CHRISTINE KNOBBS
SERENA PAVER
SABRINA SHUTTES
ON THE COVER 40_MS USA. Morgan Wolf looks back on one of the wildest years in PV history.
MATTHEW HURLOW
LANA DE BEER
FEATURES 26_DIE TOEKOMS VAN AFRIKAANSE BOEKE. Kanya Viljoen kyk vorentoe. 46_FOREIGN HOLIDAY ROMANCE really exists. 48_MATRICULANT OF THE YEAR. The best Matrics in PV and SA. 51_THE HISTORY OF APPLE. Landmarks in technology. 52_FANTASIES OF A GAP YEAR. Which way to go? ENTERTAINMENT 10_THE ULTIMATE REVIEW. Films, books, music, and celebrities.
KIM SWARTS
SPORT 20_THE BOYS WILL BE MEN. What Bafana Bafana is up to… DANIËL GELDENHUYS 22_LEAGUE TABLES according to Matthew Hurlow. FASHION 30_SPRING UNWRAPPED. Morgan Wolf models the new season trends. LIFESTYLE 24_SPRING DIETS. Doing it the healthy way. 28_A YEAR IN FLOWERS. What they all mean…
CHANTÉ CHARLES
REGULARS 03_MASTHEAD. Who did what. 04_LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. Daniёl‟s last words. ESTHER VAN ZYL
ON THE COVER Morgan Wolf photographed by Kim Swarts and styled by Daniёl Geldenhuys. Hair and makeup by Sarah Howard-Browne. Morgan wears a vintage dress and buckle heels, R450 at Foschini. Read the full story on page 40.
KAREN ROHWER
DEVON ROLFE
MEMBERS OF THE ULTIMATE EDITORIAL TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED BY DIANA KUÜN JANI VAN DER HOVEN
TAMRYN VAN WYK
DANIËL GELDENHUYS Editor In Chief Creative Director Fashion Director CHANTÉ CHARLES Deputy Editor Features Director SABRINA SHUTTES Co Editor Art Director CHRISTINE KNOBBS Beauty Director SARAH HOWARD-BROWNE Director of Photography KIM SWARTS Entertainment Editors SERENA PAVER KAREN ROHWER TAMRYN VAN WYK DIANA KÜHN Sport Editor MATTHEW HURLOW Fashion Editor JANI VAN DER HOVEN Lifestyle Editor ROBYN MURRAY Afrikaans Editor KANYA VILJOEN
Parel Vallei High School
Features Editors LANA DE BEER NATASHA BICKNELL ESTHER VAN ZYL DEVON ROLFE Head Proofreader M G STEENKAMP
95 Parel Vallei Road, Somerset West 7130
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
BREAKING THE RULES… This letter is a cheat. Everything else in the magazine, including my original editorial letter, was produced within a time span of 24 hours (1 day) to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. I am writing this letter two days after the issue officially closed. So, yes, it‟s a cheat. But technically my previous letter is even more of a cheat. I‟ll explain: in my previous letter I announced that it wasn‟t the final goodbye because, although I won‟t be staying on as editor in chief, I‟ll still be the fashion director. I had it all planned out: I‟d play the „school magazine‟ card to get great clothes and great venues to shoot them in, thus allowing me to continue full steam with my career in fashion next year without much effort. I was quite happy with the way things were until one day, sitting in a dull class, it hit me. I can‟t. I didn‟t know why… my head said staying with Ultimate was ideal for me, but my heart just said no. I guess it was a combination of me not wanting to let go of Parel Vallei and that feeling of pity I get when I see least-year matrics working at the school. Haven‟t you done anything with your life? Haven‟t you moved on? The truth is, I don‟t want to move on. (You may see this as sad but) I‟ve made Parel Vallei my life and I know that when I leave this school a considerable piece of me will stay behind. Dead. Still, I‟ve decided I can‟t let that hold me back. So I‟m leaving – completely. This is goodbye. The final goodbye – forever. (Grant me my dramatic moment.) It‟s nice to know that at 01:57 in the morning when I wrote my first editorial letter for this issue, I did come up with something valuable to say. And I‟ll say it again: I feel I should say goodbye… but, honestly, I‟d prefer to just say thank you. xoxoxoxoD^^
FOR OUR SEPTEMBER ISSUE, WE DECIDED TO GET OUR NEW EDITORIAL TEAM TOGETHER AND WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT TO CREATE OUR FISRT BIRTHDAY ISSUE. THE FOCUS? OUR EDITOR‟S TAKE ON INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT, SPORT, FASHION, MUSIC AND LIFESTYLE. THE RESULT? TURN THE PAGE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF…
MAKING SEPTEMBER A look behind the scenes at our cover shoot and our throughthe-night editorial session.
1 YEAR OF Founding editor Daniёl Geldenhuys remembers all nine highs.
At the time we were still struggling with boring admin stuff like distribution, etc… But it was a pleasure to interview Kobus and Caru! There is only one photographer who can handle a cover shoot with 37 people… Kim Swarts! This is our highest viewed issue to date. We skipped assembly to shoot the cover, most of the issue was designed in a car, and Lana de Beer exceeded all expectations by organizing an interview with Die Heuwels Fantasties!
Annamart was a great cover girl: humble and easy to photograph. The grade 8 orientation also added to the visual impact!
This issue uncovered some incredible PV sport stories: most notably the PV scouts and the unicycle club.
One of my favourite covers! A celebration of PV’s epic win at 2011 interschools and showcasing the powerful girls in matric… what’s not to like?
I poured my blood, sweat, tears, and soul into this issue. The end result – 95 pages – makes me incredibly proud. Lynn-Mari blew our crew away with her incredible modelling moves!
When we shot Seth we had no idea he would add “winner of PV’s Got Talent” to his résumé. We then had to make some last minute changes… Celebrating our educators is an issue that lies extremely close to my heart. Mrs Gouws (who we didn’t even know was an educator until we interviewed her) was a pleasure to meet.
