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All we could ever ask for in our lifetime is happiness; enough moments to create memories to add into a big book to read at the end; and a family to share it with.

I don’t think I was ever happy like I am now. Yes it’s not perfect, but at least I chased my happy down. I clung onto it, and squeezed every drop from it.

Happiness is a direction, not a place.

Sydney J. Harris

I used to sit on the beach and look at the waves rolling in and out onto the beach; synchronising my breathing with the rhythm of the sea; blocking out all those million-a-mile thoughts that always run through my head. It was my place to find calmness, happiness and quiet – but I haven’t set foot there for more than a year and a half.

Lockdown hasn’t been kind to my million-thoughts-a-second mind either. I haven’t been fully able to organise my thoughts or mourn. I’ve just been existing in that space surrounded by flashes of unquietness.

Sometimes I think if I stay away too long from the sea I’m missing out. I get so tired that I let happiness escape a little bit at a time. It’s like having that sugar fix or bite of chocolate, but just at a much bigger scale.

A place to find happiness quietly

The sea is one of the most magical places. It is both calming and unsettling. It takes, it gives. It is endless.

It’s almost unbelievable to think that I only saw the sea twice in my life by the time I turned 18. Thereafter it’s call just became stronger and I started going more and more. Eventually we used to escape to the sea 3 or 4 times a year. One of those times always coincided with my birthday so I could have a cupcake on the beach. I even took my cat, Genie, to the beach twice.

A time to hold onto happiness

Just like the sea can drag you away from the beach or a pandemic can isolate you from those that you love, so can you be separated from your happiness. It is up to you to claim and guard your own happiness. It is up to you to decide how much happiness you would like to squeeze into your life.

Gepubliseer met toestemming van Hanja Pienaar van Schalkwyk

As iemand weer sê die Boere en Suid-Afrikaners kan nie saamstaan nie wil ek sê om in een groot groep voor massas te staan om hul bang te maak, is ‘n vertoning. Niks om oor te juig nie….SAAMSTAAN is as boere, Mede Afrikaners, Vreemde mense sonder name of gesigte ons bystaan tydens ‘n vernietigende brand soos nog nooit deur ons boere gevoel nie. Die aarde wat bewe onder jou soos die vure met n groot geraas aangestorm kom maak jou baie bang! SAAMSTAAN is as iemand wat jy nie ken nie, vir die mense (mans en vrouens) wat vuur slaan yskoue water.. Koeldrank.. Toebroodjies.. Vrugte.. Oogdruppels.. Lip ice en pleisters gee…

Wanneer ons saam bang raak om teen die natuur te bly veg, nagte sonder slaap. Saam vuil word van die swart roet. Saam die reuk van brand ruik en proe selfs dae na die verwoesting. Wanneer naamlose skenkings kom van voer regdeur die land. Omgee pakkies kos vir mens en dier. Pale en drade vir heropbou van heining en krale word aangery want ‘n Saamstaner gee om. Wanneer groot geharde boere saam huil oor skades van verbrande weiding en aanplantings…

Wanneer jou man soos ‘n baba huil oor diere wat verskroei het.. Sommige moet hy nog laat uitsit want die dier ly te veel… As hy in die vuur se gloed ‘n koei aan die een kant van die draad sien wat se uier gebrand het en aan vlardes hang.. Haar oë uitgebrand en aan die anderkant van die draad is haar kalfie. Die verskriklike warm hitte en bloedrooi gloed het verander in stink brandreuk.. Swart en ongenaakbaar…

MAAR dit het ook weer plek gemaak vir… Warm liefde, oop hande, SAAMSTAANTROKKE vol omgeebokse vol Genade. Ons sê DANKIE vir Elke mens wat op watter manier ook al ons met die Brande gehelp het en ook nou na die tyd. Ek kan getuig SAAMSTAAN IS IN ONS DNA!!

Never stop learning – even if your budget is a bit tighter than it should be! I did a bit of research and rounded up some free resources for you to get courses and even free certifications. If you know of more, comment below.

