Let the Journey Begin

Dylan Mavakla

Please tell me that you’ve also been late for a flight? I’ve always heard stories of people running for flights and their names being called over the intercom. Then it went and happened to me. Before flying it’s been a ritual to have a meal on the airport with family and friends and of cause I was not going to miss that. But before you know it the time to board the plane had come and who was running to the boarding gate hearing his flight number, passenger number and name called to board his plane, yes me. Believe it or not I was the very last passenger to get onto the plane. Walking to my seat as all eyes watched me.

Then my journey began. A two hour flight from Cape Town International to O.R. Tambo International where I had an eleven hour layover, yes you read correctly. But fortunately I met two other WorkAwayers and they turned out to be my work colleges. So, we had eleven hours to get to know each other which was pretty amazing.

Next leg was a fifteen hour long flight from O.R. Tambo International to JF freaking K! Where I also met some more fellow WorkAwayers. My layover at JFK was also about eleven hours but fortunately a friend came to get me and took me to Times Square which was definitely a highlight.

The final leg was a three hour flight from JFK to Ft Lauderdale International. Where I was greeted with such a WARM and overwhelming welcoming!!!

Instagram handle: @dylan_mavakla

9825 Miles in 21 hours

By Zander Fritz

It all comes very quickly, one day you’re in your home town with your friends, the next day you are on American soil, breathing the air of the magical state of Florida.

I’ll admit it I was scared, I did not want to leave my friends and family. I like to be in control, I like knowing what is going to happen when and how. But I learnt very quickly that I can trust the Workaway International team to ensure my experience was as smooth as possible. I had never flown before or experienced the rush as the aircraft take off and land, but what an experience. I now realise I love flying, so much so that I never slept at all during my 21 hours over three different flights. I was the only one that found it incredible that we were 40 000 feet up in the air flying at 900kmh. But by far the best is seeing the sunrise while flying in the clouds.

So now I’m all settled into my apartment with my flatmates. I’ve begun to get used to living with five other people and honestly it has been a good experience, we all do our part and help each other when it’s necessary. So far I have made good friends with the other South Africans in my complex, and had endless conversations with the Americans and learnt how to live like an American from simple things like shopping at Walmart to how to dispose of garbage to avoid racoons from digging through the trash.

When it comes to my position at Boca West, I’ve realised how important each little job is, when it comes to keeping the members and guests impressed 100% of the time. My whole day is blessed with the smiles of members as they realise the effort we go through to make their experience absolutely magical.

Picking up where we left off…

By Sonia Marques

I left South Africa almost one month ago now, even though it feels like it was just yesterday. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions, from missing home in the beginning, to then reuniting with old friends that I missed after leaving Florida last year at the end of May.  This was the first time I spent my birthday without my family, however having my friends in Florida here with me made it so much easier and they went out of their way to make the day special for me.

This is my fourth season working at Addison Reserve and I couldn’t be more excited and motivated. In about 2 weeks we will be opening a brand new restaurant called “The Grill” and I will have the privilege of being apart of this. One of the wonderful things about working at Addison is that I have had the opportunity to work at all 3 restaurants. This has allowed me to learn a lot about the country club itself and also keeps work exciting.

This season Addison hired people from South Africa, Austria, Germany, Italy and Portugal. The diverse cultures and personalities that I have come across from working here has been one of best experiences I have had and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to meet so many people from all around the world, some that have even become very good friends and family.

By now you should be starting to settle into your new home for 7 months and transitioning from what you know into the unknown. However, do not be alarmed if the unknown hasn’t been discovered yet as this will happen gradually as you find your place here in paradise. Your time here in Florida, away from family, will be made easier once you establish relationships within your work and social circles. So get out there, be the greatest version of yourself and Carpe Diem. 

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

~ Oscar Wilde

With Love,

Goodbye for now New York

By Tara Clampett

Wow! What an amazing five months it has been. Coming from South Africa, I would only dream that one day I would be able to LIVE in New York and this was my reality for the past few months.

I remember feeling very anxious about leaving my Boca West family in mid-May 2019 to embark on a new adventure. I was apprehensive about serving again after the last time I had served in a country club was back in 2017 and also about new colleagues, a new roommate, new bosses…everything! But now reflecting on my experiences at Glen Oaks Club, I am so grateful that I took the opportunity. I truly met amazing people who all impacted my life; my roommate was one of the most genuine, kind, caring girls that I have ever met and after a few days of settling in it felt like we’d known each other for life.

We definitely worked hard but now reminiscing about my summer and how much I did in those few months makes all those double shifts worth it. Besides exploring New York City whenever we had the chance to, we also saved up and took a trip to Chicago. This is a beautiful city, almost like a smaller and less busy version of NYC…we started off our trip with a baseball game at the famous Wrigley Stadium, the next day we visited the Instagram-worthy icon “The Bean”, went up to the Skydeck (beautiful view but terrifying to step onto the all-glass deck) and ended off our trip kayaking in Lake Michigan.

I am so grateful to everyone I met at Glen Oaks, especially my managers Juan and Steve who always treated us with care and consideration. It was a great NY summer and I’m sure I will be back in the future!

My journey to the USA

By Dylan Mavakla

Have you ever felt that it is time for a certain chapter or phase in your life to end so that you can make room for a new opportunity? Well, that is exactly how I felt.

I needed something new, refreshing and challenging, and what could tick all those boxes than moving 12346km to a new country to start a new job, surrounded by unfamiliar faces for 8 months. Most people would look at something like this and run away from it, but not me. After hearing about the opportunities Workaway International offered, I had to take it with both hands.

Next thing I knew, I was at the Workaway International offices attending a presentation, then getting screened and scheduled for an interview. In the blink of an eye, my interview came, and I was ready to make this happen for myself. 

Can you guess what happened next? I received the call that I got the job and that I would be working at the 7th Platinum Country Club in America - Addison Reserve. There were a few seconds where my heart paused but then began racing with excitement for the new journey I was about to embark on. 

Soon it was time to pack my bags, say my goodbyes and spread my wings. 

Instagram handle: @dylan_mavakla

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!