Hi there class of '88. It has been great reading all about your last 20 years and I do hope that those that can make it have fun at the reunion.
So here is the short version of the last 20 years ...
After school I went off to Maritzburg varsity and spent 4 years completing a B Comm in Economics and Business Finance. The extra year was for far too much partying! I then went off to London and started working over there to earn some pounds and to travel. The following year I went over to the US and worked as a nanny for a while and then as a waitress in a beach town called Ocean City in Maryland that is full of students and foreigners doing pretty much what I was doing - having a ball! I had got together with a lovely Grahamstown boy in London just before I went over to the US and decided that I just had to get back to him in London so 6 months later after travelling around the states, I arrived back in London. Alastair and I were engaged soon after that and we flew back to get married in Hilton in 1996.
We lived in London until 1999 when we decided to move back home but thought we'd do an around the world trip on the way home. Well when we stopped in Australia, it was the run up to the 2000 Olympics and Sydney was buzzing! We decided to stay for a couple of months but that has turned into 8 years and this is now our home! We have the most awesome bunch of mates which has made it easy to settle down here.
Our son, Samuel was born just 4 1/2 months ago and he is a gorgeous little guy (well at least I think so!). I go back to work in September (3 days a week) and Al takes over the primary caregiving duties for 3 months full time which will be awesome for him. His company are really good about giving Dads paternity leave as well as mums so we are really lucky that he gets to hang out with his son full time for a while.
Career wise, I started off in finance in London as that was what I had studied but really enjoyed the computer side of things a lot more so I joined a graduate program at an IT consultancy and became and IT geek. I am now an associate director at Macquarie Bank - a large investment bank over here. Before I went on maternity leave I was managing the IT infrastructure for their Global Equity Trading business but have passed the reins over to someone else as you can't do that role 3 days a week. I am not sure what I am going to be doing when I get back to Macquarie but am hoping that it is nothing as stressful as my last couple of roles. It is funny how your priorities change once a little one comes along.
In our spare time Al and I love scuba diving and traveling. In 2003 we put our careers on hold for a year and dived and travelled our way up from Panama through Central America, Mexico and the west coast of the States. We stopped in Honduras and worked there for a while taking tourists diving 3 times a day - it was a very idyllic lifestyle and one that we could have stayed doing had it paid enough to live on! Now that Sam is here, our diving will be on hold for a while but when he is old enough, he will be straight under the water with us and we'll be going on diving holidays again!
Take care all!
Alison
Posted on 9 June 2008
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Alison Turner
Straight after school I went to University in Durban and did a degree in social work. I had an amazing time in Durban despite the humidity and permanent bad hair days. When I finished my degree, I struggled to get the kind of job I wanted and this combined with inheriting some money and wanting to escape a difficult personal situation led to me heading to the UK. I was really nervous about working in London at the start of my career so I headed to South West Wales.
While I was in Wales I was briefly married to a man I had met in Durban but it didn’t last! I lived in an amazing house in the middle of a wood and I could walk to a ruined castle from my back garden. It was amazing, especially when I would see deer in the woods on my way to work. I also spent my weekends travelling round the countryside looking at castles, standing stones and ancient crosses. My colleagues thought I was a bit weird! After a couple of years, when I realised I had not saved anything towards travelling and had no friends my own age, I decided to move to London. I still have a really good friend from that time though and she and her family have just spent their holidays with us in Portugal.
I then lived in London for about 10 years. I lived in some awful areas but with lovely people and had so much fun. I got into the rave scene for a bit through one of the houses I lived in. I met my partner, James, during that period at work in Richmond-upon-Thames. We had an on-off start to our relationship so I spent about 6 months travelling with another friend from work around India and Nepal. We had really good experiences and I particularly loved Nepal. I learnt quite a lot of things about myself on that trip, particularly that I am not really good at long term travelling!
When I returned James and I started living together and have been ever since. My first son, Benedict, was born in September 2000. I found out I was pregnant with him on Millenium eve. Good thing I did the test before I headed to all the parties! It took me a while to decide to have another child and Joe was born in February 2006 so there is a bit of a gap between them. Benedict is sport mad, particularly football. Joe is our maths genius as he was able to count to 10 by age 2 and can recognise his numbers up to 15 already. They are both really full of energy and I am glad we live near a good park!
Following the birth of Benedict, London started to lose its appeal for me. After a lot of discussions we decided to move and came to Bristol in 2004. It was a really good move and we both really love it here. The only difficulty has been our careers as there are fewer job opportunities here. James’s career is finally back on track but I had a really good job in London before we left which I miss. I am back doing child protection social work for the Local Authority.
Sorry I missed the reunion; it looks like it was amazing. Hopefully in 10 years' time!
My e-mail is bijuli@hotmail.com.
Posted on 31 August 2008
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Allison Gordon (née Plenderleith)
Well here goes - I left school and started working for an insurance company, and have been in insurance ever since - there is a good saying in the industry, that once you are in, you just cannot get out, and it is TRUE!!
Anyway, worked for 2 insurance companies, before I decided to take a year off in 1993 and go overseas. Went to the UK for a year and had an absolute ball. Came back to SA in 1994 and went back to old company that I was working for before I left for UK.
I met my husband to be (Colin) in 1996, fell pregnant with my son (Jaryd) in 1998 and Colin and I got married in 2002. Colin opened up his own business and I for the last 6 years worked for insurance brokers in PMB, St Leger, Trodd & Ass. I absolutely loved my job.
We decided in November last year (2007) that we were going to make the big move and leave SA. We are currently in New Zealand and are really enjoying it. We have only been here for 6 weeks so things are still very new, but so far so good. My son Jaryd has started at his new school, and is fast making new friends. He loves soccer, cricket and fishing, so has joined a soccer club here in NZ. My husband has started working, and we are waiting to move into our new home at the end of June.
I am so sad that I will not be able to join the girls of 1988 at the 20-year reunion, but we will be having a mini reunion here in New Zealand with the girls who are currently living here, so really looking forward to it.
Posted on 10 June 2008
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Allyson James (née Adam)
After leaving school I spent a year in Bunbury, Australia on Rotary Exchange. What an incredible experience. When I returned I went to Technikon Natal here I studied Horticulture. I also met my husband, William, there.
I worked in Botha’s Hill and then in Maritzburg as manager of Dunrobin Nurseries, spending a bit of time with William in London in between. In April 1997, William and I were married and I moved to Malkerns in Swaziland where William is from. We farm sugar cane and I also opened my own garden centre. In 2000 we built a lodge on the farm which has grown from strength to strength. Swaziland is very small so I relish the opportunity to meet new people all the time. I call it my window into the outside world. Check out my website on www.swaziwillows.com.
I was held up at gunpoint inside the Standard Bank and then again in my garden centre about two years later (with my 18 month old daughter in my arms). The last straw was finding one of my staff members hacked to pieces in the sugar cane. It was incredibly traumatic and very depressing. I just did not enjoy being in the garden centre anymore, so I sold it in 2006.
I did not go out of horticulture completely as I subsequently started a landscaping company. I also have a nursery where I grow plants to use in my landscaping and I wholesale to other garden centres. I have got over wanting to pack for Perth and am enjoying life in Swaziland.
We have two marvellous children, Sally (7) and Robert (4). Fortunately there are some good primary schools here but high school is a bit of a problem so boarding school is the only option. I'm not looking forward to that. Despite the impression I might have created, life is good here and Swaziland is a wonderful place to live. It is incredibly beautiful, very laid back and the people are very friendly.
Contact details
P.O. Box 329 Malkerns
Swaziland
M204
E-mail: willow@swazi.net
Tel: 00 268 6021284
Posted on 30 July 2008
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Angela Spencer
I finished university in 1993, graduating with English Honours and AUDIS, a librarianship diploma. I worked as a public librarian for the Durban Library Service (as it was then), but lived in Maritzburg with my partner at the time and her two children. In 1996 we emigrated to the UK, living in Dunstable (very near Kim McCullum in Leighton Buzzard coincidentally). Things didn't work out and I returned to South Africa in mid 1997, going back to my old job at the libraries.
Over the next few years I had a range of different jobs, working as a Special Librarian for the Water Unit, and then as a project manager on a digital divide project - looking at putting internet terminals into libraries. I also completed my MBA through UKZN. In 2002 I started working as Webmaster for the municipality. This job has now expanded to cover the video unit as well, so next year I hope to go on a film and video production course.
I have also been studying project management as a good deal of my job has been about IT projects, I completed Prince II last year and hope to get my PMP qualification this year.
Corinne and I got together in 2001, so it will be 7 years in September. We like to travel when we can and have had some wonderful holidays, the best being a 6 week trip in America, where we drove around California and Arizona - the southernmost point was Tumacacori, a monastery near the Mexican border. We are planning a trip to
My e-mail address is spencera@durban.gov.za. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon.
Angela Spencer
Posted on 18 July 2008
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Annalise Kockott (née Zaverdinos)
After school I did a BA at university in Pietermaritzburg and then Honours in Art History. I lectured for a year and then worked on contract at the Tatham Art Gallery. Then I went to Europe and did care work in the UK for half a year and then worked in Belgium and Holland and traveled in Greece.
I came back to SA to take up the offer of a full-time a job at the Tatham Art Gallery where I met my husband (Fred Kockott) and we got married. Sadly our marriage did not work out, but we have a lovely daughter, Jody, who has just turned 8 and is at Epworth. She is a sweet and sunny little girl. I recently took her on holiday to Greece, which she loved so much that she now no longer complains about having to go to Greek school on Saturdays!
I left the Tatham in 2001 and worked at the university bookshop (formerly Logans) for a while and then decided to get into the “book-world” properly and took a part-time course in librarianship at university. For the past 5 years I have been working on campus in a library. I also attend Greek classes, try to do a bit of horse riding every now and then, and am currently doing an Honours course through UNISA in Biblical Archaeology – just to keep the old brain alive!
I often think back to the happy years we all shared at GHS (looking back I realize how very lucky we were), and wonder what became of everyone. It will be super to see you all in August!
Posted on 28 May 2008
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Anne Henry (née Urquhart)
After school I headed to University of Natal Durban. I started doing a B Soc Sci (Social Work) but realised that that career choice would have been far too depressing and full of frustration. I switched and did the Chartered Accountant – B.Comm course.
I finished Varity in 1993 and commenced my 3 years article training with KPMG, Durban in 1994. I met my husband, Grant Henry, in my first year of articles and we headed to the UK together in February 1997, where we have been ever since. Our main aim was to work and travel, which we did do for four years. We got married in June 2001 in SA but decided to stay on in the UK. I had my first son Luke in July 2004 and my second son Daniel in February 2007. I am due my third child in July 2008 - and yes I must be mad!!!
Our future plans are either to remain in the UK or to head to Australia. We are in the process of completing our Australian visa application at present.
Posted on 18 June 2008
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Bridget Sparg (née Tarboton)
I have read through all the old girls’ blurbs and what interesting and thought provoking reading. So lovely to get up to date with everyone’s lives and to find out how old friends are doing. I am sorry I couldn’t be at the reunion in Pmb – it would have been wonderful to reunite with the Underberg girls! I was unfortunately also unable to make the reunion that Heidi had organised in NZ either, which is where I am now living.
I stay in a town called Palmerston North on the north island. It is about the size of PMB and has the same old school mentality a lot of the time – a kind of familiar home feeling in a way. I moved here exactly 2 years ago with my husband and 2 children and have settled well. We came here feeling positive about our move from South Africa and it has paid off. I might add there is no place like home, but we are slowly making this our new home. The kids have settled well – Jenna May, a quiet, sensitive but headstrong little girl who is 7 years old attends an independent primary school for girls and is loving it and Nicholas Philip, 4 years old and a real chatterbox and mommy’s boy is at kindergarten. He is due to start primary school next year in June. Both my kids have beautiful strawberry blonde hair – inherited from their dad. My husband, Brian managed to secure employment in New Zealand as a financial advisor thanks to his experience of working as such for Old Mutual in SA and I am fortunate enough to be a “home executive” at the moment!
My history … I left school and completed a 3 year Executive Secretarial Diploma at Natal Technikon in Durban. I was then offered a job at Goodrickes Attorneys in Durban, where I had previously completed my practical work experience during my course. I worked as a junior legal secretary to a partner and thereafter became his senior secretary for a period of 6 years or so. I then worked as a partner’s secretary at a law firm called Larson Bruorton and Falconer in Durban until May 1999.
My husband and I initially met in Durban in 1995 at “Queens Tavern”. He was an attorney at a law firm who were acting as opposition in a case my boss was dealing with. We then moved in together and stayed in a one bedroomed flat and married in 1997 and 2 years later decided to both quit our jobs and do the overseas thing. I managed to obtain an Ancestral visa and we left for the UK. We secured jobs in the law fraternity on a temporary basis in London and then were offered more permanent positions. Unfortunately, we were not able to fulfil these positions as Brian’s dad was tragically killed at his home in Kloof and we had to return to SA. We never ended up returning to the UK, but bought a house instead in Underberg in 2000, right opposite my parents – talk about being “close to home” - I had vowed I would never live in Underberg as an adult!! Thereafter, we renovated an existing cottage on our property and ran a 2 bedroomed bed and breakfast/self-catering establishment for about 2 years. At the same time, Brian joined Old Mutual and began his career in financial advising, working from home. In 2001, Jenna was born and in 2004, Nicholas was born. In November of 2005, Jenna became very unwell and was hospitalised for severe pneumonia in Westville Hospital for 2 weeks and then discharged and was readmitted 2 days later and then travelled by ambulance to Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg to see a Paediatric Pulmonologist – the only person with this qualification in the country. She then underwent numerous blood tests and finally a bronchoscopy. After copious amounts of intravenous antibiotics (with a lot of possible side-effects), many sleepless nights sharing a hospital bed, and a fantastic amount of support from our friends and family in Underberg and most of all our trust in God and lots of answered prayers, she recovered with no repercussions.
We spent many happy years in Underberg and also did a tremendous amount of alterations to our home, to make it our dream home and then within 3 months after that we left the country! Talk about an emotional rollercoaster ride! Brian’s immediate family had all left South Africa to live abroad and we decided that we would do the same. My parents and sister are coming over to visit in December – I have not seen them in 2 years! I am looking forward to their visit and who knows where we will all be in the next 10 years!!
Posted on 20 October 2008
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Bronwyn Thompson (née Campbell)
I first worked at the Natal Witness as a Layout Artist for 3 years and then moved on to Eddels Shoe Factory as an Advertising / Design Co-ordinator for 2 years. Went over to London with a couple of friends in March 1994 and had a ball for the next 3 and a bit years. Did loads of odd jobs but worked for a drug and alcohol re-hab for a year which was a brilliant job, LOVED IT! I travelled to Ireland and Scotland and of course around England itself. I also did the 3 month European Summer trip, living in a camper van with three mad Aussie girls. We travelled through Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands and had a BLAST! I ended off my time overseas with a 3-month backpacking holiday around India and Nepal with an Aussie friend. What an incredible trip that was! I even managed to do a week long white water rafting trip in Nepal which was awesome.
I came back to SA in February 1997 with the intention of heading off to Australia for a year but I bumped into my future husband, Lance Thompson, at a Valentine’s Day party after only 2 weeks of being home! He is an anaesthetist and was at the time working as a registrar at Edendale Hospital. I went to Australia anyway but only for a whirlwind 6 weeks. Came back and hung around PMB working for an HIV / Abandoned Babies NGO and finally at Hulett Aluminium as a document controller for a year and a half, before moving to Durban in 1999.
I worked at the Engen Refinery in the Inspection Department, managing and administering a very specialised Risk-based Inspection computer program for monitoring corrosion levels in pressurised equipment and piping. What a mouth full, I know!
Lance went off to work in Jersey in the Channel Islands for a year or so which meant I got to do some more travelling. This time to Jersey, back to Ireland and London and a fantastic trip to Barbados. When he came back we settled together in Durban for the next couple of years before moving to Cape Town in 2002. Lance went to work at Groote Schuur and the Red Cross Children’s Hospitals and I worked at the Caltex / Chevron Refinery doing the same as I was at Engen.
We did some more travelling to Thailand in 2003, and spent time exploring the mainland and islands as well as diving in the Similan Islands, rated in the top 5 sites in the world. Amazing! We got married in April 2004 in Noordhoek, Cape Town. What a brilliant day! We spent our honeymoon wining and dining in Franschhoek, Cape Town and chilling on Mambo & Domwe Islands on Lake Malawi.
Our son Joshua was born in April 2005 and I quit work to become a full time mom. Busy, busy, busy! In July 2006 we went off to Sydney, Australia for a year. Lance took a fellowship position at The Westmead Children’s Hospital. We lived in the Leichardt area in Sydney and spent a decent amount of time travelling around Australia whenever we got the chance. I also used the time to catch up with my sister who lives in Perth and with all my old Aussie friends from my London days. If I had known about everyone else who lived over that way I would have done even MORE catching up (even spent some time in Bunbury swimming with the Dolphins, on our way down to Margaret River). Fab to do all that but I was desperate to come home.
We returned to SA at the end of July 2007 and settled in the burbs in Cape Town. Rondebosch, to be exact. Lance joined a private practice in the area and after a year back home we are still so happy to be here. Our daughter, Jaime was born in April this year, 2008. By the way, I had the best midwife in the whole entire world deliver both my babies … Kari McConnell (née Clarke)!
So for now I am still a full-time mom and will be for the next couple of years. I keep myself busy with lots of little projects but the big one for now is putting together my family tree which, before Jaime was born, took up a decent amount of time … great fun. We both love the outdoors and Lance loves to surf so we try to get to the beach and go for walks, hikes, etc, as often as possible. We also LOVE to travel, scuba dive, eat out, spend time with friends, go to movies and generally just enjoy what life has to offer. I am sure that we will get back into ALL that fun stuff when Jaime is just a little older.