Facebook

Facebook Blueprint offers credentials on your CV can go a long way to making you look good in the Social marketing field. Check it out on https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/certification

  • ASSOCIATE · 100-101 Facebook Certified digital marketing associate
  • PROFESSIONAL · 200-101 Facebook Certified Marketing Science Professional
  • PROFESSIONAL · 300-101 Facebook Certified Creative Strategy Professional
  • PROFESSIONAL · 400-101 Facebook Certified media planning professional
  • PROFESSIONAL · 410-101 Facebook Certified media buying professional
  • PROFESSIONAL · 500-101 Facebook Certified ads product developer I
  • PROFESSIONAL · 510-101 Facebook Certified ads product developer II
  • PROFESSIONAL · 520-101 Facebook Certified ads product developer III

SEMrush Academy

Semrush Academy offers Free Online Digital Marketing Courses and Exams on https://www.semrush.com/academy/

  • SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course
  • Role of Content Course with Eric Enge
  • Content Marketing and SEO Fundamentals with Eric Enge
  • Competitive Analysis and Keyword Research Course
  • On-Page and Technical SEO Course
  • Link Building Course
  • Rank Tracking Course
  • Mobile, International, and Local SEO Course
  • SEO Fundamentals Course with Greg Gifford
  • Keyword Research Course with Greg Gifford
  • Backlink Management Course with Greg Gifford
  • Mobile SEO Course with Greg Gifford
  • Local SEO Course with Greg Gifford
  • SEMrush Site Audit Course
  • Technical SEO course with Bastian Grimm
  • On-Page and Technical SEO Course
  • SEMrush Content Marketing Toolkit Course
  • Content Marketing Fundamentals Course with Ashley Segura
  • SMM Fundamentals Course with Neal Schaffer
  • Competitor Analysis with SEMrush
  • Advanced Competitive Research Practices with SEMrush

Microsoft

You can also become a Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional (for Bing Ads) for free on https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/training/get-certified. I don’t know how many companies ask if you have Microsoft Certification for Ads so I would rather recommend going the Google certification route.

You can also do some other Microsoft presented courses via edX https://www.edx.org/school/microsoft. These include learning to program in Java, C++ and Excel data analysis.

But wait, there is also Microsoft Learn https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/. You can customise your path by choosing between paths for administrators, data engineers, business owners and more.

Google

Now for all those amazing certifications and courses about Google products…

Google Garage https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage is the absolute best place in the world to learn. You can learn about anything from marketing to EQ and conflict resolution presented by Emerson, Duke, Northwestern, Helsinki and other universities as well as Google itself.

  • Fundamentals of digital marketing
  • Getting your business online
  • Making sure customers find you online
  • Promoting a business with online advertising
  • Expanding your business to other countries
  • Connecting with customers over mobile
  • Promoting a business with content
  • Understanding customers’ needs and online behaviours
  • Building confidence with self-promotion
  • How to enhance and protect your online campaign
  • Landing your next job
  • Understanding the basics of code
  • How to increase productivity at work
  • Understanding the basics of machine learning
  • Improve your online business security
  • Intro to digital wellbeing
  • Effective networking
  • Business communication
  • Communicating your ideas through storytelling and design
  • Speaking in public
  • Organisational design: Know your organisation
  • Strategic Innovation: Building and sustaining Innovative organisations
  • The science of well-being
  • Social psychology
  • Think Again: How to reason inductively
  • Customer segmentation and prospecting
  • Fundamentals of graphic design
  • Conflict transformation
  • Inspiring leadership through emotional intelligence
  • Foundations of everyday leadership
  • Securing digital democracy
  • Influencing people
  • And much more…

You can also attend one of many online workshops. Check the upcoming workshops on https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/f2f.

But wait, there is more! I found this free IT Support certification from Google hosted on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-it-support.

Hubspot Academy

Then there is also Hubspot Academy’s free online courses. They have lots of courses – and some of them even come with a certificate! You can find courses under marketing, Sales, Service, Webdesign and Development and even Data privacy. Check it out under https://app.hubspot.com/academy/8680439/tracks.

LinkedIn

We all know LinkedIn and receiving emails that say somebody just viewd your profile, but did you know they have a whole section of talks and courses? Check it out on https://www.linkedin.com/learning/me.

