Marcia enjoying LIFE

My friend Marcia Maraka, a Civil Engineer by Profession.

1. How do you keep fit?
I used to have a "free styled" gym routine where I would jog or walk by the beach for 20km or do some in - house exercise routines or jog by the road for 10km at least once or twice per week. But since the last week on November 2015 I have been on a strict exercising routine where I go to the gym at least three times per week. The thing is I have a phobia of exercising at crowded gyms that's why I only started now because I currently stay within a very small community.

2. What were you busy with this year?

Uhmmm you know I love travelling. In January I went for an MSC ship cruise for 4 days with my younger sister.

In March I had a road trip from Lamberts Bay to Bloemfontein to visit my aunt, spent a week there. In September I spent two weeks in Uganda with a friend, which was AMAZING!!!

Besides travelling I have been busy with school work as I started with my MBA studies this year in May with University of Stellenbosch. The tempo of work is always flippin high BUT enjoyable.

I have also been writing up my business plans as I would like to venture into business on a full time basis at some stage.

Obviously the overarching one is work, I've been working as well as I am a full time employee at one of the government national departments. I love my job as it gives me a sense of fulfilment in terms of serving my country through service delivery.

Oh lastly, I managed to recruit 15 friends to join me on a 40 day miracle fast which I had identified whilst surfing the internet around March this year. It was challenging but we managed to pull it off. God showed up in mysterious ways and we cannot be thankful enough. We said it well be our annual fast henceforth.


3. And any plans for the New Year?
I want to invest more time in my studies, my spirituality, and fitness, finish writing up my business plans and also start with my voluntary work at one of the orphanage homes as I have been postponing it for ages.

You know travelling is in my DNA hehehe ...I will be travelling to Zimbabwe and Cameroon in 2016. Travelling entices the mind and creates a sense of political, socio - economic and environmental awareness as one sees different cultures and norms in other societies.

4. Any advice to a young professional who perhaps wants to follow your foot steps:
The presence of Civil Engineering women is still thin on the ground, if you want to enter into it, do it. However, we still experience treatment from people who suffer from ageism, gender and racial discrimination in this environment. All these challenges should not deter you to enter but they should propel you to enter and be an agent of change. Enter this Engineering fraternity and leave your legacy. I am busy engraving mine.

5. You have shot a number of cameos, tell us how it all started.
In 2006 when I started working in Joburg I searched for an agent within the first month. No! Due to lack of knowledge then I actually contacted Ponds Institute and told them that I would like to appear on one of their products advertisements. They said it doesn't work like that, you need to find an agent. Well to cut the story short I ended up landing in Zandile's arms and we ended up being friends as well. That's how it all happened. Thanks to Zandi for sending me to castings and believing in me, one day I will get a big role and make you more proud Saint. THANK YOU ☺