March 27, 2019

Exploring England: Volume 3

So, my third month was filled with excitement and a bit of sadness. The excitement of new beginnings and the excitement of knowing that I would be seeing many of the special people in my life very soon. The slight bit of sadness came from the realisation that my time in the UK, at least for now, was winding up.

Many people ask me what the plan is or what the next steps are and the truth is, I’m working that out as I go along. I know that I would like to continue to build relationships and work with the amazing people I have met. I also know that what everyone really wants to know is whether I am hopping the pond or not.

Since working in a lifestyle business I have become less and less enamoured with the geographic location of “the office”. I feel that I need to work wherever and however I need to in order to deliver the best possible service to our partners and to live a life that makes me proud of who I am and what I am doing. I want to live a life that makes me happy, that brings happiness into the lives of others, and helps build a better and brighter future for the generations to come.

Hard at work in London

So, my third month was filled with plenty of thinking and overthinking…as I’m sure you’ve gathered. My third month also involved a bucket list activity for me: seeing the awe-inspiring Arsenal Football Club live in action. It is one of the most amazing experiences I have had and I write all about it in this blog. Spoiler alert: I LOVED it.

I also spent some time enjoying some iconic West End Theatre. Among others, I saw MoTown the Musical and Wicked (which has been playing in London for 10 years!). I love the vibrant theatre culture in London and I really think we can step up our game in South Africa. The diversity of theatre available in London could make your head spin and I love that. The arts play such a pivotal role in our lives and we don’t cultivate the various artistic industries enough.

The experience of living in another country is a great privilege and one that is not lost on me. Many of those who have the opportunity to travel will share that they find travel can be quite a humbling experience: it reminds you of how different we all are but just how similar we all are in the ways that matter. Living in a different country just hammers this message home: we are all people trying to live a good life and do the best we can for our families. Whether we are locals, immigrants, children of immigrants, refugees, or just nomads. In general, most people just want the best out of life.

I love exploring England and this is not the end of this journey for me. I loved living in London and experiencing a different culture and way of life. I am also reminded of how much Africa has to offer the world. Our continent is beautiful, diverse, inspiring, and magical.

Lessons from London

My time here reminded me of a few things and taught me some new ones. Here are a few:

  • We are all in this world for a purpose. We should find out what it is and work towards achieving it
  • Humans across the world are so similar and yet so different
  • As Africans we should be doing more to work together. Looking at the diversity of people in the UK and with the talks about Brexit, I am reminded of the potential of SADC and of Africa as a whole
  • We are all just trying to earn a living and live a good life
  • Africa, as a continent, is one of the most amazing places in the world and we take it for granted far too much
  • There are MANY South Africans here. Like LOTS

England has not seen the last of me and neither has the Emirates Stadium.