The films, books, music and celebrities that are sure to tickle your fancy‌
FILM CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER DEUR DIANA KÜHN REGISSEUR: JOE JOHNSON MET CHRIS EVANS, HAYLEY, SEBASTIAN STAN, EN TOMMY LEE JONES. NOU BY TEATERS Vanjaar is 'n groot jaar vir die strokiesprentondersteuners. Eers was daar die vermaaklike Thor, gevolg deur die „X-traordinêre‟ X-Men, en nou: 'n briljante uitbeelding van die goedhartige Captain America. Ek het verwag dat dit patriotiese en ververlige superheld - onsin sal wees, maar dit was toe 'n baie prettige verhaal. Joe Johnston vertoon talente wat baie mense verbaas, maar ek dink die ware glorie gaan aan die wonderlike groepvertoning. Van my gunsteling akteurs, soos Hugo Weaving en Tommy Lee Jones (wat so terloops perfek by hul rolle pas), doen wonderlike werk met hul karakters, en Chris Evans bring 'n opvoering so eg, dat dit saam met die groot ikone soos Christopher Reeve se Superman kan gesels. Ons is verder bederf met spesiale effekte, fantastiese musiek deur Alan Silvestri en baie ander kreatiewe heerlikhede. Captain America is 'n storie wat maklik „cheesy‟ kan lyk (kyk net na die 1990-weergawe, dan sal jy weet wat ek bedoel), maar in plaas daarvan is dit net die teenoorgestelde. Dit lewer 'n prettige en opregte storie, met 'n superheld so aangenaam, dat elke sege soos jou eie oorwinning voel.
“Dit lewer 'n prettige en opregte storie...”
Spiderman is back… and this time he‟s AMAZING. Serena Paver gives us a sneak peak into THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN.
If you thought you saw the last of Peter Parker, you thought wrong! Under the guiding hand of Andrew Garfield as the nerdy hero, one can only imagine what new dynamic he will bring. Although the much loved actors, Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst have been given the boot, they have replaced by equally talented stars who will put a new spin on the revered franchise. The new Super Villain, Dr Curt Connors, is a military man who has lost his arm in war. In trying to be the feared man he once was, he mutates (bet you didn‟t see that coming). Now this all American hero becomes Lizard, a reptile hell bent on destroying all of New York. Of course when he is not chasing down his lady-love, your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman is protecting his much loved city. So why is Peter the best Super of all? The nerd factor .Who needs brawn when you have brains... and a crush on the girl next door? His whole story starts with him attempting to impress Mary Jane (now known as „Gwen‟), the one woman he will always love but never have. Instead he gets bitten by a radio-active spider and becomes the Superhero that he is today. He is caring, thoughtful and has a haunting back-story that will give you goose bumps. Everything he does is to protect his family and the people that he loves. And he does it all in incredibly cute glasses. What‟s not to love?
2012 promises the release of the muchawaited film: THE HUNGER GAMES TAMRYN VAN WYK fills us in on the hype…
The trilogy did not fail in luring millions of teenagers into Hunger Games craze and is being dubbed by many as the next TWILIGHT… Each year two tributes are selected at random to compete in a horrifying, bloodthirsty game show driven by the Capitol. When Katniss Everdeen‟s sister, Prim‟s, name is called at the reaping, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place. Katniss and Peeta enter the Games, where their worst nightmares have just become their reality. 2012 promises the release of the much awaited film, the Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence (LEFT), Stanley Tucci, Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson.
MUSIC ADELE 21 Review by Karen Rohwer R128.95 @ Kalahari.net
Adele‟s newest album “21” has reminded the world of her amazing talent and reverberating contralto voice in a way that many artists only ever dream of with this her second album with which she has proven that she is here to stay. What to listen to on this album is most definitely “Rumor Has It”, “Turning Tables” and “Take It All” other than of course the largely popular and commercialized “Set Fire To The Rain”, “Rolling In The Deep” and (with the acoustic version surprisingly taking the lead) “Someone Like You”. The only song that does not quite live up to Adele‟s brilliance is “He Won‟t Go”. What makes her songs so powerful has very little to do with the actual lyrics of the song or even the accompaniment, but the way in which Adele‟s voice belts out the lyrics in a clear deep yet dark tone. Her tender lyrics and warmth of her voice are carried out in each and every one of her songs. As soon as they find place in your ears, they will do the same to your heart. each and every one of her songs. As soon as they find place in your ears, they will do the same to your heart. This album is a must have in any music lovers collection. Adele is definitely an artist to look out for in the future as she can only go up from here. The awesome awaits…
“Each of Adele’s songs is soulful and ballad-like.”
BOOK THE H.I.V.E. (HIGHER INSTITUTE FOR VILLANOUS EDUCATION) by MARK WALDEN Review Chanté Charles
Reasoning as sound as this helps to set this book apart. From the mastermind Mark Walden a new type of hero emerges - the villain. The story follows thirteen-year-old genius Otto Malpense, who has decided to use his abilities in rather illegal ways. After an incident that involved hypnotizing the prime minister, he is immediately selected into a school for individuals just like himself. This is H.I.V.E: the good school for truly bad. At the school, we meet his fellow mastermind criminals. His nearest friend is Wing Funchu, the Japanese wrestler who is almost immune to tranquilizers. Shelby takes the role as The Wraith, a thief that can get into any museum or safe in the world untraced. Laura is the innocent bystander. All she did was eavesdrop on a conversation… using technology from the early nuclear missile warning system on her local army base. Franz is the man with an unending appetite and a knack for draining funds. Lastly, Nigel Darkdoom (I kid you not) is the brain behind all things biological. His pet plant projects truly comes to life. Now why are these characters important, do you ask? The answer is simple. Otto wants out of this six-year sentence, and they are going to be the chosen few to help him. This is a beautifully crafted piece of literature that breaks away from the stereotypical fight of good versus bad. No matter how callous the plot sounds, the author manages to show us the life lessons one can learn. The characters are carefully shaped so that despite their glaringly obvious faults, you find yourself cheering them on. At the end of reading this book (or actually at the beginning), you will find yourself wondering why you were never enrolled into H.I.V.E. Surely you have irritated enough people to earn your place? The average acts are never enough with a school that has such high standards in being bad. To find out what you have to do to become like Otto, you need only read on…
“I am sure there have been times when you have read books or watched films and found yourself secretly wishing for the villain to win. Why? It is simple, really. The villain gets the best lines, has the best outfits, unlimited wealth and power- why on Earth would anyone NOT want to be the villain?”
