By SHANNON SKAE, Health and life coach at Revive with Shan Many of us will have to endure the ending of a romantic relationship, a breaking up of something that once brought us joy. This article is my guide on how to get over it. It is not a perfect plan, and to be honest, I am busy making my way through this experience, going through the ending of a “situationship.” I have not quite figured out the process myself, but this is my attempt to help others to hopefully not feel so alone. Let us admit this upfront; breakups…
Author: Nyx Mclean
By NYX MCLEAN The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for level 5 disruptive rain from Friday, 20 May. Potential impacts as identified by the warning include: “Flooding of roads, formal/informal settlements, low-lying bridges and areas, and infrastructure is expected. Disruptions to traffic and municipal services can be expected. Dangerous driving conditions are possible.” Affected areas include Makana and Ndlambe, Buffalo City, Blue Crane Route, Enoch Magijima (Tarkastad specifically), Inxuba Yethemba, Ngqushwa, and Raymond Mhlaba (Adelaide and Fort Beaufort). The South African Weather Service has instructed the following: “Listen for regular weather updates via radio and social media.…
By SHANNON SKAE, Health and life coach at Revive with Shan Loss comes in many shapes and forms. Loss can be the ending of a close friendship, the death of a loved one, the end of a romantic relationship, the death of a beloved pet, changing jobs, leaving your home to move to a new place, and even the loss of freedom of movement we experienced due to COVID-19. Loss can be gradual, or loss can be sudden. Grief is what follows loss. The ball and box analogy best explains grief. The ball and box analogy on coping with grief.…
By NYX MCLEAN As the editors of Grocott’s Mail, Rod Amner and I have previously written about the rich flow of information sharing and action-oriented discussion in several neighbourhood- and ward-based WhatsApp groups. But while Wards 4 and 8 were abuzz, we struggled to hear voices from other parts of the city. To fill these gaps, we asked all 14 ward councillors if they had WhatsApp or other social media groups where they were in conversation with their constituents. We received no response except from ward 14, who added us to a stakeholder group. We have made calls for councillors…
By SHANNON SKAE, health and life coach at Revive with Shan I recently had a conversation with a client of mine about the state of Makhanda. We spoke of how if the world were ever to fall into an apocalyptic state, nothing would really change here. That sounds bleak, but there is already no water on most days, intermittent electricity, potholes the size of small craters, and an environment that begs us to be adaptive, patient, and resilient. Our environment has a significant impact on our mental health. The weather itself affects our mental health. Makhanda does have beautiful weather…
By LIKHAPHA THAATHAAStudying in South Africa presents international students with exciting opportunities; however, the excitement comes with challenges. These challenges include stressing about admission, scholarships, and, above all, preparing to get a visa. In 2018, I received a full scholarship from Lesotho’s government, so I set off to study in South Africa for the first time. In 2020, I obtained a BA in Journalism at the University of the Free State. I was accepted into the Honours programme, but I did not have the funding – nor did my parents – to pay for my university fees. I, sadly, had…
By NYX MCLEAN I have a suspicion that we, as citizens of Makhanda, are in a bit of a going-nowhere relationship with the municipality. On a good day, we’re being gaslit into believing that our concerns are not so severe, and on most (bad) days, we are being outright ghosted. On Thursday morning, a video came through one of the WhatsApp groups that Grocott’s participates in. A massive crack had appeared down Bathurst Street outside of Connock’s Butchery, and the water – water some have not had in their taps for weeks – was making a great escape to a…
By SHANNON SKAE, Health and life coach at Revive with Shan This week’s column starts with something a little more personal than usual. Recently someone felt that they could make a rather hurtful comment about who I am as a person. I expressed a strong opinion about something, and he asked me, “Do you know why you have been single for so long?” I had not sought this commentary on my life or my relationship status, but he felt moved to tell me about myself. It came from a space of spite, and as a way to make me feel…
By SHANNON SKAE, health and life coach at Revive with Shan Mental health is something we need to keep having conversations about. In 2021, especially, we saw a significant jump in mental health crises due to the pandemic and lockdowns. While it appears that COVID-19 is losing its sting, we are not yet in the clear because the consequences of the pandemic will be felt for years to come. The most common mental health disorders include anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, mood disorders, and depression. There is a substantial stigma in response to these disorders despite how frequently they occur.…
By ROD AMNER and NYX MCLEAN This week’s editorial is a little bleak. But when dealing with public offices, one’s outlook can get gloomy. If it isn’t the municipality and their inability to get us water, keep us on the power grid, manage their finances, or even ensure our stormwater channels are cleared, another public office is messing up. This week our focus is on SAPS – local and national. We have spent the better part of this week assisting one of our Postgraduate Diploma students – that is, one of our Grocott’s journalists, Likhapha Thaathaa – with her ongoing…