Cheers Benoni

Despite feeling excited to gain more knowledge, expand my credibility — and let’s be honest getting to be a bit lazy — I truly regret leaving behind this vital role in a community that has been so kind to me.

In such a short time I have gained many memories to last me a lifetime; I have learned some of the town’s history, met a lot of its people and shared in the growth, success, tragedies, celebrations and discoveries with it.

Along with hard work, stressful deadlines and plenty of involvement and effort made in this career, come the biggest rewards.

I got to experience weird and wonderful traditions, cinematic scenarios such as accidents and crime scenes, the active operation of community members to better the lives of others and create awareness and the smiles of recipients thereof.

Among so much more I got to hear the secrets of couples who reached 60 years of remaining married to each other and success stories of prominent business people. I tasted delicious cuisines, met talented performers and saw live shows.

As if I was not treated enough, I got to pet a full grown tiger, be part of creating awareness on animal welfare organisations, which is something very close to my heart, and become familiar with local beauticians’ best beauty tips.

The best part of all is that I made some of my best friends here and got to become part of a company which became my second family.

I will always be thankful for having superiors who trained me to produce work which I can feel confident about, and who shared their valuable knowledge with me.

Although I am no Barry Bateman yet, I have had the best roots.

I gained everlasting experience relevant to whichever path in the media field I choose to pursue, and which I can only expand hereon.

I will still keep an eye on this gem of a town and look forward to more heart-warming stories which it will produce.

So I raise my glass, thank you Benoni and say cheers for now.TB