Udemy

Udemy https://www.udemy.com is not completely free, but a great resource for courses. They often have sales and even Black Friday specials where you can pick up courses from $1. Obviously look at reviews before you buy a specific course as they are all created by different individuals. Get free courses here.

Usha Maharaj

One of the best personal development resources you can ever treat yourself to…  Selected talks are available for free on her Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV_x9GxclqGKccTxZFytmFA but you can also read great inspirational articles on her blog https://ushamaharaj.com/blog/. If you get as inspired by all of that as I did you may end up signing up for her next LEMS course!

Usha Maharaj CA(SA) is an Executive Leadership Coach.

UCT’s (University of Cape Town) MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses

They have courses for research and development professionals, courses focused on innovation and technology, courses for health professionals and courses focused on teaching and learning – you can find it all on here https://www.cilt.uct.ac.za/cilt/moocs-uct.

WITS (University of the Witwatersrand)

It’s a little, but maybe one of these free courses is what you are looking for. Get WITS’ free courses on https://www.edx.org/school/witsx.

Harvard

HarvardX on edX offers a mixed bag of everything from philosophy to computer science principles. I think it’s best if you go look on https://www.edx.org/school/harvardx for yourself. Sometimes the course is free but you pay for the certificate.

Naturally Harvard also offers free courses on their very own website that you can find here https://online-learning.harvard.edu/catalog/free.

BerkeleyX

You can get anything from Marketing Analytics to literature on here – it is crazy the courses available on https://www.edx.org/school/uc-berkeleyx. Sometimes the course is free but you pay for the certificate.

MIT Open Courseware

This is the MIT, but obviously you don’t get all the good stuff – but definitely worth a look. Check it out on https://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm.  The most popular courses are listed under https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/most-visited-courses/.

Stanford

Learn from Stanford instructors and industry experts on https://online.stanford.edu/free-courses. They offer courses in the health and medicine, education, engineering, arts and humanities categories.

Coursera

Coursera has a number of free courses for beginners, programmers, marketers and even networkers on https://www.coursera.org/search?query=free%20courses.

Alison

Don’t worry, I also never heard of Alison until I did research for this free online training article. You can have a look at https://alison.com/certificate-courses to see what you can get for free because there seems to be over 60 free courses listed.

SMstudy.com

This one I am going to add to my list of stuff to check on… You can earn 4 free certifications on https://www.smstudy.com/freeresources/earn-4-free-certifications:

  • SMstudy® Certified Digital Marketing Fundamentals
  • SMstudy® Certified Marketing Strategy Fundamentals
  • SMstudy® Certified Marketing Research Fundamentals
  • SMstudy® Certified Corporate Sales Fundamentals

Study.com

And the list continues with more free courses on https://study.com/article_directory/Free_Online_Courses_and_Education.html. They have free writing courses, social psychology, business courses, marketing courses and even some philosophy courses.

AWS Training & Certification (Amazon)

This is more technical but I’m throwing it out there and hoping that it’ll be something that someone needed to see. AWS is offering a bunch of certifications you can do for free on their e-learning platform. You can have a look at it here https://www.aws.training/LearningLibrary?filters=language%3A1&tab=digital_courses.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite https://education.hootsuite.com/collections may not be free, but their Digital Marketing Course is only $199.

Genoeg is genoeg, ek sal nie meer langs die kantlyn staan of stilbly nie. Ek is ‘n boer se dogter. My mense word op die wreedste maniere deur mede-Suid-Afrikaners vermoor. Hulle het ‘kill the boer, kill the farmer’ gesing, maar het nou ‘n nuwe liedjie by hul repertoire gevoeg wat die woorde “Burn the Farmer” bevat. Slegs vier dae nadat die lied buite ‘n hof gesing is in ‘n plattelandse dorpie met die naam Senekal, waar twee plaasmoordenaars vir borgtog aansoek doen, het hulle plase in die Vrystaatse provinsie aan die brand gesteek. Hulle dra rooi hemde en rooi barette en glo dat die gooi van klippe en geweld die antwoord is om wit Suid-Afrikaners the verdryf. Hulle sê voortdurend vir die blanke minderheid, die Afrikaners dat hulle setlaars is, besoekers is in ons eie land.