Our plans for the immediate future are to buy a house and for next year, trips to England and Australia (my niece is getting married). See you all in two weeks … so excited to catch up with everyone!
Posted on 17 June 2008
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Caitlin Mostert (née Ferraz)
After leaving GHS I went to Rhodes and completed a BSC (hons) in Economics in 1993. I then went off to London where I did various jobs from waitressing in restaurants, working in a pub and walking dogs in Dorset in between travelling in Europe, Turkey and Morocco. Finally (about 2 years later) I got a "real" job in London working in the London film industry as an assistant to an agent representing directors of photography, production designers, etc. which I found very exciting!
I did that for three years and then decided to return to South Africa. I moved to Cape Town and worked as a production co-ordinator for about a year on commercials. I then got a job on the TV program, "Top Billing" where I started off doing production co-ordinating and research, then moved on to production managing and finally spent about a year and a half directing inserts. I learnt a lot and got to travel locally and overseas and I had fun but it was also very stressful and very long hours.
After about three years at Top Billing I went back to the UK to fill in for 6 months at my old job with the film agents. It was great to be back there but it was just a temporary arrangement so I came back to S.A. about three and a half years ago and shortly after being back in Cape Town I met my husband, Thinus.
I went back to working on commercials but after about a year I decided I needed a career with relatively normal hours and a lot less stress! So I have been working in the clothing industry for the last two years. I might one day get around to starting my own range of clothing! Thinus and I got married a year ago and we have a beautiful 5 month old son, Matthias.
Posted on 10 June 2008
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Candy Moore
I finished school in 1988 (obviously!). Had no idea what I wanted to do with myself so went off to Tech and did a legal secretarial course. I finished that in June 1990 and started working for attorneys in September 1990. I tried very hard not to find a job as I fancied a bit of a break but it obviously didn't work! I have worked for attorneys ever since.
In 1999 I realised that my brain was turning to mush so made the decision to study again. I began studying toward my LLB (part time) in 2000 - that needs a certain amount of insanity! I completed my degree in December 2005 and was admitted as an attorney in February 2006 - I did my articles whilst studying, not something I would recommend! I have written and passed my conveyancing exam as well, so am an attorney and a conveyancer.
I have never married, it was just never on my list of things to do. Besides, I have never met a man that could afford me! I have got a great group of friends and am having a ball - well as much of a ball as you can have at the age of "29" (for almost the 10th time!).
I am owned by two horses (who keep me semi sane), seven cats and four dogs. I am trying to get back into playing golf and my herb/veggie garden, due to lack of attention, is now a weed garden.
There just doesn't seem to be enough time to do all the things I have to do, never mind the things I want to do, but then, apparently time flies when you are having fun or getting older - take your pick.
Candy Moore
Posted on 22 July 2008
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Carol Coetzee (née Wylie)
Well hello everyone. So interesting to hear what has happened to everyone these past 20 years!
As for me. Well, I had the intentions of studying to become a teacher as advised by the school counsellor, but after completing my B.Comm I realised that I was destined for something else (well, at least that is what my sister told me - she had just qualified as a Chartered Accountant at that time). So I followed suit and had to study the remainder of the courses (Honours and Board) part-time while working and completing my articles, which I can tell you was not easy but well worth it! That will be one of the most memorable moments in my life: in 1997 when I looked on the board and saw that I had passed!
I did consulting work with the public sector while with Ernst and Young and landed up being seconded to the Department of Finance for a 2-year contract in a senior management position - the Accountant-General in fact of the province. Well, I didn’t sleep for the first two weeks especially when I had to approve R400 million investments on a weekly basis!! So much for two years secondment ... 6 years later and a further promotion I decided that I wanted to go on my own. But that wasn’t to be - they offered me a position I could not refuse ... CEO of the Department of Economic Development. I was terrified but am thoroughly loving it! Almost 2 years in the job and have still so much more to learn!
During all that excitement I was married for 9 years and have two gorgeous girls (Kayla 10 and Jade 6) ... I envy you moms out there that have stayed at home but I also know that we were all made to fulfill certain purposes. My position has allowed me to see the world and I have travelled and seen incredible things ... but still love being in Pietermaritzburg. You can’t beat the weather or the fact that we are surrounded by beauty and close to beach and berg!
Look forward to seeing you all in August!
Posted on 17 June 2008
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Carol Nesbitt (née Wood)
My husband, Gavin, and I have owned our own computer business in PMB for the past 10 years, and sold it in August last year. We were intending to go to London for a few years, but unfortunately, we have not been paid for our business yet, so we will be staying in PMB. I started working at St Leger, Trodd & Associates in January doing their short term insurance (with Claire Symons née Boake; some of you may remember her from GHS) and absolutely love being back in the work place.
We have been married for 15 years this year and no kids as yet, just cats!
Looking forward to seeing you all this weekend.
Lots of love,
Carol Nesbitt (nee Wood)
Posted on 30 July 2008
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Carol Thomas (née Landsberg)
After leaving GHS, I went to Greys Hospital and got my Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery. In 1993 & 1994 I went overseas on a working holiday to the UK. Did a Contiki Tour around Europe, went to Mykonos, Greece. Lived in a Kibbutz in Israel for a while and then finally returned home.
I returned to working at Grey's Hospital and then to St Annes Hospital. I got married in February 1996, to Garth who was a farm manager. We moved around a bit. From Otto's Bluff, to Escourt then to Wartburg. Garth then changed professions to IT. Studied and we left for England. Lived in Chichester for 3 years where I did Medical Screening for Medical Travel insurance.
We returned to SA in 2001, in a hurry, to say goodbye to my father who had fallen ill suddenly with cancer. It took 6 weeks from his 1st complaint to his death. We decided to return to SA after that. We bought a house in Waterfall, near Hillcrest. I worked at Entabeni Hospital in Durban in the cardiac ICU, which I loved.
We had a gorgeous little girl in 2002, called Rachel. She has a hearing impairment and now has cochlear implants and is mainstreaming. What a road that was! My son, Dylan, was born in 2005. Myself and the kids spent 6 months living in Joey's whilst my daughter was receiving her cochlear implants and having the training that is required afterwards.
Dylan is so full of love. He's a happy little guy with no worries. Rachel is adventurous, independent and loves laughing at anything remotely funny. As from this year, Dylan is full time at play school. I am now working towards becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I work privately and I give talks at antenatal classes.
Well that's me pretty much in a nutshell.
Looking forward to the Saturday and catching up with those that I have lost contact with.
Carol
Posted on 25 May 2008
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Catherine Foster (née Craig)
After leaving GHS I went to Edgewood Teachers’ College. I spent four very happy years there. Then came the stress of trying to find a teaching post. During the December holidays I accepted a post at Ixopo Primary. Little did I know that in the space of about five years Ixopo would become my permanent home.
After three years I moved to Creighton Primary which is in the Ixopo district. Two years later I married Kelvin Foster, a dairy farmer from Ixopo. In 1999 I went on an overseas trip with my sister to the UK, Europe and Ireland. I loved being there and loved seeing places like London, Edinburgh, Rome, etc. Florence and Southern Ireland were my particular highlights. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but missed sharing it all with my husband.
The year 2000 was a big one for us, as our first child was born at the end of August. Lloyd was the first grandchild for the Craigs and the second for the Fosters. He’s very kind, gentle and thoughtful. 2002 brought our second son, Michael exactly two years and two days younger than his brother. Michael enjoys jokes and is full of mischief. In March 2006 our third son was born. Brent is charming and a little darling. Three months ago our daughter, Georgia, was born. So far she’s delightfully quiet and doesn’t demand much more than feeding and to be held if you’ve possibly got the time!! As you can imagine, with four children I have to sneak time to just enjoy each one of them.
On the farm I do some of the office work. Up until December I was a part-time Remedial Teacher at our local private school, Lynford. I’m looking forward to meeting up with you all again to hear what you’ve all been busy with. All the best for the next 10 years!
Posted on 29 July 2008
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Charis Meyer (née Allison)
It’s been so lovely to catch up on everyone’s lives – thanks so much to Kari and Kerry for arranging all of this! I can’t believe how 20 years have flown by in a heart beat. So much has happened in two decades it’s really difficult to summarise.
Daryl and I have been married for 11 years now, and we are blessed to have two beautiful boys, Callan (9) and Riley (7). I’m one of those girls who ended up marrying her best friend’s brother (and what a great decision that was!). For those of you who don’t know, Daryl is Nikki Hampson’s (nee Meyer) brother (thanks, Noo).
We lived in Durban for most of our married life, but moved to Johannesburg 4 years ago (and loving it). After a very happy career working in the banking industry, when we moved to Jhb I started my own horse feed business which I subsequently sold after about 2 years (what a relief – it was far too much like hard work). I now work in the race horse industry, working for a race horse trainer at Randjesfontein. I absolutely love it because I’m living my dream – I get to play with horses all morning and am still able to be with my boys in the afternoons. Callan and Riley are typical boys and exactly like their dad– they absolutely love their sport as well as fishing and shooting. Afternoons are always very full with every sport under the sun so life is never boring (as a mother of two boys, I’ve had to learn the rules of cricket, rugby and soccer very quickly!).
We are incredibly blessed to live on a horse estate where we can keep and look after our own horses which is fabulous. The boys, like Daryl and I, are also animal crazy so our house is very similar to a zoo!
I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone next week – please let’s not compare wrinkles! We’ll just really miss all of you girls living overseas – especially Duns and Heidi – we’ll have a drink for you!
Love,
Charis
Posted 26 July 2008
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Christine Abrams (née Strydom)
Married a wonderful man I met at varsity, became a CA, work as an accountant still - and actually enjoy it - I am a happy little grey person, had two incredible children, wonderful man turned out to have a downside, and we had a difference of opinion as to what marriage means, we divorced three years ago. I then took control of my life and became Christine again instead of wife and mother. My kids have enjoyed having their "new" Mom as I have eventually learnt to be a child and play and be silly, something I never did as a child. There was some assistance in this regard from a wonderful young man who loves me just as I am, which is something special - scary thing is he was only eight when we were in matric - we had a good laugh about that last night when we were discussing this.
My eldest son - Daniel - is 11 and at a wonderful age with one of the best senses of humour imaginable, he has all of us laughing a good portion of the time. He is a very kind, caring and sensitive child though I am now only allowed a cuddle and a kiss if none of his friends are around or we are at home and then it's rationed.
Justin is turning 9 this month and is a ball of fire. He is on the go nonstop the entire time. This term alone he is doing soccer, hip hop and karate, sometimes all three in one day, and I must boast: he won bronze for his kumite (fighting) in JKA SA Karate Championships this last weekend. He is the type of child that everyone takes to immediately.
The achievement I am most proud of - besides having the two best children in the universe - is not my career or my qualifications, or any of that. It is having got my Black belt in karate last year. I went from not being able to do a sit up - not one (or push up either) - not being able to kick higher than my shin (still can't kick very high - but I can make it very effective) to being awarded my Shodan (1st Dan) in November last year. And boy it took blood, sweat and lots of tears. (I met my "toy boy" at karate - so he has seen me at my worst and loved it).
And that is me in a nutshell.
Posted on 5 June 2008
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Cindy Johnston (née Collard)
A bit about myself: on leaving school I moved to Umhlanga for a while where I worked as a front office receptionist in Breakers Hotel. That was short-lived as in 1990 we opened a family business called "Madame et Monsieur" which is a franchise health and slimming clinic. Being involved with health and weight-loss opened many doors for me, so I got more involved in the beauty industry.
In between courses I had my first taste of overseas travelling by meeting up with Leanne Williams in London, then going on to do a Contiki of Europe.
I got married in 2000 to a wonderful man called Rick, out at Tala Game Reserve in Eston. We lived in Hilton for a few years before buying our first home in Wembley where we still stay today.
I am still in the beauty and slimming business (18 years later!!!) and am fortunate enough to have my own clinic which I run from my cottage at home. My days and hours are very flexi which gives me plenty of time to finish with the renovations and interior of our home. We do have plans of immigrating to Australia in the near future, but until then we are still proudly South African.
Look forward to seeing everyone in August.
Cindy
Posted on 17 June 2008
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Claire Campbell (née Amor)
The first two years following leaving school I spent at Natal Technikon in Durban studying textile design. I then started working in PMB and very soon ended up in working for an insurance company, as an underwriter. In 1994 I moved to Cape Town, where I met my husband-to-be, Gary. We married in 1997.
For a change in 2002 we moved from Cape Town to the UK. I started working as an insurance broker for Aon, where I am currently working. My first few years at Aon I enjoyed being based at Pinewood Studios and working with entertainment-related clients. I am now based in London and work with multinational. I do enjoy this; the only down side is the long hours.
I have studied on and off over the years, and have a degree in insurance and a partly completed B.Com. This year I am taking a break, as I have big plans for 2009/10 ... more insurance / finance-related stuff!
Email: ub109pg@hotmail.com
Tel: +44 7919 622 671
Posted on 3 June 2008
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Danielle Huinink (née Lassale)
What fun reading up on everyone and catching up on who is where! Well, after school I did a 6 month secretarial course in PMB and then headed over to San Francisco for a year where I au paired, and then moved onto London for two years where I basically worked and travelled; those were the days!!! I went back to South Africa and met my hubby Brett and of course stayed there, and we got married in 1997. I decided to study Montessori Pre Primary Education through London, then taught for two years at a Montessori School in Durban North, and left to have Julia, our daughter who is now 8, and then Guy who is now 6. We lived on the North Coast up until we immigrated over to New Zealand in 2003.
I have been doing admin work for the past two years as the hours have been flexible enough for me to just work school hours, but I have just accepted a position in a new Montessori school over here and will be back in the saddle in a few months, which I'm really looking forward to. Will unfortunately have to study further as it is required that all Early Childhood Educators have their ECE Degree which will take me another 2 years ... yikes!!!
What have I achieved over the last 20 years besides getting married and having two wonderful children, who have aged me 20 years ... well, I finished Two Oceans Marathon and Comrades in 1994. Yes, a temporary lapse of insanity, but non the less quite rewarding. Have decided with age to go for more sedate forms of exercise and have done a few cycle races over here in NZ and have also joined the "Masters" Swim Club (man that makes one feel old), all very social and fun.
I would love to be at the reunion and catch up with you all again, but unless I win the lotto ... we will be having a glass or two on this end of the world, thanks to Heidi Rutsch who lives an hour away and has organised a little reunion for us gals over here. She has managed to get 9 of us together!
Danielle Huinink
26 Banks Drive
RD2
Katikati
3178
New Zealand
Tel: 07 5520877
Email: brettdan@slingshot.co.nz
Posted on 22 July 2008
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Debbie Porter (née Carr)
Hi girls
So good to have the GHS memories starting to come back and I got out my photo album this weekend of those happy, stress-free days and had some good laughs! Those WERE the days, hey!
After finishing up in 88, I did a year’s secretarial diploma at PMB Tech – had more of a party than studying - and then got into Insurance ... and have never been able to leave. Somehow once you are in the insurance world you cannot escape!
I worked in PMB for an insurance company and then changed to an insurance broker ... during this time I also went to a Kibbutz in Israel for a few months and took a trip to Egypt and Dahab! That was an experience I will never forget! It was amazing to say the least! After that bit of travelling I came back to SA and got a job as a chef at White Elephant Lodge in the Pongola Game Reserve and this is the year I ran Comrades – 2000! I used to train in the Game Reserve which came with its own set of obstacles and challenges. Anyhow, running Comrades was something so amazing and I cannot explain it to anyone!
I moved back into civilisation after that and ended up back in PMB doing ... insurance again! Then I met my husband Dominic after he had a car accident and had to come into the office to complete a claim form! Got married the next year and then we left for Dublin. What a COLD place, but it was great to live on the other side of the world and experience all the nonsense of the Irish. Our beautiful daughter Aimee Tara was born there almost four years ago now. It was after Aimee’s birth that we decided to head back to SA as all the family is still over here.
So that is how we ended up settling in Durban. We were in Hillcrest for a year first and then bought a house in Umbilo, Durban. We all love Durban and the warmth! Aimee is at a lovely little pre-primary school and loves her friends, teachers, etc. She is a very outgoing, happy little girl who is not afraid of anything! She is such a joy and I just wish I could work half day to spend more time with her!
I don’t have much time for sport, etc. at the moment, but I would like to get back to road running again once Aimee is a bit bigger. When we can, we enjoy going to the beach or the Botanical Gardens. The Pavilion Shopping Centre is also just up the road ... not sure if that is a good or bad thing! We are also doing renovations on our house ... so that takes up lots of time and the mess is something else!
I work for a small insurance brokerage in Musgrave, Durban, and my husband works for a motor dealer in the Gateway area. We both work full day so weekends are very precious and always go past too quickly.
Well that sums me up in the last 20 years very briefly ... I have left all the gory details out!
Thanks to Kari and Kerry for making this very special occasion possible and look forward to catching up with you all!
Love Debbie
Posted on 28 July 2008
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Denise Lecler (née Cummings)
I have been meaning to do this for such a long time and every time I start it, I don't know where to begin and then feel it is too big a task. How did you guys sit down and put to paper, so beautifully, I might add, the past 20 years of your lives?!
Anyway, here I am and here we go!
I left school and went to Grey's Nursing college, where I completed my 4-year Nursing diploma. I completed my course in June 1993. I had met Neil through church mates in my last year of nursing. We got married in December 1993. We spent our first three years in PMB. Neil was working at the KZNU, as an Agricultural Engineer in the Ag Eng department. I went into midwifery and worked in Grey's NICU. I did leave nursing for a short while … and straight back. In 1995 we tragically lost my "baby" brother. He was 24, working in the Dog Unit at PMB. He went out to investigate a crime re: murder of a 9-year old girl in the Impendle area, where they were ambushed and killed. He had been married for 13 months.
