My Summer Season Up-north – by Nondumiso Sibanda

 

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams”, Oprah Winfrey.

 

It has been a roller coaster year, we finally made it to the US for the winter season in January thanks to the Workaway International team who worked tirelessly to make it happen. Better late than never!

 

Doing our winter season in Florida for four months was g
reat. Time went by so quickly and it was soon time to do visa extensions for the summer season up-north for which l was accepted at Fairview Country Club in Connecticut.

We landed in Connecticut in May and so far it has been a good five months, meeting new people and staying in a different environment. Fairview is a smaller club but has a huge vibe right from the staff to the members.

                                          

One highlight that stands out to me has to be that some of the members here are members at my Florida club, Boca West. It was amazing to see familiar faces and have conversations about Mr D’s Restaurant at Boca West as well as about how certain menu items remind them of meals at the Roadside Cravings Food truck.

Amongst the close knit family of Fairview, one person stands out most and that is Chef Jeff Perez. He is the most humble, hardworking, welcoming and attentive Chef that I have worked with. It has really been a great learning curve.

We have had quite a busy season from Friday grill nights, pasta stations on Sundays, Memorial day, Labor day and many more events and parties.

                                               

The season is starting to slow down which means we will have some time to properly travel and explore.

I have however managed to cross a few things off my bucket list whilst I’ve been here including exploring New York City. We are about an hour away from New York City by train which is the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way to get there.

                                                

My first stop was to see Carlo’s (the Cake Boss) Bakery. I literally melted as l walked in as I have been watching Cake Boss for so long and have been wanting to see one of his bakeries since before I even came to the US. Even though he wasn’t there, knowing that l stepped into one of his outlets filled my heart.

                                            

It has been a good summer and we are almost at the end of the season. We head back to Florida soon for our winter season but first l still need to cross seeing the Statue of Liberty off my bucket list!

 

 

My experience at Boca West Country Club – Lesedi Palo

 The Workaway International program is an incredible experience where I met friends that turned into family. 

 

I was fortunate enough to work at Boca West County Club where I learnt why it is one of the best County clubs in the world. I met amazing people who made being away from home just a little bit easier. Everyday waking up and walking into work was a joyful experience because everyone we worked with had a loving nature. 

Being a hospitality management graduate I learnt how diverse the industry can be in different places of the world and the reason that Boca West does so well is because of the way it is run. Everyone from upper management to the people you work with on a day to day basis are approachable and that made for a great work environment.

 

We went on trips to Miami and Universal which gave us the opportunity to get to know each other more. Our work Christmas party was fun and filled with memories galore. 

 

I left South Africa knowing only four people that I would be working with and came back with friends that I will treasure for life. I met amazing people that I can truly call my brothers and sisters. The Workaway International program truly teaches you to be a better person if you allow it to.

 

Memories last forever – Lauren Davids

 

So many great things to say I just don’t know where to start…

 

Well firstly I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Workaway International for the great opportunity they’ve given me. It has opened so many doors and allowed me to gain international work experience. I have also met some pretty good people through the program and made lifelong friends which I’ll cherish forever. 

 

This program taught me many things including how to become independent, to always strive to do my best and most importantly, it taught me how to actually cook my own meals – a goal I never thought possible to achieve! It also made me realize that anything is possible if you really put your mind to it.

 

Most of my free time was spent socializing with my fellow colleagues I met throughout the program. Some highlights included taking a day tour to Miami all the way to Tampa and spending some time at the Naples pier beach which was breathtaking! I’ve experienced some great places and seen amazing sites and even seen some famous celebrities like Cardi B, Sam Smith and so many more. Gosh this program was so good to me!

 

The memories last forever and I’m so excited to go ahead and make some more memorable moments this next season.

  

 

My love for travel – Malanie Titus

My love for travel began at a very young age. From the age of 6, I started exploring and ever since then, I could not stop. 

 

I started local traveling and experienced the finest culture and cuisines within my country but I knew I wanted to see more and became hungry to explore and travel further. I wanted to see more of what the world had to offer so I traveled to parts of Africa and Asia but knew my dream was to visit the United States. One day while casually browsing the internet looking at travel destinations, I came across Workaway International, I could not believe what I was reading. Without hesitation I decided to join the program.

 

Today I can proudly say, joining the Workaway International program was the best decision I have ever made. My dream came true! Not only did I get to travel to the United States, I got an opportunity to work at one of the best country clubs in Florida.

