Quian arrived in Mauritius at the age of 11. ?I was lucky not to have absorbed any of the negative aspects of the apartheid years.? But he says he felt the effects of those dreary years when he went back to South Africa for some time. Now he believes, ?We must learn to forgive and not live in the past. There is so much bitterness still left in people...? Is this the reason why he has come back here? ?I didn?t feel at home there. In fact, once you?ve lived in Mauritius, you can never really break away,? he admits, although he does miss the diversity and ?coffee shop culture? of Cape Town!

Quian is curious about everything. That?s why he studied and tried out various sectors: information technology, scuba diving and winemaking. He spent two years in Madagascar running a restaurant. ?But cars have always been my passion?. This perhaps came from his grandfather who was a car fanatic. ?One of my earliest memories concerns a car - scratching my grand father?s brand new Jaguar with a garden rake!? In spite of that unfortunate incident, Quian has always loved cars and he now sells them for the car dealer Axess. ?My job is great fun since I can have a close-up view of the capacity and mechanics of a car and admire the beauty of the design at the same time. I also enjoy meeting people from all walks of life - from the first time car buyer to company directors and everything in between.?

Why does he like Mauritius so much ? ?Just imagine, after a long week of work, driving down from Curepipe to Black River through Chamarel. The view over the bay is one of the most amazing views I have ever seen.? He also likes the lifestyle here. He is now married with a two-year old daughter and finds Mauritius a perfect place for bringing up a family. ?There are not so many places in the world where you can be home each day by 5 o?clock to play with your little daughter.?

Quian is very much a home-based person ? he enjoys having friends over to sample his cooking and good choice of wine. He also enjoys reading and is at the moment catching up on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Something of an all-rounder, Quian is of the opinion that ?we?ve got only one life so we should make the most of it!?

Quian Cock