We got through that and in January 1997, Jordan was born! Wow, that was amazing, to hold your own baby in your arms! Wesley came along 18 months later, which was also such a blessing. He had no chance of his own nursery to start with … we were waiting for him to arrive, so that we could pack up and head to Zim. Which we did when he was a month old. Now ... that was an experience, especially for a midwife with a child that had not reached his birth weight at 5 weeks! My first visit to the clinic at our doctor's rooms was a sight to behold! There on the jungle gym hung an old dirty orange sack attached to a butcher scale – to weigh the babies ... but not mine! I raced back to our home, which was around a small holding dam at the Zim Sugar Experiment Station. There I found the lab and sterilised the electric scale for my boy. In our time in Zim, I did some antenatal classes and took my parents around our local hospital for orientation.
There again, I was quite speechless. They had a gorgeous modern incubator (not plugged in and ice cold) but next to it stood a rough wooden box with chicken mesh over it and lights shining down into it. When I asked about it, I was told that that was the "hot box", for the babies to be heated. I also discovered in week that followed that that same box was used for my new mates I met in Chiredzi ... they had all gone through the "hot box".
Our lives in Chiredzi were very special. We made the most amazing mates (now all over the world, I might add). Our lives were club-centred, as there was no other entertainment. We had game parks around us and really great dams. The kids went to school at the bottom of a farm garden called "Hundred Acre Woods", which was very sweet and the kids loved it. They both have developed a great love for the bush. By the time end of term arrives they are more than ready to head to the dam or the mountains or the bush! Even though we are now 3km from Gateway shopping mall, they don't enjoy hanging out there.
When the trouble started in Zim and Neil's work was affected, we decided to head back to SA, which was in 2002. Neil got a post at SA Sugar in Mount Edgecombe and that is where he has been ever since we got back. The nice thing about his job is the chance of living on the station. The kids have school mates here and share lift runs with other families. The holidays are paradise out here: they play very hard and include everyone, from the toddlers to the teens!
Now we have reached our next milestone. Our daughter, Jordan, is heading off to high school. She has won a scholarship for Treverton, which she is excited about and looking forward to boarding. I have been working in a local Well Baby Clinic as a midwife. I love working with babies, watching them grow and reach their milestones.
I am very excited about my new venture I have taken on. It is anti-aging technology, using galvanic treatment in the comfort of your own home. We also have a wonderful range of anti-aging, immune building and cancer preventing supplements. The joy for me, in this business, is to be able to help others to become financially free and develop a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. I have set up a website which you might find interesting www.spaupyourlife.com/denise.
Take care.
Denise Lecler (Cummings)
Posted on 2 July 2009
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Desrae Turner (née Goodricke)
After matric I attended UNP and completed a BComm degree in Computer Science and Business Administration.
I worked part-time for Deutz Diesel Power in their accounts department while completing my degree. In 1995 I went to the UK on a work permit with my fiancé Andrew Turner.
We returned in 1996 and I started working at Meadow Feeds as an accounts clerk. We got married in 1997 and stayed in PMB where Andrew was the engineering manager at Ramsay Engineering. In 1999 I moved into the IT department and did mainframe programming. In 2001 I resigned due to the birth of our daughter, Kelly-Ann and became a home executive (ha ha). In 2003 We had a son, Anthony, and our hands where full.
Andrew is now MD of Ramsay Engineering, having completed his MBA with 2 small children in the house and loads of brick dust. The house needed extending and turning around.
Kelly-Ann is in Grade One at Athlone and Anthony is at Settlers Park Pre Primary where I for my sins am on the governing body.
There is lots to keep my busy ... I give beading classes, keep the home running and keep the books for the local camera club (take pictures when every possible for competitions. I have also just joined a small bookkeeping company in Hilton and work mornings only.
Posted on 31 May 2008
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Diane Dennison
Hi everyone
It's been so nice to catch up by reading all of your stories - what an interesting and talented group of women you are. I am sorry that I won't be able to be in PMB for the reunion but want to echo all the other thanks to Kerry and Kari for getting us all together, well virtually all together!
After GHS I went to 'Martizburg varsity and did a BComm (Hons) Marketing and Advertising Management. I got a job with Unilever as a graduate management trainee and started my marketing career as a sales rep based in JHB and covering Pretoria too, selling Simonsberg cheeses. I learned a lot that year about marketing and also how to really drive. After that I got to go to the brand office in Durban and launch Gino Ginelli icecream which was a really fun project.
For a number of reasons I decided to go back to varsity and did a Masters in Agricultural Management - it was really building on the previous economics although that's not obvious from the title. So I was back in 'Maritzburg for another few years working on some economic modelling with Umgeni Water. I met and got engaged to Austin Allan during that time and we decided to go to the UK as soon as possible. So in November 1996 I handed in my thesis at lunch time and we caught the plane that evening to London with a backpack each and one bicycle.
Thank goodness for friends, because we crashed on Megan Bromley's dining room floor for a few weeks until we got ourselves sorted. We found jobs, a place to stay and bought another bicycle. We ended up living in London for about four years and having a grand old time. We rode our bicycles everywhere and saw so much theatre and music and art and rain! We interpersed this with sojourns to Europe. I still love London and am so glad to have lived there when we did. I worked at The Economist and Freshfields (a city law firm, in project management) and took loads of adult ed classes in art.
We got married under a big acacia tree in PMB in January 2000 and honeymooned in the 'berg and then travelled a whole lot that year so our honeymoon seemed to carry on to Australia, Malaysia and Prague.
We eventually left London and moved out to Kent because Austin got a job with Pfizer and we moved to Canterbury. I commuted for a while but it's a killer commute of 2½ hours each way so I was glad to stop that when our first daughter came along in May 2001. Tessa just turned 7. I have been a busy stay-at-home mom ever since. I got really into yoga then, too.
We moved to the USA with Pfizer in 2004 and live in Old Lyme, Connecticut, which is about halfway between Boston and New York along the coast. (I'll be getting hold of Ingrid to organise our own reunion too I think! Any other East Coasters?)
Our second daughter Bridget was born here in June 2005, so she just turned 3. We are enjoying living here and making the most of our surroundings. We still cycle, although not daily. I've taken up kayaking to make the most of all the water: sea, rivers, lakes and dams all within ten minutes drive, although the kids prefer to just hang out on the beach. I am also finally learning to ski (Austin worked at a ski resort during one of those summer vac exchange programmes at varsity so he could already ski really well!). I still get a huge kick out of snow even when the locals are fed up with the stuff. It seems kinda magical to me, just like blueberry picking still seems terribly exotic - I suppose that'll wear off eventually.
I have been president of our Newcomers Club this year too, which has been a great source of international people and local information and I'm learning pottery which has mostly been a great source of muddy mess, lots of peanut bowls and great happiness.
This summer we have been trying to tame the woods into some semblance of a proper garden but it's been tough in the face of the weather and local wildlife. The deer, moles, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, ground hogs, and racoons seem to like to eat just about everything we plant. At least they all look really cute doing it; and I'm learning a lot about native plants and animals and patience (especially patience).
I wish you all much love, laughter and happiness and great fun adventures which I look forward to hearing all about at the next reunion.
Diane Dennison
Posted on 29 July 2008
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Dianne Munitich (née Robertson)
After leaving school I enrolled at Grey's Hospital and did all my studying there.
'89-'91: Did the Enrolled Nurse Diploma and qualified as a Staff Nurse.
'91-'93: Worked in the Operating Theatre as I wanted to gain experience and loved the type of work.
'93-'95: Enrolled to do the Bridging Course and qualified as a General Sister.
'95-'97: Went back to theatre working as a sister obtaining experience in all fields that a theatre has to offer. And after much deliberation, in April '96, I decided to take on the challenging job of studying for the Diploma in Operating Theatre Medical and Surgical Nursing Science( very intense!), which I obtained in March 1997.
5-4-'97: My longtime boyfriend, Mike, and I tied the knot after six years of going out!
Nov.'97-Oct '98: Decided to do the Midwifery course and obtained the Diploma in Midwifery after a very interesting and knowledgeable year.
Nov.'97-Feb.2000: Went back to Theatre, mainly specialising in Orthopedics, but as staff shortages started happening, I worked in other disciplines as well. I did various short courses throughout to keep up to date with the trends and orientated new student nurses to theatre before they came for their 4-6 weeks theatre experience.
I fell pregnant with my first child in May 1999 and Rebecca Anne was born on 13th February, 2000. I had resigned from Grey's Hospital in the February but had to go back and work in my resignation month in May. I was a stay-at-home-mum for about 18 months, in-between doing Mike's business books and accounts and selling Tupperware(which I did very well!), but I felt the need to go back nursing, so I started working at Bouwer and Partners Pathology Lab in a part-time position, which gave me time to spend with Becs.
In August 2003, Jason Stephen was born and life started to get busy, when, on 27 January 2005, my second eldest brother, Struan sustained a severe brain injury from a motorbike accident. I resigned ten months after his accident so that I could split my time between my family and being there for him (he was not married). He is a hemiplegic (one sided), has an admin job and lives in the res at his work in Westville.
Life still goes on and how time has flown! I can't believe Becs is in grade 2 at Wykeham Collegiate. She loves any sport and is persevering at school. Jason is in RR at Cordwalles and has settled down nicely and is very inquisitive about everything and also loves outdoor activities. Mike still has his business which deals with dairy machines and cream separators, but now is more into buying property, renovations and renting out.
I keep busy being the typical home exec, Mom's taxi to the kids, on the PA for Becs's school and class mom for her class. My hobbies include scrapbooking, reading, sewing, decoupage (when there is time) and definitely trying to find 'ME TIME'! I am thinking of going back to work when Jason is in grade 3 or 4.
So here's to another ten years when we will be nearly turning 50, most of our children will be in high school, a lot more grey hair and possibly going through menopause! But let's look on the bright side of life - they say the new 60 is 40, so then the new 40 must be 20, so embrace life and live it to the full!
Di Munitich (nee Robertson)
Contact details:
P.O. Box 13822
Cascades
3202
171 Howick Road
Wembley
PMB
033 3454692 (h)
072 142 0017 (m)
sepspec@sai.co.za
Posted on 25 June 2008
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Heather Bensch (née Robson)
This site brings back so many memories! Just spent a really fun half hour reading through all the entries – thanks for putting it together so beautifully, Kari.
After leaving GHS, I studied a BA at ‘Maritzburg Varsity. Then Shareen Thole and I took what kids today seem to call a ‘gap year’ and did some backpacking. We earned money doing all kinds of things in the UK, from serving at a cake shop, doing people’s nails at the Earl’s Court Show to standing in the snow collecting for a charity. When we had earned enough, we did some travelling to Greece and Turkey (our favourite!).
I started teaching in Durban, when we returned to SA, at a girls’ school and then moved to a co-ed convent and am now at Clifton, a boys’ high school. The boys are a lot more challenging to teach than girls but I’m getting used to them now. They talk a lot more than girls and cannot file anything and their handwriting leaves something to be desired! I also realise now how irritating we must have been at school when the teachers were trying to teach us something and all we cared about was passing notes and giggling. I have also realised that boys spend even more time talking about girls than girls do about boys, if that is possible.
I married my husband, Leon, in ’96 and have two boys: Mikey and Ryan who are 5 and 4, respectively. I guess everyone who has kids feels the same way: they become your world. Everyone told me when they were little, how fast they would grow and it’s true. I wish I could preserve them in time and keep them at this age because they are so much fun.
We also emigrated – packed up and went back to the UK when I got a job in a Catholic school in Bedfordshire. I guess I looked at the country with very different eyes when I was planning to raise children there, as opposed to when I was just a youngster having fun, and we decided to come back. For us, it was a good decision because life is good right now and, although there’s always the fear that something horrid could happen tomorrow, I don’t regret returning at all.
Am really looking forward to catching up with old (as in long-standing, definitely not aged!) friends I haven’t seen for ages and sharing news. Everyone seems so happy and successful, or they have overcome challenges with such courage – looks like life has, in the end, been good to all of us.
See you at the reunion.
Heather
Posted on 28 July 2008
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Heather Evans (née Lipsett)
Well, I have no glamorous, high profile, thrilling and exciting job like some ... actually I guess I do ... I am a mom and boy is that thrilling and exciting!!!!
A year after leaving school in August 1989 I got engaged to a wonderful man, Anthony (to everyone else ... Tony) and the following year on the same day we got married. This year we will have been married for 18 years. Sarah was born 2 years later and is a gorgeous 16 year old who has been at St John's since Grade 1 and is now in Grade 11. Luke came a few years after that and is every bit his father's image, cute but all boy! There is not a moment that goes by that I am not supposed to be riding a motor bike, playing or watching cricket or some boy sport!! Luke is 11 years old and in Grade 6 at Pelham and loves every day of it.
Anthony previously ran the Whistle Stop in Maritzburg for 20 years and now part owns and runs the Spur at the Liberty mall in town. He works incredibly hard with terrible hours that are not too conducive to family life, so yes, Spur is part of our weekly menu to enable us to spend some time with him.
Since leaving school I worked for some time as a PA in the legal world until my children were born and then decided Mommyhood would be more challenging!
As the kids got bigger I did some work for a few years at Kelly Personnel and a few more years doing computer training which was great fun. As the kids have got older I have had more time to myself and now work 4 mornings a week, mainly for myself but generally doing anything and everything related to a computer!
Anthony's work does not allow for too many family vacations as he can't take leave during holidays but we have done some traveling and had an awesome family holiday to the UK 2 years ago. We are planning the States hopefully before Sarah finishes school and leaves home!
WOW ... is that 20 years in a nutshell? Well it doesn't sound like I have done much, but 2 kids, a husband, a great dane puppy and 3 cats ... time is not my own and 20 years has sped by in a daze of mostly happy times.
So I look forward to seeing you all and hearing what you have done in the past 20 years.
Can't wait to see you all ...
Love Heather
X
Posted on 3 June 2008
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Heidi Dammann (née Hurlstone-Piper)
Hi there
It's so great reading what everyones been up to!
After leaving school, I went to Stellenbosch to study health and skin care therapy which unfortunately only lasted a year - I was very homesick and decided it was not for me!! I ended up back in PMB and worked for a dentist while I was deciding what to do. That was when I met my hubby Hugo Dammann.
I moved to Dundee to be closer to him and began a job at the Standard Bank. We got married and spent two years on his farm in the Dundee / Glencoe area. Our first child Luke was born and the next year we immigrated to Houston, Texas. Three years later Jessica-Jade was born. We've lived in Texas ever since. We now live on 15 acres just north of Houston near a town called Cut-n-Shoot! We have cows, chickens, dogs and cats and a big stocked pond!!
We import the Bumbo baby seat from South Africa and distribute it in the USA. We sell to Babies R Us, Toys R Us and Walmart. My husband has just manufactured a bigger seat for special needs children which is starting to take off as well.
Unfortunately my sister, niece and brother in law died very tragically in February this year which brought me back to SA, so I regrettably won't be with you all at the reunion, but you'll all be in my thoughts.
So awesome being able to catch up on everyone, thanks so much Kari and Kerry ...
Love to you all, Heidi Hurlstone-Piper (Dammann) xx
11392 Ward Rd,Conroe, Tx, 77306
Cell # 936 524 9122
Home # 936 446 2914
Posted on 8 July 2008
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Heidi Mulder (née Rutsch)
I left matric to complete a Secretarial Course at the PMB Technical College, and then went on to complete a Social Science (BSocSC) degree at PMB University, and then completed Honours in Psychology at the University of Cape Town. After a few months nannying and doing odd secretarial jobs in England, and travelling around Europe in 1994, I returned to PMB Varsity to complete a Masters degree in Educational Psychology (1995 - 1997).
I then married Ron Mulder from Underberg in 1998. We decided to explore this Global world of ours and left for England in 2000 to work, travel and join Ingrid and her family (who were already in the UK). We had our first child, Megan, there and after 3 years decided to move on to New Zealand. Our second child, Kate, was born in New Zealand in 2005, and we have now been here for just over 3 years.
I work part time in Private Practice as a Psychologist, and the flexibility is great with two young children. We live near a rural town called Manawaru on the North Island (about 40 minutes from Hamilton), and have 2 acres of land with a few sheep and chickens! Amazingly there are quite a few ex-GHS girls here, so although I won't make the formal 20-year reunion, we will be getting together here and enjoying a small reunion! It is always lovely to hear what everyone is up to, so I look forward to reading the little booklet when it's out. Thanks so much to Kari and Kerry for arranging all this.
Enjoy the reunion.
Heidi
Posted on 9 June 2008
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Ingrid Winn (née Rutsch)
Hi everyone
Reading through these blogs has made me so nostalgic. I am really sorry not to be joining you all at the reunion, but thank you Kerry and Kari for getting all our details on paper so professionally.
Here is my story over the last 20 years:
I left school and went straight into nursing, qualifying from Greys Hospital 4 years later, and then moved to Cape Town to work at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. I left in 1994 to travel to England, planning on working and travelling for a few months and then going back to SA, but by then my boyfriend, Simon Winn (whom I had met in matric) joined me and we stayed in London for 4 years. I worked as a Paediatric Nurse at the Royal Brompton Hospital. We did a world trip to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, India and Nepal for 6 months before returning to SA where we felt we belonged! We loved being back in the country, and lived for 2 years in Gauteng. I qualified as an intensive care nurse, Simon and I got married, and then job opportunities drew us back to London in 1999. I had my 3 children: James (now 8), Kirsten (now 6), and Nicole (now 4) in London.
