I am Rosi Adendorff.

I am 60 years old and live in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Stellenbosch is one of the most beautiful towns in the Western part of the country. It is beknowned for it's excellent university, it's beautiful oak trees and it's historic buildings.

Before we moved here in November 2000, we lived in Newcastle for 18 years. Newcastle is a smallish town in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal and is situated at the foot of the Northern part of the mighty Drakensberg mountains. It is 350 kilometres from both Johannesburg and Durban (in different directions).

My mother tongue is Afrikaans, one of the 11 official languages of this country. I know it sounds ridiculous, but before we got a new government in 1994, there were only two official languages namely Afrikaans and English. When the new government was elected, the nine most prevalent indigenous languages were also made official languages. Afrikaans is a wonderful expressive, lively and creative language that is used by 60% of the population.

Creating with my hands or with words, are activities that I love. I have tried my hand at a lot of things, but presently I keep myself busy with scrapbooking, making patchwork blankets, painting and writing.

I used to love music and played the organ and piano accordion when I was younger and before I lost all my hearing. After my cochlear implants, I am slowly discovering the joys of music once more and my CD collection is growing slowly but surely. I also love reading and gardening.

To keep myself fit, I love activities like swimming, walking and doing Pilates.

I am a different person now than I have been for the first 50 years of my life. I have started a whole new life in a world of sound. My perception of life has changed in the sense that I now look at people and the environment with greater appreciation. I am more thankful for things I accepted earlier as a matter of course. Because I love people and making conversation, it is a miracle that I am now once more able to be part of it all. I am a positive person and my mottos in life are 'Think positive' and, 'There is always something worse that could have happened.'

Having been deaf since I was 3 years old, discovering the internet opened a new world of communication to me. It became a way of life which also opened the door to my journey back to the hearing world. Here I have found out about Cochlear implants as well as all the information which led me to explore the possibilities of having one myself.