Personal autonomy – how far does it extend?

That is a good question! How much should a person feel that they are self governed? I mean surely we have the law and constitution for a reason? But what about freedom of speech and self determination?
I personally think that every person should have some personal autonomy. I think it is extremely important to be able to stand up for your beliefs and to be able to express them as and when you please.

It is also very important to be independent and to learn to rely on oneself. The question of how far does personal autonomy extend should be queried for each individual as we are all so different and unique. Some people push the personal autonomy boundaries all the time, while others on the other hand lack personal autonomy as well as self confidence and the ability to stand up to and fight for what they believe in.

I think that everyone needs to have some personal autonomy, after all we are the ones governing ourselves, however we need to not be too overbearing in our ways so that we do not exhaust others around us or show a negative trait in our personalities so that people might feel inferior towards you.

I just got retrenched! :(

I never thought that I would ever be asked to leave a job. I kind of always thought that I would be the person giving my employer the termination of agreement letter, not the other way around! So today, for the first time in my life, I have been told, that my employer can no longer afford me due to the current recession that most businesses are finding themselves in today!

This totally sucks as in just over a month’s time, it would have been my one year anniversary at this company. I feel like I have played a role in helping this organisation meet their goals and objectives and am very sad to be leaving, however as they say in Hebrew “Gum Zu L’Tova” everything for the best.

I think I am going to have more time to concentrate on university work and really focus a lot of my attention on tutoring. It is so weird to think that in two weeks time I will actually be able to sleep late, but I know I am going to get so bored!

I hope my last two weeks of work are going to be fun and exiting. It can be really interesting working for a magician!

Immigrating...so much stress!

Immigrating is so hard, but I'm not even talking about the paper work! I don't think people understand. How do you pack up your life into 60kg? It isn’t just clothes but bedding, books, jewelry and even child hood photos. It is so hard to choose what is necessary and what isn’t.

I keep asking myself the same question every time I buy a new item of clothing, do you really need this and how are you going to pack it? This past week I have been linen shopping, you would think I would be able to find something easily, but I shopped in Johannesburg and Cape Town and a week later I only found what I was looking for, now I’m exhausted! How am I ever going to do this?

I’m so nervous to immigrate, however I know it is really what I want in my heart, I guess I just have to get through the next few months, the hardest part is yet to come, me being able to get onto the plane and then having to learn a new language and eventually settling in! But I know that is where my future lies and where I want to start and develop my future career. Here is to hoping that 2010 will be a great year for everyone!

Bunch of Animals” is one comment on the CPUT strike on campus. What is yours?

I think the strike that happened on CPUT’s campus was totally unnecessary and uncalled for. Every single time these students want something, whether it be Dstv, microwaves, shopping vouchers or not wanting an increase in registration fees, they do whatever they want to whoever they want as they know there are never any repercussions.

I am personally sick and tired of coming to campus to be told that there is no class. I am also sick of being scared to come to campus because students are rioting and bashing down doors. I think their behaviour was animalistic. Just because they can’t accept something or because they disagree with something does not give them the right to flood the building or leave petrol bombs on campus that could clearly harm other learners.

The fact that they were caught on camera steeling from the cafeteria, which has nothing to do with CPUT increasing their registration fees, shows just how animalistic they are. I think it is disgusting that there were absolutely no repercussions for the students who were involved and especially the Student Representative Council, if these people are representing the students as a whole, then I am extremely embarrassed to be called a CPUT student.