Their little British accents were developing nicely, and we were settling into life in England (as best we could with all our family in SA). However, after 12 years in England, job opportunities once again led to another move, this time to New York. Simon was transferred by his investment bank and we have been living in Old Greenwich, Connecticut for the last 2 and a half years. Simon has a long commute of about an hour to work each day, but it allows us to live in suburbia, at the beach, and in a house (as opposed to an apartment in New York).
The children have all developed an American slang despite our best intentions to avoid it, but we are very happy here, and have found a place similar to Hilton, but at the beach. In summer we spend our days at the beach, and in winter we drive an hour to ski, or toboggan in the back yard. We have a motor boat that we use most weekends for water-skiing, tubing and just cruising to various islands off the coast, and James (our eldest) is learning to sail. I stopped work after having Nicole, and have been kept busy with various kinds of volunteer work, and the children’s school fundraisers. I am the President of the local Newcomers Club which has been a wonderful resource for meeting people and getting involved in community events. I have been road running, but after several years have yet to run a marathon! My hope is to start with a half marathon in October, but don’t hold me to it!!
We really try to instill a bit of South African heritage into our children, and I am proud to say they can even sing the SA National Anthem. However, they say they are from England, and James even supports the English rugby team!! Coming to the US has really confused them about their nationality, but who knows where we will be in the next 20 years!? Have a wonderful reunion.
Posted 29 July 2008
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Jane Bainbridge (née Alborough)
I studied Occupational therapy at Wits (1989-1992), worked in Jhb for about 7 years, during which time I married Lance Bainbridge (the very one from school days!), who has since qualified as a veterinary surgeon. We lived and worked in Johannesburg for a while before moving back to KZN, Lance finding work in Margate where we worked for two years. Our eldest son, Luke, was born there in March 1999.
We moved to Durban in August 2000, and have lived in Westville since then. Lance works in his own vet practice in Pinetown, and I run an occupational therapy practice from home.
We have since had twin boys, Peter and Philip, now 6 years old, so my life is particularly busy ... a continual juggling act of work, family activities, sport and weekends away. All three boys are at schools in Westville and our lives have largely centralised here, although our families are still very much resident in Pietermaritzburg.
Lance is a fisherman / sportsman / out-and-about man and my boys have inherited the love of things on the go, so we are "on the go" often, usually spending weekends in Underberg at a cottage we have there, or at the beach, or further afield, too. As a mother of boys and married to such a man, I can be found riding mountain bikes, sitting next to Berg streams while they fish, swimming in icy rivers or swimming in the sea, rallying to the chants of "come on Mum ... I'm beating you Mum ... please swim one more time, Mum ..." .
I am truly blessed, and busy as things may become, I am loving this stage of life.
Posted 29 July 2008
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Janice Willemsen
After school I completed a BCom at Maritzburg Uni and then had a few jobs in banking, market research and printing and publishing. I left PMB in 1997 for Cape Town on a transfer whilst working for a large pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly.
I had my first taste of overseas travel with a two-month trip around Europe in early 1997. I then had another seven weeks travelling around Australia and New Zealand in 1998. After two years in Cape Town, I moved to Sydney Australia, with Eli Lilly. I left pharmaceuticals to join a software company, PeopleSoft, 6 months later and after 18 months got myself a transfer to Hong Kong.
I thoroughly enjoyed living in Hong Kong with lots of time spent doing business and travelling in China and Taiwan. I moved back to Sydney in 2002 and spent two more years in an Asia Pacific role, meaning I travelled a lot through places like India, Singapore, China, Japan and South Korea. I have also had the pleasure of travelling to the US at least 3 or 4 times a year for business and always attach a weekend here or there to see friends and go shopping! We have also gone to a few Sales Excellence clubs in places like Grand Cayman and Hawaii which are always great – gotta love paid holidays!
The most exciting news, however, is I got married in March last year to the most wonderful man, Simon. Every year of my life just gets better and better with more and more awesome experiences.
Well, that was the “most exciting news” until this year came around. 2008 has brought even MORE exciting news ... and the reason why I am not at the reunion. Our first baby is due in September and we cannot wait for our little boy to be born.
I will be at the reunion in spirit and hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Janice Willemsen
justjanice@mail.com
Posted 30 July 2008
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Jean Farr (née Baverstock)
Ladies
Quite a challenge to just whip up a snapshot of the last 20 years - without making it sound too glamorous, eh?
I attended Maritzburg 'varsity for two years but, truthfully, spent a lot of that time tanning and playing pool, so I left for the big wide world (er ... actually just a job in town). I had a great position training municipalities around Natal for many years and my memory of life in PMBurg before I left is of overwhelmingly good times and enduring friendships. After various other bits & bobs, including living in Durban, I joined South African Breweries and got married. I think this almost lasted a whole year.
I packed up at the ripe age of 30 and left for the UK, alone. I gave the ol' tertiary education another go and have been doing project management at the Tube, building infrastructure for the last 5 years.
I pictured myself with an Englishman and then went ahead and married a local Maritzburg boy - Keith Farr. I have a darling son, Harvey who is 2 years old. My dear sisters live very close and Ive been fortunate enough to be able to visit SA every year but I definitely struggle with not having more women to share our unique flavoursome South African humour every day. Reading through the website has been fascinating and I'm really looking forward to catching up with those of you who can make the reunion.
Posted on 20 July 2008
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Jenny Glaister (née Manton)
After leaving school in 1988 (and threatening NEVER to return) I did MANY things ... none of which incuded the type of education that improves your career prospects, but I did learn a lot and had a lot of fun! In '91 I met up with an old friend that went to Scottsville School and lived in the same neighbourhood as me when we were children, David Glaister. 6 years later we got married and 5 years after that, had our first and only child, Gregory James Glaister.
Also in 1996, we bit the bullet and bought a house in the Hilton / Howick area where we have lived ever since. Dave owns his own business in the security sector and I have been in various sales and administration positions over the years, including 4 years in government (can you imagine!!). I have been with The Kelly Group in Permanent Recruitment for the last 2 years and love it! Greg is now 8 years old and goes to Merchiston and Dave and I will have been married for 12 years in October!
I have been back to Girls High, for our 10th reunion, which was wonderful, weird and amazing. I look forward to our 20th with anticipation and hope that many of the class of 1988 attend. Would love to see you all and catch up! Till then ...
Jenny
Posted 12 June 2008
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Jodi Stone (née Watson)
After being awarded a BSc degree at Maritzburg University, I spent a year travelling and working my way around the United States, which was a fantastic experience. On my return, I met up again with Anthony and eventually ended up in Kimberley with him, due to work transfers. We got married in 1994 and spent the next 8 years in Kimberely (I was teaching and Ant was involved with the rehabilitation of the Kalahari). During this time, we had 2 daughters, Caitlyn (now 9 years) and Ashley (now 7 years).
In 2002, we decided to immigrate to the UK and have settled in a little village in the South East, called Crowborough. Due to the fact that there are no deserts in the UK, Ant has also now trained to teach and, believe it or not, we teach in the same school and in the same department ... We don't regret our move to this country at all (although it means missing out on great reunions like this one).
I am sure the reunion is going to be great and hopefully I will be able to join you for the next one.
Have a great time together!
Love
Jodi Stone (Watson)
Posted 22 July 2008
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Justine Prigmore (née Armitage)
After leaving school I did a year's Legal Secretarial course at PMB Tech. Thereafter I worked at Venn Nemeth & Hart Attorneys in PMB for some 11 years.
During this time I married my childhood sweetheart, Mike Prigmore, and we're still married after 13 very loooooonnnnng years (just kidding!). We have two lovely daughters, Rebecca (born on 3 November 1997) who is in Grade 5, and Sarah (born on 7 July 2000 – her Dad’s birthday!) who is in Grade 2, and both of whom haven't stopped talking since saying their first word!!!!
We moved to Joburg in 2001 when Mike got promoted to Hyundai Head Office and we've been really happy here (despite the traffic and crime!). I work half day for an advocate so am fortunate enough to be able to spend lots of time with my beautiful girls.
I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone.
Justine
E-mail: mail2mjp@mweb.co.za
Posted on 15 July 2008
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Justine Schapers (née Piovesan)
Hi all
It has been great catching up with you on the blog. I missed the 10 year reunion so I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again.
After matric I went to the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg and enrolled for a Social Science degree. I majored in Psychology and Marketing and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of ‘varsity life. I partied, joined committees like the Orientation committee and generally had a really good time. I must have studied really hard too because I was selected to do my Honours degree in Psychology.
At University I met my wonderful, stunning man, Mark and after numerous make-ups and break-ups (remember those!) we were obviously meant to be, because we are still together 18 years later! After Honours I followed a dream I had of becoming a journalist and I completed the Higher Diploma in Journalism at Rhodes University. The year away was challenging but I learnt a lot about myself and about what I wanted to do as a career, journalism not being it! I did photography as one of my electives which I really enjoyed.
I moved back to PMB to be with Mark and my family, in 1994, jobless, just before the elections. I worked the rest of the year as Assistant Faculty Officer in the school of Law, officially the worst job in the universe! I had to convince myself that I was on my way to somewhere and the following year I enrolled in the Psychology Masters Course in Counselling Psychology at the University of Natal, Durban. I commuted to Durban 3 times a week for a year and finally completed my internship at the Counselling Centre at Pietermaritzburg ‘varsity.
Mark and I were married in 1997 and we moved to Durban. We live in a house in Cowies Hill on the Palmiet River, which provides us with a lot of interesting wildlife and birdlife, in particular a resident troop of mongoose and lots of monkeys. My biggest achievement to date are our two gorgeous children, Nicholas who is 7 and Leah who is 4. Nicholas is in grade one and a really interesting little boy who is into sport and building things. He loves making forts and doing experiments and most of all teaching me the rules of rugby! Leah is my wild child, exuberant, beautiful and open. They are at an age now where I learn from them and their observations every day.
I have worked as a Psychologist at the Children’s Assessment and Therapy Centre since I qualified. I work as part of a team of Occupational therapists, Speech therapists, Remedial teachers and Psychologists. We also run a remedial pre-primary for children with developmental delays which is a unique place. I am a specialist in Early Developmental Assessment and I oversee the running of our Developmental Unit. Being a psychologist is a stressful job. While I enjoy working with the children I am in the process of setting up a private practice at home as, after 10 years, it’s time to move on.
My husband is a Natal Bass fisherman and so he spends many weekends, in summer, at the dam. I used to partner him before I had children. Now we try to join him or spend weekends away at the beach, as a family, going to rugby games, and just trying to do as much together as we can.
So that’s me in a nutshell ... looking forward to reconnecting in about two weeks.
Posted on 22 July 2008
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Karen Coyne (née du Plessis)
I am married and have one son, Nathan aged 6.
I have my own business, importing and distributing clothing. We live in Hillcrest.
Posted 16 June 2008
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Karen (Kaz) Geddis (née Thomas)
After leaving school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so I took a year to do a couple of Secretarial courses, which were the best thing ever because I learned to touch-type! I then did a Public Relations Diploma at Natal Technikon on obtaining a bursary from Eskom. I did my practical training at Eskom and stayed there for another 4 years as Internal Communication Officer, editing their House Journal and managing the Communication Strategies for their Restructuring / Affirmative Action Drive.
I left for London in 1996 and spent 5 years there. I did a stint in an international Public Relations firm as Account Manager in their Technology Division. I then decided that the corporate world was not my cup of tea and took a temp job as an assistant to Felix Dennis, Chairman of Dennis Publishing, the UK’s biggest IT magazine publisher (he also branched out into the now high profile Maxim and Stuff men’s magazines while I was there). What an amazing experience! Managing the private life of the 57th richest man in Britain was so interesting ... apartments in central London and Manhattan, a home in Connecticut, one out in Stratford-upon-Avon, and a house on the island of Mustique (next door to Mick Jagger’s). There were 3 of us who managed the house-keepers and maintenance staff, together with sorting through the mounds of correspondence and co-ordinating his personal shoppers in London and New York. I spent time winding up his bookshop (what better way to get any book you want than to acquire your own bookshop?). The last year in London was spent helping out his personal accountant close the accounts for the bookshop and tie everything up.
I spent the rest of my time on a journey of healing … I was diagnosed with Major Unipolar Depression in the early 90s, where I spent time in the psyche ward at Grey’s Hospital, and was given Electro Convulsive Therapy (a nice way of saying shock treatment) because, according to the psychiatrist, my life was at risk. After being told I’d be on anti-depressants for the rest of my life, I chose to find out how to get rid of the depression instead. I read a book called Conversations with God, which answered all my questions about life, religion, God, etc. In there something stood out for me ... a theory that we create our own illness! Man, did that change the way I looked at the depression. No longer a “victim”, I found my power and changed my thoughts / beliefs about my self and my world. I was drug-free within a couple of years and have never looked back!
I met my husband, Craig at a SA vs NZ rugby test match in London and we have not been apart since. We left London in 2001 for New Zealand, fell pregnant within 6 months, and in 2002 Imogen was born. Teegan followed in 2004, and little Tia last year. So, the last 6 years have been spent immersed in motherhood. What a journey of self-discovery! I am really into being at home with my children ... and don’t get me wrong, we have our days (chuckle)! Most days I love watching how they see life ... how they live in the moment ... how easily joy flows through them. They are inspirational, and an awesome reminder to just go with the flow and resist less.
Have a fantastic reunion. I plan to get to the NZ one ... it has been so cool reading everyone’s stories!
Posted on 13 July 2008
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Karen Grossi (née Ord)
After all these years, I am still here in PMB, even though I swore I would get out
as soon as I left school!
Straight after school, in January 1989 (no break, no gap year – just the December holidays!) I attended Maritzburg Business College where I did an Executive Secretarial Diploma, Public Relations and Marketing (so much for me thinking my school days were over!). Then, in 1990, whilst working for a retail clothing company (as my goal was to be a buyer), I had three job offers (as secretary for an attorney, as an assistant secretary at Programming Services and as secretary to the owner of a local sports company – can you believe it – me, sports!). Well, I chose Programming Services! After that, I was PA to GrahamVolans of Volans Master Cleaners, here in PMB (whom some of you still living in PMB may recall, was murdered by his opposition). Grahams’ death hit me hard and was a very traumatic time for me.
I got married to George in 1995 (he is the IT Manager at Sappi). Just as well I chose Programming Services as this is where I met my husband (fate?), but George left Programming Services six months after I joined ... !?
I now run a property listing group, Property Network, and have a shop – The Christmas Décor Shoppe. I am Christmas mad (in fact, we are about to add on a store room just for my own collection of Christmas things).
And I have far too many hobbies (gardening, cooking, baking, reading, interior design, and of course, Christmas!), which doesn’t leave me much spare time. My love of cooking led me to join a supper club where the members have to cook a three course meal from recipes they have never tried before (and no cheating allowed) – very challenging and quite daunting! The other members then crit your meal. We have had some major flops but also some real successes – that’s whole point, to increase our repertoire! These supper club nights are a real hoot, especially if you are not the one being critiqued.
George and I don’t have any children, but we do have 5 dogs (Bovril, Marmite, Bella, Missy and Sammy) who keep me as busy as any child would!
Maybe I’ll take that gap year now!
Looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion!
Posted 28 July 2008
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Karen McConnell (née Clarke)
I left PMB to go to Durban Tech to study clothing production management. I didn't enjoy that and left after the first year.
I moved to Cape Town to study nursing and qualified as a Nurse and Midwife in 1993. I left South Africa to travel. Travelled first to Israel, then to the UK where I worked and travelled from for a couple of years.
I returned to SA in 1996 to work as a midwife in Khayelitsha. Returned to the UK to study advanced Midwifery in Edinburgh, Scotland. Worked as a Midwife in London for a couple of years.
I then returned to SA, got married to Garvey and went on round the world trip for a year, returning to South Africa pregnant with first child. Set up independent midwifery practice in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. Had 2 children, Kei, boy (now aged 6) and Che, girl (now aged 4). I ran midwifery practice for 6 years mostly attending women choosing to birth their babies at home.
I set up www.birthworks.co.za in an attempt to provide pregnant women with research-based information to enable them to make informed decisions about how and where to give birth to their babies. We also started hiring out birthing equipment initially in the Western Cape and are in the process of expanding to Gauteng.
We have just moved to Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, where we are in the process of securing land to build a rural birthing centre called the "Busfare Babies Birth Centre".
Posted on 12 June 2008
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Kari Longman (née Fransen)
It feels so very strange to be writing about my life over the last 20 years. To think we’re all more than double the age we were when we left can be a sobering prospect, but judging from so many of the blurbs I’ve read, we certainly have managed to accomplish some remarkable things! My life is not remarkable in any respect, but here it is, none-the-less.
I went to Durban varsity in 1989, to study for a B.Mus. It seemed like the obvious thing to do, although I also had dreams of studying architecture or industrial design. At least I was finally out of the house, though, and I had heaps of fun, but had to leave at the end of my first year, as my parents moved down to Cape Town. In my second year I had to live with my parents again, which was really rough after a year on my own! I was also involved in an awful car accident that year, which left me with 95 stitches on my knees and face, and a rather jilted outlook on life for a while. But I recovered (as we typically do) and I did the rest of my music degree at UCT, majoring in Orchestral Studies (clarinet) and also doing quite a bit of the jazz studies curriculum, as well as English on upper campus. Unfortunately the College of Music was hardly the place to Meet a Desirable Man (they were all either interested in other men, or complete womanisers!), so the romantic side of my life largely took a back seat at that time.