 

Over the years being on this program, I made lifelong friends and got to travel to different parts of the states. My experiences ranged from hiking Devils Tower in Wyoming, building my first snowman, visiting the famous Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, embracing Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco, fishing in Long Island, New York and being able to appreciate the country's history at Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, to name but a few.

 

I have gained a wealth of knowledge from all my travel experiences. I often try to share this knowledge with friends who have started traveling for the first time with hopes they will have an even better experience. 

 

With all that being said, a huge thank you to Workaway International for the opportunity in making my travel dreams come true. I would not have had these life changing experiences if it was not for the wonderful team at Workaway International!

 

 

 

Go out there and take a leap - you never know what lies ahead – Shaun Liebenberg

To quote H. Jackson Brown Jr, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do”.

 

This was and will continue to be the motto that I carry with me. It is for this reason I greatly appreciate the opportunities provided by Workaway International as well as Boca West Country Club.

From getting on the first flight to the US, I had no idea how my life would suddenly change.

After a very fun and informative orientation provided by our employer we were ready to get to work. My employment was at our prestigious MyPi Restaurant at Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida.

 

Here, I was at the perfect place to sharpen my knowledge of what great service, attention to detail and member service was all about.

One of the biggest blessings was without a doubt the amount of new friendships that turned into family that was formed during my time abroad. From staying with housemates, to getting to know each of your colleagues and management team. I was undeniably surrounded with a great support system.

 

As if all these benefits weren’t enough, Boca West Country Club spoils the staff with a trip to Universal Studios. I mean, come on?

I will always be the biggest advocate for the Workaway program. Not only has it changed the way I view the world, but you’ll hear the exact same thing from every person that is, and has been on the program.

 

Due to COVID-19, my time was cut short, however I am excited to get back to the US to continue making memories. To conclude, nothing great ever comes from staying in your comfort zone. So go out there, take a leap - you never know what lies ahead…

Short lived but great experience that is to be continued…

By Gina Kekana

Honestly if someone told me that I would be working in America, I would have thought that they were joking. I am not from an ambitious family in that we weren’t the kind of family that explored relocation in another country let alone on another continent. I heard about the program and honestly, I was blown away and knew that I needed to apply no matter what.

The first time I applied I made it till the country club interviews but unfortunately for me there weren’t any more positions available. I did not give up and I applied the following year and I made it all the way through. It's honestly a feeling I cannot describe when you get your flight pack and reality kicks in.

Landing in Florida and getting slapped by the heat and humidity was so unexpected but enjoyable. Finally shopping at a Walmart was even better! Meeting new housemates was something different. We all needed to try and be open so that we could get to know each other and we did.

Arriving at Boca West County Club was my highlight as I could not believe that I would be the one working in such a beautiful place every day. Blessed was Gina for making it this far and being here, EARNING DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!

There was so much to do in Florida, there are amazing beaches, restaurants, bars, museums, adventure sports and many amazing people to meet from all over America. Unfortunately my time was cut short due to the pandemic but I’m excited for what the next season holds. I will be sure to do more and explore more as I was also looking forward to going up north to New York for the summer program.

This would have never been possible if Workaway International South Africa did not believe in me. I can be a lot to handle but when I put my mind to something, I fully commit to it and that is why I never gave up till I made it in. Thank you to Charlotte and the team for believing in me.

Hopefully this season turns out to be yet another fantastic season, all the best to the applicants and remember, it's all about you 😊

My Workaway International Experience

By Claire Sewell

Where even do I begin! From take-off in South Africa to landing in Florida for the first time, I had no idea how much my life was about to change!

I remember landing at the airport and being so nervous about meeting everyone, getting everything done at the apartment and heading off to start work in a completely new environment. I got to the apartment complex and everyone was so friendly, it felt like I had known all these brand new people for years! Having started work, I remember sitting in training thinking to myself "what was I so nervous about?”. It was genuinely one of the easiest life transitions I have ever experienced! 

Through Workaway International's program, not only was I able to grow in the service industry but also make memories that will last a lifetime. I have had the most amazing experiences and made friends for life. 

I have had the opportunity in my 3 seasons that I worked in the USA of traveling and exploring and meeting the most incredible people! From the most beautiful sunsets in Southampton and New York to traveling through many states, experiencing so many different cultures and cuisines and working for some of the most prestigious country clubs. 

It didn't matter which club I worked at, every manager, every housing manager, and every colleague was so helpful and everywhere felt like home. Workaway was continuously sending emails to check in on us and how we were doing at our new clubs.

I can't help but try and send every person I possibly can, in Workaway International's direction. It is an opportunity of a lifetime and I'm so excited to go back and make even more memories!