Born and bred on the East Coast of Sunny South Africa, I have always been a busy bee. I started my first job at the age of ten. As the youngest of 3 , being much younger meant that I was an “only child” from the age of 10. My first job was at a local garage during summer holidays, sorting out paperwork, making tea, hopping on my bike and buying lunches for the mechanics. When I was 13 my brother in law opened a tuck shop and I worked there serving customers and doing stock takes, during school holidays and some weekends. At the age of 15 a friend got me an interview at a local SPAR as a teller and shelve stocker. Around the same time , my mother started a child minding business at home, what started off looking after one child, soon grew into a 30 child business and I would come home from school, help with the children and then clock up 30 hours in shifts at SPAR between a Friday-Sunday. Shortly after I turned 16 we moved from my childhood home ( yes , I was one of those lucky kids who went to the same school from 6-18 and stayed in the same house for most of my childhood) , my mom’s business closed. I still commuted to my job at SPAR over weekends and maintained my 30 hours work over a weekend ( more over school holidays). This continued throughout my schooling. As I was embarking on my final high school exams, an opportunity came up for an apprentice dental nursing position. I worked my first shift as a dental nurse on the day I wrote my last high school exam. I was fully emerged in my new career as a dental nurse Monday to Friday and kept up my weekend work at SPAR for the next year. Eventually the 7 day working week, were to much. I dropped my weekend work at SPAR and started using the time to focus on my theory in becoming a dental nurse. Shortly after I got my diploma , I used my newly found “free time” to continue my studies at a local hospital , to become an advanced HIV lay counsellor. I moved to the United Kingdom, continued my career as a dental nurse. To conform to British standards, I had to redo my studies as a dental nurse and once I started with the studies , the bug bit and I continued – soon completing my certificate in oral health education and then dental radiography. I was promoted to practice manager and continued my studies in management. Having been in dentistry for 22 years , a change was in order and I embarked on becoming a foot health practitioner. Now the two careers co exist, side by side as they have so many similarities and I am loving each minute of being able , not only to continue as a busy bee , but loving each minute of being able to care and serve others through my profession.