I felt rather lost and unsure as to what to do with all those years of studying, so I took a year off overseas in 1993 (spending most of my time in Holland, and some in London). On returning to Cape Town, I very nearly did Masters in Jazz Composition, and then very nearly the Accountant's Conversion course (two extremes, if anything!), but eventually opted to do a teaching diploma in English and Music. That's where I met my wonderful "other half", Alistair. We taught in 1995 and 1996 and got married at the end 1996. We then left teaching (realising that the possibilities of a decent standard of living with us both being teachers was very slim!) and spent 1997 in the UK, earning tiny amounts of money. However, I had a lovely job working for a head-hunting agency called Fraser Watson and loved it. At the end of that year we travelled, on a seriously small budget, to France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Germany. We also managed a trip to Zakynthos (one of the Greek islands) earlier that year. Such fun!
On our return to SA, we both started moving in an IT direction. We went back to the UK in 1999 and 2000, where we lived in a tiny attic flat in Wimbledon and worked like maniacs to save up "house" money for back in SA. Our relationship went through a major wobbly, which was definitely the low-light of my life so far. But we managed to pull through it all and came out far stronger. On returning to Cape Town, I joined 20twenty online bank (now sadly non-existent) and worked there from 2001 until 2005 as a business intelligence analyst, whilst Al got a job at Woolworths.
We had our first daughter, Chloe, in July 2002, followed by a second daughter, Julia, in July 2004. And in April 2005 I joined Jam Warehouse as a software project manager. Don't ask me how I landed up doing that after having studied music - I'm still confused myself :). Al left the corporate world in August last year (having headed up IT for Woolies Financial Services) and bought a telecom cabling manufacturing company. He loves being his own boss, but it certainly keeps him on his toes and it’s always really hard to work out whether it’s making any money or not.
Our girls are wonderful and are darlings most of the time, but they can of course – like most kids – be little monsters when they want to. Chloe is a gentle and nurturing soul who loves nothing better than playing babies and “caring”. She is also very musical and creative. Julia is a typical second child: feisty, loving, petulant, agile and independent. Her two favourite things in the world are shoes and small books, which she carries with her wherever she goes.
We had always decided that two kids suited us fine, until I found out in April that there is another little Longman on the way. This time it’s a boy, and he’s due in December. Being the only boy in the family in the whole generation, I’m sure he’ll be suitably indulged!
I absolutely love living in Cape Town and - other than running around two busy little kids when I'm not working - I also love road running. I ran my first Two Oceans 56km in April 2007. Doing an ultra-marathon was always something I dreamt of doing, so it's so nice to have done it (even if I thought at the time that it was the daftest thing imaginable to put one's body through!). I also love designing cards, walking in the forest, baking, playing the piano and playing silly with my kids.
The Reunion Project, as I call it, started in February 2007 and it’s taken up tons of time getting in touch with people, trying to Google those who were “blanks” on my spreadie, keeping track of who’ll be there and who won’t, building the GHS 1988 website and getting everyone’s blurbs and pics together, but I have really enjoyed it. There are lots of people, who – although they won’t physically be at the reunion – have certainly been reunited with people through the process. It is so rewarding – when someone asks me if I have contact details for some person they haven’t seen in 20 years – to say “yes” and get them in touch with one another!
With much love and looking forward to seeing you all,
Kari Longman (née Fransen)
Posted 30 May 2008
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Kate Benyon (née Daniel)
After graduating with my Hons degree from Rhodes in ’92, I worked in PMB for a short while before joining Rob (who I met while studying at Rhodes) who was teaching in Gaborone. We married that year, 1993.
After Gabs we spent time in UK and then returned to Grahamstown in ’95 where we still live. We have 2 girls, Jessica (10) and Paula (7). We both work at Rhodes – I am fortunate enough to work a very flexible part-time combination of jobs which allows me to run around kids as well – from managing a small conference centre for Rhodes, co-ordinating their involvement in SciFest as well as project manager for one of the Profs.
Rob is lecturing in the IS Dept at Rhodes and is currently registered for his PhD. We live on the campus as wardens in one of the boys residences. We enjoy the interaction with the students; it’s a good life here.
Kate
P O Box 2187
Grahamstown
6140
Tel: 046 6038035 (h)
Cell: 082 801 2387
E-mail: k.l.benyon@ru.ac.za
Posted 29 May 2008
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Kathryn Wright (née Brown)
Hi everyone – it has been amazing to catch up on everyone’s news and see all the photos. After school I did a BComm at Pietermaritzburg varsity and met my husband in Psychology lectures! I then had various jobs in Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and Joburg for the next few years. Andrew and I got married in ‘93 and moved to Australia in early ’95. We have lived in various places in the same suburb in Sydney ever since!
I managed to get a job with a marketing company soon after we arrived here and am still working for them now on a part-time basis! I started at the bottom with them and worked my way up to managing the Australian office. We had our first son Lewis in 2004 and at that point the company decided to relocate the regional office to Singapore so I got a nice retrenchment package which was great for the home loan! I have continued working for the company as the only employee in Australia since then and just keep the administration and accounts side of things going. I work from home which I am very happy about. We had our 2nd son Declan in 2006, so the boys are close to turning 4 and 2. Before kids we managed to do quite a bit of overseas travel to Europe and the States and are actually heading over to New York and the UK in October for Andrew’s sister’s wedding. Travelling with a 2 and 4 year old could be a challenge!
I keep myself busy with the boys, work and church and manage to fit in a bit of gardening now and then too. In order to lose the ‘baby figure’ I joined the gym and have surprised myself by actually enjoying it and can now run 5kms without too much effort – unbelievable for those who remember my aversion to PE! I also sing in a choir and we have recorded 2 CDs.
I am very heartsore that I will not be at the reunion but will certainly be thinking of you on the Friday and Saturday. I will definitely make a plan for the 30 year reunion as the boys will be much older by then. Big thanks to Kari and Kerry for all the work in organising this and hope to see you all in 10 years time!
Much love
Kathryn
1 The Broadway
Wahroonga NSW 2076
Australia
H(612) 9489 7086
M/Cell (61)(0)410 484 064
kathryn.wright@remarkgroup.com
Posted 22 July 2008
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Keren Baxter (née Ellis)
Well 20 years have certainly passed quickly! After leaving school I went to technical college and did a secretarial and PR course before starting work for a transport company in Pietermaritzburg. Adventure beckoned when I had the opportunity to serve at the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel and I then spent 6 months working in Israel with a short stint of backpacking through Egypt. I returned to work at the University in PMB in the personnel department and in the Agricultural and Science faculties, where I met my future husband Brent.
The travel bug beckoned and in 2004 I backpacked around Australia and New Zealand for 6 months which was great fun and an experience which I will always treasure. On returning to PMB I worked at Damelin until I married in 1996 and was subjected to the culture shock of a move to Witbank where my husband worked for Anglo Coal and I was soon busy co-ordinating training courses at Anglo’s training centre.
Eighteen months later we moved to Potchefstroom where I worked for a lawyer until the birth of our first son, John in 1999. Andrew followed in 2000 and with a tiny baby we moved to Irene, where we have thankfully been ever since. I have made some wonderful friends here, most of whom originate from Natal!
David arrived in 2005 just when I felt I was getting my life back to normal, but what a blessing he is. Our forth son is expected in November! My life as a full-time mom is busy, rewarding and never without excitement.
Posted on 21 July 2008
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Kerry Jordan (née Thompson)
Hello everyone from Matric '88
Not sure how to start so will just say a big thanks to Kari and Kerry for organising this reunion! Great to connect with you all and looking forward to seeing you in August.
First year out of school I studied Horticulture at Durban Tech and was there for four years including my practical, a year of which I spent in Maritzburg working for McDonalds and Jesmondene. I lived in a digs with Varsity students so got to experience a bit of Pmb student life which was interesting and a lot of fun. After this I received training from a landscaper in the Hillcrest area.
After qualifying I worked in Durban for a year for an indoor pot plant company while I did a part time business management course. Then my cousin, Lara Meter (we became friends after school when I shared a digs with Carri de Billot, Lara, Sally Harrison and Helen van Heerden) and I hit London. The first year was awesome: we travelled to Turkey and Greece and worked in London doing the usual odd jobs. At that stage most South Africans were there illegally so there was a great sense of camaraderie and of us all being in the same boat. It was very exciting and we all kind of lived on the edge a bit.
Anyway as soon as we were able to qualify for the 2 year work visa we came home, got new passports and went back for a further 2 years of which quite a bit was spent working in London, this time with better paying jobs so we could travel more! Spent four months in the Middle East and three months in the Far East and explored England, Scotland, Wales and parts of Europe. Louise Jennings and I travelled together for a while and I lived with those other girls in London as well. Loved this period of my life and learnt a lot about myself. My cousin met a gorgeous English gentleman in our final year and he proposed so we had to come back for the wedding and my visa expired in that month so I was unable to return, which I was very upset about.
However, two months after that I met my husband Nic Jordan and seven months later I was engaged to the love of my life. We live on a farm on the North coast just inland from Ballito and have two sons, Luke (8) and James (5). I have a landscaping business which I started 10 years ago and a wholesale indigenous nursery. When I had my second child I downscaled my business to a core group of clients which has been great as it gives me more time for my family. Recently I have joined forces with my neighbour who has a large nursery and landscaping business, to form a new company called Assosiated Landscapes, of which my function is marketing and design and his implementation, so I seem to be moving into a new and exciting phase of my career.
It is really beautiful here and I feel truly blessed. I love my organic vegetable garden, doing pottery and of course absolutely adore my family which is my main focus.
Looking forward to seeing you all.
Much love
Kerry
Posted on 16 June 2008
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Kerry van der Riet (née Gous)
After school, I plunged into five years of French and English studies at PMB varsity. My Dad lectured there, so tuition was free! I got engaged to Dion van der Riet in my final year and I have to admit my thoughts were far more on Dion than on my studies that year. We got married the next year – 1994.
We headed overseas on a round-the-world ticket for a year long honeymoon with a difference. (A bit of odd job work, but mostly travelling on a shoestring.) Came back more passionate than ever about seeing the world, but it was time to find a real job. We settled in Jhb and I began work as marketing assistant at Exclusive Books. I loved the work, although didn’t cope terribly well with the stress levels. I was promoted to marketing manager, and then began working really crazy hours, until my husband took me in hand! Thanks to him I read Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits, and turned around my approach to work. I had just got everything sorted and stress-free when I left to have my first baby (Jeremy – 1999.)
I decided not to go back to work even part-time, as I was fully immersed in motherhood and functioning distinctly below par due to sleep deprivation! Also, we decided to take the opportunity to move around a bit. We moved back to Pmb in 2001, and our second son, Jonno, was born there. After 6 months, however, we returned to Jhb, as Dion’s job wasn’t what he’d hoped for. (He’s an IT (SAP) consultant.)
The following year (2002) Dion took a six month contract in Houston (if only I’d known you were there Heidi!). The Americans provide amazingly exciting facilities for children – the boys and I spent many magic hours in the Houston Children’s Museum, which was as entertaining for me as it was for them!
In 2005 Dion took another far-flung contract, this time in Windhoek. By this stage I was settled in our new home in Jhb and reluctant to move again. I was very stressed in the run-up to our departure, and came down with an awful virus as soon as we arrived, which caused major hearing loss in both ears. It was a time of enormous trauma, black depression, fear and loneliness. Miraculously, however, the hearing gradually returned, and I joined a jazz / folk band (playing my flute), had enormous fun, and got connected with my old self again. We spent the rest of our time in Namibia touring around as much as possible in our old Landrover, and fell in love with the country.
Since then I’ve managed to persuade Dion to stay put in Jhb – although we escape for camping holidays as often as possible. The highlights are our annual 4x4 trips into South Africa’s neighbouring countries (of which Zim is our all-time favourite.) I am a ‘freelance mom’, involved in various projects including volunteer work with books, writing projects (including writing up my 90-year-old Gran’s life story!), PTA work, school music group work, etc. I love hanging out with my two boys (now 8 and 7) - reading to them, hiking with them, teaching them recorder. The best times of my life are our camping trips into the mountains and the bushveld of Africa with my adventurous husband and our boys.
Can’t wait to see those of you who can make the reunion – a huge congrats to Kari for her tireless work in contacting so many of our ‘Class of ‘88’. Thanks to her we’ve got about 80 people coming!
Love Kerry
Tel (011) 803-3716
Cell 076 781 9974
PO Box 939, Rivonia, 2128
kerryvdr@worldonline.co.za
Posted 22 July 2008
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Kim Stevens (née MacCallum)
How lovely to hear from you, even though I can't believe it has been 20 years since we left Girls' High. Many thanks to Kerry for trawling through the PMB phone book and contacting my mom, otherwise the 20-year reunion would have passed me by, much as the 10-year one did! I doubt whether I'll be able to make the reunion as I live in the UK now, but I'll certainly be thinking about you all that weekend. As to what I have been up to in the past 20 years ...
I completed a BSc in Agriculture at PMB varsity followed by a Masters degree. 1995 was a very busy year as I finished my Masters, got married, moved to Pretoria and started working at the Equine Research Centre (Univ. of Pretoria) as a Research Assistant. The next five years were a little boring, as nothing much happened (although I did find the time to complete a Diploma in Interior Design), but in 2000 my husband (Dominic) finished his veterinary studies and we moved to the UK.
We now live in a small town called Leighton Buzzard, which is a 30-minute train-ride north of London. Dominic has his own veterinary practice and I work for the Royal Veterinary College (University of London) as a Lecturer in Veterinary Epidemiology. One achievement I am very excited about is the fact that I co-authored a book, 'Spatial Analysis in Epidemiology', which was recently published, and I am now working on a second book.
On top of all this I am also busy doing my PhD in Epidemiology (part-time). Add my 3-year old daughter (Inara) to the mix and I'm surprised that I have any spare time, but I still somehow manage to find time to read, garden, and practise kendo.
Posted 1 June 2008
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Kirstin Tarr (née Hultzer)
Hi there Class of 1988. Sounds sooo long ago. What a wonderful idea - thanks Kari and Kerry.
After leaving school I did a BSc Dietetics and then honors in Dietetics at the University of Natal - PMB. My first job as a dietitan was with the Department of Health in Durban in 1994. In 1995 I married Darron (a teacher at the time). In 1995 I worked for in a private Hospital in Durban and also did a bit of private practice. In 1997 I joined a German-based Pharmaceutical Company as a Clinical Nutrition Sales Representative. 10 years later I am still with them.
In 2002 our first son, Christopher, was born and 3 months ago Daniel arrived. I am still on maternity leave and loving each minute (well almost).
Darron started his own business in EQ (Emotional Intelligence) at the beginning of the year and is working from home. Lots of changes for us this year.
I look forward to getting together with you all. My email address is: darrontarr@yebo.co.za
Cheers
Kirstin (Kirsty)
Posted on 14 May 2007
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Kirsty Burnett (née Millard)
The last 20 years. I left school and studied to be a teacher at Johannesburg College of Education. I then lived in America for a year and loved it!! (could eaily live there). I returned and taught at Roedean School for 4 years in Johannesburg.
I then met my wonderful husband, Oliver Burnett, and we live on a golf estate at Hartbeestpoort Dam, 40 minutes from Johannesburg, called Pecanwood Golf Estate. Louise Cawood (Robinson) lives down the road from us. I’m currently teaching at Pecanwood Primary School, a wonderful country school.
Oliver and I have 2 little girls, Kate and Amy, aged 5 and 3 and I’m expecting our third child at the end of August.
Posted on 7 May 2008
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Lara Gibson (née Cliff)
After school I went to Durban College and did a Public Relations & Executive Secretarial Diploma, then got my first job as personal assistant to the Hospital Administrator at St Anne's Hospital in PMB. I worked there for 7 years and then got a job as the personal secretary to a chartered accountant in PMB where I worked for 3 years before leaving after I married my high school sweetheart, Clint Gibson. We married in October 1996 after dating since std 8!
I then joined him and his brother's business here in Maritzburg - Sealcoat & Gibson Plant Hire. I do the books for them. Sadly my Mum passed away from cancer in April 1997. In December 1998 we went together with my brother, to visit my sister Cindy who lives in America. We spent 5 weeks travelling the States and loved it! I got very spoilt for our 10th wedding anniversary: my husband surprised me and took me to Mauritus for 7 days and then in December 2006 we went to Thailand with my brother, his girlfriend and my sister. We spent 2 weeks there, 1 of which we were on a 40ft yacht sailing, snorkelling and just having fun! My brother is living in Cape Town (not married - yet!) and as mentioned my sister is in Charleston, West Virginia, USA. She isn't married yet either.
We don't have children; I unfortunately can't. For some inexplicable reason other than emotional stress from losing my Mum I went into early menopause before I turned 30 and am now a very "wise old soul". We had a very emotional and stressful couple of years when we were trying to fall pregnant and saw many different doctors who tried all they could to help us conceive. We have recently completed the screeing process for same race adoption with an organisation in Pretoria called ABBA adoptions. Now we wait and wait!!! No-one can say how long it will take but we know that when God is ready for us to have a family it WILL happen! So we pray and be patient. We'd love to have twins - 1 of each would be divine! (call me crazy!).
Posted on 28 May 2008
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Liane Henman (née Hatton)
20 years on:
I am now Liane Henman: not too different from Liane Hatton (still LH). Paul and I have been happily married for 10 years in August. We have two kids, Cara who is 7 and Jason who’s 5. We’ve been back in PMB for 15 years and seem quite settled here. Cara goes to Epworth and Jason starts Merchiston next year.
After school and a gap year, I studied, amongst other things, Microbiology at Durban Technikon and had the time of my life. Eventually reality kicked in and I entered the big working world by joining Buckman Laboratories (industrial chemical company) in Hammarsdale and 14 years later, I haven't left, although thankfully the job titles have. Paul and I met in Durbs and then he moved to PMB to open his photographic lab (now Kodak Express) at Scottsville Mall. So naturally I eventually moved back to PMB.