ZOO CITY by LAUREN BEUKES Review ChantĂŠ Charles
It is the highly acclaimed novel that has set the literature world blazing and firmly placed South Africa on the map. Even the toughest of critics say that it is on a level of its own. What could be this fantastic? Launching itself onto the radar, Zoo City is a fusion of sci-fi, thriller and fantasy. The story seems like that of the Golden Compass except with an unusual twist. The main character is Zinzi. Though she once had a future as shining as us all, she became prey to the misfortunes of life. Now she struggles to maintain her drug-free lifestyle. After all, it is not easy to move on when the shame that she feels has taken a corporeal form. In this pseudo-South Africa, all of those who have sinned have their sins take on an animal form. With her pet in hand, Zinzi must find a kidnapped young girl before time runs out. But, naturally, all is not how it seems, as not only the animals have a wild side. Hailing from our home, Lauren Beukes has created a mass of literary complications that drags the reader into its tangled web. The tale is enthralling and manages to show the light in dark times and show humanity with all its flaws. Despite being a slightly heavy read, it has a lesson that is invaluable to learn. As they say, to be human is to err. This takes us past that and into the journey of forgiving oneself for all that is past. How thrilling is this non-stop adventure? Thrilling enough to have it win the 2011 Arthur C Clarke award, beating other critically acclaimed novels. It is fast on its way to becoming an international frenzy, with talks of movies in the fold. ď Ž
But, naturally, all is not how it seems, as not only the animals have a wild side‌
KOSHUISKOFFIE deur CHRISTIEN NESEN Resensent: Tamryn van Wyk Elle is „n tipiese stadsmeisie wat glad nie uitsien daarna om saam met haar ouers in Botswana se “Bos”, te gaan vakansie hou nie. Hierdie vakansie kan net sowel die einde van haar lewe beteken. Om dinge te kompliseer gaan “Die Ketchups” ook daar wees. Haar ouers se vriende, se kinders: Divan en Alex Mostert. Die somer in Botswana, is glad nie so aaklig soos die nuus wat Divan en Alex met haar deel nie...Elle gaan koshuis toe, omdat “Die Ketchups” se ouers, en Elle se ma-hulle navorsing in Antartika moet gaan doen. Vir Elle beteken dit net een ding: geen meer gewone drag skool toe nie, van nou af is dit net “super-hiper-mega lelike” kloosteruniforms! Die koshuiservaring is sleg, maar liefde word gevind op „n baie onverwagte plek. Kondensmelk is Christien Neser se eerste boek en is lekker ligte leesstof. Die koshuiservaringe van Elle en haar eksentrieke koshuismaats is humoristies en skokkend. Die tweede boek in Christien Neser se reeks is Koshuiskoffie. Dit is die vervolg op Elle se skoolloopbaan aan Gravitas- meisieskool.
CELEBRITY
THE H FACTOR By Tamryn van Wyk Since the age of 9, this new-comer has been nominated for awards and won many of them for his superb acting. Josh Hutcherson, who began his acting career on the television set of House Blend, has grown as both a gentleman and an actor. Having starred in 23 films already, we can expect great films from this man. Born in Kentucky to Chris and Michelle Hutcherson, Josh is the eldest of two children. He played minor roles in television shows such as ER and House Blend. Hutcherson won two Young Artist Awards in the films Bridge to Terabithia and The Polar Express. A great deal of “buzz” has been created around Hutcherson for his upcoming roles in the movies: The Hunger Games and Journey to the Centre of the Earth 2: The Mysterious Islands. The Hunger Games, a trilogy, by Suzanne Collins follows the lives of Katniss and Peeta, living in a country ruled by the Capitol. Katniss and Peeta are chosen to represent District 12 in The Hunger Games. Hutcherson, who plays the role of Peeta Mellark, had to undergo many “changes” for his role. This involved bulking up for the role which involves great deals of combat and exchanging his brown locks for a more honey shade. For Josh Hutcherson, Journey 2 has proved not only to be a career interest but also a love interest: there have been speculations that Hutcherson may be dating his co-star Vanessa Hudgens. With multiple movies lined up, some of which are said to be the new Harry Potters, we should be sure to watch out for this rising actor.
GLEEK By Robyn Murray
As many of us know, Kurt Hummel, from the hit television series, Glee, stands out with his amazing style, passion for singing and beautiful voice. He has become quite a hit around town. He also takes a strong stand towards his sexual orientation and tries his best to stand up for what he believes. Playing this character earned him a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for a 2011 Emmy, and was named in Time Magazine‟s Top 100 Most Influential People. He was born in Clovis, California and was the child of two extremely Irish parents. He was a scholar at Clovis East High School. Involved in Speech and Debate, he took part and won countless speech and debate championship titles. Life threw him a curveball as he realised that he was gay. His parents have accepted him and though this was not enough to guarantee him a life free of bullying, he‟s taken his experiences and channelled them into becoming an ambassador for equality. As a young child, he starred in a version of The Sound of Music (Funnily enough, as a character named Kurt). At eighteen he stared as Russel Fish in Russel Fish: The Sausage and Eggs Incident, a film about an awkward teenager who needs to pass his gym class in order to get into Harvard University. In Glee he originally auditioned for Artie Abrahams on Glee, but producer Ryan Murphy decided to create a new character, Kurt Hummel, especially for him. His new project titled „Struck By Lightening,‟ which he wrote and is starring in, will be in theatres next year.
THE BOYS will be
MEN by Matthew Hurlow
The
2010 FIFA World Cup brought many things to South Africa: unity, an economic boost, and most of all a great time. But one of the most important affects the World Cup had on our boys were to give them the potential to propel themselves into the realm of footballing titans. And, just over a year on, I am pleased to say that they are heading that way. Since the World Cup, the boys have already dispatched the kings of African football one-nil thanks to a brilliant injurytime strike by Katlego Mphela. Ghana was also felled by the very same striker, in a friendly that was originally billed as a match in which “The Black Stars” (Ghana‟s nickname) would run riot. Mphela has recently been the subject of a proposed transfer from local team Mamelodi Sundowns to Scottish side, Celtic, one of the most successful teams in Scotland. The young talented forward has not been the only South African player to attract international interest. Siphiwe Tshabalala, South Africa‟s goal scorer in the opening match of the World Cup, has been linked with a number of English Championship teams, many of which used to be competitive in the English Premiership (the highest league in England) such as Nottingham Forest FC and Leeds United.
Also, Belgian side Liege have very recently made a seven million rand bid for Orlando Pirates midfielder Tlou Segolela. Our boys are definitely demanding the lime-light. The boys in green and gold have also climbed the FIFA rankings faster in the two years than any other African team. They went from being 85th in 2009, to 47 this year. A few months ago, I went to see Bafana Bafana play at Cape Town Stadium in a friendly match against USA. South Africa dominated possession, chances and outplayed a star-studded American team. . Although we lost the game one-nil, due to a momentary lapse in defensive concentration late in the game, it was a perfect showcase for how South African football has improved over the years.
“Our boys are definitely demanding the lime-light.”
