the country – I would love to read it! I will also go to the link that you added in your blog. As always, your blog is a highland in my FB experience and always thought provoking and so cleverly written. You have a gift with words!
Hugs, Helen in Texas : )
Thank you Helen! Sonja is busy writing a book so follow her on Facebook etc to keep posted on new developments. Hugs backatcha.