The start of my new journey

By Zander Fritz

Hello everyone, I am Zander Fritz. I am excited to share my journey on the Workaway International programme. I will explain my feelings, experiences, day to day activities and any other thoughts that I feel are important for future participants.

I started my Workaway International journey earlier this year where I attended the Workaway International presentation. I heard about this presentation from a friend. This was an informative presentation that gave us a brief look into what our lives could be if our applications were successful.

After the presentation, we had a short screening with the Workaway International staff. This is important, as they get to meet us and gather information on potential participants to potentially recommend them for roles that would best suit them.

The recruiters then contacted us to arrange a more in-depth interview. Initially, I felt nervous and even considered dropping out, but I stuck with it and stayed determined. I went to all my interviews and did my best to show them why they should hire me. I made it through each stage, which included meeting the representatives from the country clubs.

In the end, I got a position at Boca West country club in the state of Florida as a clubhouse greeter in the golf department.

Now I must prepare to leave for America, which I will give more details of in my next post.

Stay tuned for the excitement.

My 4TH season on the Workaway International programme…

By Latella Smit

Coming home and seeing my family and friends again was worth it. Being away from home for a year and a half, you really do miss South Africa, especially the food. But, I have to admit, after a month of being home, I started to miss Florida again.

During my time on the Workaway International programme, I have made friends that have become my family and cannot wait to do another season with them. Florida feels like home now.

I cannot wait to return to Boca West Country Club for my 3rd season. Every season is different and this time I want to travel to places that I have not been to before.

During my previous seasons, I went to Universal Studios, Key West, Miami, Everglades, Naples, Marco Island, Jacksonville, New York, and Westchester.

There are so many things to do in each state. The USA is so big, and it is difficult to go everywhere but the Bahamas and Mexico are a MUST this season.

The time has finally arrived for packing and getting ready to fly back to the USA!

The flight is approximately 20 hours long and I recommend bringing things to keep you occupied. I always suggest keeping your electronics fully charged. Bring an adapter and a charger to use when you switch over at JFK airport. They have plugs and charging stations all over. If you do not bring an adapter, be prepared to pay more than $30 for one at the airport.

It gets cold on the plane, so it is a good idea to bring a light jacket and wear comfortable clothing. Even though they give you meals on the plane, I like to take lots of snacks as well. I also like to be comfortable, so I usually take a pillow.

Most importantly, do not forget to exchange some cash and take Dollars with you! During my first season, I had to pull 2 suitcases, my carry-on luggage, laptop bag and handbag with my pillow under my arm because I did not have the cash to hire a trolley. A trolley at the JFK airport is $1!

See you on the other side!

3,2,1… Take Off!

By Sonia Marques

The time has finally arrived to depart for the USA and before you know it, you will be on the plane on your way to America. The flight is very long, especially if you are flying so far for the first time. This will be the 7th time I am doing this flight and each time it feels like it takes the full 7 months of the season to prepare to do it again after returning home.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when embarking on a long flight:

• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Take a jersey (cardigan) because it could get cold on the plane. 
• Do regular stretching while on the plane. If the seatbelt sign is on and you are not allowed to get up and walk around, you could do some stretches while sitting, a good exercise is drawing the alphabet with each foot.
• Even if the food is not so great on the plane, eat something. It is a long time to not have any food in your system and the food at the airport can be pricey. 
• Keep hydrated.
• Get to know the person you are seated next to, talking can help the time to go faster and make the journey less lonely.
• Keep your phone charger in your hand luggage as you can use the charging ports at the airport to contact your family. 

It can be extremely intimidating travelling on your own, or even travelling with people you may not know. In my first season, I was told to look for people with the red “Workaway” folders and I still do this.

There is something very comforting about staying close to people who are experiencing the same array of emotions and going through the same thing as you are. Whenever I am travelling, as soon as I get to the airport, no matter how long my layover is, I make sure I know where my gate is for my next flight. This is helpful, especially when you are in a big airport, like JFK, as some gates are in a completely different terminal.

As hard as it is to say goodbye to your family, leave your comfort zone and travel to the unknown, remember that this is supposed to be fun and that it is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Make the most of it. Some people will never get this opportunity, so grab it with both hands!

“If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it’d be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.” - Harvey MacKay

With Love,