My visit to the Mississippi River

Quick Random post
By: Aviwe Ndyaluvane

So, on Monday this week I planned to study the whole day after my Comm241 (news reporting and writing) lecture with my mate Unathi Bonga. I'm sure you guys already know where this is heading... yes, we were so lazy we couldn't even lift a book. We kept on checking Facebook and promising to study after 20minutes-and when that 20minutes came we would add another 20minutes to that. Therefore, we practically ended up doing nothing.

We were later rejuvenated when Saerina Chung suggested we go out and get some fresh air at Mississippi River. Pleasantly she knew a short cut to Mississippi and a spot that would be close to the river. Understand; St Cloud State University is so cautious about their students safety and they have tall ass metal bars (walls) that prevent us from get any close to Mississippi River. But as you know, students always find a way...

 

On our way to 'gate trashing' Mississippi River we phoned three of our friends to join us, Candice Jewell, Seoyung Kim Lucy and Lesly-Ann Jacobs. Because you know what they say, the more the merrier...

 

This sounds like fun, but getting to Mississippi River was a hassle. We had to glade through a slippery down hill passage. With one wrong move in that passage you would roll down the hill and splash deep inside the river.

If you look close at this photo you can see that this is a drainage pipe passage. So, imagine if there was something being drained while we were still there trying to find balance? Getting past that drainage passage was peanuts, after that we had to walk on a more slippery passage filled with wet tree leaves...

 

Yeah...the things we do for fun and experience...we made it through though =D

No one knew what was awaiting us, except for Saerina of course...but when you got there...all of this was worth it. Mississippi River is beautiful and refreshing!

 

We all just went to quiet mode and absorbed everything before us...and simultaneously just set down like we were ordered by some one in authority to do so.

 After experiencing our 'AHA moment' our girl instincts manifested...and it was picture time; and disagreeing with who should take with the photos. We finally came to an agreement that after taking a photo you hand the camera to whoever was in the photo you just took.

 

This doesn't sound like a great plan as you will see in this photos that some appear in every photo while some 'poor victims' don't.

This is Lucy and me

Searina and Me

Candice finding her balance down the passage.

Candice, Sarina and Me

Lesly coming down the slippery passage

you should know us by now...

Lesly, Candice and Me

While busy taking photos we saw these guys rowing

Yeah...bet you thought Lesley was the 'poor victim'...well she took pictures two-just so you know

We can act crazy too...it seems =D

Yeah..there I am again-in a picture this time ;)

This one was supposed to be a show stopper...but it's so dark...Bummer!! *slaps forehead* These people are sabotaging me...

As you can see, I can play that game two... #Sabotage

Man! I look horrible again on this one...but at least I'm not the only one hey

We had a 'fantabulous' time hey, but even good things come to an end too...

 

You're welcome to leave a comment here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brain behind MyThoughtsAdventures

By: Aviwe Ndyaluvane

This week’s blog of ‘The brain behind MyThoughtsAdventures’ was inspired by the questions that #AviweDarlings ask me on twitter. That is, I have dedicated this feature on answering those questions as honestly and personally as I can (meaning don’t expect any formal writing). However, I have selected only 12 questions-not favourably because 12 is my favourite number, but I have selected the most frequently asked questions. Nonetheless, by this time my Darlings should know who I am. Therefore, the ‘tell us about yourself’ question is excluded this time-if you still don’t know who I am… GOOGLE MY ASS!

1. What colour best describes you?

*scratches head, sits next to a mirror and imagines a rainbow* Red (not necessarily my favourite colour) but because I’m a loving, caring and very affectionate i.e. my friends are victims of my rib-cracking hugs. Secondly, as the old cliché goes ‘red means danger’- I am a very determined, ambitious and self-disciplined babe. I don’t necessarily need a shrink to encourage me to believe in myself and follow my dreams; however I do appreciate a support system to turn too every now and then. If there’s one thing my family can tell you about me as a ‘red coloured

person’ is that I’m very impatient.

 

2. What was your favourite subject in high school?

That’s an easy one! It’s all in Charles Darwin’s Natural Selection… any subject I excel in, instantly becomes my favourite. *blinks twice and flashes glittery eyes* I had the privilege of being taught by a very passionate geography Teacher, who was hard to please at the same time. Likewise, having her husband as the school’s HOD was intimidating and daunting to say the least. Therefore, for her to choose me (in front of my classmates to be one of the Top8 Student Geography Teachers was simply ‘honorary’- and hey I got to roll with the Top Dogs (students with stripped blazers). Secondly, Life Orientation was just like my very own Walt Disney’s ‘Happily Ever After.’ We didn’t have a consistent L.O teacher in Grade10-meaning free periods every now and then. However, things changed in Grade11 as a new L.O teacher was appointed-but even after that I managed to scoop a medal and first position in L.O. Similarly, with my matric results, my name was smoking a cigar like a PIMP with 2 babes booty hopping on either sides i.e. a Bachelors symbol on one side and a bracket for L.O on the other.

