Sunny Durban

By Struan Goss

It is great to see the sun out in Durban again as well as signs of the coming spring across South Africa. This past winter was one of our worst ever; it almost got down to 10 degrees! Like the warming weather it is great to see the growing excitement among Workaway’s many wonderful candidates; many of whom will be travelling over to the USA for the very first time. For those participants from Durban among you, I wouldn’t worry too much about missing our warm summer as the weather in Florida is just as wonderful; let alone all the great new first time experiences.

Between working from the Hilton, working from home, telephone calls, conversations and interviews, it has truly been a pleasure to meet so many wonderful people applying for our programme. Given that having a great customer service orientation, and a positive attitude, are some of the key requirements for our programme, at work, I’ve been surrounded by people from all walks of life with wonderful personalities. I’d like to wish all of you the very best of luck with your Club interviews.

To all of the upbeat, friendly people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, I hope to bump into you in future and hear about your experiences in the USA. Until heading off, I hope sunny South Africa treats you well.

A Good Day!

By Jasper Burger

Most people aren’t lucky enough to experience a job or career that they can enjoy, and in which they can thrive.  There are two types of people when it comes to careers:  Those who enjoy what they do for a living, and those who don’t enjoy it, but merely do it as a means of an income.

It is safe to say that I am the first type of person – one that thoroughly enjoys what I do!

Most of my days are routine, which is definitely not a bad thing if you manage and handle it properly, as it becomes part of your lifestyle and helps with stability.

I am currently the men’s solarium restaurant opener which means I have to get up at 5.30am every morning to open up and clock-in at 6am.  To give you an idea of what my work days are like, here is an outline of my basic daily routine:

6am: As I walk out of my living quarters, the first thing I see is the beautiful red, white and blue – yes, the American flag!  I always take a minute to look at this flag as it reminds me how lucky I am to be here in the US.

Being the first one at the club with only a few others around is definitely something to get used to.  The club is very dark and quiet, and you are still busy “waking up” whilst starting your work duties.  Working at the upper course at Bultusrol, there are a few glorious, serene moments I get to enjoy:  The first person I encounter is Chef John in the kitchen, and we always indulge in a quick cup of coffee while it is brewing for the breakfast rush.

6.30am: After my wake-me-up cup of coffee, I move on to Fran at the front desk who hands over the keys for me to open up.  The restaurant is, of course, empty and in the blissful silence I get to work on setting up food stations and opening up the bar.  The restaurant will soon be bustling with members and their guests so this has to be done before the rush starts.

7am: Breakfast is now served and, believe me, 9 out of 10 times it is a busy shift!  The golfers like to tee of early and need fuel to golf during the day.  Working this shift on my own is hard work, so I am always a little bit relieved when the rest of the crew comes in to set up for lunch.  This allows me to take a quick break before the madness of the lunch shift starts.

11.30am: At this time of the day, the rest of the staff and I often have a laugh and a chat as we await the usual tidal wave of members joining us for drinks and lunch, which usually starts from around 12pm.

3pm: Things have calmed down by now because the lunch rush is over.  It usually always runs smoothly, and at 3pm I get to clock out and do whatever I please.  I often decide to go to the gym, cinema or even take a trip to the city – anything that intrigues me on the day.

It is a good feeling to know that although work will always be work, I enjoy what I do.  Various jobs have their own hardships and challenges, that’s a given, but you have to make the best of it and just enjoy the ride!

Back home!!!

By Julie-Ann Blom

It’s been a few months since I’ve been back in South Africa and since I joined the Workaway International team.  Since then, I’ve been hard at work in Johannesburg helping to recruit potential candidates for the upcoming season.

We’ve had many long days of presentations and interviews, and during the process I have met so many wonderful people with big dreams and aspirations.

While I have been recruiting in the Johannesburg and Pretoria areas, I’ve had to drive all over Gauteng.  Bearing in mind that I haven’t been home for two years, I’d forgotten how beautiful this country really is, and how wonderful and friendly the people are.

About a week ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Durban presentation – the first time I’ve ever been there!  Although I did not have the chance to see much of the city, I met a lot of friendly people at the presentation and it was a really lovely day.

To all our future recruits who will shortly be joining us on the programme to go to the US: You all have so much to offer and to contribute to the Workaway Family, and I know you will grab this opportunity with both hands!

It is important that you’re proud to be South African and represent South Africa in the best way possible in the US.

I look forward to meeting all new excited potential recruits at our next Johannesburg presentation!

See you soon!

Tips on Travelling to Florida

By Struan Goss

For those of you who are first time travelers, making the trip with Workaway to Florida this coming season, here are a few helpful tips on travelling.

On several occasions while travelling, having copies of important documents saved in the cloud has gotten me out of a tight spot. You can upload your flight itinerary, certified copies of your ID and Passport as well as any other important documentation. Once in the cloud you can access it later from your smartphone anywhere, anytime. Personally I prefer to use Google Drive, however there are several cloud storage options available, another popular one being Dropbox.

Unless you’re a machine who enjoys watching 16hrs of in-flight films back to back, at some point you’ll want to sleep on your flight over. There’s nothing worse than sitting in an airplane seat restlessly shifting about trying to find a comfortable sleeping position. Every time you are about to drift off into a warm, dark place your head rolls around to the side and then flops forward; waking you up with a sudden jolt in a disgruntled state. If I could recommend only one thing to make the flight across the Atlantic easier it would definitely be to get a travel pillow. This provides your neck with support and ensures a far more comfortable sleep. While not a necessity, an eye cover, ear plugs, and sleeping pills can also be helpful for those of you hoping to get some shut eye. The latter should however be used after consultation with your doctor and not anytime near the end of a flight. You don’t want to be drowsy when you get off the plane into a bustling airport.

