Go Where You Grow: Safari Guide Training in South Africa

Week 2:

The knowledge I’ve gained from week one was more than I learned in a semester of college. I’ve noticed myself paying attention to the grasses, the wind, the smells and began to really listen. Our first exam was difficult with a lot of information but our trainers presented the information in an excellent way recalled from their experiences so their knowledge is immeasurable. A good teacher teaches what he has been taught but a wise teacher teaches what he has learned and that’s exactly what our instructors did.

This week’s lessons were on mammals, birds and animal behavior. The crocodile continued her morning swim by while accompanying me on my way to get coffee and the jackals called as I brushed my teeth. While showering I watched birds fly overhead and I recalled the devils thorn we learned about during the day that can be used as a shampoo. We had a buffalo visit our camp a couple times this week. Once we saw the dagga boy in the light of day and in the morning we recognized his presence in the night by his tracks in the mud.

Being a zookeeper I see these amazing animals everyday such as the two white rhinos we saw on our game drive but seeing them in their natural habitat is no comparison. We passed hippos who gave us warning calls when we got too close and we always respected what the animals were telling us. We picked up on more tracks from millipedes, jackals, lions and hippos and looked at their dung.

After long days of studying we made time to sit around a fire with the wood we collected from the day. We took turns being on duty where we checked the land rovers and served food to our fellow peers. The food has been excellent and served by the sweetest woman, Nicky. Falling asleep at night was difficult while looking at a sky full of stars and even more difficult when we found a South African python outside my tent.

The things I was once afraid of back home are now the things I look forward to seeing and happening here in Africa. Every day you have two choices: stay asleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them. I will always choose the latter.