Well hello stranger...
One would assume that introducing myself on the Hive platform would be easy since I stand in front of a class daily. An introduction should be a breeze... Yet I'm struggling to do so now. Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing faces staring back at me in confusion, and now I'm just typing a few words for people across the world, whom I might never get to meet. It feels odd in a way.
Where does one start? The plain and boring? I was born and raised in South Africa. My father sparked my interest in everything about our world. My mother showed me the importance of having a soft heart. I was a bit lost most of my high school life, never fitting in and always hiding in the shadows. But now, at the age of 23, I found my interest and passion in this world.
This is a picture of me in grade 1 at the age of 6. I believed in fairies, dragons and that society was doomed... You know, like any normal 6 year old.
So with the background there... Hi, I'm Miss Hugo. I chose this since it's what my students call me and they have placed so much appreciation and respect to it, even though I'm half their age. I'm proud to be Miss Hugo in their eyes.
So how did I end up here? Well, I picked geography as a subject in high school, and everything fell into place. I completed my undergraduate in BSc Geography in 2019 and moved on to an Honours degree in Spatial Planning (2020) and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning (2021). I'm currently busy with my PhD in Urban and Regional planning, and I'm also a lecturer to a very unique set of Spatial Planning honours students.
This was my third graduation at the start of 2022. Technically my first graduation, since I did not get to have the first two in person due to covid. This is why I look like a blue striped zebra.
On top of that, I'm part of housing projects around a few towns close to where I live. My need for knowledge and solutions drives my love for research. And we as people can always make a difference. In fact, my life motto is a quote by Jim Henson: "My hope still is to leave the world a better place than when I got here".
Keep in mind that making the world a better place is not always easy. Clearly... But it will be worth it.
When I'm not a lecturer or a researcher, I like to read. Many will think mmm hopefully fantasy, but no... I read old books about research, planning development, nature and history. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy fantasy from time to time, as a way to get away from reality. You know 6 year old me believed in fairies and dragons, so who am I to stray from that.
My creative outlets are watercolour art, crocheting, writing (I love telling stories, probably another reason for going into the academic field), baking and most recently needlework. I enjoy walks amongst the tiny creatures that cover our beautiful landscapes, sunsets (on the beach in particular), dreaming about the deep mysterious ocean and anything else related to nature and life.
Just to clarify, I did fall while trying to get out of the tree... The view was worth it.
I was introduced to the Hive platform by 
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me, even if we might never meet in person. I'm excited to be part of the Hive platform!
