Home at last after a long flight back to South Africa from New York, I am so grateful that we didn’t have to stop off at Dakar. The flight was pleasant to say the least; I took three sleeping tablets and still couldn’t sleep. I had a couple sitting on the left of me who didn’t speak a word of English, and a lady sitting on the right of me who gave me looks every time I tried to spark up a conversation. So I decided to sit back, get as comfortable as I could and reflect on the amazing time that I had in Florida.
I stayed in Boca Raton, which is about 40 minutes away from Miami, for those of you who aren’t too clued up with the Floridian map. Our housing was awesome and housed six people, 2 people per room (hold thumbs that you don’t get a messy roommate). The transportation to and from work was arranged, by following the schedule, you can get yourself to work on time or take a separate van to the shops, should it be your off day. Your rent includes a lot of cool things and necessities such as electricity and water, free telephone for local calls, uncapped ADSL, washing machine and tumble dryer (there are no washing lines in America – weird!) and standard furniture that is needed to make things homey.
At first everything was very overwhelming, especially if you are venturing over there on your own, but trust me, coming from someone who is an only child, it is the best decision that you will ever make. Yes, you will miss your family and friends and yes, there will be times when you wish you were home, but the friends that you make become your family, the people that you rely on to get you through those tough times. This trip is not only for crossing borders and extending your travels, but a path of self discovery and growing as a person as you learn to stand on your own two feet.
My first season was at Boca West Country Club, which was amazing. I worked and played hard! I came home with all the electronics that I ever wanted to get. I went to awesome places like Miami, the Bahamas, Key West and Universal Studios, just to mention a few. The night life is good, different from SA but a good different. I personally didn’t save a lot of money this past season as I spent it all on sightseeing and electronics, but if you discipline yourself and practice a little moderation, you can come home with a decent amount of savings, and that is something I plan on doing in the upcoming season.
Since I have been home in SA, I am temporarily working at various companies, keeping myself busy and making some extra cash. I will be assisting Lucille at the presentations and interviews in Durban which will be great for meeting the new candidates for this year, I am excited to see what the year ahead brings. If you have not yet been to a presentation, check out the dates for your city, don’t be shy to suss it out, you certainly won’t regret it!
Author: Nolene Lotz
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