Juggling my demanding job and bringing up the kids can be challenging, to say the least. And of course Paul's photography, which includes a lot of weddings, keeps him extremely busy. We do try to get away as often as we possibly can, as we enjoy camping or going away with friends.
We have been fortunate enough to do some travelling overseas, to Europe and America. Our next travelling destination is to visit family and numerous friends in Australia and New Zealand, which will certainly be an experience, travelling with kids!
I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion.
Until then ...
Love
Liane
29 Rushmore Road
PMB
Cell:0836564897
Email: lhenman@buckman.com
Posted on 7 July 2008
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Liesel Kruger (née Hauptfleisch)
Hi there everyone, what as surprise I got when I received the message from Michelle (who lives in the UK
I have been living in Jhb for the last 13 years and have one child who is now seven and at school.
Not many changes since our 10 year reunion, still working for the same construction company. It will be great fun seeing everyone again
My e-mail address is: liesel.kruger@murrob.com
Posted on 19 April 2007
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Linda Berthelson (née Maynard)
I have lived in Bloem, Jo'burg, Nelspruit and Ballito in the last twenty years. I have been married to Roger for nearly fifteen years and have two sons, Dylan aged 11 and Braedon aged 9.
Presently I am working as a volunteer in a group that builds places of worship in mostly rural areas of KZN. I am in the accounts department in spite of being in the "typing class" at school. It's amazing what you can learn on the job!
Posted on 28 May 2008
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Linda Katzenellenbogen (née Arpin)
After completing school I worked for just under a year and got married in the same year. I had a son, Lloyd, who is now 17 years of age and writing matric at St Charles College in Pmb. By the way, I have never left Sleepy Hollow!
Had a secretarial job for approx. 2 years and then went into repping for approximately 1.5 years for TNT Express Worldwide (international courier company), and then for Imperial Car and Truck Hire. My daughter, Paige, now 14 years of age, in Grade 8 at St John’s, was born in 1994. Unfortunately, I got divorced after 5 years, but then met the most amazing Physiotherapist, Michael Katzenellenbogen, who is ex-Cape Town. We were engaged after a month on Valentine’s Day, and got married a year later on Valentine’s Day as well!
We had our first child together a year later, Talia, who is now 9 years of age and in Grade 3 at St John’s. Finally, on the reproductive side of things, I went to Tygerberg Fertility Clinic in Cape Town, and was blessed with the most beautiful twins – Thomas and Tatum. They are now 6 years of age and are at St John’s and St Charles.
When the twins were 3, I decided to do a complete turnaround in career and studied Beauty Therapy. I then opened my salon, which operated for almost a year. A wonderful opportunity arose in educating Beauty Therapy, so in 2007 I purchased Janelle Beauty College in Pmb, and have been educating since then. I moved my salon to our new college premises, and also continued beauty therapy there.
Last, but not least, my husband and I proceeded to open Pietermaritzburg’s first Virgin Spa (health spa), inside Virgin Active in December 2007. My life is full and wonderfully blessed in all aspects of career and most importantly family.
Posted on 14 June 2008
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Lindy Ferguson
Hard to believe it is already 20 years since we wrote matric and thought the world was our oyster … I see from some of the “blurbs” that a few pearls have been found along the way and I’m really looking forward to hearing in person at the reunion the details of how, when, where and why, etc.
As for me well where to start ... I left school and went to Maritzburg University for all of one year. Not my greatest decision and not the best year of my life either I might add! Having a year’s university loan to pay off I did a bit of waitressing at Granny Mouse’s Country House for 6 months and then joined Dr de Wet in PMB as his dental nurse, during which time I also did some studying through UNISA. Can’t say staring into other people’s mouths all day was particularly inspiring so after a year of that I decided it was time to explore the big bad world and headed overseas.
First stop was London where due to work permit and visa limitations I worked as a nanny / au pair for 6 months and then the travel bug gripped! So a trip through some of the Western European countries took me to Austria where I met up with my friend Karin and we went in search of work for the ski season … after a few trials and tribulations we finally found ourselves working in a hotel in “Soll” in the Tirol and had the most awesome time skiing all day, partying most nights and generally having a ball.
As a result of such a fantastic time working a winter season we decided it was worth experiencing a summer season, so made our way to Greece via Turkey and landed up on Corfu Island where we met up with other friends from Austria. The whole experience was such great fun that we decided to repeat the whole process again the following year.
So after two years of plenty of fun, sun, skiing and no responsibility it was back to London. I landed up working for a family in North West London during which time I did my International Montessori diploma and managed to juggle things so that I stayed with them (had my own self-contained flat) but worked at a Montessori school just up the road. I then decided it was time to try the “formal education route” and landed up at a school in Hampstead, St Mary’s. Must say I loved teaching especially the little ones although it can of course be exhausting they are just so inspiring and their zest for life is contagious.
Having made the decision to head back to Sunny SA, I was then provided the most awesome opportunity of joining a family who had decided to take their son (Max, age 7) out of school for a term and to travel and they wanted me to tutor Max while we travelled. So after 5 weeks in NZ, 5 weeks in Australia, 2 weeks in California and 2 weeks in Mexico they headed home to the UK and I spent another 5 weeks in Central America. I then flew to South America (Rio) where I met up with a few mates and we travelled through various parts of South America for a further 5 weeks, all of which was totally amazing and truly the trip of a lifetime.
From there it was back to London to try and earn a few pounds before I finally returned to SA after 12 years away! I’ve now been back for just over four years and find myself in the rat-race in JHB. I originally returned to Durban but due to employment opportunities or a lack thereof in Durbs I came up to Jozi. I am working for a company called ICAS (we are in employee wellbeing) and am currently one of the Account Managers. I’m shortly to move departments and positions as I am in serious need of a new challenge and have also been told it will not be quite as “stressful”!
As for a husband and children ... well, I have not yet been convinced that the institution of marriage is one I want to join and with two gorgeous nephews and four Godchildren scattered around the world I have also not felt the need to procreate! Unfortunately it looks like my brother and his family will be immigrating to Australia sometime this year which will most certainly leave a huge gap in my life and might force me to do some more travelling … but for now I take every opportunity I can to spend time with them here!
Anyway looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion and catching up on more news.
Posted 28 July 2008
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Lisa Ivy (née Rijkenberg)
Wow, when one has to put pen to paper and decide which parts of the last 20 years of
one’s life have been interesting enough to share with others, one realises that it is a very daunting task! So much has happened!
I went to UNP to study B.Sc. Agric majoring in Horticultural Science and Plant Breeding which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was there that I met my husband, Mark Ivy, a farmer from a tiny dorp called Munnik in the “Verre Noord” also doing his B.Sc. Agric.! What luck! My first visit to his family-run cattle ranch felt like the other side of Planet Earth but over the years it really has become home and I love the bushveld!
We got married in 1994 and went to work in London for 6 months to earn some £ʼs to travel. We then proceeded to hitch-hike through a great chunk of Europe, Turkey, Israel and Egypt camping in our two-man tent! Great fun and if your marriage can survive that then it can survive anything!
We headed back home to SA but our feet soon became itchy again and off we set for another adventure. We again worked in London thereafter setting off to the USA for 6 months. We bought a little, ancient Toyota Corolla which we converted, by removing the back seat, into a mini-camper and travelled through the 48 contiguous states of America (we will have to get back to see Alaska and Hawaii at a later date)! It is the most diverse, enthralling country that we have visited to date - what a privilege to have been able to do that awesome trek!
We were then finally ready to settle down in sunny SA. We started off by running a specialist Bonsmara beef butchery which, although extremely successful, was never the love of my life and finally closed in 2006 (yippeee!!).
In 1998 God blessed us with our first daughter, Carissa - a very momentous and absolutely exhausting occasion as any Mom knows! In 1999 we sold all the cattle, fenced in the 3500ha farm and started a game farm and lodge called IVY SAFARIS – Thaba Lodge, which has kept us more than busy for the past 9 years! We were blessed with our second daughter, Daniella (Danzi), in 2001 - not quite a millennium baby as planned! Our daughters and the game farm keep us on our toes and out of mischief (most of the time).
Our most exciting guest to date, without a doubt, was Prince William who graced us with his very charming presence in June 2001. He is one of the most polite, genuine individuals I have ever met - not stuffy in the least! We threw a piglet into his rondavel one morning as a practical joke which he took very well and since then the rondavel has been named “ The Prince and The Porker”! Other groups which we always enjoy are the local and foreign school groups who come to learn about the eco-system with us. We have developed a course and written a book around the subject called Ecowise.
Our family farm was one of the first successfully completed landclaims in the Limpopo Province. We are currently renting the property back from the Makgato community and are trying to form a joint venture with them. That will be the next interesting phase in our lives!
Last year we were blessed to relive a part of our American trek with our two girls and Mark’s folks on a 6 week RV trip from California to Colorado. It was just as wonderful as we had remembered it to be!
If you are ever in the Polokwane (Pietersburg) area, please pay us a visit!
That’s all for now - get ready for the next installment in 2018!!
Posted on 4 June 2008
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Lorna Banfield (née Western)
After matriculating I qualilfied as a Beauty Therapist with international recognition. I worked for various beauty salons in PMB. After a few years, I was given an opportunity to work in the medical field & did dental nursing for a couple of years. In 1993 I moved to Jo'burg where I continued dental nursing as well as dental reception work for several years.
I then moved to a computer training company where I was the Training Administrator to 35 lecturers. I enjoyed this position thoroughly but the company went bankrupt.
I got engaged to Bruce in December 1999 & joined his business where I ran the entire office for him for 6 years.
In conjunction with working for Bruce, I studied Reflexology part-time and qualified 3 years ago. I opened my own beauty salon at home where I still practise (mainly week-ends now).
I am currently a P.A. to a director as well as Office Administrator for a fibre-optic company. I mainly deal with engineers so it's quite an interesting and diverse position!!!!
I have been married to Bruce for 7 years (known him for 15 years) He is 11 years older than me, has 3 sons - Juran (26 yrs old), Aeron (22 yrs old) & Gavin (18 yrs old).
I don't plan on having any of my own children ...
Posted on 17 June 2008
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Lorna Gilson (née Gallagher)
On leaving GHS in 1988, I attended the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg for three years and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During this period, I worked for Galsure, our family short-term insurance brokerage and continued to do so for 18 years. I am still work mornings at Galsure and have obtained internationally recognised qualifications in this field.
I opened "Scrappy Shack", a scrap-booking shop from home in June 2007 and am presently in the process of relocating this shop to Boom Street, PMB. On the sporting side, I have played club and provincial indoor and outdoor hockey. Of the eight years I played for Natal Midlands, I captained the side for four seasons and was included in an SA indoor selection following the inter-provincial tournament held in Gauteng in 2001.
A major highlight for me on the sporting front is the recent selection of my brother in the SA men's hockey side which has just left for the 2008 Olympic Games in China. Watch out for him on TV!!!
Most importantly, I married the most wonderful man in August 2000 and Fearne and I have three beautiful children: my daughter, Jamie (aged 6) and my boys, Kyle (aged 4) and Max who is 21 months old. My husband is Marketing Director at a local logistics company, Manline, and we have lived in Hilton for over five years. In August we are celebrating our 8th anniversary.
Posted on 28 July 2008
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Lorraine van Rij (née Brown)
I had always wanted to be a nurse so after school I applied for training at Greys Hospital. I was scared I wouldn't like it so I also applied for dietetics at PMB varsity. On 1st Jan 1989 I reported to Greys for training & haven't looked back since. I did the 4-year comprehensive course which included midewifery, community, general & psychiatry. We had some great times & some tough times, like your 1st death. I don't think you ever forget that. In order to get all our midewifery experience we were sent to the country hospitals. I went to Vryheid hospital. It was quite an eye opener.
After my training I applied for a post in the neonatal ICU as I felt that was where I wanted to specialise. I didn't get a post so I thought instead of wasting time I would head overseas. I travelled through Europe, skiing in Austria. Then I worked in Israel on a moshav which is similar to a kibbutz but only involves farm work. I also managed to explore Israel and was in Jerusalem over the Easter weekend - an experience I will never forget.
I went back to Europe to do a Contiki tour which I also really enjoyed. I came back to SA thinking I was going to be working in the nursery, but no such luck. I was given the choice of either medical ward (which I hated) or theatre (which I hated almost as much) I made theatre my choice, thinking it was just a temporary stop-over. Well I ended up being there for 8 years and in that time I completed the theatre nursing diploma. This is such a good qualification to have as you can get work virtually anywhere.
During this time working in Grey’s theatre I went overseas again to UK and to Thailand and Singapore. I also met my future husband. We were married in 96 & in 99 moved to Howick. I have 2 daughters & stopped working for short times after they were born. I found working late shifts and being on call very tiring so left theatre to work in a lab drawing blood.
I eventually got a part-time job in Howick when the hospital opened up here. I was still working at the lab but worked flexi in the theatre. In 2006 I found out my husband was having an affair which he wasn't prepared to stop so I had to unfortunately file for divorce. This has been a really rough time in my life and if it wasn't for my faith (which has grown so much) or support from family and friends I would not have made it through. I just thank God that I have my two beautiful daughters. Amy is 7 & Hannah is 5 and even though being a single parent is not easy and some days I want to throw them in the bin, I am truly blessed to have them.
Around the same time as all this was happening I finally got a fulltime position in the theatre in Howick. I have been working in the theatre at the Howick Private Hospital for almost two years and even though it is long hours, overtime and call I believe this is where God wants me to be right now. Who knows what the future will bring but it is not in my hands but His.
Well that's my 20 year blurb.
Looking forward to seeing you on 1st.
Love from Lorri
Posted on 20 July 2008
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Louise Cawood (née Robinson)
After working in the textile industry in Durban for about 9 years & having got married in 1996, Mark & I had our first daughter, Kimberly, who is 8 this year. I stayed at home & worked part time in a decorating business near Hillcrest, where we were living after we go married.
Five or so years ago we moved up to the JHB area. We are very fortunate to be living out at the Hartbeespoort Dam on a golf estate, Pecanwood. We had our second daughter, Chelsea, who will turn 4 this year.
I have been working for Seeff Properties in Pecanwood, as PA to two property consultants, for the past three years. My job is flexible & I am able to enjoy working and have time with my two girls in the afternoons.
Posted on 11 June 2008
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Louise Lubke Cuss (née Cuss)
After completing a BA at UND I worked for a few years as a sub-editor at The Natal Witness, supposedly SA’s oldest newspaper, though many papers profess the same thing! Then in 1996 I went to the UK on a working holiday. I did care work for a while between travelling a bit around Europe and in 1997 started temping in London. There I met my husband Paul and we got married in May 1998.
I worked for five years at the Heritage Lottery Fund, a quango that awards grants out of lottery takings to heritage-related projects and bodies. I left when my job moved to Newcastle and having completed a part-time MA in Children’s Literature, I enrolled to do primary teacher training in Portsmouth. I taught at a school there for two terms in 2003/4 before deciding this was not for me!
I now work at another government agency in the South East, managing a team that monitors business grants. We have a nearly-one-year-old girl called Marina who keeps us on our toes! We live in Petersfield, Hampshire and dream of having a small plot of land one day for some pigs, chickens and vegetables.
Posted on 1 August 2008
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Lucy Usher (née Tennant)
After matric, I went to UNP to study a BA, majoring in Drama and English. I followed this up with an Honours degree in Drama (Specialising in Dance and Theatre Arts) and then a Teaching Diploma (HDE), with Drama, English and Geography as my teaching subjects.
My first teaching prac was at Maritzburg College and I enjoyed it so much that I was determined that it was there that I wanted to teach (following in my dad’s footsteps). Luckily, a post became available and I started a 12-year teaching stint at Maritzburg College from 1994 to 2005 when I resigned, having served on the management team as Director of Cultural Affairs and Head of Speech and Drama. College has been a very special part of my life and I’m a staunch “College Old Girl”… it was while I was at College that I got married and had my first two children, Katy (nearly 11) and Tom (8). My husband, Glen (an attorney) and I lived at College for a number of years while he did his articles and so he, too, became part of the College staff for a while (despite being an Alex old boy! My friends may remember that I would never have even thought about dating an Alex boy while at school!!).
Opting for a “quieter”, more part- time job so that I could spend more time with my family, I started at Cordwalles Prep School as the Drama teacher towards the end of 2005. A year and a bit later, I was expecting our “laat lammetjie”, Tori, who was born last year in June. She has been an absolute joy and her older siblings adore her. (Even Tom, who vowed to leave home if I had a girl, is besotted with her!) She’s lucky to have extra baby sitters in her sister and brother who are old enough to help change nappies and entertain her – what a pleasure! I am now back teaching Drama at Cordwalles where Tom is in Grade 2, Katy is in Grade 5 at St John’s and Glen is a partner at Stowell and Co Inc Law Firm in town.
Although I am kept busy with kids most of the time, I also direct numerous school productions and have started road running recently (running the Comrades is something I’d like to do before I’m 40 … at the moment I can do about 6km!!!). And … last weekend, Glen and I (joined by Katy) took up a new hobby …we went scuba diving at Sodwana! What a thrill! People who know me well are amazed because I NEVER swim, hate the sea and am terrified of sharks!
E-mail: usher_lucy@cordwalles.co.za
Cell: 084 4444 258
Home: 033 345 2544
Posted on 13 July 2008
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Lynn van Nieuwenhuizen (née Baverstock)
Hi all
It’s been so lovely to read the postings from you all. Thank you, Kari, for organising this. Well here goes 20 years ...
