“Hey Vuyolwethu

Hope this email finds you well, this is to let you know that we would like you to be a part of the Live Magazine team…”‘

Honestly, after receiving that email on that day, I diarised the 7th of February 2013 and like every Blackberry user (thank God I had BIS) I munched that email and gave my bbm contacts what I like to call “The Preview before Facebook” – so they got the scoop first. It was a joyous celebration in the Dubese household that evening, with my parents glistening with pride as their daughter began the journey of uncomfortability in the alien environment of meeting deadlines, having tea breaks and editorial meetings.

The timing of the Live internship could not have come at a more pivotal space in my life. As a recent graduate of the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology, the plan was to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the  Stellenbosch University until … BOOM, the indecisive female in me kicked in and I decided on a gap year. The decision I took was a quite a risky one to tell you the honest truth, as I had no plan what to do with my life. Gone were the days of assurance that when I pass a certain grade, I would immediatedly know where I would be stationed in the next grade and  which friends would accompany me. This was a completely different ballgame and I was looking forward to it, I was nervously getting ready to dive into being comfortable with being uncomfotable what high school dubbed as ‘The Real World”.

19 February at 09h19 in Cape Town saw me being guilty of African time – this on my first day. Was I panicking? Is Julius Malema owing to SARS R16 million? Of course I was, this was my first day and being on time was an imperative element in the office, also the echoing sounds of “First impressions count” that my dad drilled in me werent of much help either. I entered the office that morning, and it was to the warm reception of the Live team, that which has made my first 2 weeks here possible and enjoyable. From the Journo and Writing 101 workshops, the Subculture information overload, how the production cycle of Live works to an interesting talk by renowned South African author Andrew Putter, these first few weeks having been nothing but an opporutnity for me to learn and appreciate the work that goes into smart and successful work.

I’m looking forward to sharing and filtering whatever knowledge I consume in my time at Live with you who are reading this, and challenge myself in assuring that Live Magazine continues to be ahead of its game and voice out what the youth is all about.