This is my journey. Join me.

By Sarita Pillay


“So”, she said to the faceless internet users, “I’ll pretend that you care about who I am and I’ll write with all the wit, astuteness and honesty I can muster and perhaps, just perhaps, you’ll read.”

My first writings entered into competitions in primary school were usually of a political nature. Indeed, primary school and politics in the same sentence. A lot of what I wrote was about racism and my own identity issues.

Upon the word ‘racism’, she heard a groan, occurring especially loudly from the corner of the internet universe populated by a rare breed of human, the Rhodes Journalism student. She shrugged this off, typing with ferocity, passion and indifference alike to an ANC Youth League member pledging their support to Julius Malema.

Politics, South Africa and identity still seem to dominate a lot of what I think and write about. This interest-bubble has now expanded to include environmental and human-rights issues. My opinions tend to be well thought out and provoked by what I believe, read and hear. I believe what I like and I read what I like, but I don’t always hear what I like. Often, it’s these dinner table discussions and snippets of corridor conversation which evoke a passionate piece of writing.

She stopped for a moment. She was about to write about the fact that she is objective, but now, after having survived almost 8 months of first-year Journalism at University, she realises objectivity is a naïve concept.

I used to be incredibly pessimistic about journalism in South Africa, until I discovered that that which is mainstream is not necessarily quality and that which is alternative is not necessarily obscure. I’m still not sure as to whether journalism is definitely the right path for me. I’m struck by the fact that journalists are spectators not participants. It bothers me that I may be in a position in my career where I cannot help but only watch. I take encouragement however, from the fact that something I write may spark a greater awareness of an issue and, perhaps, social change.

Somebody called her an idealist once. Some people call her a neo-hippy. One person said she should consider a career in politics. Another claimed that she’s naïve and likely to be dismayed by the world’s evils. She likes to think of herself as a Warrior of Light, as Paulo Coelho would say. She uses writing and reading as a means of understanding herself and this place they call earth.

This is my journey, as an individual and as a wannabe journalist. I learn through my writing about the stubbornness of humankind and the beauty of a purple-tinged sunset. Join me on this journey.

(453 words)