_Reference Letters
Jason Hermanus Part I
14 October 2011
Hi Rene/Rachael,
Our son Jason Hermanus received an opportunity in a lifetime when he got selected to work at NAME through Away2Xplore . He left on the 6th March 2011 and will arrive back home to South Africa around the 24th Nov 2011. He would have arrived on the 3/4th Nov but when the opportunity arose for them to stay on for an additional two weeks it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Make no mistake it has not always been plain sailing as he does work hard but this is absolutely nothing in comparison to the return on investment his receiving. The fair wages, free board and lodging including the opportunity of seeing a great deal of a first world country is beyond the dreams of most people. The soft and hard skills gained so far are immeasurable. Skills such as independence, inter-dependence, communication, problem solving, team work, and so much more. I wish I had these opportunities when I was his age. In fact I wish there were opportunities like this for our age group!
Jason Hermanus Part II
14 October 2011
Someone once said that your mind, once stretched by a new idea or a new experience never regains its original shape certainly holds true for Jason. Judging from our telephonic conversations with him it is clear that he has undergone a huge paradigm shift. Experiences such as these are something you cannot learn from a book or from someone, it can only happen after been placed in a situation that will inevitably give you this difference in perspective. My wife and I certainly believe that when he arrives home it will take time for him to adjust/adapt to the South African way of life again - considering the fact that he has tasted freedom and culture of the American way of life. He is having a super time in between the hard work but and I am sure he will treasure these memories for the rest of his life. I have a feeling that when arrives home his going to want to do it again – it is addictive as your brochure clearly spells out.
Jason will only be back in about five and a half weeks time but my wife and I would like to extend our gratitude and say thanks – you have by far exceeded our expectations, not only for our son but for all the other South African youngsters who have been given a similar opportunity. Your benevolence is beyond reproach. All of this would not have been possible if it were not for Away2Xplore.
PS: We will be more than happy to share our experiences, from a parent perspective, to any future group should the need arise.
Kind regards
Andre L. Hermanus
Retha Jacobs
Away2xplore het ook baie drome bewaarheid. Dit is 'n agentskap wat onderhoude voer soos enige ander instansie en soms kwalifiseer party en ander nie en soms kwalifiseer party, maar daar is nie genoeg poste nie. My dogter het gekwalifiseer en vlieg saam nog ander die 10de Mei Amerika toe. Ek wil net se dat Away2xplore nog net profesioneel en vriendelik opgetree het elke keer as ons daar was of as ek...
Madelein Welman
May 6 at 8:35am Report
More Rachael, ek is Nicolene Olivier se ma. Wil net vir julle almal van Away 2 Xplore groot dankie se vir die geleentheid wat jul ons kinders bied en die profesionele manier waarop jul als hanteer. Ek kan met `n geruste hart gaan slaap in die aand want ek weet al die S.A. kinders is in die beste hande wat `n mens kan kry. Baie dankie doen so voort jul is puik. Lekker dag en groete Madelein Welman
Salome Beytell
Nou net gehoor my seun, Jaco het n Midway Stars unit achievers award vir 2011 gekry! Dankie seun ek is so trots op jou. Lief jou mwah Nici Coetzee My son, Chris got one as well...also very proud of him. Can't wait for him to come home...!!! Salome Beytell Congrats, Nicci. It makes us as parent so proud to know that our kids still do their best does not matter where in the world they work. Just another 3 weeks before my baby is back and 6 weeks before my other Salome Beytell Thanx Away2xplore for giving our kids this great opportunity. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Nici Coetzee Salomie. It is wonderful to know that what we taught them as kids does stay with them wherever they go. As you say it does make us proud. And I agree A2X is the best!!!!!
Janille Ackerman
September 9 at 1:44pm
beste tyd gehad daar ! Away2xplore is voowaar n goeie agentskap! sou nou beslis my linkervoet gee om te kan teruggaan.
Bennie
April 2011
Hi
Hulle het darem Bennie se tas opgespoor. Vat dit vir hom more Alabama toe. Bennie is baie gelukkig daar. Ek het heelwat kontak met hom gehad oor FB die naweek.
Baie dankie vir wat julle daar by Away-2-xplore vir hom gedoen het. Ek en Joseph waardeer dit verskriklik baie. Se vir Rene en Tanya ons sal hulle ewig dankbaar wees.
Volgende jaar sal dit beter gaan. Hierdie Joseph is groen van jaloersie. Sy hart is baie seer omdat hy ook so graag daar wou gewees het.
