• Do you know what it feels like to sit in a classroom and not understand a single damn thing? There I am sitting in Mrs Pillay’s classroom, the chair next to me empty. No one vaguely aware of my presence. Having come from a foreign country, without a single word in English. It’s already hard for an English speaking 11 year old to make new friends, imagine me, shy and unable to speak the common language. My top lip holding down my bottom lip as if glued to each other.

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• In my mind I’m thinking this has got to be the worst of it all, how wrong I was. Mrs Pillay enters and so my first lesson in South Africa begins. I almost forgot to tell you, this is the first lesson I have ever had that is not taught in Shona, my mother tongue.

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• Since this was the first day of school she asks everyone to introduce themselves. It’s finally my turn… I stand up and mumble something that might have been my name(Tino). I quickly sit back down hoping to disappear into a shell and never have to come out ever again.

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• I know you have experienced this before when you had to give an oral in class with all those eyeballs looking into your soul. Mrs Pillay says, “You are going to have to say that a little louder dear” My heart pounding I stand up again, wondering why this women is torturing me like this. I mumble m name once again but this time it was even less audible(Tino). I could tell most people did not really hear my name.

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• I swear those 2 seconds were the longest 2 seconds in my life. I spent the rest of the day hoping the teacher would not call my name. Not only would I not understand what she was saying but even if I did, I would not know the answer.

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• Now imagine trying to do Maths. The amount of extra work I had to do at home is crazy. Every day and I mean every day after I had finished my homework, I had to do a lot of extra Maths worksheets. All this extra work just so that I could pass, just so that I could pass, imagine that. Maths is not easy that’s facts but if you want the results you have to put in the work and sweat.

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• I matriculated in 2016 with 5 distinctions and 2Bs, 77% for physics and 74% for English. Damn you physics teacher, I could have had 6 distinctions. Now I’m currently doing 3rd year BSc. Electronics Engineering. This is a little part of my story.

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• I want to hear your story so I can join you on your journey to achieving your wildest dreams. I want to help you get over this small speed bump called Maths that’s stopping you from becoming an Engineer or a doctor or a lawyer. Click the link below to go check out what I’m talking about.