About

This is Theunis Pienaar’s official blog.

I also have a Travel Blog: Traveling Tribe

An Afrikaans Blog: GrootenDeels

And, ‘Happiness Minute‘, a blog with 1 minute audio-clips, which shares some ideas on happiness, nudging people to live from happiness, instead of towards it.

If you’re interested in where I come from, well then: I was born in the little town of George in South Africa. I grew up in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth during the height of the struggle for freedom from ‘Apartheid’. I put myself through University working at everything from clothing stores to bowling lanes & print shops. I studied theology & history, then pastored three Churches, from 1998 – 2006, before walking away from institutionalized religion & submerging myself in the world of radio & media.

At the end of 2013 we left media & South Africa, moving to China.

First we lived in Jiamusi, a city in the north of China, where I taught, while studying ‘happiness’, reading the ideas of as many ancient philosophers as I could.

During July 2015 we continued our journey, moving to Liangxiang, a little University Town, in Fangshan County, about 40 kilometers from Beijing.

I continue to read, and write, as much as I can.  It is in reading and writing that my ideas are formed.

I’m married to Zuko, an art-photographer.  She is my glory, my best friend, my companion, my muse, without whom I would not be half of the little bit I have become.

We have four children, three of whom are on the edge of embarking on their own journeys, as adulthood calls them.

Together we experience the Far East, learn a new language & love wisdom.

We hope to find a way of life which is new & meaningful.

Or perhaps we hope, the life we now live is new & meaningful.

A way of life which affects the people around us & encourages happiness.

I’ve published in ‘Afrikaans’ in South Africa.  I’ve been included in an academic magazine.  I’ve written in English for various South African magazines (people talk magazine being my favorite) & my books are available from amazon.com

Whatever I write on this blog are just ideas.  It is a thinking space, where I express my beliefs at the very moment when I ‘click’ publish.