Hannah Jones shares her story.
Alyson Engelbrecht • July 30, 2020
Written by Hannah Jones
I was born in Rustenburg, South Africa but I have lived between South Africa and Australia. After moving to Australia when I was a child, I finished my primary education there. In 2014 my family moved back to South Africa and I started at Pecanwood College in third term grade 8. Having grown up mostly in Australia so far, moving back to SA was a great adventure. At the age of 14, I was old enough to actually see the country and everything it encompasses. I was able to appreciate everything through the travel that I’d been fortunately given. I didn’t realise it at the time, but living back in South Africa was one of the best things that ever happened to me in my life.
Settling into Pecanwood College was easy, with the abundant kind and friendly culture. I was welcomed from day one. This was one of the things I noticed right away. As the months went by, I grew to love and appreciate the South African way of life, except the materialism which has its roots there.
Learning, both inside and outside the classroom was a highlight of my time at Pecanwood College. I enjoyed the privilege of learning from fantastic teachers. The classroom learning was fulfilling, but there was so much learning happening outside of the classroom too. Looking back, some of the best moments for me were the endless school activities, with the highlight being the potjie competition and the interhouse quiz. My favourite sports were softball and soccer, the former a first for me. Whether we were participating or sitting on the sideline, we all played a part. We continually played as a team, supporting each other all the way to the finish line. This had been the case at my Australian school too and it is good to see that it is a recognised value worldwide.
Outside of school, I waitressed at the Bistro in The Coves’ Estate, from the age of 15. I spent many long hours over every weekend working. I enjoyed being able to earn a bit of pocket money. This opportunity gave me courage and most definitely boosted my confidence. The responsibility of working every weekend really accelerated my personal growth and allowed me to truly appreciate the value of money, and how hard one has to work to earn it!
I’ll always remember the career work experience that I was most fortunate to be involved in. Since about the age of 15, I have had a desire to be a Medical Doctor one day. So, co-ordinated through a compulsory school Life Orientation class activity, I was lucky enough to shadow a few Doctors in Rustenburg. I went to Impala Mine Hospital, Peglare Hospital and Life la Femme Clinic. The varying surgeries I witnessed opened my eyes and gave me a taste of real life and what it would actually be like to be in an operating room. I saw many amazing procedures during my few days there, including but not limited to; eye surgery, orthopaedic surgery, a bone marrow aspiration of an infant, and my favourite, a caesarean section. Extremely valuable life learning was achieved and it was after this that I decided to definitely further my interest in Medicine. This career would offer me a stable future, but also allow me to reach out to others.
Every holiday be it mid-term or end of term, my parents took us away to different game reserves and locations all over the country. In fact, in the time we were back living at the dam we traversed the length and breadth of South Africa twice, and did a wonderful trip up into Zimbabwe, my mom’s home. Camping was tiresome and hard work but now I see that they were some of the best experiences of my life. Instead of being couped up inside, I was exploring the real world. Not only did I see the animals and the landscapes, but also all of the rural communities along the way. There was pristine beauty in some parts and poverty in others. I was used to the hardship for some in Africa as we had traveled back often while we were living in Australia. My parents had brought my siblings and I up to be aware of the plight of those less fortunate than us.
By the time we left at the beginning of 2017 to return to Australia, I was sad to leave my friends behind. The plan had always been to go to Varsity in Australia and build a future for myself and my family there. Although excited for the future and what could be, I didn’t want to leave behind my culture. I had experienced more in those two and a half years than most people who live their whole lives in Africa.
Moving back to Australia in Grade 11 was tough as anyone can imagine. It wasn’t only crossing an ocean; it was crossing a culture too. Although I had done most of my growing up years in Australia, it felt like unfamiliar territory upon my return as my roots are and will always be South African. But I knew that my future belonged in Australia. With my family’s support, we all began to settle into our new life in Perth WA and with the addition of a dog and a cat, we began to feel at home. My brother and I got jobs at the sandwich takeaway franchise Subway and together with school, we had our hands full. The months quickly passed by and before I knew it, I was writing my final matric exams. About a month and a half after completing my final exam, I was accepted to study Medicine at the University of Western Australia. That was one of the happiest days of my life. All of the hard work and the struggles with moving back and forth across continents and making new friends along the way, had been worth it. Always believe in yourself and that you can achieve your dreams. Never give up.