 

 

3. What are your worst make-up don’ts?

People who shave their entire eye-brows and ‘rewrite’ them with a liquid eye-liner. Secondly, people who are too dramatic with hairstyles-either too bright-cheap coloured weaves/braids or out of this world hairstyles. Lastly, people who wear either too light or too dark foundation-it’s not pretty either way…

4. What is your fashion philosophy?

Well, every Aviwe’s Darling who reads my ‘fashion101’ or ‘fashion police’ blogs knows that I stress comfortability over simply following trends. You need to know what best suits you through understanding and accepting your unique body shape.

5. What did you want to be growing up

Throughout secondary school I was hella determined to be the First Black Female President. I am from Transkei- one of the poorest places in the Eastern Cape in all aspects e.g. education, health care, infrastructure, roads and justice systems. Furthermore, this aspiration was propelled by disappointing presidents i.e. both Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki are from the Transkei (quite frank Nelson Mandela’s grandson is my Tribe’s King) but both failed to improve their own province! I mean it’s the President’s duty to ensure economic development for his country, especially under developed province(s), especially the one which you have personally endured its hardships. However, one can argue that with so much on the President’s plate (especially Nelson Mandela’s) there’s hardly ever a time to monitor ministers, hence Nosimo Bhalindlela was suspended as the Eastern Cape’s minister after discoveries of mismanagement of funds. I suppose that’s why I ran for cover at the science department in high school….the ‘politics’ in politics! Hectic!

 

6. What do you look for in a guy?

Like any other girl I do have my own ‘little check-list’. So, after getting a tick for good looks, fashion sense and physique-you better have self-confidence. Nothing turns me off more than a guy who is insure-who is either jealous of my male buddies that I have met way before him or having a guy that i need to have tea with under a tree everytime we go out just to tell him how great he is…

7. How did you become NMMU’s exchange student?

I get this one every time both on facebook and twitter. However, this has a simple answer that sounds cliché but I am where I am through hard work and determination. I obtained 7 distinctions in my first year (freshman year) - 2 in June and 5 in December. Every big achievement is accomplished through baby steps and perseverance.

 

8. What philosophy/motto do you live by?

I have had the same motto since primary school which happens to be my primary school’s motto; “Preserver and Excel.” I have recently adopted a new one through a conversation I had with a friend from the Eastern Cape;  “we dream too big not to achieve.”

9. what do you do during your spare time?

My spare time happens to be the time I use to write blogs or do research for a blog. I do believe in the saying ‘a time well spent, reaps greater rewards.’ This all makes me sound like a ‘no game person’, however I love the beach a lot and my friends tease me a lot about that, because I am from a small inland town (Umtata).

 

10. what do you look forward to when you wake-up in the morning?

Honestly, for the day to end…I have a lot of school work load here. I can’t wait for the long December holidays.

11. who is your role-model?

I am an outspoken feminist. Therefore, I am greatly inspired by women who take on male-dominated roles and excel in them e.g. our first black female Deputy President (Mlambo Ngcuka), Nkosazana Zuma who is the first female United Nations Commissioner and South Africa’s Cosmopolitan Editor Sbu Mpungose. Most importantly, my mother for instilling great values upon me and my little sister.

12. What is the one thing you love doing?

Taking pictures, I never get tired of that...

 

you are welcome to leave comments on this page or follow @AviwesDarlings on twitter...

 

My American Experience

By: Aviwe Ndyaluvane

 

So, I was invited over to a friend's party yesterday. Her name is Asma( first girl from the left with a scarf), from Pakistan and she turned 23 yesterday. Asma invited us over to a Pakistan dinner (can't remember the name) to celebrate her birthday. I will be honest, I was quite sceptical about trying new food from another culture, especially Pakistan food. However, after tasting my dish I was hooked- it was quite good, much better than what i anticipated. I thought it was going to be spicy food; that would make my eyes cry and choke me to death with its spicy aroma. I ordered a 'jumbo platter': it had lamb stew, chicken stew, salad and spiced rice. I know what you are thinking-how can all of that fit in together? Well it does, and it tastes great....

Here are some pictures that we took together:

 

Ah, i look so cute in this one =D

 

Chilling with the birthday girl. I don't know how she managed to smiled with everyone in each photo...by the end of the party-my cheek muscles were hurting....

Oh maybe she did not exactly smile in every photo then =D

 

Try to spot me in this one....yes I am the crazy one at the back

Yes....me and the statue of Liberty...

Why am I smiling so hard in this pic...weirdo!!!

Now that's a normal smile ;)

lol, love this crazy pic hey

I am actually kneeling on this pic and everyone is balancing on me!....things I do for being included in photos

Here's a silly note i wrote her, don't judge I bought her a gift too with Unathi...but I won't tell what is was...

So, what I learnt at the end of the night is/was we shouldn't think we know people based on stereotypes we have heard...I mean I was reluctant to go, but I am glad i did or how else would I have known that I am a great Pakistan food lover =D

Anyway, here's my Part 1 of 'my american experience'

http://mythoughtsadventures.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-american-experience.html