By
Natasha Kretschmer
I
started my 4th season at The Polo Club of Boca Raton, Florida in October last
year. There’s something to be said about a club and your experiences if you
choose to return to it for the fourth time. Before I get into how this season
played out, I should give you a background story…
I
come from a very small town in the Eastern Cape where there isn’t much to do,
no movie theatre and a very small, unimpressive 'mall', but none the less a
great place to grow up. I got my degree in education from the University of the
Free State and 2 years into my teaching career, decided that I wanted to travel
while I still could. This is when I heard about Workaway International. I was a
successful applicant and before I knew it, I was on my way to South Florida. That
was the start of a life-changing experience. Not knowing anyone else at The
Polo Club, I quickly learned that no matter what, South Africans are family and
I never felt more at home.
I
was fortunate enough to be placed as a Recreational Aide in the Tennis
Department. I went from Pro Shoppe Clerk to Tennis Concierge, to being a
tennis/squash/pickleball pro. This is proof that if you work hard, you will
continue to climb the ranks and learn new things. Being a teaching pro became a
passion and something that I love, and it still allows me to use the degree
that I studied so hard for.
I
have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit while in the states. Some notable
cities and states include the Florida Keys (an absolute must!), Miami, Las
Vegas, Atlanta, New Orleans, South Carolina, Utah, New York, Washington DC, New
Mexico, Tennessee, and California. Being a nature lover, I have also been
fortunate enough to have visited The Grand Canyon, Bryce National Park, Zion
National Park, The Smokey Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, White
Sands National Park, and Yosemite National Park. If you work hard, save money,
and plan effectively, you can travel while on this programme.
What
I got most out of this program is how I’ve grown as a person. When you are
alone in a “strange” country you learn so much about yourself and what you are
capable of… fast!
The
2019-2020 season is not what anyone could have predicted and not how the
Workaway participants wanted the season to end. The COVID-19 epidemic put a stop
to everyone’s plans. Going up north for the summer season was an uncertainty
and getting home to South Africa while on lockdown was considered impossible.
Fortunately, the Workaway International team worked tirelessly and managed to
get us all home safely and quickly. It is not ideal but necessary to stay safe
and return before our visa’s expired.
After
a long charter flight on Ethiopian Airlines, I reached my destination – Cape
Town. Arriving at the shutdown Cape Town International Airport, we were greeted
by friendly airport staff and in no time, our passports were stamped and our
luggage collected. We arrived at our designated quarantine facilities around
12:30 a.m. and was once again greeted by friendly hotel staff welcoming us
home. It is currently day 5 of quarantine and so far, so good. Friendly staff,
good food, and a clean and safe hotel room make it just a little bit easier to
be stuck in a room by yourself for 14 days.
Once
we are released, I will be going to Port Elizabeth on transport organized by
Workaway International, where my parents will pick me up. Who knows what the
future will hold for us as we are all trying to get used to the new normal. I
will take everything day by day and wait for the chance to go back to Sunny
Florida, and The Polo Club, for another adventure.
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