Firstly, one thing I noticed was that South Africa play a very similar style of play to Spain: dominate possession and make concentrated attacks. Within a few years, who knows, Bafana may be rivalling the Spanish at their own game. Another thing I noticed was that after the game the atmosphere was not one of disappointment or frustration. Most of the fans I could tell, all believed that South Africa deserved to win the match. Bafana‟s massive potential coupled with their fans apparent tolerance and forgiveness may prove vital for a team that is finding its feet in the land of footballing greatness. I hope that our performances in the World Cup will dispel the critics of our team and turn them into genuine fans. Bafana Bafana is a team that deserve to have their nation behind them. Having qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and being selected to host the next one, they have a chance to really prove their worth. And after that, the Confederations Cup, probably qualifying for the World Cup, don‟t rule it out…
How the league tables look so far…
Matthew Hurlow‟s opinion on… the PSL Kaizer Chiefs on top with 9 points out of 9 is very exciting for me, although I would obviously like to see Ajax vying for top-spot too. the Currie Cup While I would love to see the Stormers on top, I must say that it makes things much more interesting that the Lions have become competitive. the EPL While I never thought that Liverpool would haul themselves back to the top, seeing Chelsea in second place is revolting. Arsenal is still going to win right…?
SPRING is in the AIR… and so is your diet plan. By Robyn Murray
As we all know the time is coming to take off your woollen jackets and scarfs and put on your latest spring outfits, time to hit the gym, eat your healthy foods and get your body in shape for the upcoming „summer loving‟ weather. Everyone needs a way that he or she feels most comfortable with losing weight. All women think that she in some way needs to lose weight. We as women can find a million excuses as why our friend is perfect and shouldn‟t have the need to lose weight but the second we‟re alone or put in front of a mirror we find a million reasons to why we should lose weight. Weight is such a touchy subject… but I think it‟s necessary to keep you informed about the dos and don‟ts of dieting. Starting with a breakfast, many people see this as a simple and not necessarily needed meal, but breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. It really shouldn‟t be seen as a low priority. Everyone needs to learn about how to go about losing the weight that should be lost and keeping the weight that should be kept. The great thing about eating healthily is it takes away the craving of greasy fat filled oily foods. This shouldn‟t be seen as a chore but more as a way of living. I am honestly so surprised when friends that I find incredibly beautiful and strong complaining about how they look, and how this piece of skin is sticking out here and that one there, you can try all you want and pray all you need but you are not going to become a stick when you already have all the right curves in all the right places. We all would love to eat what we want and look the way we want,but I hate to tell you that we can‟t always get what we want. Life is about the many hard sacrifices - weight being one of them.
The little effort that one has to put in actually eating in the morning is very little; it takes up about ten minutes of your time and really does have its many positives. Eating a healthy simple breakfast helps to cut down on fat ,cholesterol levels and helps in controlling your weight. The core of a healthy breakfast is making sure the following aspects are included in your breakfast: whole grains for example whole-grain rolls, bagels, hot or cold whole-grain cereals, low-fat bran muffins, crackers, or Melba toast. Low fats such as peanut butter, lean meat, poultry or fish, or hard-boiled eggs. Low fat dairy, skim milk, low-fat yogurt and lowfat cheeses, such as cottage and natural cheeses and most importantly fruits, as many fruits as you can. A wise tip is to cut out as much sugar as possible. Two sugars in your tea? Cut down to one! Or even replace sugar with honey! This is an easy healthy way of losing weight. It is no joke when your parents warn the youth of our day to not diet because it hurts and harms our bodies, we all see the picture perfect people in the world, the incredibly skinny models, the way that on the TV shows girls who somehow manage to wake up with their make up perfectly applied and their hair still with beautiful curls and how even though they eat or say they eat whatever they want they still look tiny and perfect. Seeing this makes all of us green with envy and we strive to lose as much weight and have perfect skin, but only by damaging our bodies.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen It is so important to find a diet that will not give you the scary side effects that young and old teenagers get. Don‟t think that it won‟t happen to you, in the scary world we live in girls go through intense pain to look the way the media tells them to. Poor nutrition can cause side effects that range from small illnesses to major life threatening diseases. The basic way of having the best of both worlds is eating everything that your bodies need in proportion. With everything we eat it is unhealthy to have too much of one thing. Don‟t think that having one sweet is suddenly going to make you enormous. We all have to find our own comfortable balance.
DIE TOEKOMS VAN „N AFRIKAANSE BOEK KANYA VILJOEN KYK VORENTOE
D
ie bekende Amerikaanse skrywer, Edward P
Morgan, het by geleentheid gesê : Boeke is een van die min forums waarin jy kan beweeg om „n vlambare idee te ondersoek sonder om dit aan die brand te steek, „n brose stelling kan herhaal sonder om dit te breek –en- dit bly een van die laaste horisonne waarheen jy jou gedagtegang kan lei ten einde jouself te bevraagteken en bloot te stel - en dit alles tussen die privaatheid van‟n klomp gedrukte bladsye met woorde daarop. Die woorde kry „n klankbord in die denke van die Britse komponis, John Powell, deur te kyk na sy stelling waarin hy aandui dat ons as mense wel groei indien ons gereeld ons horisonne kan verskuif. Vir ons as boekliefhebbers en woordsmouse is dit belangrik dat ons „n spreekwoordelike raamwerk skep tussen die rol van die boek as taalriglyn en fondament en die toekoms van die gedrukte woord in die veranderende wêreld. Die vraag wat ons sonder tierlantyntjies en verdraaide agendas moet vra, is baie eenvoudig – is daar plek vir boeke in hierdie wereld van Internettegnologie, Kindle en E-Book-digitalisering. In „n verdere vereenvoudigde vorm is daar plek vir die Afrikaanse boek in ons toekoms? In „n seminaar, aangebied deur die SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns in Oktober 2010, maak prof. W Carstens, die Voorsitter van die Afrikaanse Taalraad, die stelling dat Afrikaans as gedrukte taal by „n kruispad staan, aangesien uitgewers aanvoer dat : die mark vir Afrikaanse publikasies te klein is en daar geen wins vir hulle as uitgewers te maak is nie; indien daar nie „n groot aanvraag is nie, ‟n boek nie uitgegee word nie; studente en dosente Engelse handboeke verkies; daar geen finansiële insette vir Afrikaanse skrywers is om akademiese boeke te publiseer nie; en dat afgerolde aantekening goedkoper en ook makliker is om op datum te bring. Vanuit die woorde van die wetenskaplike akademici lyk dit juis of die horison vir Afrikaanse publikasies hul horison bereik het. Ek voel egter dat ons kortsigtig te werk sal gaan in SuidAfrika as ons boeke nie hul plek op die horison gun nie. Ons horison moet eerder verander in „n strydkreet wat beteken, nou hoor my son, maan en al die planete - die Afrikaanse boek is hier om te bly. Die formaat is irrelevant, alhoewel ek moet bieg, vir die puris is die reuk van „n boek en die swoesj van „n nuwe bladsy soos dit omswaai, onvervangbaar. My taal, hetsy dit op „n Kindle verskyn of binne „n ou leeromslag, bly nog steeds immers my taal. Soos Langenhoven dit op sy eiesoortige manier gestel het : Om ons één eie taal tot nut te gebruik is groter kuns as om sewe vreemdes by te leer."