Die regering van Suid-Afrika het daarin misluk om plaasmoorde as ‘n ernstige misdaad te erken. Hierdie misdade is nie net op wit boere gerig nie, maar ook op plaaswerkers en swart boere. Dit is dieselfde regering wat nie korrupsie binne hul eie geledere kan beheer nie. Dit is dieselfde regering wat nie daarin slaag om misdadigers agter tralies te plaas nie; nie daarin kan slaag om teen GBV te staan nie; het die mense van Suid-Afrika op alle moontlike maniere gefaal.

Ek is moeg om elke oggend oor nog ‘n bloedige plaasmoord te lees. Ek is moeg om my te bekommer oor die mense vir wie ek lief is en wat op plase woon en werk. Ek is moeg daarvoor om ‘n setlaar te genoem te word en uitgekryt te word as ‘n besoeker in my eie land. Ek is moeg om te hoor ek moet teruggaan Europa toe. Ek is EFFing moeg. Ek sal nie meer stilbly nie.

Ek wil hê dat die wêreld moet weet dat my mense daagliks in my land vermoor word terwyl die regering te bang is om iets te doen, omdat hulle steun kan verloor.

Enough is enough, I will no longer stand on the sidelines or keep quiet. I am a farmer’s daughter. My people are getting murdered on farms in the most brutal and savage ways by fellow South Africans. They have sung “kill the boer, kill the farmer” but have now added a new song to their repertoire that includes the words “Burn the Farmer”. Just 4 days after that song was sung outside of a court in a rural town called Senekal where 2 farm murderers we’re applying for bail, they set alight farms in the Freestate province of South Africa. They wear red shirts and red berets and believe that throwing rocks and violence is the answer to cleansing South Africa of minorities. They constantly tell the white minority Afrikaner that they are settlers, visitors in our own country.

Farm murders not a priority crime

Bheki Cele, Police Minister in South Africa

The government of South Africa has failed in recognizing farm murders as a serious crime. These crimes are not only directed at white farmers but extend to farm workers and black farmers.This is the same government that cannot control corruption within their own ranks. It is the same government that has failed to put criminals behind bars; has failed in standing against GBV; has failed the people of South Africa in every possible way.

“Contrary to the irresponsible claims of some lobby groups, killings on farms are not ethnic cleansing. They are not genocidal. They are acts of criminality and must be treated as such.”

Cyril Rampaphosa, President of South Africa

I am tired of reading about yet another bloody farm murder every morning. I am tired of worrying about the people I love who live and work on farms. I am tired of being called a settler, visitor in my own country. I am tired to be told to go back to Europe. I am EFFing tired. I will no longer be silent about farm murders and farm attacks in South Africa.

I want the world to know that in my country my people are murdered on a daily basis on farms while the government stand on the sidelines too scared to intervene, because they might lose support.

I have translated this piece into a few languages below. Apologies, I used Google translate as I am only fluent in Afrikaans and English.

Afriforum & other stats

AfriForum is a non-governmental organisation – registered as a non-profit company – with the aim of protecting the rights of minorities.

“The claim that violent crime on farms is part of an orchestrated campaign by blacks to drive white farmers off their land is simply not borne out by fact.”

Cyril Rampaphosa, President of South Africa

Look, this is what it looks like when criminals burn farms

Plaasmoorde in Suid-Afrika – Genoeg is genoeg (Afrikaans)

Genoeg is genoeg, ek sal nie meer langs die kantlyn staan of stilbly nie. Ek is ‘n boer se dogter. My mense word op die wreedste maniere deur mede-Suid-Afrikaners vermoor. Hulle het ‘kill the boer, kill the farmer’ gesing, maar het nou ‘n nuwe liedjie by hul repertoire gevoeg wat die woorde “Burn the Farmer” bevat. Slegs vier dae nadat die lied buite ‘n hof gesing is in ‘n plattelandse dorpie met die naam Senekal, waar twee plaasmoordenaars vir borgtog aansoek doen, het hulle plase in die Vrystaatse provinsie aan die brand gesteek. Hulle dra rooi hemde en rooi barette en glo dat die gooi van klippe en geweld die antwoord is om wit Suid-Afrikaners the verdryf. Hulle sê voortdurend vir die blanke minderheid, die Afrikaners dat hulle setlaars is, besoekers is in ons eie land.