Lekker dag verder…
SALOME BEYTELL
Retha Jacobs
Away2xplore het ook baie drome bewaarheid. Dit is 'n agentskap wat onderhoude voer soos enige ander instansie en soms kwalifiseer party en ander nie en soms kwalifiseer party, maar daar is nie genoeg poste nie. My dogter het gekwalifiseer en vlieg saam nog ander die 10de Mei Amerika toe. Ek wil net se dat Away2xplore nog net profesioneel en vriendelik opgetree het elke keer as ons daar was of as ek...
Sharmaine Pitout
Hi Rachael, just want to say a BIG THANK YOU for everything you have done for our children, all the organizing and meeting us at the airport. Enjoy your weekend.
Sharmaine Pitout (mother of Wynand Pitout - left for USA on 19 April 2011)
Tracey
Monday 6th June 2011
Hi Rachael and the Away2xplore team Just a word of thanx to the team for making Neill's dream a reality. Deeply appreciated.
Kindest regards
Tracey
Elsabe Pretorius
Thanks to Away2Xplore for affording parents a way to send their child to America knowing that their child is with a group of people that care. In todays world any parent looses sleep if you are not sure as to where your child finds himself, day or night. In coming to know about Away2Xplore I saw the ideal opportunity to cope with a teenager/ young man who thinks he owns the world, but has no skills to conquer it. To me this was the ideal way for a young man to learn about life and how to fend for himself, yet knowing it was a safe environment with a secure job and accommodation when he arrives. On top of it he earns a weekly salary to support himself.
I understand that the rules are tough, but they have to learn that life is not always a smooth ride, and to get to the top, you have to dream and work your way through it and still have fun going about it. Away2Xplore called all the guys in for a briefing before they left. Nothing was withheld from the boys regarding laws, rules and no false illusions were created. They were told how to conduct themselves and exactly what to expect (no frills or a picnic).
The information packs are well put together and the briefing is an excellent summary of all the important info they have to remember, (but knowing kids they never read them). I sent off a boy who was nervous and scared and got back a man who has a better understanding of life and has learnt invaluable life skills. Thanks again to Away2Xplore for a safe experience for children to spread their wings, enrich their lives and broaden their horizons.
Elsabe Pretorius - Kempton Park
Cora du Ploog
My seun Natie, werk tans in Amerika deur julle maatskappy (Away2Xplore), dus het ons eerstehandse kennis van die maatskappy. Vanaf die eerste keer wat ons met julle kontak gemaak het, het alles soos beloof verloop en was alles op 'n vriendelike en effektiewe manier gehanteer.Natie het geen idee gehad wat hy wou doen na sy matriek eksamens nie. Natuurlik was ek skepties om my seun oorsee te stuur. Na die onderhoud met Away2Xplore wou hy net sy tasse pak en Amerika toe gaan.
Die reis instruksies was baie duidelik en ek het geensins gedink dat hy verlore of deurmekaar sou raak nie, (ja, ek is maar net 'n ma)! Op die oomblik is hy in Indiana en net voor dit was hulle in Alabama. Tot nou toe het hulle omtrent 18 plekke in Noord Amerika gesien. Chicago was 'n ervaring van 'n leeftyd vir 'n seun van 'n klein dorpie. Op geen stadium het ek ongemaklik gevoel oor die situasie nie, of gedink dat hy in enige gevaar is nie.
Elke keer as ek met hom praat kan ek hoor dat dit nie 'n fout was vir hom om Amerika toe te gegaan het nie. Dankie ook vir Rene wat die moeite gedoen het om vir die outjies in Amerika te gaan kuier en met die kinders te praat en seker te maak dat alles daar nog vlot verloop. Natie hou vol dat hy terug gaan volgende jaar. Die eerste vliegtuig terug in 2008 sal vir Natie aanboord he. Hy is gelukkig en hierdie ervaring het hom verander vanaf 'n seun na 'n man.