Die huidige skoolkurrikulum vereis dat moedertaalonderrig as basis moet dien vir laerskoolopleiding. Die Suid- Afrikaanse Onderwysunie het in 2010 die getal Afrikaanssprekende skoliere op ongeveer 390 000 geskat met die oorgrote meerderheid van die leerlinge in die laerskole. Die fondament en hoeksteen om die taal kerngesond te hou is reeds gelê. Die probleem begin egter kop uitsteek wanneer daar gekyk word na die hulpmiddels wat gebruik word om die taal te versterk. In „n wankelende ekonomie word die oophou van biblioteke, die verkope van gedrukte media, insluitende koerante en joernale, asook die aanbou van skoolbiblioteke as „n luukse beskou wat moeilik regverdig kan word. Die slawe wat met hul Maleisiese taal in die Kaap aangekom het, is „n sprekende voorbeeld van „n taal wat horisonne geskuif het. Vandag praat ons met gemak van piesangs, blatjang en baie, sonder om te aarsel oor die oorsprong van die woorde. Afrikaans is ook vasgewortel in Nederlands en Vlaams. Die Universiteit van Wenen se Instituut van Europese Tale is een van ongeveer 9 Europese universiteite waar Afrikaans as tweede taal aangebied word. Voeg hierby ook dat Afrikaanse boeke gevind kan word in sulke lekker rondom-dietong-winkeltjies soos Grammadoelas in België, Vlakvark in Duitsland en Suidewind in Oostenryk. „n Taal moet kan verander en so ook moet sy ondersteuningsmateriaal. Ons isolasie en nougesette idees maak dit soms beperkend as ons kyk na die skuif van ons taalhorison. Ons gaan nie die taal in sy suiwerste vorm bly beoefen nie en dit is „n refleksie van „n taal wat aanbeweeg. Ouma weet nog wat blouseep is, maar ek koop camomile en lavender handeroom by die Body Shop, en ons albei ruik ewe lekker. Is dit nie miskien tyd vir „n Verklarende Handwoordeboek vir die Afrikaanse Taal op my selfoon nie? As ons die Afrikaanse horison reg wil benader en ons mikpunt is immers om eers die een horison te bereik en dan aan te skuif na die volgende, moet ons seker maak die voetspore wat geloop is tot en met die horison, is daar vir ander om te volg. Dit beteken dat ons die taal moet bly ondersteun. Vir kinders wat in Afrikaans leer en dink moet daar hulpmiddels wees. „n Storieboek vir „n arm kind wat nie Internet het nie, is dieselfde bron van inligting oor Afrikaans as vir die bevoorregte kinders wat hier voor my sit, die aanwendingskonteks is al wat verskil. Ek wil afsluit deur die skrywer Kerneels Breytenbach aan te haal toe hy gevra is oor die stand van Afrikaanse boeke. Sy woorde was: Wanneer dinge in ‟n bedryf soos dié van boeke skeefloop, moet mens soms, in plaas van te dink dat iets verkeerd geloop het, dit sien as iets wat onverwags baie goed uitgewerk het – jy weet nog net nie wat „goed‟ behels nie.”
A YEAR IN FLOWERS A birth flower is a flower which symbolizes the month in which a person was born. Each flower portrays many meanings and are said to have qualities which your friend may have.
by Tamryn van Wyk
Carnations for January Irises for February
Carnations meaning “flower of Gods” or “Divine Flowers” are truly worthy of that name as they are often the main flowers used in religious ceremonies and large festivals. The carnation is the flower symbolic of beauty, disdain and love.
Daffodils for March
One of the first signs of Spring are Daffodils, therefore it is only fitting that this flower is the symbol of rebirth. This Mediterranean flower symbolizes respect and rebirth and is used mainly as decorations.
Iris, Greek for “Rainbow” has been prominent since ancient times where this flower has been utilized for both medicinal and fragrant purposes. An Iris symbolizes hope, faith and wisdom.
Daisies for April
The daisy, native to South Africa, means innocence, modesty and implicitness. Daisies are very popular flowers and work exceptionally well in bouquets.
Roses for June Lilies for May
Native to Europe, the lily of the valley, means “that which belongs to May.” The Lily is often used in weddings as it symbolizes purity, sweetness and humility.
Roses are probably the most famous flowers and come in more than one shade. Each color of the rose has a different meaning. It‟s believed that Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, gave Eros, the God of love, a rose. Roses can symbolize passion and secrecy or sympathy and friendship.
Larkspurs for July
Gladioluses for August
July is represented by the Larkspur, a tall plant, symbolic of lightness.
The August flower which is named after gladiators comes in a variety of colors. This swordlike flower is the symbol of remembrance.
Asters for September
Marigolds for October The star shape of the Aster has contributed to its name which means “star” in Latin. This flower is very common, with the Chinese aster being the most popular. The flower is symbolic of patience and occurs in many colors.
Marigolds or Calendula, are very sacred flowers. These flowers are in bloom for long periods and are natural remedies. Calendula means “winning grace.”
Chrysanthemums for November Narcissuses for December
Chrysanth emums which mean “Gold Flower” are symbols of the sun and have been utilized for centuries by the Chinese for their medicinal purposes. The flower is symbolic of friendship and compassion.
Narcissuses are Christmas flowers and are given as gifts during this festive time. These flowers are very fragrant and the person, to whom the flower is given, is considered sweet.
SPRING
UNWRAPPED Morgan Wolf models our favourite trends of the new season from our favourite chain store: Foschini.
Styling Photographs Beauty
DANIĐ L GELDENHUYS KIM SWARTS SARAH HOWARD-BROWNE
WHITE LACE Tea dress, R360, WWW; wedges, R299, Foschini; all at Foschini. Peace ear rings worn throughout: Morganâ€&#x;s own.
THE JUMPSUIT Denim jumpsuit with floral belt, R390, NEWS at Foschini.
STRIPES Striped dress with denim vest, R280, NEWS; skinnies, R290, WWW; nude heels (just seen), R340, Foschini; all at Foschini.
ASIA Paisley-print pleated dress, R350, OASIS at Foschini.
SOFT FLORAL Floral print dress, R320, NEWS at Foschini; bangles, modelâ€&#x;s own.
