Duduetsang Melanie Rantshabeng

Dumelang, my name is Duduetsang Melanie Rantshabeng. I’m a 23-year old Motswana and here’s my profile.

My first name means happiness but Batswana know it as ululation. I believe my mother was ecstatic about having another baby girl, hence the name. Some people don’t know what it means to ululate, but it’s the sound people make at weddings or any other celebration. It’s this piercing sound that people, usually women, make at special events. Melanie simply means “lady of the night”. I guess that explains why I like going out at night, HA!

To friends and family, I’m simply Dudu or Bouncy.

I am a beauty therapist by profession. I love manipulating body tissues, in other words, doing massage. However, I’m currently a Customer Service intern at Cene Media, which is a great opportunity for me. CENE Media is a fairly new internet provider and in my job, I deal with clients on a daily basis, assisting them and making sure that they are given the best service.

How I would describe myself… I’m a bubbly person; full of life but when annoyed, I tend to keep to myself because I believe in composing myself and not letting other people’s behaviour or mentality affect me. I believe that if someone upsets me, it’s best to wait to cool down than lash out at them straight away because this would not solve any problem but rather make it worse.

Others describe me as hyper, a little ball of heavily charged energy. I believe that is why they call me “Bouncy” like a beach ball. People say that I am a good listener, which is true. I’ve also been described as  a great dancer. I do cut some mean shapes when the mood and music are right LOL.

My hobbies? Holy moly, I love travelling!! I believe that the world is my oyster and I can do anything and go anywhere. I’m also a sports fanatic. I played netball, softball and rugby and was in the athletics team throughout school. People may find it hard to believe because of my height and overall size but I have medals and trophies to show for it, HA!

A year from now I foresee myself having acquired more massage techniques and being the proud owner of a successful mobile spa. I know people say it’s a saturated market, but let me tell you, we all need to be pampered so there’s always room for more Beauty therapists.

 

My Background…

I come from Mmadinare – Mmadinare, or “MadCity” as it’s popularly known, is a small village in the Central District. The village is about 15 km from Selebi Phikwe. My home village has a population of approximately 13 000 people made up of clusters of various tribes such as Bangwato, Batalaote as well as Babirwa. 

Maybe I’m a little biased but Mmadinare has stunning views. There is the Motloutse River, which supplies the Letsibogo Dam on its way to Shashe River further east. Mmadinare has huge potential to become one of Botswana’s hottest tourist attractions. We have elephants that are just beautiful to watch. 

However, during the long spells of drought that Botswana’s accustomed to due to its semi-arid climate, they terrorise the locals as they destroy crops and homes and tragically, sometimes precious lives are lost!

I live in Block 9 in Gaborone. Gaborone is a large city that is buzzing with life and excitement. The city has attracted investors worldwide, which has contributed to its vast growth and intensified its beauty. 

Compared to my home village, Gaborone has many entertainment areas and it’s a tourist attraction of sorts as well. Some of the interesting things Gaborone has to offer are the Three Chiefs Monument at the CBD and the Thapong Visual Arts Centre in the Village area. Thapong is embellished with modern and contemporary local artwork that should be the first stop for anyone interested in buying the art that goes beyond the usual African wildlife stuff and wooden masks.

Growing up in Botswana was fantastic! Simple yet fulfilling. I grew up during an era when we could simply be children and enjoy all the blissful childhood pleasures in an idyllic setting that many children around the world only get to read about in fantasy books – hehehe. Being a sports fanatic, I also enjoyed playing a lot of the traditional Setswana games outdoors in the dirt.

The person I draw inspiration from… that’s easy! Not 1 but 2 people come to mind; my mum and dad are my biggest inspiration. My father is one person who does not believe in negativity but rather lifts your spirits. He is charismatic, works extremely hard and has achieved a lot throughout his life. 

Backed by my mother, who is the pillar of strength and also very spiritual, they have guided me throughout my life and given me endless support. I am blessed to have parents who are always there for me through thick and thin, even when I test their patience at times. They have always been my shield and source of inspiration.

Something people might be surprised to know about me… Let’s take a walk down memory lane. I used to be in a dance group called “Psycho Girls”. We took it so seriously that we ended up taking part in a TV competition called My African Dream. I must say we threw everything at it, gave it our absolute best and our efforts were handsomely rewarded as they propelled us right up to position three!

Also, once upon a time I used to be a poet and would write about tribes in Setswana and perform at school. Setswana is a difficult language; however, I was blessed with the ability of writing my poems in my mother tongue. I guess that is why I excelled at Setswana throughout my school years. Over time, I lost interest and was lured into the world of Beauty Therapy.

My greatest achievement so far… After three and a half years of blood, sweat, tears and sleepless nights, I have finally acquired my Honours degree in Entrepreneurship. In the end, it was all worth it and I repeat, hard work and determination pay.