Cora du Ploog - Ellisras
Madelein Welman
May 6 at 8:35am
More Rachael, ek is Nicolene Olivier se ma. Wil net vir julle almal van Away2Xplore groot dankie se vir die geleentheid wat jul ons kinders bied en die profesionele manier waarop jul als hanteer. Ek kan met `n geruste hart gaan slaap in die aand want ek weet al die S.A. kinders is in die beste hande wat `n mens kan kry. Baie dankie, doen so voort, jul is puik. Lekker dag en groete
Madelein Welman
Tertia Taljaard Ellis
May 3 at 4:58
Hi Rachel weer ekke. Wil maar net laat weet dat Coenie my kind en sy meisie Anuscka elkeen 'n award gekry het vir goeie diens. So trots op hulle. Hulle geniet dit nog verskriklik baie behalwe die klomp tornado's daar om hule en die storms. Sy baas stuur hom op hul onkostes vir sy US drivers license want hule wil he hy moet ook daar bestuur hulle het vir hom al die in en out's gegee.... Hy is so opgewonde. Nogmals baie dankie
Groete Tertia
Tertia Taljaard Ellis
April 10 at 5:30pm
Hi Rachel,
Ek wil maar net vir jou laat weet dat Coenie en Anuscka dit vreeslik geniet. In die begin was daar dae dat hulle down of homesick was maar ons het net vir hulle moed ingepraat. Hulle is nou in Shreveport Louisiana en is mal oor die plek en mense. Hulle sê die werk is super harde werk maar hulle geniet dit. Ons het elkedag met mekaar kontak al is dit net per facebook of sms en ek dink dit maak 'n groot verskil. Hulle het vir hulle 'n fiets gekoop so hulle explore nou die dorpe. Die mama verlang ook party dae bitter baie want Coenie is my enigste kind en maar nog net 19 maar vee die trane af en gaan maar weer voort. Nogmals baie dankie dat julle hom die geleentheid gegee het ek glo die ervaring is iets wat hy seker nooit ooit sal vergeet nie en dit te danke aan Away.
Groete uit Kaapstad... Tertia
Elize
Ek het dit al gese en ek se dit weer. Away2Xplore is DIE ENIGSTE instansie wat dit REGTIG vir ‘n kind moontlik maak om oorsee te kan gaan werk. Een en elk van die ander plekke vra tussen R12 – 20 000 vir die kinders om oorsee te gaan. As ek daardie tipe geld gehad het was dit nie nodig vir die kinders om te gaan nie. Ek is trots daarop dat Jacques (wat ‘n baie bedorwe brokkie was) uitgestyg het bo sy omstandighede en bowel ‘n geleentheid gegun is. Van Away2Xplore kan ek net goed praat.
Dankie vir die geleentheid.
Elize
Ruhan Nabal
Ek lewe nog!!! Amerika is baie lekker...ek geniet dit baie. Die werk is nogal baie, maar op de einde van die dag maak dit mens baie sterker! Dit is nogsteeds koud, maar ons het bae arm dae...
To whom it may concern:
Firstly i just wanna say thanx to everyone at Away2Xplore for making it all possible. Working in America is by far one of the best experiences i have ever had and i learned alot from it, it really separate’s the boys from the men and even makes boys men. The work is hard and long hours but its all worth it at the end of the day when you can sit back and have a barbeque with some friends or go and experience the night life of the city with some friends. There is always something fun to do no matter who you are or what you like to do, and you never get bored of being at one place all the time.I would recommend anyone to do this an i will definitely go back for a second end even a third year.
Vincent Schutte
Lilla Swart
March 10 at 10:58am
More more! Ek is soo opgewonde! Kobus ht net voor 12 uur laasnag vir my n boodskap gestuur dat hy veilig is en alreeds baja vriende gemaak het. Hy se di vlug was baja lank maar het di vreeslik geniet en kanni wag om more te begint werk ni. N groot dankie dat jy my kind se drome bewaarheid het. Al jo hulp en inligting word opreg waardeer! Mag Away2xplore net vooruit gaan.
Groete lilla swart
Kevin M Van Zyl
I went in 2007, it was definately a good experience and I bought about 30Gs home at the end of it, but it could have been alot more if I didn't eat so much junk food.
Ilze Fourie
Rachel,
baie dankie vir gister by OR Tambo, mens kan duidelik sien jy doen hierdie op 'n gereelde basis. Alles het so glad verloop en Wynand is veilig in Miami. Lekker om met mens sulke profesionele mense soos julle te werk.
Groete die Fourie familie.
Jc Matthee
Hi Tanja
Just to let you know i am here and everything is fantastic, I love the people i work with and my job is fantastic. They are very very happy with me, we had a very good x mas and new year. Just want to say thank you for everything. Have a great new year.
Kind Regards
Jc Matthee
Chris Coetzee
24 October 2011
Dear Rachel
Well, my mom promised you that I would write a short note about my experience at North American Midway Entertainment this year, so here goes: It was a great experience for me, a lot of hard work and long hours, but I enjoyed every moment of it. The living space was small, but I got used to it. I made so many new friends from all over South Africa and also friends from the States. I will definitely be going back next year. Thank you so much to A2X and Maritsa in Cape Town. I can’t wait for next year to arrive so that I can be on my way again.
Kind regards
Chris Coetzee