PUNK Biker jacket, modelâ€&#x;s own; lace-up pants, R340, NEWS at Foschini.
BOLD COLOUR Tee, R80, NEWS; buckle heels, R450, Foschini; all at Foschini; high waisted pants, modelâ€&#x;s own
MONOTONE Tee, R80, NEWS; satin skirt, R270, OASIS; buckle heels, R450, Foschini; all at Foschini; bangle and sunglasses, modelâ€&#x;s own.
SOFT FLORAL Floral print dress, R320, NEWS at Foschini; bangles, model‟s own.
WHITE LACE STRIPES Tea dress, R360, WWW; Striped dress with wedges, R299, denim vest,allR280, Foschini; at Foschini. NEWS; skinnies, R290, WWW; nude Peace ear heels rings and (just seen), ring worn R340, throughout: Foschini; all at Morgan‟s own. Foschini.
SPOTS Tank top, R80, NEWS; shorts, R300, WWW; buckle heels, R450, Foschini; all at Foschini; wayfarers, stylist‟s own. PRODUCTION DANIЁL GELDENHUYS. PHOTOGRPAHS KIM SWARTS. MODEL MORGAN WOLF. HAIR AND MAKEUP SARAH HOWARDBROWNE. INTERNS JANI VAN DER HOVEN AND SABRINA SHUTTES
USA GIRL MORGAN WOLF looks back on one of the WILDEST YEARS in PV history.
words and styling photographs beauty
DANIЁL GELDENHUYS KIM SWARTS SARAH HOWARD-BROWNE
T
o be honest, when Morgan Wolf was elected as Head Girl I was a little scared. I heard she was a republican… and in my mind republican equalled conservative equalled grab the pitch forks and… I‟ll stop there. It‟s funny that a year later, interviewing her, asking about her political position didn‟t even cross my mind. The very quality in her that made me nervous turned out to be the quality I now admire in her the most. She‟s strong willed, efficient, and has a killer accent. The Wolves (as they would probably be called in a reality show) moved to South Africa when Morgan was seven. It‟s the usual reason: dad‟s job. Mr. Wolf started a church in SA (the country of his choice) and moved his family down with him. Ever since, Morgan has been taking visits back to the US for periods of six months. She planned to be SA this year, not because she thought she might be head girl, but because she didn‟t want to miss one moment of her matric year. Schools in America are very different: because of whole no uniform thing, you can pitch up to school in pajamas and no one will care. Also, you can take certain classes for a certain period of time… you‟re not tied to one subject as you are in SA. Sounds good? Well, in American school there is no such thing as a learner council or a head girl. If that still sounds good to you, then go to America. Columbus, Ohio. Is home to the biggest university in America and the head girl of the best high school in South Africa (don‟t argue with me). Morgan lives just around the corner from the university which is probably one of the most interesting pieces of scenery in the area since there is “no mountains, or ocean, or anything. Just flat. And there‟s just cornfields everywhere.” Sister Wolf lives in Florida, where there‟s a beach, which Morgan likes. Morgan, a summer person, would plan her year so that she catches an African summer, and an American one after that: a killer tan plan if you ask me. But back to Ohio: Morgan says she usually spends her time with friends and family, hanging out at the community pool. No one has pools at their house there, so everyone goes to something that looks like a giant water world. Morgan prefers Ohio to Cape Town… when she‟s there. She prefers Cape Town to Ohio… when she‟s there. This pretty much sums up her mixed feelings about studies next year… The plan is to study accounting and become a wedding planner. She‟s applied to numerous American universities and our own UCT. But the choice remains to be made. She‟d have liked to have made it by now but… you must understand the nature of an indecisive 18 year old. Well, apparently she‟s currently leaning towards one of the options/countries… but she‟s keeping that her secret.
Tee, R80, NEWS; crochet knit, R280, Instinct; both at Foschini. Fashion Director: Daniёl Geldenhuys. Director of Photography: Kim Swarts. Beauty Director: Sarah Howard Browne. Co editor: Sabrina Shuttes. Fashion intern: Jani van der Hoven.
Before her election to Learner Council last year, Morgan didn‟t know who Charl Cilliers (who she has never dated (there have been rumours)) was. It was only at the council camp that they met properly for the first time. By the time they were sitting in the hall, waiting to see who would be elected as head prefect, both wanted the other to be in that position. And so began a partnership that naturally hasn‟t been without its lows, but that has turned out to be one of the most diverse and dynamic leading duos the school has ever seen. “I thought it would be really cool to be head girl… but I never ever ever ever ever thought I would get it. Not in a million years.” Being head girl has been extremely rewarding, but it‟s also had its difficulties. “Everyone puts you on a different level. Like, when you‟re walking through the school you‟re not just Morgan, you‟re the head girl… and I didn‟t like that.” Many head girls have said that it is an extremely lonely experience, being at the top, but Morgan has fought hard to keep her friends, and won. After this, she quickly, and honestly, adds that her year has been “amazing” and that she couldn‟t have imagined her year without the council. She knows It‟s cliché, but she sees the Learner Council as a family. Well, if that‟s the case, I think she‟s been an excellent mom. “I‟ve learned to just be who I am… whether people like it or not.” She‟s learned a lot this year about leadership: how to talk in front of a crowd, how to work with different personalities, and how to speak Afrikaans. Best moment: “Orientation… Camp… Learner Council gangster dance.” Worst moment: “Courtney.” It‟s been an interesting year. The highs were extremely high and the lows were extremely low. Morgan has managed to stay strong through it all and has perhaps been the best example of leading by example. Obviously, she will be giving many farewell speeches in the months to come, but for now she‟d like to leave you all with the following: “Every school is known for something, but Parel Vallei is known for everything. Don‟t try to be like Paul Roos or any of those other schools. We must just be who we are and everything will turn out great. Just do your best and trust God for the rest.”
Being head girl has been extremely rewarding, but it also had its difficulties.
