About the book 'Scatterlings' for migrants from Southern Africa

I grew up on a farm on the Lesotho border  - where I visually imbibed

 the rich textures, dramatic cloud formations, golden wheat fields

 and dolomite 'koppies' as my childhood vista. 

This was juxtaposed against the routine of boarding school in a small 

Freestate town.

In my adult life I hailed from Hilton -South Africa and now reside in 

Auckland  - New Zealand- a large sprawling city with sea views in almost 

every direction.

I spent the last 18 months working on my book - which I believe will be 

beneficial for South Africans at home and abroad as emigration impacts 

our lives whether we leave SA or stay at home and lose loved ones to

 migration... 

I see us as the 'shrapnelled society" - Within the book I chronicle my 

early  years as a farm child through to adulthood in South Africa followed

 by my  'Aha Moment' to emigrate.  

Psychological knowledge and skills are used to provide a Process

 section as a facilitation tool for migrants who go through stages of grief 

and adaptation. 

Others' stories are blended into the book, including children's tales 

and perceptions. Those who share their stories, have hailed from 

Rhodesia and South Africa and have settled in places like Peru, 

New Zealand, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, England, Canada, USA 

and Kenya.

A South African time line from Khoi Khoi to current includes a 

political/historical background plus articles by well known SA writers, 

political figure heads and projectionists- which enhances the readers 

understanding of the complexity of the SA story.
The book concludes with poetry about Africa, some favourite 

traditional recipes and an epilogue.

My Bio- I'm passionate about humanity and worked with 

underprivileged and disabled children in South Africa for many years.

I'm a special needs' teacher, expressive therapist and psychologist, 

currently practicing as an educational psychologist in Auckland. 

I'm a freelance writer and since emigrating 5 years ago, have taken

 up the mantle as an advocate for the migrant population whom I 

support and assist during their complex transition, adaptation and 

acculturation. I see my book as part of my own healing journey; 

and in the tapestry, woven with others' stories, others and I have 

found solace and strength through connectivity and identification.

My wish is that anyone who reads this book finds strength and healing 

through its contents... Namaste

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Madiba update

Media outside Mandela hospital

Pretoria - Media were stationed outside a Pretoria hospital on Saturday morning after the presidency announced former President Nelson Mandela was admitted in a "serious but stable" condition.

Photographers and journalists were monitoring cars entering and exiting the hospital.

There was no security apart from normal hospital guard stationed outside the building.

Early on Saturday morning presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said Mandela was admitted due to a recurring lung infection.

"This morning at about 1.30am his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital," Maharaj said in a statement.

"He remains in a serious but stable condition."

Maharaj said doctors were doing everything they could to make Mandela "better and comfortable".

"President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of government and the nation, wishes Madiba a speedy recovery and requests the media and the public to respect the privacy of Madiba and his family," Maharaj said.

On April 6, Mandela was discharged from hospital after spending nine days receiving treatment for recurring lung problems. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has suffered lung ailments before.

Scatterlings- A Tapestry of Afri-Expat Tales

Exiting news !!!!!!!!!!!

Scatterlings- A Tapestry of Afr-Expat Tales   will be out soon :)

Watch this space re the launch >>>


Thanks to all the amazing contributors- without you there would be no book !

You have made it this rich Tapestry :)

Where to start ?  About  the book's content maybe...

I'm a SA born and bred, passionate about my country and its people.

I worked in SA much of my life as a teacher and then a Principal of special needs children who are/ were disadvantaged and mostly from impoverished backgrounds.

I'm a freelance writer, a psychologist. - an expat and a humanitarian. 

Like many people, we have very sadly and reluctantly left SA due to the untenable levels of crime, the incompetent leadership of the governing party, the disintegration of services, the unknown future and the limited opportunities for future generations.

I went through the deep grief and mourning process when we emigrated in 2008, as we have children and grand children in both SA and NZ. SA is what I refer to as a 'shrapnelled society...'

It's not easy to emigrate at the age of 58, and my spouse was then 62. One leaves one's entire life's history and footprint behind; one's roots and one's identity; all that is familiar and that defines one's self.

My book chronicles the journey, the epiphany and to what I allude to as the 'metaphorical death' and 'rebirth' as a migrant.

I share aspects of my carefree childhood on a Freestate farm, about my slow conscientising that all is not right due to the separatist existence of the various cultures and the dawning of awareness of the heinous apartheid regime, coupled with a sense of fear and of suppression, as well as guilt for not being adequately oppositional...

I provide a Support Process regarding adaptation and healing from the grief of migration and from the traumas of SA life, in which many experience PTSD and high anxiety, fear, stress and depression, both during the regime and after - as well as pre- and post- migration.

In the wonderfully rich Tapestry section I share other people's stories; Folk from Zim and SA now spread around the globe; abroad and those returned home or who have opted to never leave.

I have an historical/political time line section in the book from Khoi Khoi to current and conclude with all time favourite SA recipes and some poems on Immigration.

Within the time line section one will find book reviews and articles form the media which give an outline of data re SA over the past few years.

My book concludes with the fact that no one can decide for one if to stay or leave and that those who leave always hold a piece of Africa in their souls. Its a very personal choice and there are pros and cons to every choice we make in life. It also concludes offering hope that the future remains unknown and that only time will define where to from here for each and every person; also that we are in essence all interconnected whether far away or in Africa, -  in a way that defies time, space and distance through the eyes of a renowned quantum physicist.  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>