Flora Park’s Cecilia says life begins after retirement
Cecilia Mabunda has been using her free time during retirement to do what she loves, which includes playing for Vakhegula Vakhegula at the Grannies International Football Tournament.
POLOKWANE – For Cecilia Mabunda, retirement means she spends the rest of her days doing what she loves.
The former teacher and published author retired after almost three decades of teaching Xitsonga at Flora Park Comprehensive High School – a subject she remains passionate about.
She continues to contribute her extensive knowledge about the language towards study material and publications, while tutoring learners in her free time.
This is her third year into retirement and she enjoys every minute of it, she told Review.
“I have learnt that life begins after retirement and I keep busy to remain youthful and agile. I have time for myself and I am able to focus on the things that make me happy. Last year, I joined a grannies soccer team called Batsofe Batsofe.”
She was part of the Vakhegula Vakhegula squad that played in the Grannies International Football Tournament last year and proudly shared that she scored a goal.
Among other things that keep her busy, she is also training hard as she is part of the Vakhegula Vakhegula team that will be jetting off to Mauritius to play in a match against a team of Mauritian grannies on April 27.
Mabunda explained that it was only after retirement that she realised she previously had a lot on her plate and did not know how she managed to do so much.
In the first two years of retirement, she did not take on any huge projects, and only adjusted to the extra free time she had on her hands.
“I am now ready to take on a bit of work doing Xitsonga editing, proofreading and translation. I will also continue to do a bit of tutoring where I am needed because the passion for teaching doesn’t die once you stop teaching full time. You just find other way of expressing the passion and continue to make a difference where you can,” she said.
One of her former learners, Thato Mothiba who completed his studies in 2018, said Mabunda has had a huge impact on his life.
“I was a naughty child but she never judged me, instead she took the time to get to know me and help me change my ways. She taught me so much about respect and to never underestimate yourself.
She was always open and willing to listen, something that some of us didn’t get from our own parents at home.
The way she treated me, motivated me to want to be better and make better decisions for my life and for that, I will always be grateful to her,” he said.