Does the perfect foreign holiday romance really exist? Lana de Beer investigates‌
The international love affair. The one every girl dreams of. The one where she gets swept off her feet by a brooding olive toned bad boy on a Vespa. Or the one that he dreams of where an innocent foreign fair-haired maiden with little understanding of the English language is in need of his saving. Do these situations actually exist? Do men actually come up to you and whisper sweet foreign nothings in your ear of which you have no understanding of but make your knees weak? Do girls in busty dresses really trip over their feet and fall into your lap? The answer is yes, it could happen... but it‟s all up to you. Since I am a European at heart I have done my fair share of travelling. I have lived in Belgium and in the UK for 8 years and I have been to places like France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Holland, and Poland so I have observed quite a bit. There is a myth that should be cleared up: “Europeans are way more in tune with their bodies than „normal‟ teens.” This is depressingly true. In the 3 days that I was in Rome I spotted 14 kissing couples. That‟s right. 14. And those were only the ones right up in my face. But the way they do it is what gets me. It‟s like there‟s some spicy Italian flavour that we missed out on. They share a look across a packed room and that‟s it. Another thing: Italian men. Are they really as passionate as in the movies? The answer is unfortunately...yes. They are so persistent it‟s scary. It‟s like a father passes down the tradition to his son. Maybe they‟re scared that women won‟t come to them? When my mother was in Matric a couple hundred years ago (sorry Mom) she went on a choir trip to Italy (the most cliché
storyline in movies ever). Anyway, there was a girl in the group that had really long Serena Van Der Woodsen blonde hair. The men went wild. They followed her around everywhere, whispering “Bella, Bella” in her ear and serenading them outside their windows on their Vespas. After a while the teachers got really fed up and forced her to tie her hair up! They made her wear a bandanna around her head! It‟s a fact. A blonde woman cannot walk around Italy unattended. It‟s chaos. My experience earlier this year went very much the same way. I was groped on a crowded bus for 10-20 minutes by an old man. A traumatising experience. But it‟s not all bad. Once you stop running from a pair of scooters pursuing you and actually stop to look at them, you‟ll notice how incredibly good-looking the riders are. And you won‟t be so reluctant to answer their cheerful pleas. Then, girls, you shall have thy holiday fling. If you think about it, it‟s really easy to get your dreamy international love affair. I‟m talking to the ladies here because mensadly I have never witnessed or heard of a tourist pursued by a woman as women are obviously the mysterious creatures. Ladies, the foreigners are waiting. (Seeing as me leaving the men with absolutely no hope of a inter-continental fling would be callous, I cannot. Take heart men. There are plenty of us local girls who would gladly appreciate a stolen moment with you.)
Europeans are way more in tune with their bodies than „normal‟ teens
THE MATRICULANT OF THE YEAR ESTHER VAN ZYL TAKES US INSIDE THE LIVES OF THE “OVER-ACHIEVERS” In high-school, there is an unspoken yet firmly established system that dictates the way you as a person are perceived according to your actions. Like, have you ever noticed how the guy with the 90% average is regarded as “different”? How displaying incredible athleticism on the sport-field makes you “super”-human? And how, every time you hear about that girl organising yet another out-reach to an under-privileged community you‟re reminded of what an abnormally good-hearted person she is? The system provides a name for these types of students. They are labelled “over-achievers”, and tend to stand out from (and are often misunderstood and hence shunned by) the masses. The system also denotes what happens to such teens; once they reach their matric year (by which time they have built up an impressive repertoire of achievements), the heaviest and most unparalled CVs are hand-picked out of a flurry of applications, and the top candidates from all over the country are invited to attend the University of Stellenbosch JIP Matriculant of the Year experience. This year, Duayne le Roux and myself, represented Parel Vallei at the award ceremony in Stellenbosch on the evening of 25 August, along with 20 other finalists. Before we reached that safe-point, however, we had to survive The Interview.
All Duayne and I were told via our electronic conversations with the programme co-ordinator was that we should arrive at the Centre for Prospective Students in Stellenbosch at 3pm on Wednesday the 24th (the day before the prize-giving). All we were told to bring was ourselves and a light over-night bag with “informal clothing” for the next day. No preparation of any kind necessary. Reassured that this would be a very casual, very breezethrough-able chat, I just waltzed in there, ready to dish out witty and satisfying answers to their open, easy questions. Instead, I stumbled upon a frightening scene; a small square room – in the center, a lone office chair, with no more than a meter of grey carpeting between it and the Interview Panel. Intensely aware of 4 pairs of eyes scrutinizing every movement I made I took my seat, trying to remember why I was there. And my name. The door banged shut (actually, it clicked quite softly, but I flinched anyway) and The Interview was under way. I walked out 10 minutes later, a smile on my face. I felt quite good about how it went in the end, particularly the part where I used a pretty cool word (voraciously) and the scary guy with no hair smiled (!!!) and said he didn‟t know what it meant, but that it sounded impressive. Score. Anyway, once that was over we were escorted to the Admin B building where each of the finalists took turns to walk down another scary corridor and enter another unknown room to have a 20 second video of themselves recorded to be played back at the award ceremony the next evening. In the video we had to say “Why [we] think [we] should be Matriculant of the Year”, and oh, how I hate those kinds of self-acclaiming outbursts. While we were waiting in the reception area for our date with the cameraguy, we got properly aquainted with our fellow matrics for the first time, and started making friends. I met my roommate, Arina du Toit, head-girl of La Rochelle. Come to think of it, more than half the group consisted of head-boys and head-girls. I felt quite… deficient. Once we‟d all said our bits (nobody shared with anyone what they had said, most claiming faulty memories), we booked in to our place of accommodation; Vilaroux, a self-catering guest-house consisting of a block of flatlets. Arina and I each got our own room, complete with double-bed, en-suite bathroom and goodie-basket. We even had a flat-screen TV and a fully decked-out kitchen, though we had to share those. I felt so grown-up, sprawling on my couch in front of my TV, eating my food in my little apartment… all very temporary, but still a very satisfying taste of the future. Of course, I didn‟t have to do any cleaning, which probably made my experience a little unrealistic. But I didn‟t let that spoil my little fantasy.
I woke up at 9am the next morning, fresh and content from my first 9-hour night in weeks. We spent the day exploring campus; experiencing “a Day in the Life of a Matie”. Our tour-guide, a bubbly second-year law student, even took us to one of her classes. Now, if there‟s one thing I can say for the Stellenbosch Law Department it‟s that the lecture-halls have really cool chairs. They‟re attached to the desks by a metal rod and have the ability to swivel in any direction. Duayne and I shamelessly amused ourselves with this entertaining feature, despite numerous condescending glances from the “grown-up” members of the audience. Besides, it‟s not like it‟s possible to survive a class like that without some form of self-amusement. When the chair thing got old, I fell asleep. From 2pm to 5pm we had free time, and at 6 we donned our school uniforms and filed onto the bus that would take us to the main event. We arrived at the STIAS facility, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the “little” award ceremony. As we walked through the oak doors into the main reception area, our eyes grew brighter, and our tails began to quiver. This was no small-scale event. There were beautifully arranged tables everywhere, packed with wine-glasses (filled with harmless pomegranate juice) and glowing crystal centre-pieces. There were TV-cameras, sponsor posters and important people dressed in expensive clothing. There was even a string quartet playing music in the corner. Duayne and I didn‟t last very long in the thick “larny” atmosphere before we escaped onto the balcony to breathe in some un-perfumed air. Once we had taken our seats (everyone had table numbers, of course, with Duayne and I accompanied by our families and Mr and Mrs Gouws), we discovered interesting little booklets on our plates that gave an exposé on all the finalists. Now, over the last two days we had all grown quite close, and our conversations had ranged over a wide scale of topics, never really focusing on the real reason each of us were here. Reading through each participant‟s summaritive paragraph of accomplishments, Duayne and I started to realise what incredibly esteemed company we were in. Every single contestant deserved to be the Matriculant of the Year. They had all done such amazing things, and accomplished such incredible feats. We hadn‟t even nearly finished marvelling at our new friends‟ repertoires when the Master of Ceremonies, Pasella presenter Vicky Davis, took to the podium, bringing us back to reality. She introduced the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Russel Botman, who gave an inspired speech that brought the mothers in the room to tears.
