Have you ever heard someone saying they would kill for what they believe in? Some people say it figuratively; some really mean it.

I was born in a small village called Gcingane in the Eastern Cape. By the time I was six years old I was herding my grandfather’s livestock to the pastures. We had twelve cows and thirty-eight sheep. For my breakfast I had to milk the sheep so that I could make umvubo (pap and milk). My grandfather would use the cow’s milk. It was our tradition that sheep’s milk was for kids and cow’s milk was for adults. There were only the two of us – my mother and older sister were living in Cape Town.

When I finished primary school, Grandfather decided that I should study in Cape Town to receive a better education. We discussed this in December after receiving my Grade 7 results. I had passed all my subjects very well, which made Grandfather feel very proud.

“U-clever njengam, mzukulu (You are clever like me, grandson),” he said, as we sat by the fire in the December holiday.

“If I go to Cape Town, wena uzoshiyeka nabani (Who will you be left with)?” I asked.

I loved my Grandfather and was worried about what would happen to him when I went. I was used to staying with him and I was scared to go to Cape Town, even though many kids in the village used to visit their parents in Cape Town during school holidays. They came back bragging about the city, saying things like:

“My mother took me to the Waterfront for shopping. That place is big and beautiful, ingathi kuphesheya (It is like overseas).”

“I went to Ratanga to play games and ride The Cobra.”

“Mna, I went to the Table Mountain, the one we were taught about in Human and Social Sciences and I also went to Muizenberg beach.”

They would go on and on.

I was not interested. I enjoyed the rural life and spending time with my grandfather; listening to his tales.

“I will take the livestock to the grazing lands, don’t worry about it,” Grandfather assured me. He said he wasn’t that old and could still look after himself.

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Tell us: Are most people nervous of a big change like this? Are you nervous of change?