Be wary of using currency exchanges at the airports as they may be more expensive than your local bank. That said, I would be careful not to take all pocket money for the first two to three weeks in cash. Most South African bank cards have a Visa facility that allows you to withdraw dollars from Visa friendly ATM’s in the States. Just check with your bank if you need to have your debit card ‘activated’ for foreign withdrawals before you leave.

I would also be sure to have warm clothing as the stopover in New York can be a cold one. Other than proudly wearing my Springbok jersey at JFK International, I only got a handful opportunities to wear it while I was in Florida as the Sunshine State does well in living up to its name. 

Sun, Sea and The Windy City

By Renee Van Der Watt

With recruitment well under way it was time for my Port Elizabeth trip this past weekend. I always enjoy my time in the ‘Windy City’, which definitely lived up to its name on Thursday. I might have brought the Cape Town cold along with me but who’s pointing fingers right? J

I stayed at a lovely B&B called Ingleton Lodge, which is run by our very own Workaway 2013/14 participant, Andrea Rathbone. The team at Ingleton really made me feel welcome and I look forward to staying there again soon. Their Victorian room has a bath to die for!

We spent Friday getting the word out all over the city. That red Workaway T-shirt was spotted all over Walmer, Newton Park, Humewood and Summerstrand. PE is a foodie heaven if you know where to look. My favourite area is Richmond Hill, which is well known for its variety and atmosphere. This Saturday saw the buzz of the annual Stanley Street Music Festival. I was quite jealous that I couldn’t attend but I’m marking it in my 2015 calendar for sure.

The highlight of my trip was a tasting at ‘For The Love Of Wine’. This place, in my opinion, is a wine lovers dream! The staff are so knowledgeable and friendly. You can order by the bottle, glass or try a variation of tastings and the wine list is quite impressive. Nothing says great wine bar better than a selection of delicious cheese platters to order. I will most definitely be heading back there.

Saturday’s presentation went well and PE was out in full force. We had an excellent turn out again this year. Returners from the area shared their experiences and excitement has most certainly begun among the potential recruits.

I must just say a very big thank you to Andrea who helped me every step of the way. You are a great host, driver, tour guide and organizer. J

Port Elizabeth, I’ll see you at interviews.

Life in New York at Baltusrol Country Club

By Jasper Burger

One thing I have noticed in my life is that wherever I go, there are people who often take things for granted: people we know, places we work, and even the city in which we live.

If you look close enough and pay attention, there is so much more to learn from the history and traditions of our surroundings.  For instance, at Baltusrol Country Club, many famous golfers have made history:  A historical golfing occasion was when Phil Mickelson won the PGA in 2005 – a true legendary day of golf genius!  Prior to that, American professional golfer, Jack Nicklaus (known by many as “The Golden Bear”) showed everyone how it’s done in the 1980 US Open as he set a new tournament scoring record to win his fourth US Open title, right here on the greens at this beautiful country club!

Occasions such as these should help us realise that we are part of a fortunate group of individuals that have the opportunity to experience amazing things – things that many others won’t have the opportunity to experience.

Apart from work, New York is known for so much. Merely walking around in the city, gazing at the tall buildings within the concrete jungle, and walking through Central Park is phenomenal!  New York even offers a rich and cultured Natural Museum of history for us to enjoy and to enrich our minds. 

The people we meet, both socially and at work, are some of the most important people we’ll meet during our lives.  Although these are people from different countries, with their own cultures, traditions and beliefs, we can learn from each other.

The main message of this post is to never stop being curious and never stop exploring – you’ll be amazed at what you find!

Warm Experiences

By Struan Goss

My name is Struan, I grew up just inland of Durban, I spend all the holiday time I can in Mozambique, and I enjoy Tiger fishing with my Dad. I studied commerce at Rhodes, worked in agriculture in the Middle East and I trade on the JSE in my spare time. I’m currently the Durban representative for Workaway International. I went on Workaway’s programme to learn more about the hospitality industry, so I may be better equipped to run our family’s B&B, as well as to experience living in America for a few months. Today, I’m sharing a little about my experiences over the past 6 months in Florida.  

For everyone who goes on the Workaway programme, Florida and the New World separates our home by interviews, paperwork, time zones, airport counters and a very lengthy 16 hour plane ride. With this in mind I set about making the most out of my off-time in Florida. If you enjoy outdoor activities, sightseeing and meeting new and exciting people, you won’t be left found wanting in Florida.

One of the first things that struck me about the state is its natural beauty. The whole of Southern Florida is very flat, which allows for many interconnected waterways, ponds, rivers and canals. There are docks with beautiful yachts, cocktail bars, restaurants and public parks all along the edges of these shimmering waterways. I was very grateful for the opportunities I had to travel with friends on their boats along these. I met people enjoying sundowners on sand bars, saw manatees, dolphins and turtles.

For only $400 my roommate and I booked a 5 day cruise to the Bahamas as well as Key West on the last day. All the raving people do about the Bahamas isn’t for nothing. The water is light turquoise blue, the beaches are white, and coconut trees sway in the sunshine. I would highly recommend taking a mask and snorkels with you to see the beauty beneath the warm lapping waves.

Renting a car on a South African driver’s license is easy and this allows for trips to places like Miami, Key West, Orlando and Cape Canaveral. I followed NASA’s rocket launch schedule while in Florida and managed to see a night-time rocket launch. The flames really lit up the night sky.

These images and memories still fondly linger in my mind, as for the 16 hour plane ride to get there, well, at least it gave me motivation to make the most of my time. For all of you interested in making some memories of your own, as well as gaining some great hospitality work experience, I look forward to meeting you at our presentations.