A Day in the Life of Mrs. Polokwane, Nadia du Preez
She believes in not setting your goals by what other people deem important, but to do only what you know is best for you.
POLOKWANE – She believes in not setting your goals by what other people deem important, but to do only what you know is best for you.
This is how Nadia du Preez started her journey as Mrs Polokwane.
“Before I started this journey as Mrs Polokwane, I had to make a decision and decide what I am capable of and what am I willing to put into this life-changing experience. One can never be as good as the other and there will always be someone better, faster, prettier and even more content than you.
“You can never please nor satisfy everyone’s needs and expectations and, most of all, as a role-model you have to always be completely satisfied with your own happiness before you can amaze or contribute to society,” says Nadia.
Nadia is a not only Mrs Polokwane, she is a wife, a teacher at Mitchell House College and a new mother.
She and her husband, Arno welcomed their first child, a little girl named Romé, two weeks ago.
She says it is easy to cope with all the demands of her life.
“I am an ordinary woman with daily tasks. When I made the decision to compete for the Mrs Polokwane title, I had to make a mind-shift and take up a particular role. Just like being a wife, mother or successful businesswoman, this is a particular role that you have to play and commit to. The point is to give the women of Polokwane, who are interested in this role, an idea of what their life might look like,” she says.
Nadia says her day starts at around 04:30 when she tries to commit to her time with the Lord, depending on what time she went to bed the previous night. By this time, Arno has already left for work.
Then she has to change from wife to businesswo-man and professional. She then begins to get ready for her day at school, a day filled with administration, children, staff members, books, teaching, sport and everyone except herself.
“I get my head ready for the commitment I have towards 500 learners, physically and emotionally. There is absolutely no time for any additional paper work, phone calls or e-mails. No time to call for sponsorships or getting an event organised. My day at school is totally committed to the children and their needs. I teach at a private school and am fully committed to what I do, placing myself as a last priority during school hours. I hate to see teachers who get to work at 08:00 just to leave at 14:00. Oh how I loathe them. My passion for being good at what I do is what keeps me at school and drives me to be even better than before.”
After a long, exhausting day at school, returning home no earlier than 16:30, Nadia still has to cook supper, try to get a work-out in and make sure to be at home when her husband gets there.
Arno does his part and many times will mix the ingredients, do the dishes, take care of laundry or anything else that needs taking care of, but Nadia is the glue and the director of the chaos that is their evening.
Most evenings by 21:00, they have finished eating and can spend some quality time together. This is time when they can listen to tales about each other’s day and dream about where they would like to be in a few years.
“Just like any other marriage, this can also be the hour where we fight those unnecessary little fights that just waste time. It is important to spend as much time with your partner because he is the one you need to lean on when you feel that all this extra responsibilities are just too much,” says Nadia.
At about 22:00, Arno goes to bed and Nadia lies awake until he is asleep. She then has time to sit and mark books.
“It is difficult not to fall asleep, but knowing that e-mails regarding sponsorships, ideas and planning need to be done before the next day keeps your mind occupied.
So after school priorities are done, Mrs Polokwane administration can be attempted.
And so, you find the time or make the time to fulfil duties, responsibilities and everyday tasks.”
At midnight, Nadia finally gets to go to bed. The next day, the whole cycle of chores and work and love, tempered by a dose of doubt, disaster, and disappointment, begins again.