About Botswana…

What makes me proud to be Motswana is the traditional mouth-watering cuisine that attracts tourists from near and far. Also, Batswana are friendly people who are proud of their culture and love to show it off.

I believe what makes Botswana such a wonderful country is the fact that it has beautiful landscapes that are to die for. We have an inland swampy delta, Okavango Delta, which is home to countless species of birds, crocodiles, fish, zebras and so much more. Botswana is a peaceful, welcoming country. 

I love that the government gives priority to the youth, as they are the future generation. Students are offered sponsorships inclusive of book allowance as well as living allowance. It is not every country that offers its people these types of opportunities.

The government also makes room for opportunity and growth. For example, Bogolo Kenewendo was recently appointed as the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. She is the first youngest woman ever to be appointed as minister. This shows that the youth have the potential to be leaders and it gives the upcoming youth hope that they could also be politically recognised and make a difference.

If there was anything I’d change about Botswana… I would increase the number of recreational parks not only in the city but also in up and coming towns. This could not only boost the local entertainment but would also help attract more tourists to various parts of Botswana. Tourism is a HUGE income earner for Botswana and we need to continuously find various ways of boosting Botswana’s offer.

In terms of travelling around Botswana I have visited Maun and I must say, it is a very calm and amazing place to be. Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta, which is the main tourist attraction in Botswana. It is home to a vast amount of wildlife, which just adds to its beauty and appeal. The view from the Thamalakane River is astounding. I mostly appreciated the helicopter rides by Helicopter Horizons. I was blown away by the stunning aerial views of the delta and its surroundings. The panoramic views give you a totally different and unforgettable perspective of the area!

Is there anywhere in Botswana you haven’t visited, but would like to? I have several in fact! However, I really would like to go and see Kubu Island in Makgadikgadi Pan. The place is an isolated granite outcrop, 10m high and a km long. It forms the shape of a crescent and its slopes are terraced with fossil beaches of wave-rounded pebbles, providing startling evidence of the prehistoric lake’s former water levels. Crowned with an array of ancient, gnarled baobabs and surrounded on three sides by a vast grey emptiness. I won’t lie; Kubu has a unique atmospheric beauty that I’d just LOVE to explore in person.

Where else outside Botswana would I like to travel? Let me just put it out there again; I love travelling! Thailand is at the top of my list. I hear people reminiscing about Thailand’s spiciest, tangiest tom yum soups that are breathtaking. The food is to die for.  Can we just talk about the lantern festival? Thailand has the best lantern festival in the world. The event is just jaw-dropping. 

Thailand is also considered to be one of the best countries in Asia for Massage Therapies. It is popular for its Acupressure techniques, Reflexology and my personal obsession, Aromatherapy. The masseuses believe that stress can be overcome by relaxation, which I strongly believe.

Do I have a favourite traditional meal? Hai! nothing can beat madombi mixed with herbs with beef stew or serobe. The herbs in the madombi is a modern twist on the traditional favourite and is finger-licking GOOD! Madombi is basically dumplings, which can be accompanied with a preferred meat side and I love to have mine with serobe (tripe) or beef stew; just delicious!! Setswana cuisine is gorgeous and I would urge any tourist to give it a try at least once. “Dijo tsa setso di monate”; traditional food is amazing.

With Botswana having celebrated 52 years of independence this September; In terms of growth, I wish the roads could be upgraded because as a young Motswana, I am yet to purchase my own car and the roads aren’t able to accommodate the ever-increasing number of cars. There is too much congestion in the city and the traffic jams are just scary! The roads desperately need to be revamped and expanded to cope with the skyrocketing number of cars on the roads.

YourBotswana…

The lovely co-founder of Your Botswana introduced me to YB, which she is very passionate about and would love to see it reach greater heights. My first impression of YourBotswana is that it’s run by someone or people with a thirst for knowledge, the desire to educate people and build relations for Botswana. The website is well put together and informative. I would encourage people to visit the site and be a part of it to help YourBotswana show the world what Botswana is all about, what it has to offer.

The articles I enjoy reading the most are the current affairs. As an entrepreneur graduate and aspiring businesswoman, I need to be constantly updated about the events happening in Botswana. I also need to be aware of all new developments emerging out of Botswana, which YourBotswana captures perfectly for its readers.

What else would I like to see on YourBotswana? Considering that I am a Beauty Therapist, I would love to see more on local beauty spas being covered on YourBotswana. I’m eager to find out what services they provide and the products they use. It’d even be interesting to see a successful Beauty Therapist’s profile featured. 

I was motivated to submit my Friend of YourBotswana profile because networking is the best means of establishing relationships, hence through YB, I could attract or rather create relations with individuals who have common interests.

Is there anything else?

One quote I live by is, “Do the universe a favour, don’t hide your magic”.

Thanks for reading my profile.