Die regering van Suid-Afrika het daarin misluk om plaasmoorde as ‘n ernstige misdaad te erken. Hierdie misdade is nie net op wit boere gerig nie, maar ook op plaaswerkers en swart boere. Dit is dieselfde regering wat nie korrupsie binne hul eie geledere kan beheer nie. Dit is dieselfde regering wat nie daarin slaag om misdadigers agter tralies te plaas nie; nie daarin kan slaag om teen GBV te staan nie; het die mense van Suid-Afrika op alle moontlike maniere gefaal.

Ek is moeg om elke oggend oor nog ‘n bloedige plaasmoord te lees. Ek is moeg om my te bekommer oor die mense vir wie ek lief is en wat op plase woon en werk. Ek is moeg daarvoor om ‘n setlaar te genoem te word en uitgekryt te word as ‘n besoeker in my eie land. Ek is moeg om te hoor ek moet teruggaan Europa toe. Ek is EFFing moeg. Ek sal nie meer stilbly nie.

Ek wil hê dat die wêreld moet weet dat my mense daagliks in my land vermoor word terwyl die regering te bang is om iets te doen, omdat hulle steun kan verloor.

Farmmorde in Südafrika – Genug ist genug (German)

Genug ist genug, ich werde nicht länger am Rande stehen oder schweigen. Ich bin eine Bauerntochter. Mein Volk wird von anderen Südafrikanern auf brutalste und wildeste Weise ermordet. Sie haben “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” gesungen, aber jetzt ein neues Lied in ihr Repertoire aufgenommen, das die Worte “Burn the Farmer” enthält. Nur 4 Tage nachdem dieses Lied vor einem Gericht in einer ländlichen Stadt namens Senekal gesungen wurde, wo zwei Farmmörder, die wir gegen Kaution beantragen, Farmen in der südafrikanischen Provinz Freestate in Brand setzen. Sie tragen rote Hemden und rote Baskenmützen und glauben, dass das Werfen von Steinen und Gewalt die Antwort auf die Säuberung Südafrikas von Minderheiten ist. Sie erzählen der weißen Minderheit der Afrikaner ständig, dass sie Siedler und Besucher in unserem eigenen Land sind.

Die südafrikanische Regierung hat es nicht geschafft, Farmmorde als schweres Verbrechen anzuerkennen. Diese Verbrechen richten sich nicht nur gegen weiße Bauern, sondern erstrecken sich auch auf Landarbeiter und schwarze Bauern. Dies ist dieselbe Regierung, die Korruption in ihren eigenen Reihen nicht kontrollieren kann. Es ist dieselbe Regierung, die es versäumt hat, Kriminelle hinter Gittern zu bringen. hat es versäumt, sich gegen GBV zu stellen; hat die Menschen in Südafrika in jeder Hinsicht gescheitert.

Ich bin es leid, jeden Morgen über einen weiteren blutigen Farmmord zu lesen. Ich bin es leid, mir Sorgen um die Menschen zu machen, die ich liebe und die auf Bauernhöfen leben und arbeiten. Ich bin es leid, Siedler und Besucher in meinem eigenen Land genannt zu werden. Ich bin müde, gesagt zu werden, ich solle nach Europa zurückkehren. Ich bin müde. Ich werde nicht länger schweigen.

Ich möchte, dass die Welt weiß, dass mein Volk in meinem Land täglich ermordet wird, während die Regierung zu ängstlich am Rande steht, um einzugreifen, weil sie möglicherweise die Unterstützung verlieren.

Moorden op Boerderijen in Zuid-Afrika – Genoeg is genoeg (Dutch)

Genoeg is genoeg, ik sta niet meer aan de zijlijn of zwijg. Ik ben een boerendochter. Mijn volk wordt op de meest wrede en woeste manieren vermoord door mede-Zuid-Afrikanen. Ze hebben gezongen “kill the boer, kill the farmer” maar hebben nu een nieuw lied aan hun repertoire toegevoegd met de woorden “Burn the Farmer”. Slechts 4 dagen nadat dat lied werd gezongen buiten een rechtbank in een landelijke stad genaamd Senekal, waar we 2 boerenmoordenaars vragen om borgtocht, staken ze boerderijen in de provincie Freestate in Zuid-Afrika in brand. Ze dragen rode shirts en rode baretten en geloven dat het gooien van stenen en geweld de oplossing is om Zuid-Afrika van minderheden te zuiveren. Ze vertellen de blanke Afrikaner voortdurend dat ze kolonisten zijn, bezoekers in ons eigen land.

