Karin Faurie who lived in Standerton in the late eighties, is keeping her options wide open since the world is her oyster.
Her son Liam, was born in town in 1989 with a brain injury and contracted meningitis.
Tragedy struck when he died in 2002, at the age of 13.
At first Karin put bread on the table, during a year-long stay in Kenya, by teaching children at an orphanage mathematics and English.
That was in exchange for a meal and roof over her head.
She branched out during a 12-year-long stay in the Seychelles. Her work as photographer dates back to completing an intense college course in photography in South Africa in 2008.
“I was the oldest student in the class and worked hard,” Karin said.
Her career began snowballing after a phone call from an editor to take the photo for Mathys Roets’ biography, Steeds Mathys, closely followed by Tjailatyd resepte by Amoré Bekker.
Karin was quite adept at taking wedding photographs on the beaches of the Indian Ocean for tourists, making a neat $200 per session.
At 15 minutes a go, no mean feat.
The cultural difference between South Africans and Seychelles Creoles lies to her mind in the way South Africans hug and kiss their children.
The brief sojourn in Kenia after her divorce also confirmed this viewpoint.
“We are affectionate through and through,” she commented.
“It is beautiful.”
This in no way means that children do not respect their parents in the two countries, only that a Kenyan child will say goodnight to his mother and father by holding out his hand.
A friend in the Seychelles explained it as showing love in a different way.
“It is not taboo to hug a child, South Africans however, allow people into their inner space far easier.”
Life in a district in the Seychelles, there are 36 in total, will provide locals with a school, clinic, police station, ambulance, soccer pitch and Catholic Church.
“There are three times more women than men and the grannies rule the roost.”
Karin established a photography club for the less fortunate and also gave lessons, one-on-one to young, budding photographers.
She was actively involved in the re-skilling of young people, with disabilities, to prepare them for the labour market.
Her camera, studio lights, lenses and some perfume were targeted by intruders and since she rented a property, no insurance could be taken out.
Born in Mbombela (Nelspruit), growing up in White River, staying in Pretoria, Standerton and Venda, her visit to town brought back memories and triggered emotions.
The family used to stay in the former Piet Retief Street (Beyers Naudé Street) and Krogh Street.
“It is heart-breaking to see what happened to this town.
“You never felt unsafe in the Standerton River Park.
“The roads were wide and open and maintained.”
Adding onto her CV is retail experience in the wine industry.
Karin did a wine-tasting course at the Cape Wine Academy and showed her mettle for two years at a wine boutique in Pretoria.
“I never knew I could be a saleslady.”
Conservation plays an important part in her life and with her love for gardening, the compost heap will quickly take shape.
Animals, cats and dogs are beloved companions and anyone striking up a conversation at a braai about bones for the Rhodesian Ridgebacks, will be befriended.
With her past experiences of lack of electricity and water shortages, she firmly believes that water should be harvested.
“What would you like to see in 20 years time?” Karin concluded.
“It is a good principle to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