“My generation created the hole in the ozone layer, your generation must close it. My generation caused wars, your generation must stop it,” was his message to the finalists. “You are the people who must lead this country into the future.” No pressure, right? We silently contemplated our daunting futures over starters, a sort of salmon-salad that must have been quite exceptional, seeing as I actually ate it. The finalists were then called up one by one to receive a gift-bag while their video from the day before was played for the whole room of upper-crust VIPs to see. I was terribly worried that I would come off as something of a dazed-butenthusiastic-freak (some would argue that this is my normal setting), and to my horror everyone did laugh, though my mom tried to convince me that it was because they thought I was cute. Ha! The gift-bag contained more chocolates, 2 book-prizes (Duayne and I did some swopping, seeing as he had the unfortunate luck to get a book that was obviously meant for a female), a diploma and a letter that we were strictly forbidden to open. Of course, that drove us all mad with curiosity, and it was all Duayne and I could do to keep ourselves from ripping the blasted innocent envelope apart. Then came the climax of the evening – the announcement of the winners of the Matriculant of the Year. There were 6 categories – one for Leadership, Sport, Culture, Academics, Community Service, and Rising above One‟s Circumstances, and then of course an over-all Winner. Holding my mom‟s hand, I prayed silently that my name would be called for Culture. It was basically all I had gone on about during my interview, and I was really hopeful that I might have a shot at winning. I was in the middle of meditating (“Culture please, Culture please”) when all of a sudden – “… Leadership goes to Duayne le Roux!” Applause sounded throughout the hall, and I just saw Duayne running up to receive his life-sized framed diploma. I realized I was on my feet before I realized I was screaming my head off, and then I cheered louder. I was so incredibly proud. Duayne returned to the table (brand-new lap-top on arm) wearing a shell-shocked expression, as if he didn‟t know who or where he was or what the hell was going on. His mother and aunt embraced him, and we carried on applauding. It was truly the most amazing part of the evening. I didn‟t win the Culture award, to my disappointment. Some other musical virtuoso kid did. Strangely, I wasn‟t that phased – I was just so happy that one of us were walking away with something great. And hey, I still got a lovely little bursary to go study at my University of choice next year. That was what was in the envelopes, by the way – a formal letter granting each of the finalists that didn‟t win one of the main prizes a R10 000 bursary for our first year of study. This has been the most amazing experience – being nominated as one of the top students in the country, being treated like gold, the flat, exploring my beautiful future stomping grounds, the incredible evening… but most of all I enjoyed meeting some of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure to be acquainted with. It‟s been one of those things that come along every once in a while and jerk you – quite violently on occasion – out of the small hum-drum sphere of your everyday life, and make you realize that there‟s a bigger world out there; a bigger picture with other people that share the same goals and vision that you do. It‟s also re-enforced that age-old belief of mine that the only way to live life is full-out, doing anything and everything you can to make the most of life, always striving for more for yourself and for those around you. Because it‟s true – we are the future.
By Devon Rolfe
FANTASIES OF A
GAP YEAR Natasha Bicknell points in all the right directions‌
Gap Year. Two words, a million and one possibilities. I‟m sure most people consider taking one. It might even be the only thing that is getting you through high school- the thought of a year when you can do whatever, whenever, however, wherever... the list goes on. How many options are there as to where an 18 year old may go after school? The question isn‟t only “where on earth?” but also “what on earth?” and “how much will it cost on earth?” You know what I mean? Let‟s focus on the “where on earth?” And I‟m talking international. If you are looking for something to do in your gap year that is out of the ordinary and not impossible, or you just feel like daydreaming, read on. Option 1: Work on a yacht in the Caribbean. There are many jobs on boats in tropical areas like the Mediterranean and Malaysia, with virtually no previous yachting experience required. Plus you can expect to earn a salary of up to 3000 dollars a month! Option 2: Teach English in Thailand, Japan, Italy, Chile... virtually any place where English is not the first language. Pay is good; experience, unforgettable. Plus, you don‟t even have to learn the other language (I was worried about that). Option 3: Become a ski instructor in the Swiss Alps. There are so many perks to this job. Apart from lovely salary of up to 500 pounds a month, you are given food, accommodation, and free reign on the beautiful Alps. Option 4: Train to instruct windsurfing in the Mediterranean. Live in Greece for a year (what more motivation do you need?). Accommodation is included, plus food and travel. A monthly pay check of up to 4500 pounds a year can be expected. Option 5: Be an extra in a Bollywood movie. Apparently, the best way to do this is to hang around certain places in Mumbai, where the chances of you being spotted (unless you are Indian) are pretty good. Because of the uncertainty of this job and low wages (about 6 dollars a day), I would suggest you do the English teaching thing as a backup. Option 6: Be a bartender in the UK. This may seem pretty banal, but apparently if you work for a good cause, such as Oxfam, you can go to leading UK music festivals for free! Expect about 6 Euros an hour. Option 7: Go backpacking in Australia. Travelling in Australia is pretty cheap. And when you are tired of that, join a volunteer conservation program and work with kangaroos or koala bears. Yes please. Option 8: Pick grapes on a Kibbutz in Israel. Accommodation is included, plus food and if you save up, you can travel around Israel and experience some amazing culture. These are just some of the amazing gap year opportunities I have come across during an hour or so of research. The fact that it is 1:34 in the morning and my eyes are slowly starting to disintegrate hinders me from finding more, but I am sure that there are many, many more. If you are the very adventurous type, you could combine all 8 of them. Now that I think about it, it would probably be quite nice to just extend your gap year... maybe take a gap life. Don‟t know what the parents would say about that one...
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