De regering van Zuid-Afrika heeft het moorden op boerderijen niet als een ernstig misdrijf erkend. Deze misdaden zijn niet alleen gericht tegen blanke boeren, maar strekken zich ook uit tot landarbeiders en zwarte boeren. Dit is dezelfde regering die de corruptie binnen hun eigen gelederen niet kan beheersen. Het is dezelfde regering die er niet in is geslaagd criminelen achter de tralies te zetten; is er niet in geslaagd om tegen GBV op te komen; heeft de bevolking van Zuid-Afrika op alle mogelijke manieren in de steek gelaten.

Ik ben het zat om elke ochtend te lezen over weer een bloedige moord op een boerderij. Ik ben het zat om me zorgen te maken over de mensen van wie ik hou die op boerderijen wonen en werken. Ik ben het zat om een kolonist, bezoeker in mijn eigen land te worden genoemd. Ik ben het zat om te horen dat ik terug naar Europa moet gaan. Ik ben moe. Ik zal niet langer zwijgen.

Ik wil dat de wereld weet dat in mijn land mijn mensen dagelijks worden vermoord terwijl de regering aan de zijlijn staat te bang om in te grijpen, omdat ze misschien hun steun zou verliezen.

Meurtres à la ferme en Afrique du Sud – Assez c’est assez (French)

Assez c’est assez, je ne resterai plus à l’écart ou ne me tairai plus. Je suis la fille d’un fermier. Mon peuple est assassiné de la manière la plus brutale et la plus sauvage par ses compatriotes sud-africains. Ils ont chanté «tuer le boer, tuer le fermier», mais ont maintenant ajouté une nouvelle chanson à leur répertoire qui comprend les mots «brûler le fermier». À peine 4 jours après que cette chanson a été chantée devant un tribunal dans une ville rurale appelée Senekal où deux meurtriers agricoles que nous demandons à être libérés sous caution, ils ont incendié des fermes dans la province de Freestate en Afrique du Sud. Ils portent des chemises rouges et des bérets rouges et pensent que jeter des pierres et la violence est la réponse pour nettoyer l’Afrique du Sud des minorités. Ils disent constamment à la minorité blanche Afrikaner qu’ils sont des colons, des visiteurs dans notre propre pays.

Le gouvernement sud-africain n’a pas reconnu les meurtres à la ferme comme un crime grave. Ces crimes ne sont pas seulement dirigés contre les fermiers blancs mais s’étendent aux ouvriers agricoles et aux fermiers noirs. C’est le même gouvernement qui ne peut pas contrôler la corruption dans ses propres rangs. C’est le même gouvernement qui n’a pas réussi à mettre les criminels derrière les barreaux; n’a pas réussi à se défendre contre la violence sexiste; a laissé tomber le peuple sud-africain de toutes les manières possibles.

Je suis fatigué de lire chaque matin un autre meurtre sanglant à la ferme. Je suis fatigué de m’inquiéter pour les gens que j’aime qui vivent et travaillent dans les fermes. Je suis fatigué d’être appelé un colon, un visiteur dans mon propre pays. Je suis fatigué qu’on me dise de retourner en Europe. Je suis fatigué. Je ne me tairai plus.

Je veux que le monde sache que dans mon pays, mon peuple est assassiné quotidiennement alors que le gouvernement reste trop effrayé pour intervenir, car il risque de perdre son soutien.