I am now in my second year at University and I have a part time job in a pharmacy down the road. I learn the professionalism of a career through work experience but I too get to give back to my community. Not to mention that learning about the drugs through a lectured environment is thoroughly accelerated through my work at the pharmacy.
Australia is one of my homes now and I am forever grateful for the open arms that the country extended to my family. So I am a South African Australian and I am proud of both of my nationalities.
From everything I’ve seen, I definitely have an appreciation for the different beauties that different countries possess. South Africa and Australia are most certainly very different as one can imagine. The poverty, litter and crime seen in Africa is not visible in Australia. However Australia has a different landscape although here in WA we boast the best beaches in the world. We miss Table Mountain though! But not the load shedding! Both continents and countries have their benefits and both have their downfalls, as with all countries in the world. No country is perfect. One has to always remember that.
Truth be told, I am so fortunate to have traveled. To have seen the world. There is so much out there for us to experience. The more open one’s eyes are, the better. I urge you to see the world for yourself and have an open mind. Remember though, never forget where your roots are. It is most certainly a fact that I am the person I am today because I have traveled.
When I look back on those few years in South Africa, I think to myself how lucky I was to be a part of the Pecanwood College community. The school’s motto is “Prepared for life” and I must say that Pecanwood College most definitely did so for me. It helped launch me through my mid teenage years and gave me another insight into life in the real world, when I was old enough to appreciate it. Now back in Australia I can build on my privileged life but dream often of precious holidays back in Africa.
Twenty years of trusted education meets expanded opportunities, greater accessibility and future-ready learning from January 2027. Families across Hartbeespoort can look forward to an even stronger independent school offering as Pecanwood College becomes Pinnacle College Pecanwood from January 2027. The transition brings together two decades of local educational excellence with the academic strength, innovation and opportunities offered by the expanding Pinnacle Colleges network. Current and prospective families stand to benefit from a school that retains everything the community values while opening the door to even greater opportunities. Pinnacle College Pecanwood will preserve the school's caring culture, close relationships, boarding facilities, IEB curriculum, sporting tradition and vibrant co-curricular programme, while providing students access to a broader network recognised for academic excellence, future-focused learning and preparation for life beyond school. Pecanwood College has proudly served the Hartbeespoort community for 20 years, offering education from the early years through to Grade 12, including boarding. Dedicated teachers, a nurturing environment, strong IEB academic results and diverse sporting and cultural opportunities have established the school as a respected educational institution in the region. That solid foundation will now be enhanced through the wider Pinnacle Colleges network. Students and teachers will benefit from shared academic expertise, established operational excellence and opportunities to participate in broader academic, cultural and sporting initiatives across multiple campuses. Pinnacle Colleges equips students for tertiary education and successful careers through a balanced approach that combines academic excellence with innovation, career guidance, coding and robotics, technology-enabled learning and holistic personal development. Respect, responsibility and a strong sense of community remain central to every campus experience. Academic success already defines Pecanwood College. The Class of 2025 achieved an impressive 98.59% matric pass rate, a 94.36% Bachelor's Degree pass rate and an average of 1.9 distinctions per student. Pinnacle College Pecanwood will build on these achievements through strengthened academic systems, shared expertise and continued commitment to outstanding IEB education. The name Pinnacle College Pecanwood honours both the school's proud heritage and its exciting future. Twenty years of commitment by students, teachers, families and the wider community remain firmly embedded in the school's identity, while its new name reflects membership of one of South Africa's fastest-growing independent school groups dedicated to innovation, accessibility and student success. Hartbeespoort families can now enjoy the best of both worlds: a close-knit community lifestyle paired with access to a high-quality independent education close to home. Pinnacle College Pecanwood is well positioned to become the school of choice for families seeking exceptional academic opportunities, future-ready skills and an environment where every student can thrive.
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