I left GHS to study nursing at Grey’s, qualified mid 1994. I loved it so much I decided to further my study and specialised in Operating Theatre Nursing in 1995. I worked in the theatres at Grey’s for 5 years and then decided a change was needed.
I joined the pharmaceutical industry and worked for Astra Zeneca and Pfizer for 4 years selling drugs to physicians and GPs, which I thoroughly enjoyed and of course the incentives kept me captive. I also met my wonderful husband Marcus (a PMB boy) whilst studying and we married in 1995.
Having not done a lot of travelling, Marcus and I decided to sell up and move our base to the UK and see what the rest of the world looked like. Well ... years on and we are still here. Eventually I joined a medical company as a sales specialist (B.Braun) and have moved up in the ranks with the same company; I am now the Sales Development Manager for the London and the South East area and really enjoying my position.
Marcus works in London as the Chief Engineer for the Guoman Hotels (Charing Cross) Through saving all of our pennies we could eventually move out of our one bedroom flat in London (as you do) and have recently bought our home in Kent which is beautiful. Jean (my twin) - I doubt that you’d have forgotten her - lives across the road from me, convenient for both of us especially as I get to see my nephew Harvey (who is adorable), more often.
I haven’t had any babies yet, but we hope to have that sorted in the near future.
Our jobs, the house (which we have renovated, redecorated) and gardening keep us really busy. Outside of that we enjoy our regular visits to the gym. I also haven’t played the piano for years but have recently purchased an electric keyboard which I plan use to entertain the neighbours and Marc has recently taken up his art and sketching again.
I am really sorry to be missing this year’s reunion but fortunately caught up with a lot of you at the 10th. Please do get in touch if you are ever our side of the world.
Love Lynn
Contact e-mail: lynn.vannieuwenhuizen@bbraun.com or thevans2003@yahoo.co.uk
Address: 16 Riding Park Hildenborough Tonbridge Kent TN11 9JB
Tel: +44 (0)1732 834 779
Posted on 15 July 2008
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Mandy Wheeler (née Fleet)
After leaving school I worked at the Allied bank in Pietermartizburg for about five years. During this time I coached swimming, part time, after work.
In April 1993 I married Miles and then moved to Wartburg.
In 1994 I decided to start my own business teaching swimming and at the same time I was coaching in the Pietermartizburg and Wartburg areas. What an experience this was as I have always loved swimming and to be able to teach something that I have so much passion for was very rewarding.
In 1996 my son Niall was born and in 1999 our family was complete when our daughter Tara was born. Both of them also love to take to the water and have represented Zambia and have been awarded lots of medals and broken lots of records. Because of this they have been able to leave their mark on the swimming scene in Zambia.
We have been living in Zambia since 2003. My husband Miles works for Zambia Sugar which is part of the Illovo Sugar group. We live on the Nakambala Sugar Estate and both of our children have schooled here. Tara is still here at Musikili School and Niall is now in grade six at Cordwalles in Pietermaritzburg.
I have been very lucky to be able to continue my swimming teaching and coaching whilst living in Zambia. This has enabled me to gain international coaching experience.
Look forward to seeing all of you at our 20th re-union when no doubt we will have lots of time to really catch up on the past few years.
Posted on 2 June 2008
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Marcelle Trethewey
Life has been quite an adventure with lots of travelling and different sports an no real shortage of excitement.
I have backpacked to many different countries and had a great time, my preference usually being 3rd world countries. A lot of the time I travelled with best friend Rose who is an Australian. I have been to Nepal, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Amsterdam, Greece, France, United Kingdom, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Switzerland, Brazil. I hiked to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal with mom in tow who was a real trooper because it was hard core hiking, not to mention dodgy river crossings, altitude sickness and cold so intense the water was frozen over the long drop! I have ridden a camel in Egypt, slept in a bedouin tent in a sandstorm with jumping spiders everywhere (ugh, I hate spiders), swum with a wild dolphin in the Red Sea, hid from an armed madman in Crete, watched the sun rise from the top of Mt Sinai, did a tandem skydive over the great barrier reef, dived a newly found wreck teeming with sea snakes, camped out on an island in the Okavango with lions roaring nearby and my Aussie mate telling me to “lose the biltong “ in case a lion found it. Too funny!
Sports over the years have been a variety of racing, the latest was navigating in the National Off Road Car series for a few season which was great but long dirty hours. The best part of that was winning a race at Sun City and all the partying that went with it. I have done some Adventure Racing, the longest was 200kms in 30 hours with the best part being abseiling off a lighthouse and lots of worse parts, like swimming in a rough sea at night, walking for hours in the dark, wondering if a hippo was going to charge in the dark (hey my 6 foot partner was also wary!), getting lost, pushing mountain bikes for hours through soft sand… and no, its not really a fun sport, I start getting really bored after sitting on my bike for 5 hours! Spent a lot of time jet skiing in the surf which is great fun.
Workwise, notice I leave that for last, as it is definitely only an evil necessity. I have been involved with sports court construction, earthmoving, started a business that offers timekeeping for motorsport events, organising bike and quad off road races, website construction and maintenance (www.tuskersmotorsport.co.za), and the latest being a new web based business which offers high end safaris to international tourists which you can find at www.wildafricasafarico.com. Has some stunning wildlife pics in the photo gallery! I have to say I am enjoying the safari business. Maybe there is some hope for me after all.
As for my significant other, I was meant to be moving to California later this year but have decided that “the chosen one” is in fact not the chosen one! So, I am moving to the Cape at the end of August and will go from there. I will keep running my safari business and working at it, and maybe look at doing some kind of logistics or admin assistance in the film industry down there. Should be fun and is seasonal and on a contract basis. Besides that it will be nice to meet some new friends and explore the area.
The next adventure on the calendar is a trip to Papau New Guinea next year to hike the Kokoda Trail.
Posted on 12 June 2008
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Margaret McKenzie
I completed a degree in Computer Science and Maths in PMB after leaving school and followed that with a Computer Science Honours Degree at UCT. I then worked as a programmer for two years in Durban and got married. While I enjoyed programming, I realised that I would spend the rest of my life in front of a computer, so went back to University to do a Masters Degree in Environment and Development in PMB. We carried on living in PMB after I completed my studies and I worked for government and then an environmental NGO. In 2000 we moved to Durban and I started doing freelance environmental consulting work. Unfortunately I also got divorced shortly after moving to Durban.
After freelance consulting for a number of year, I now have a consulting company with four other people that has just opened small offices in Durban. I am currently working on a large project called 'Imagine Durban' that involves developing a long-term sustainability plan for Durban. The purpose of the project is to attempt to prepare Durban for long-term challenges like future rises in the oil price and the impacts of climate change. I also work on community-based tourism and craft projects.
I currently live in a small semi-detached house in Glenwood. I share the house with two clowns so it is filled with unicycles, juggling balls and red noses. We are trying to slowly become a more sustainable household and reduce our energy consumption and waste production (but still have a long way to go). I recently took up cycling to try out an alternative to driving. I still use my car a lot, but cycling is a far more relaxing and healthy way to travel (if you ignore the possibility of being run over by a bus).
Margaret McKenzie
Tel: +27 (0)31 201 9499
margaret@eject.co.za
Postnet Suite 190
Private Bag X10
Musgrave, 4062
Posted on 8 August 2008
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Mary Holgate (née Coetzee)
After Matric I study Occupational Therapy at the University of Durban-Westville. Once I qualified I worked at St. Christopher's School in PMB and did some post-grad. studies to specialise as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist. I just love working with special needs children and watching how they respond to the input and the fun we have in teaching them skills to be as independent as possible.
In 1997 I married Andrew, who is a lawyer, and a truly wonderful person. We moved to Whangarei, New Zealand in 1999. I continued to work as a Paediatric OT firstly at the Child Health Centre, which is attached to the hospital and then, after Matthew was born, I moved to Blomfield Special School where I am still working part-time so that I can have some time during the week to spend with my gorgeous kids.
Andrew and I have two children, Matthew who is 5 and Taryn who is 13 months. They are a delight and bring us so much joy. I just love being a Mom and am so proud of my kids!!!
Matthew started school at the beginning of this year and just loves it. He plays soccer and does swimming during the week and loves being outdoors!! Taryn is just such a cutie and adores her big brother.
We will not be able to make the reunion in SA but will be joining Heidi and a few other from our year that have moved to NZ. Looking forward to catching up with them.
Posted on 13 June 2008
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Megan Braithwaite (née Nowlan)
After matriculating, I completed a commerce degree at Natal University (PMB), graduating in 1991. In my final year, Errol Braithwaite (whom I started dating in 1986) and I were married (29th June 1991). He is a civil engineer. Ten days after we were married (!) he left to do his national service. Once I had finished my degree I worked voluntarily for Youth for Christ in PMB for 6 months. Errol and I then moved to Jhb (Bedfordview), vowing that it would be for no longer than two years (we're still here!). I began work for Jet Head Office as a planner in the Buying Department.
In January 1994 we had a beautiful red-headed son (Thomas). I was privileged enough to become a stay-at-home mom which I have loved! In April 1995 we went to live in the UK (Croydon - South East London) on a year's secondment.
Our second son, Duncan, was born in September 1995 (at home!). Returning to SA in 1996 we bought a home in Edenvale. Our daughter, Hannah, was born in May 1999, also at home. So now we have 2 boys, 1 girl, 2 dogs, a cat and about 15 fish.
Thomas is now in high school (Grade 8) at King Edwards. He was deputy head boy last year. Duncan is head boy this year at Dunvegan Primary, and Hannah is in Grade 3. In 2000 I qualified as a swimming teacher, which I have done part-time since then. I have even swum Midmar a few times (though with nowhere near the speed of Mandy and Hayley!).
In 1996 I began studying Theology part-time. In 1997 I became a full-time student and now have 18 months to go to qualify with my BTh. I love being a student again, and want to eventually do my doctorate in Theology.
Otherwise we live a very happy, typical suburban married-with-kids life.
My contact details are:
9 Schonland Road
Elma Park
1609
(011) 453 3544
073 665 7497
I would love to reconnect with you '88 girls.
Posted on 28 July 2008
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Megan Bromley
After school, I went to UNP and completed a BSc majoring in Computer Science and Applied Maths. I followed this with Honours in Computer Science. It was at university that I met my husband, Gavin Maltby. After university, I worked for a company called Computer Management (name has since changed) in Durban for 3.5 years. During this time I married my husband.
In 1996 we wanted to do some travelling abroad so left for the UK. We planned to spend about two years in the UK but ended up living there for 12 years! We lived south west of London and I worked for BP Gas as an IT contractor and commuted into London. After two years, I was tired of commuting so I took a permanent position at Sun Microsystems whose office was local. I worked at Sun Microsystems doing software development, project management and business analysis for 7 years. While working at Sun, I had our two daughters; Heather (5) and Gemma (3). In 2005, Sun outsourced their IT department and I took voluntary redundancy because I wanted to be a full-time mom and spend more time with my wonderful kids.
From the UK, we managed to do quite a bit of travelling before we had kids. Some of the places we visited are: the USA several times, many places in Europe, Norway, Iceland, Namibia, Botswana, Vic Falls in Zimbabwe, Grand Cayman, Australia. For work I travelled to the US, Singapore and Japan. We also joined a scuba diving club. Diving in the UK isn't the warmest experience so as well as doing UK weekend diving holidays, we did some diving abroad in Dominica, Egypt and the Maldives.
Because we wanted our kids to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle we moved to Melbourne in Australia about two months ago. It's early days yet but so far we are enjoying living here although, of course, there are lots of things we miss about the UK and South Africa.
Wish that I could be at the re-union to catch up! Have a wonderful time! Hopefully I can make the 30-year reunion!
Posted 26 July 2008
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Megan Brunkhorst (née Jenkins)
Wow, 20 years have gone by so fast! I can't believe it. As to what I have been up to, here goes: I attended the University in PMB and did a BSc Agric degree majoring in Genetics and Plant Breeding. I followed that with an MSc in Genetics and Biotechnology. During my MSc studies I met Walter and we got engaged after two years together.
I then joined the Agriculture Research Council, working as a wheat breeder in Bethlehem. This was a wonderful experience, but as Walter and I were now married, being a weekend wife did not really hold much appeal! After some searching, I finally managed to get a job in charge of the tissue culture laboratory at the Durban Botanical Gardens, where we propagated orchids and various indigenous and medicinal plants. After a short stay there I went to the South African Sugar Research Institute, where I was the sugarcane breeder for the Midlands region. I was with SASRI for 5 years, and enjoyed traveling to different parts of the country and overseas. However, after 5 years the traveling eventually got to me and I joined the University in PMB as the Senior Genetics technician, a job that I am thoroughly enjoying.
On the family front, Walter and I are the proud parents of identical twin boys Michael and Daniel, who are now 9 1/2 months old. They are truly special as we waited a long time for them! Weekends are spent horse-riding and playing with the boys. I also enjoy sewing and photography.
Posted on 17 July 2008
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Megan Roets (née Thomas)
Hi everyone
Well it was so lovely to look at all the updates on the website and to believe that 20 years has gone past. How lovely it was to see all of your photos and I wish that I was able to be there this weekend. I am going to our "little" reunion at Heidi's place in New Zealand and going to see all the girls there, so that'll be great too.
I think I am going to start when we arrived in New Zealand. We immigrated about eight years ago and we settled into the Kiwi lifestyle very quickly. We absolutely love it here. My hubby, Kobus, contracts to a telecommunications company. We have 3 children, Jessica (16 - yes very scary!) Kimberlee (14) and Matthew (11). I see that there are quite a few of you who were more brave then we were and went on to have a few more. We live in the suburbs of Auckland and we have a very busy house of 6 as my mom also lives with us. Our kids are all very sporty and are mostly into Triathlons (swimming, cycling and running), although we have had our fair share of all the other different sports over the years, too. We, (Kobus and I) don't get much chance to participate in sports or hobbies ourselves as we are forever running our kids to training, etc. But, hey, that's what happens when you become parents.
Our major family achievements would be that Kobus survived major heart surgery 2½ years ago, Jess represented New Zealand at the World Champs in Canada in June, Kim's synchronised swimming team won gold at Nationals and Matt came 3rd at NZ Triathlon Nationals this year.
I work for the Salvation Army Homecare which means that I inherited a whole lot of grannies and grandpas with the job. Added bonus when I don't have any of my own, hey! The flexibility with the hours is great so I am able to attend all the kids’ functions and races, etc.
So, for all my friends at Girls’ High whom I haven't been very good with keeping in contact with over the years, bear with me, I am just catching my breath! I hope you all have a fabulous day, as I'm sure we will.
Love,
Megan Roets (Thomas)
Posted on 29 July 2008
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Michele Eriksen-Miller (née Simleit)
After school, I went to Technical College, obtaining a secretarial and computer diploma. I worked for Austen Smith Attorneys as a legal secretary and then took a gap year to go and au pair for Fergie's best friends’ kids in the UK, only to return after 5 weeks as the separation from my now husband, Mike Eriksen-Miller; was too much to handle!
We moved to Jo'burg in 1996, and got married in 1998. I have two wonderful kids, Jaryd (8) and Micaela (6). I now work for my husband in the jewellery industry. We love the outdoors and love camping and boating. It feels just like yesterday that we were in Matric Class of 88 – I can’t believe 20 years has already gone by!
Posted on 7 May 2008
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Michelle Templar (née Thorpe)
Well here is my blurb, finally! By the way – it was great to see you all in the reunion photos. I went to the one in New Zealand, which was great fun and kept us from feeling totally left out!
So here goes – 20 years summarised in a paragraph or two …
When we left school, I went to Maritzburg Varsity and did my BComm degree and majored in accounting. I thoroughly enjoyed my years there – those were the party years. I then worked for Nashua Maritzburg as their accountant and in this time met my hubby, Ian. He is originally from Zim but had lived in Durban since he was about 11. We got married in June ‘96 and Ian relocated to Maritzburg, but still worked in Durban. We then had Hannah in July ’99 and I then worked half day for a few months before moving on to work at Surelink Wealth. Shortly after Hannah’s arrival, we bought a house in Hilton. It was our ideal place to live! We also settled into a church there – Hilton Christian Fellowship.
In Jan ’03, we had a son, Matthew, and completed our family. We were very involved with life there and then in March 2006, after having completed extensive renovations on our home (and making it our ideal home – we were going to retire there!), we decided the need to head overseas and so we landed up arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in January ’07. (After I had declared that I would never live in NZ or Aus!)
I came on an adventure and what an adventure it has been. And now it is home! We love living here and besides missing family and friends and a few other things like summer thunderstorms, it has become home very quickly.
I am now working 3 days a week at a delightful winery / restaurant / farm, doing their accounting work and in between that being full-time mom and wife! Presently, we are in the process of trying to buy a home – house hunting … not for the faint hearted! We are also coming to South Africa for Christmas and so are looking forward to seeing our families and friends. If anyone is around the Maritzburg area, let me know!
Posted on 26 August 2008
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Michelle Youd (née Roberts)
Well, hmmmm, what have I done in the last 20 years ...
I left GHS and went to study Hotel Management in Durban, worked for Protea Hotels for a while, but then decided it was not for me and moved back to PMB in ’94 where I then started working in the life insurance business. I tTravelled around Europe but missed my then boyfriend, now husband, Derek Youd too much, came home and went back to work in the insurance industry.
In ‘96 I married Derek and went to the Maldives for our honeymoon, which was brilliant. My daughter Caitlin (11) was born in ‘97 and then in ‘98 Derek was offered a job in the UK, so we thought why not and emigrated to Paignton in South Devon UK. We had Callum (9) in ‘99 and we are still here and very happy. I am the Education Administrator at Paignton Zoo, practically running the department. I love my job. My days are very varied with no two days being the same. Looking out of one window I can see the rhinos and mandrills, and through the other baboons, goats and peacocks!