Jordbruksmord i Sydafrika – Det är tillräckligt (Swedish)

Det räcker nog, jag kommer inte längre stå på sidan eller hålla tyst. Jag är en bondedotter. Mitt folk mördas på de mest brutala och brutala sätten av sydafrikaner. De har sjungit “kill the boer, kill the farmer” men har nu lagt till en ny låt i deras repertoar som innehåller orden “Burn the Farmer”. Bara fyra dagar efter det att den sången sjöngs utanför en domstol i en lantlig stad som heter Senekal där två gårdsmordare vi ansöker om borgen, satte de eld på gårdar i Freestate-provinsen i Sydafrika. De bär röda skjortor och röda basker och tror att kasta stenar och våld är svaret på att rensa Sydafrika för minoriteter. De berättar ständigt för den vita minoriteten Afrikaner att de är bosättare, besökare i vårt eget land.

Sydafrikas regering har misslyckats med att erkänna gårdsmord som ett allvarligt brott. Dessa brott riktar sig inte bara mot vita bönder utan sträcker sig även till lantarbetare och svarta bönder. Detta är samma regering som inte kan kontrollera korruption inom sina egna led. Det är samma regering som har misslyckats med att sätta brottslingar bakom galler. har misslyckats med att stå emot GBV; har misslyckats med Sydafrikas folk på alla möjliga sätt.

Jag är trött på att läsa om ännu ett blodigt gårdsmord varje morgon. Jag är trött på att oroa mig för de människor jag älskar som bor och arbetar på gårdar. Jag är trött på att kallas en nybyggare, besökare i mitt eget land. Jag är trött att få veta att jag ska åka tillbaka till Europa. Jag är EFFing trött. Jag kommer inte längre vara tyst.

Jag vill att världen ska veta att mitt folk mördas dagligen i mitt land medan regeringen står på sidan för rädd för att ingripa, eftersom de kan tappa stöd.

They pop out like pretty pink popcorn on the trees. As you get closer their delicate pink beauty takes your breath away.

As a child I rarely saw a peach blossom as the only place we had access to peach trees was at my grandparents’ smallholding. They came in September; I know this because I remember my mom always asking her parents over the phone if the blossoms were in bloom. By early December we made the drive from the far northern Transvaal to Randfontein. It wasn’t ever just a visit.

During December holidays most of my mom’s siblings with my cousins arrived for a week of work. We picked peaches. We cut peaches. We made peach roll-ups. My mom and gran boiled them in sugary sweet syrup that drifted through the house… and then we would pack up our car loaded with bottled peaches and go back home.

My grandparents left the smallholding almost 20 years ago. My grandfather passed before my gran soon after they moved into the old aged home. I regularly visited my gran until cancer took her in 2005.

My mom and I went back once about 7 or 8 years ago. The house my grandfather built still stood familiar but the trees were all almost gone. The new owners let us walk through the house but it wasn’t the same happy home anymore. It wasn’t filled with our family photos, my gran’s cooking or cousins playing. It didn’t have the big dining room table where almost 24 of us could sit.

When I see the beautiful pink peach blossoms popping out like popcorn in the trees I celebrate their beauty and what is to come – and I mourn all the family I have lost; I remember the hands that tended to them so I could help pick peaches in December; and I remember the excitement of my mom when she hears that they’ve finally arrived.

I still eat peaches. My peaches are now from a Koo can. They still taste like home. They still taste like family.

Sy kyk vir my met haar groot blou halfmaan-oȅ, donker hare, spierwit vel en hoe wangbene. Sy lyk hartseer in die spieȅl. Sy lyk vreemd bekend. Dis ek, maar ook my ma.

In die laaste jaar was die vrou in die spieȅl iemand wat ek wou vermy. Haar gesig het my te hartseer gemaak. Nou sien ek ook daardie familietrekke in my jongste – net met goue hare.

Ek sien steeds daardie laaste 5 weke in my gedagtes. Die laaste dae met hol wangbene. Haar bruin vel van sy sprankel gestroop. My 2 hande om haar koue hand gevou sodat sy weet ek is daar.

Die vrou in die spieȅl is ek maar ook my ma. Soms staar sy terug met ekstra plooitjies om haar oȅ end soms lyk dit of a storm agter hulle woed. Eendag erens sal ek weer die vrou in die spieȅl as net ek sien, maar vir nou is sy ek maar ook my ma.

