Somerset Lifetimes 2019 Semester 2

knew, and migrate to Australia to give us a better life. That is truly one of the biggest sacrifices any parent can make, so I am forever grateful to my parents for making such a huge choice to benefit our family. Life is a constant journey of experiencing ups and downs with a growth mindset, and seeing challenges (and failure) as a necessary stepping stone to the next phase of our journey is what it’s all about. Learn to love the grind I always say!

enjoying their basketball, playing the game the right way, and treating each other in alignment with our values. We have some amazing people who volunteer a lot of their time and energy into the basketball club, and care a lot, which makes my job very gratifying, and a real privilege. I end my working day with some emails, catching up on messages, and might even sneak in some hoops myself from time to time. Who are the people who inspire you? People who inspire me are definitely my parents, Steve and Tracy Marais. They have taught me many lessons in patience, generosity and kindness. Others who inspire me are head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, who is a master in setting standards and working with teams of people, and head coach of Springboks Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, who has such great insight into sports ability to influence society. Nelson Mandela is another person I often think of for inspiration, as the way he influenced others to sacrifice for one another during apartheid was pretty special. Last, but certainly not least, my wife to be, Tori Makapa, who is one of the most caring and patient people I know, and makes me a better person through her nature and example every day. What life lessons guide you? Many! The biggest would be my family deciding to leave behind everything they

What are some of your most defining moments in life, so far? My decision to follow my dreams, and pursue a new career, when I already had a pretty good gig right in front of me. I think sometimes when you have a gut feeling there is a bigger purpose for your life than what appears in front of you, it’s important that you chase it, and explore everything you have to offer the world. Particularly while you’re quite young without too many responsibilities, you don’t want to ask yourself later in life, what if? Take the plunge, and you can always learn from it, go back to where you were, and try again, but next time, wiser from experience. What advice would you offer current students? Enjoy the process of being at school, being a student, being around your friends, and being in an environment where there is so much at your fingertips, and so many wonderful people around you every day. Focus on the huge amount of good, not the small amount of bad. Many like to pretend school is something they would rather not go to, but the truth is, school is about so much more than getting grades and sitting tests (as important as that may be). It’s about building relationships, interacting and learning from others, being part of a team, and trying your best to enjoy everything experience school life has to offer. Enjoy the ride, learn to love the grind, and always try your best to enjoy the process, whether good or bad. It makes it much more fun!

A Few Years Down the Track

27