LIST YOUR TOP 200 ACHIEVEMENTS

#SMED11

Today's blog reminds me of an interview where one gets the opportunity to go to town with list of achievements. In this case, the list of 200 seems excessively daunting – hence I did a quick online check to obtain a list of South Africa’s achievements. I stumbled upon a list of 14 identified by ‘uk.answers.yahoo.com Some great South African achievements......Did you know? ‘

Against this background, If I don't manage 200 achievements, I am in good company.

To kick-start my list of achievements, I thought of mentioning my achievement relating to family and promptly roped in my eldest son to contribute to Mom’s achievements. (I was secretly hoping for a good reference to use in the blog). I was however instructed to read the article ‘Baby on board’ in the book ‘Complete Kak’, and thus ended my hope of mentioning giving birth to two great sons as an achievement. According to this book, childbirth is not a one-of-a-kind accomplishment. I have not done something extraordinary or applied intellect to the solution of some great riddle of the universe. Well, so much for wanting to use childbirth as one my achievements. (Next time I will not consult with son!)

There are however a number of things, (thank goodness not related to childbirth) that I have managed to accomplish during my lifetime of which I am extremely proud of:
• On being selected as Head Girl of Wesley Teacher’s College.

• On achieving top marks in Student Teaching and selected to represent students in practical year-end teaching exams– an achievement repeated three times at Wesley Teacher’s College and Bellville College of Education respectively.

• On being selected by Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to manage and co-ordinate the ERUB Children’s Choir.

• On being seconded by the WCED to manage and development an educational programme for Metrorail’s school-on-wheels, Themba Edutrain.

• Completing the five-day Otter Hiking Trail –one of the most prestigious hiking trails in South Africa.

• Delivering on a four-year wish list when my younger sister and I travelled together to attend our sister’s 50th birthday in Auckland, New Zealand.

• Conceptualising and implementing 2010 Soccer World Cup training to Metrorail Customer Service Staff.

• Development and management , in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, of the Southern Line Tourism Route.

• Studying to become an accredited Tourist Guide.

• Creating Guided Tours of Cape Town Station – a first for Metrorail.

• Establishment of a Rail Tourism Info kiosk at Cape Town Station – a first for Metrorail.

• Having an online voice – Blogs and Twitter

Although the list does not come close to 200, most importantly, I have tried to make a small contribution (a drop in the ocean) during my lifetime. Oliver Wendell Holmes says, ‘Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.’

In conclusion, the quotation by Mother Theresa speaks volumes, ‘We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. I do not agree with the big way of doing things’.