Life during a pandemic makes you appreciate the people and experiences you share so much more. It makes you realise just how fragile us little humans are…

At the beginning of the lockdown I was petrified. I have 2 small kids. I couldn’t afford to get sick. I didn’t want them to grow up without me. As the lockdown period endlessly stretched into an uncertain future, I realized that if we kept on sitting in our home I will probably be trying to make a break for it and run for the trees. I have never been not free. I didn’t like to feel like a prisoner and be cut off from people, the world…

I grew paler those first few months. My cheekbones protruding just a little more than usual. I didn’t sleep well. I didn’t eat well. I didn’t relax.

Then the announcement came, we can visit nature reserves – but not get out and picnic or sit at a restaurant. That same day I planned our first outing, made a list of snacks to buy and booked our tickets online. I was so excited. I felt like I could breathe again.

We visited the Lion Park, the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, Modderfontein, Rietvlei and any other place that was open. Eventually we could even go to some other attractions like the Upside Down House (which was very exciting for the kids). We have taken so many photos and I have printed out so many of them with my Instax Mini LiPlay for my office and family.

Then there is a day like yesterday where I had my first in-person meeting in a Mugg and Bean… and I just didn’t want to be there. Wherever I looked, people were sitting across from each other without masks, talking to each other… all in one enclosed space. Suddenly I felt panicked and I just couldn’t sit there in that closed room full of people without masks enjoying life! I paid for my juice and left.

I’m not ready. I still have 2 small kids. I still want to go to many beautiful faraway places with them. I’m not ready for the world outside of my little family of 4 humans and 2 cats.

To put us all back in touch with nature, WWF South Africa has launched a restful playlist of the unique sounds and features of Africa’s natural heritage for enjoyment safely at home, while observing the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.

The WWF playlist, titled ‘Bring Nature Inside’, captures the soundscapes of our beautiful natural world and features the sounds of projects and areas where WWF is actively working.

“We wanted to allow people to experience the richness of nature. With many of us feeling overwhelmed by the current state of the world and the unique disruptions we are facing, it is imperative for us to take care of our mental and emotional well-being. Nature provides the perfect ‘escape’ that we need during this time,” says Justin Smith, head of business development at WWF South Africa.

From the enchanting sounds of rhino translocations, to the soothing backdrop of a free-flowing river and the rhythmic sound of the Atlantic Ocean, each authentic track features immersive sounds with a description that brings together the beauty and significance of our natural resources, and showcases the work WWF is doing to help protect South Africa’s natural heritage.

Contribute by listening

“Fostering a connection with nature during these unsettling times is essential for our well-being and a reminder of the ways in which we can look after our environment, especially as the world searches for a new normal in how we live,” says Justin.

With its 10-hour long mix of different calming and inspirational tracks, the WWF SA soundscapes can be enjoyed in any setting; whether you are working, exercising, cooking, gardening or simply taking a break from your home desk. For access to the WWF SA Soundscape Playlist please visit wwf.org.za or click on the below links:

The soundscapes will also be available on various streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, Google Play and Amazon. A percentage of the streaming royalties will go to support WWF SA’s ongoing conservation work, at no cost to the platform user.

“We are excited to share soundscapes with our audiences. Distance does not mean disconnect, and we hope that with this platform we can help bring some solace and peace to people in these extraordinarily trying times. At the same time, we want to highlight that nature still matters; we must continue safeguarding it so that we can all enjoy it together again in the future. As an added benefit, every time a track is streamed, WWF will earn a modest amount of much-needed money to put towards its conservation efforts,” says Justin.

Dit was vroeg en die opgewondenheid was groot toe ons by die hekke uitry. Ons was oppad na ‘n dag buite in ‘n natuurreservaat wat ‘n eerste vir klein Lily is.

Om buite te wees is deel van ons DNA as Suid-Afrikaners en die laaste meer as 80 dae in grendeltyd was verskriklik!

Die gille van opgewondenheid het deur die kar getrek elkekeer as ons langs ‘n trop diere stop. Die hoogtepunt vir die kinders was die renosters en witleeus. Beide kinders het hul neusies plat teen die vensters gedruk om beter te kan sien. Lexa het haar tablet gebruik om foto’s van die renosters te neem.

Ons het 4 ure in die Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve net buite Krugersdorp spandeer. Die, was die hoogtepunt van vlak 3 sover…