I have a great boss who lets me have lots of flexibility in my hours which is perfect with two children. Caitlin is starting secondary school (high school) in September and Callum is in year 5. All of their activities keep us very busy. We love the beach, which we live very close to, and dive, cycle, walk and generally make the most of the great outdoors when we go camping and see the UK. In the winter months I spend 90% of my time doing my family tree as well as Derek’s family tree – which is totally addictive and really takes over my life!
Thanks Kari and Kerry for organising this reunion. Sorry I can’t be with you all as I really enjoyed the 10-year reunion, but living in the UK it’s difficult to come home.
Michelle Youd (nee Roberts)
27 Hayes Road
Paignton
Devon, UK
TQ4 5PJ
Mobile: 07867943063
Michelle.youd@paigntonzoo.org.uk
Posted on 30 July 2008
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Naomi Hardwick (née Howes)
Wow, 20 years! I still feel 18 and look it too! Only kidding about looking it, but I really do still feel like an 18 year old at times. Then I see my children and am yanked back to reality. The time has really flown by. I’m going to be 40 in two years time, it just doesn’t seem possible. I can remember my mom’s 40th. As disturbing as the prospect of being (my mom) 40 seems, all I can say is that I really hope I do turn 40. In this day and age and country, it will be a marvel to get there.
What I remember most about my high school days is the dream I had of being extraordinary. I was either going to be a hi-powered attorney, strutting my stuff in court rooms demanding respect from all who encountered me, or some other kind of superwoman saving the people of this world from decorating blunders. Thank goodness none of that actually materialised. I have been so much luckier than I ever imagined I would be. I have been blessed with two angels, my son Clifton (15) & my daughter Jessica (7). I also have a wonderful husband, Rob, who has taught me patience, tolerance and forgiveness. He really is a good man! I am very lucky to have them in my life.
I am proud to say that I have progressed from those primitive tic tic ticking typewriters at GHS to being able to use the latest of the latest technology within the life assurance industry. Prior to finding my niche in the insurance industry some 14 years ago, I had the honour of landing some really awful jobs. Jobs that required patience, tolerance and forgiveness, virtues I didn’t possess at the time. Which meant that job hopping was my thing back then. So, as you can imagine, I’ve been around, but not far out of Pietermaritzburg though. Apart from living in Hillcrest for a year, I haven’t left PMB over the last 20 years, well, except for holidays.
What’s next?
With the looming prospects of our country, my family and I are off to New Zealand. We hope to be there by the middle of August, and in spite of the distress at having to leave family and friends behind, we are very excited and really looking forward to this great adventure.
So, it appears, my ship has come in and I’m at the harbour. Finally!
I wish you all the best for the next 20.
Naomi
Posted on 27 May 2008
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Nicci Munnings (née Bonsma)
20 years out of school ... gosh! Thanks to all who have been involved in arranging the reunion. My dad recently attended his 50th reunion at Pretoria Boys high and my mum her 50th at Roedean, so here is to the years still to come! Kari, thanks for your patience when it comes the blurbs ... it's kind of you don’t want to write your own but you love reading everyone else’s.
After school I went to Natal Technikon in Durban to study an accounts diploma. It took much longer than intended but I finally after much socializing and pressure from my dad I qualified. I did a year's articles at Pim Goldby (in those days) and then worked at company called Sports World which went belly up - learnt some invaluable lessons there! I then worked at a company called Griffon Shipping.
In February of 1996 I left Durban, spent a few weeks on my folks farm (yes, they are still farming in Underberg with my older brother and sister and their families), got married to Pete at the end of March and we relocated to Pretoria to assist with a new church being started. Pete, an engineer, worked for Eskom and I did a short stint at Dairybelle before working full-time as the church administrator (jack of all trades) for the church Capital City Church which was started in a home by a couple Ashley and Nadine Bell in Waterkloof. I did that for two and a half years before doing the administration for Pete who started his own company, writing software as he had qualified as a programmer. We ran the company for five great years – hard at times, but what fun it was.
In 2003 we decided to do a three-month course run by New Covenant Ministries on church planting. And in February of 2004 we left Pretoria and Capital City Church after eight happy years and great friendship to start a church in Sandton Johannesburg and called it Sandton City Church (relating to New Covenant ministries). Pete worked a contact job with MultiChoice as a programmer before the church could support us full-time. He then made his third career change to a pastor. The church met in our home for eight months before moving to a community centre in Sandton. It has been an amazing and fulfilling time.
I always told my folks I would travel before I settled down and when I met Pete he promised me he would take me travelling when we were married. True to his word we have had the privilege of seeing a bit of the world. We have been to California in the states - great, UK – no sun, Spain - any day, Holland – bicycles, Belgium - backwards, Mongolia - amazing, Thailand - divine, India – belly Delhi, Zanzibar- aaah, Malawi, Dubai – amazing all you can do in sand, Germany – it snowed and last year thanks to my folks I visited my sister Heather in Chile – I’ll be back there with Pete someday.
We have been married over twelve years and still no children - not for lack of trying and for no medical reasons? It has been a very hard and long road (11 years) to walk and I would not wish it on anyone who has a desire for kids. We have got our names down at an adoption agency and hope the wait is it not toooo long. It has taken me a few years to decide to adopt ... but I long to be a full-time mum, forming and fashioning little lives.
I am really looking forward to seeing folks, the tour of the school, especially the BE (the memories that will bring back) and catching up over a great meal. (Heidi Mulder, we will miss you!)
See you soon,
Love Nicola
Nicola Munnings (Nee Nicci / Nipper Bonsma)
Sandton Johannesburg
Mobile: +27 82 326 4967
e-mail: Nicola@scc.org.za
Skype: nicolamunnings
Posted on 21 July 2008
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Nicky Hughes (née Baillon)
It just doesn't seem like 20 years have gone by since GHS days! What have I done in 20 years?
I studied Interior Design at Natal Tech for three years. After that I worked for two years in Durban before starting an Arts and Crafts shop in La Lucia Mall in partnership with my Mother! I thoroughly enjoyed being self-employed and have not looked back since then. About seven years ago I decided I wanted to be completely independent in my business - sold my share of Articrafts to my Mother and opened a shop in Hillcrest called Ethnicks. Over the next seven years I specialised in Zulu bead work, eventually buying beadwork from over 200 rural ladies living in the 1000 Hills area. I developed a wholesale side to the business which now supplies about 150 shops and game lodges throughout South Africa, surrounding African countries and overseas. Sometimes you just happen upon a career that you were born to do - this was my calling as I loved every minute of it.
In 2005 I married my lovely husband, Warrick Hughes. We have a gorgeous little girl called Bailey who was born in March 2007. Our lives were turned upside down this year when Warrick was offered an excellent job in The Hague, Netherlands. For various reasons we decided to make the move and we have been here for about 2 months now!
It was difficult to let go of my business I sold it to my parents which was great as at least I know it will be well looked after . I am in the process of setting up a new website and plan to sell African Artwork in the Netherlands and surrounding European countries. Holland is great so far, though I miss my family and friends tremendously. I now find myself wishing I had paid more attention in all those Afrikaans lessons at school as Dutch is very similar and my Afrikaans is terrible!
Unfortunately I am unable to come back to South Africa for the reunion - we are looking forward to moving into our own house on the 1st of September and I am 5 months pregnant with our second child so everything is quite overwhelming for me at the moment!
I know you will all have a brilliant time at the reunion. I really have enjoyed reading about what you have all been doing and hope that this blog can be updated over the years to create a wonderful record of the history of the GHS girls of '88!
Lots of love
Nicky Hughes (Baillon)
e-mail : nicolejhughes@gmail.com
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Nicky Mack (née MacDonald)
After completing school I went to Tech in Pmb for a year and then worked for a group of Consulting Civil Engineers for a few years as PA to three Directors. I had no clear idea what I wanted to do and I spent my first few years after school not quite sure what career path to pursue. I then got into Personnel Consulting. I went to a personnel agency for them to help me find a job and they employed me. In 1993 I decided it was time to move out of “sleepy hollow” and joined a personnel agency in Durban. Once I was settled in Durban, I soon decided I wanted to get into something more creative.
In 1994 I joined an advertising agency in a client service role and worked my way up to become an Account Director at FCB, an international ad agency group. During this time I studied Marketing Management and I really loved it! I was involved in advertising for 10 years, working on various brands but mostly with a fashion client. With it came lots of stress, hard work and crazy deadlines but each day was different and I enjoyed that. In 2001 I got married but this did not work out and I got divorced 2 years later.
After all that I decided I needed a new challenge and thought I would try the world of marketing. I joined Mr Price as their Marketing Manager on the clothing side of the business and worked for them for 3 years full time. Since the beginning of this year I have been consulting to Mr Price – I go to work once or twice a week . It is great to have the flexibility which allows me to pursue my other interests . Nikki Hampson (Meyer) and I produce a range of Jewellery with semi precious beads - Louise Cawood (Robinson) sells our jewellery for us in Jhb and we have just sent some of our range to Ireland which is very exciting!! I have also just started doing Open Days with a friend of mine from Jhb – we sell ceramics, home accessories ,etc. in Jhb and in Durban. We would love to have our own little shop one day.
I am now living in Hillcrest with my wonderful husband Trevor. He is an investment banker at Investec – we got married a year ago thanks to Charis Meyer (Allison) setting us up on a blind date. She was so adamant we would be a great couple and 10 months later we were married!! (Thanks Char for making it all happen for us.)
I cannot believe 20 years have gone by already and it is great to be getting together again with the Class of ’88.
Posted on 24 July 2008
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Nikki Adamson
Herewith my "life story", so to say:
Hi to all my old friends and fellow class mates of 1988. Sadly following all endeavours I will unfortunately not be able to attend this event. However, will be with you all in heart and soul.
A kwik re-cap of my post-matric days to date: I enjoyed an 18-month attempt at nursing at Greys Hospital Pietermaritzburg following Matric, in which time I made merry, enjoyed, then enjoyed again and well … maybe too much but what the hell - it was a ball!
Then I went on to study my N6 Diploma and joined the Overhead Crane Industry (cranes that pick up from 1 to 500 tons, I travelled all around Northern Natal, predominantly the steel mills (Iscor), in the underground mines, then all over the country seeing the Parastatals, etc. I continued selling cranes, hoists and lifting equipment in Natal up to 1999 when I re-located to Johannesburg where I still reside. I climbed the ladder in my industry over the years to Project Manager for one of the biggest crane and equipment manufacturers in Africa. Last year I went to the Democratic Republic of Congo where I managed a R35 million upgrade of machinery and equipment in Kolwezi on one of the copper mines. I returned in February 2008 to be promoted to National Engineering Manager, where I am today with a 16(2) appointment and an order log in excess of R100 million in my control.
I have worked very hard in a predominantly "male" industry with major resistance at times, but hard work paid off and I have made it thus far. So go girls and never let anybody stop you.
Unexpectedly I met the love of my life 18 years ago and got married legally at the beginning of last year (see pic attached - Diann and I), although we consider our relationship to be a "partnership" and not a "marriage". I have two Persian cats, two taking birds, a couple of fish, two poodles and two German Shepherds - I think that's enough kids of any kind. We have a house in in Johannesburg. Diann stays at home and I travel around the country a lot so I am delighted to see where so many people have moved to.
Any case that is my story - I hope that you all have a wonderful reunion and once again I would have loved to see you all again. Please feel free to contact me and say "hi" whenever in Gauteng.
Nikki Adamson
083 595 9943
Posted on 29 July 2008
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Nikki Claasen (née Strachan)
My life has turned out completely different from the way I thought it would back in 1988! I now have a beautiful rainbow family ... here's my story ... I've had so many adventures since we last saw each other (for most, on the last day of school in 1988).
After leaving school I worked a little, studied a little and partied a lot! I met my husband in 1991 at a music concert where he was performing. We fell in love and I moved to Joburg to be with him. I travelled all over (in and out of SA) with him and his band. It was an awesome life!! We finally got married in 1993 and in the same year our first son was born. Stephen and I have been together for nearly 18 years now and married for 15. We have 4 amazing children, Joshua is 14, Nikolas is 13 and twin girls (12), Jesse & Allex.
My travelling stopped after the children were born and after my husband was offered work with Gloria Estefan in Miami (USA), our plan was to move to the US and settle there. Stephen left first and was there for nearly four months before he had to come home for reasons beyond his control. We decided to move to Kimberley (Stephen is originally from Kimberley) and we raised our children in this small town atmosphere.
Stephen and I travelled (our second honeymoon) to France and England in 2000 and spent 2 beautiful weeks enjoying our "time-out"! We moved back to JHB in 2005 and we couldn't be happier.
Our lives are full of joy and blessings and now I'm a "stay-at-home mum" and also manage all Stephen's bookings, etc. My family is extra special as we've been through so much - especially in the very beginning, but we're closer, stronger and I'm ready for the next 20 years!!
I'd love to hear from my friends who I lost touch with after school. Here are my contact details:
e-mail: nikki.claasen@yahoo.com
cell: 084 067 2844
Nicola (Nikki) Claasen (nee Strachan)
Posted on 22 July 2008
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Nikki Hampson (née Meyer)
Where to begin ... well, after leaving Girls’ High, I went off to Durban Technikon for 3 years to study Sales and Marketing, which if I had to do it over again would never have been my choice. If I knew then what I know now, I would have done something like interior design or jewellery design but I suppose you live and you learn. After Tech I worked in two sales-related jobs before joining Multichoice (DSTV) as a Retail and Promotions Rep. I was there for 7 years and enjoyed my job as it is a very exciting and dynamic company.
My husband Craig and I first got together on New Year’s Eve (January 1998), primarily because my brother and Charis (for those of you who don't know, Charis Allison is married to my brother) decided we were meant for each other and contrived to set Craig and I up. Well, they were ''right on the money" with that "set-up" because he is the love of my life. Craig and I eventually got married in March 2001. Our daughter Georgia, who is now almost 6, was born in September 2002 and our little Jack followed in March 2005. They are both too precious for words!!
I now work for my husband who has his own business, supplying the construction / roads industry, which we run from our home in Durban North. Although I know I am extremely lucky to be able to be at home with my children, it is also no easy task working from home with 2 little ones! I also have a little jewellery business with Nicky Mack (Macdonald), making semi-precious jewellery which we then sell, mainly through Louise Cawood (Robinson) in Jhb, but are now also looking at selling through a contact in Ireland.
I am very blessed to be able to say that my 5 "nearest and dearest" friends are still my mates from good old Girls’ High, namely: Charis Meyer (Allison), Louise Cawood (Robinson), Danielle Huinink (Lassale), Nicky Mack (Macdonald) and Heidi Damman (Piper). Nothing in life can replace an old friendship - it is like a good wine, it just gets better with time!
I look forward to catching up with everyone at the reunion. Can't believe it is 20 years! I still feel 18 (although I sure as hell don't look it!).
Cheers for now,
Nikki Hampson (Meyer)
Posted on 19 July 2008
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Pat Read (née Robson)
Hi girls
I am going to keep this short and sweet – a précis of the last 20 years, which somehow seems just the other day, yet also so long ago.
I went to PMB University where I studied my B Comm, worked in PMB for two years after graduating and then headed for sun, sea and blue skies – good ol’ Durb’s. Here I have made my home, having lived in a couple of different places in between, and love it. I carried on in the IT world, and am currently a SAP consultant, which has all been very exciting.
I finally settled down and got married three years ago to Frank Read (old PMB boy, too, funnily enough) and then life changed dramatically two years ago when I started my family – and I now am the proud mom of James, who is 2 and Emma, who is 3 months. Wow – very busy – the corporate world is definitely easier. It has been a great 20 years when I look at what everyone has accomplished. Look forward to chatting and catching up at the lunch. Well organised girls – one hell of a task!!!!
Posted 28 July 2008
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Paula Bullimore (née Price)
I cannot believe 20 years has already flown by! How come school seemed to drag by so slowly when we were so desperate to get out of there and get on with our lives!? Anyway – thanks Kerry & Kari for organising this – what a lot of effort you guys have gone to and am really looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion!
I left school and went to study Pharmacy at Rhodes which I discovered very quickly was definitely not for me. Anyway, instead of changing my course as quickly, I tried to stick it out for the rest of the year, hating it. In my December vac I met my first husband and made the decision not to return to varsity but to get engaged and married instead. Crazy idea! Hindsight is a great thing, but anyway, I joined FNB and we got married and stayed together for 9 years in all. Anyway, it would sound proper to say that sadly things didn't work out, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I finally saw sense and we parted company in 1997.
I went travelling first to Australia and New Zealand for three months, then on to Hong Kong and finally ending up in the UK. My aim was to turn my ancestral visa into a British Passport. I temped for a couple of years and while I was in the UK met my future husband Simon. Poor man was due to leave to move back to SA as he already had a passport, and I was just at the beginning of my mission for a passport. So, he stayed. We spent another seven years in the UK (9 years in all), with lots of trips back to SA to see family and plenty of travelling in Europe, Eastern Europe, the UK, Southern Africa and the USA. I really feel lucky to have had all the opportunities that I have had! Simon is a mechanic and worked for Mercedes Benz in London and I worked in finance in London too, ending up as a Fund Manager for BAE Systems Pension Fund. It was an interesting job but not really up my street, after all – hated being stuck behind a desk all day and never seeing people.
We both enjoy living here – it is a beautiful part of the world. Simon is really into his canoeing and I enjoy casual running to keep fit. Keep on meaning to do something more serious about it, but maybe one day!
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