You know that moment where you are supposed to meet up with a friend. The plan was to meet up at 6 p.m, West African Time (WAT), not Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but exactly 6 post meridian. Yet, fifteen minutes later you receive a text explaining that they are still getting dressed, which we all know means, “just getting out the shower”. You pace in front of the café, fiddling on your phone and scrolling through Instagram, twitter and snapchat. After some time things get awkward, and you decide to head into the café. This leaves you having to face an impatient waiter, who gives you the side-eye and makes you feel stood up. Sitting alone at a coffee shop table can feel very natural for many, yet for some it feels like a sure way to make you feel all alone and has you fiddling to keep busy, because it is just so damn awkward.
Engineering Mavis: The Art of Self Love (Part 1)
Ever look in the mirror and all you see is the imperfection? You are focused solely on the bulge at your waist, the stretch marks on your butt, the hairline that seems so far your forehead has a forehead, the blemishes on your skin… Regardless of how many times you are told you are beautiful, you cannot seem to grasp how anyone can look past the imperfections. You know that you have gorgeous features, but if only you could shed a few more kilos to fit into that dress you love so much. If only you could get your hair to look as good as the next person… IF ONLY.
Mono & Me: Engineering Mavis
The awkward firsts, where we now have to shake hands and make small talk to find out whether we really have anything in common to launch an equally enjoyable conversation. Firsts are all but entirely awkward, yet can be somewhat enjoyable. It leaves an opportunity for you to either reinvent yourself, go on a journey of discovery with this other person or simply allowing you to revisit the areas of your life that make up who you are. Many a times I can ease through firsts, but I must admit, this particular first is different, because I have wanted it for so long. It leaves little room to get it wrong, yet getting it right is entirely dependent on you. Yes you, the reader. The one who gets to meet me on the opposite page of this post and can make a decision to either love it, or hate it. No pressure, right? Wrong!
The new beginning I’m most proud of by Nelao Hamunime
There a lot of people out there who regret their career choice. Whether they were forced into it by their parents or they felt it was perfect at the time, dedicating four years and a whole lot of money for a degree you don’t even want anymore will surely leave you in a deep pit of regret. But what if you realised this early? What if you know right now that that is not the path you want to be in? Career or personal? Will you make that change?
Nelao Hamunime, a Manager in the Advisory Department at an audit firm, shares her story on how she made the change she is most proud of today.
New Beginnings
It’s a new year and a lot of us try to embark on new beginning, whether it’s as small as eating better or as deep as loving yourself (or doing things that mean loving yourself) or as life changing as stop smoking and drinking.
New year or not, a new beginning means an end of something you’d much rather be done with and looking forward to greater things. A better change.
We went on out to find what new beginning some of our readers are most proud of, maybe this will help you start your journey.
Things I wish to say to sixteen year old girls with hearts too big to be contained by their bodies- Sam Ndungula
Written and performed by Sam Ndungula, Spoken Word Namibia, 2016.