Saturday 12th August 2023
Way back in last century, I was an eager sound operator in the South African broadcasting industry. I was the third female to join the operational side of Outside Broadcasts department, that was very Afrikaans and chauvinistic at the time. The first female to break the mold was my friend Angie, who had joined the department when a bold Scotsman took over as sound boss. His daughter, Siobhan (pronounced Shevaughn) joined the department 2 years after I did.
The nature of the job meant we travelled a lot all over the South Africa and had to always share rooms, to cut production costs, (stingy bastards, lol). But what that did to us, was force us to become friends and have grown up slumber parties. Through the years, the friendships strengthened, they had children and I would never have predicted what they would do next. I left nursing and did my TV job, they left their lives in SA behind and are now doing a form of nursing, in being carers. Today the planets lined up for us three to meet up for a quick catch up between client shifts. What fun.
It also took me to a place I'd had on my list - little Italy. Unfortunately I didn't get to see it properly but friendships are more important. I'm finding it fascinating that so many of my good friends have all moved to the UK. It's great hearing how their jobs and lives are unfolding and apart from both of them nagging me to do caring, we had a lovely catch up, haha.
Isn't life funny? ( and short!)
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