February 6, 2012

Day One - Bonding and Braii

By ahoutman

From Maxine Putz:  The members of Team South Africa 2012 are preparing to embark on the journey of a lifetime.  We are headed to Mtubatuba, South Africa to participate in a OneSight clinic there.  Our advance team is enroute to South Africa and we wish them safe travels.  The rest of the team is busy packing, repacking, weighing suitcases and preparing for the long flight ahead tomorrow.  How exciting to participate in such a rewarding program and give quality eye care to our neighbors around the world.  We have team members from all over the world that will be meeting, some for the first time, on Sunday evening in Mtubatuba, South Africa.   We hope you will share in our journey and send messages from home by following our blog. And so our journey begins….thank you for sharing in this exciting and memorable event in Mtubatuba, South Africa!

Hey from Peter from Albany, NY.  It was an adventure just to get to our beautiful hotel with 17 hrs of flying from Washington DC and then a 3 hour layover in Johannesburg before our flight to Durban and then our 2 hour van ride to the Protea hotel, Umfolzi Village.  I hope we can get some photos posted of how wonderful our setting is.  Everything is so lush and green.  Our team shared stories about each other with the Mpilohnle team and the Peace Corps volunteers before we had our tasty lunch with traditional South African food items like pap (porridge made from maize meal) with a wonderful spicy relish and also boerewors (farmers sausage). After lunch and moving and organizing clinic boxes we had a grocery store adventure to the local chain “Pick and Pay”.  Now we get some free time to enjoy the pool area at the hotel.  Exciting that we will have four clinic sites and we start site 1 tomorrow.  Wish us good luck and many patients.  J

This is Anita saying Sawubona, which is hello.   After a one hour delay before our first plane even arrived, we started out the gate late and when we landed at Dulles they were already calling our name over the pager.  We had our exercise by running to the next plane.  This was our 17 hour flight. If you have never have been on a flight for this length of time, I can tell you it is an EXPERIENCE!!!!!  I won’t say any more.  Of course, our team is the best. We have met such lovely people from places such as Turkey, Poland, France, and Italy.  I have a lot of pictures that will be downloaded. Judi, you will enjoy the picture of Dr. Tosh. He was gracious to pose with me.  You will all see how we worked as a team when we were packing the trailer for tomorrow when we start our adventures. Words cannot express how much this experience means to me and all that I talk to… I have been invited to visit with my new friends from around the world. You don’t have to ask me twice…. Tracy, you know I am having a wonderful time for you also.  NO Tarantulas here, Greg!  Check back with the blog for further updates as there WILL BE plenty for us to share…

From Abby - Peter and Anita have captured the essence of our day so well...I just have to add that I thought 17 hours of sleeping, eating and reading on the plane was actually paradise (not kidding - South African Airlines knows customer service!)...until I met the people of Mtubatuba and took in the beauty of the farm today!  What a wonderful day of laughter and warm welcomes.  Never did I imagine I would be sitting in the shade of a baobab tree, talking politics and Xhosa and Zulu history with the locals.  What a humbling day of learning and fun...I can't believe our journey is only beginning!

39 Comments

  1. Natasha D'Sa says:

    TEAM SA 2012 - WOW!! You’re going to have a great adventure and help thousands of needy citizens - YOU ROCK!. Shout out to Odie, Julie & Steven and Max working more of their magic for OneSight!
    Abby: It’s going to be one of the most memorable experiences of your life, can’t wait to follow your blog. Natasha

    Posted on Fri Feb 3, 2012 3:25 pm EST

  2. Tim Webb says:

    Already anticipating the hum of the autorefractors and the smiles of the people when they receive their new vision!  We’re not delivering glasses, we are delivering opportunity….. The opportunity to change their lives.

    Posted on Sat Feb 4, 2012 9:29 am EST

  3. Amy Guerrero says:

    Sending a BIG HUG to my good friend Tina Nygren and warm ALOHA to the entire team.  It’s going to be a wonderful experience!  Take lots of pictures!

    Love,
    Amy :)

    Posted on Sat Feb 4, 2012 10:51 pm EST

  4. Christine Wilson says:

    Hearty South African welcome to all from Sunglass Hut SA Finance Team.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 1:19 am EST

  5. Talita van Wyk says:

    Enjoy every moment everyone! It’s an amazing opportunity filled with many blessings. Big hugs to my friends and colleagues Jacky, Jeanine, Coenie and Odette, as well as Bill and Ellie. Have fun guys! Lots of love x

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 1:19 am EST

  6. Russell Pike says:

    Have fun, spread the love and come back home safely…...

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 2:54 am EST

  7. Milli Duncker says:

    Have fun guys! I’m sure you will return feeling enriched and fulfilled, lots of love to the LuxSA team xxx

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 6:26 am EST

  8. Nina and Shamim says:

    Enjoy every minute, give it from your heart an you will be blessed! Hugs and Kisses from your family!

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 8:21 am EST

  9. Wes Hancock says:

    I hope all have a great trip and fully appreciate the opportunity to serve others. Hope you have a great time Odie!

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 10:41 am EST

  10. Ricardo Humphries says:

    Yo team SA, good luck guys. Jeanine, Jacky, Coenie, Odie the leader…..make us proud guys.

    Christine Kidder-Doverspike, Coenie needs to look after you! Hope you enjoy SA…...don’t forget, this time around you need to visit Bit by Bit ( speak to DJ from Mpilonhle )

    take care!

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 11:07 am EST

  11. Caterina says:

    Ciao Marco,
    mi raccomando, cerca di dare il massimo ogni giorno e di fare tesoro di ciò che otterrai in cambio del tuo impegno, così tutti gli sguardi ed i sorrisi riconoscenti che riceverai ti rimarranno nel cuore.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 3:00 pm EST

  12. Louis Weinstein says:

    Congratulations to the whole Clinic team. Max, Tosh, Steven and Julie: you continue to amaze me with the work you do for Onesight.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 7:04 pm EST

  13. Nasim says:

    Great job everyone!!!To Ali…amazing opportunity enjoy every moment…it is going to be a memorable experience.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 8:08 pm EST

  14. Nashir Mitha says:

    Great job everyone and congratultions to the whole clinic team. Keep up the team work.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 8:53 pm EST

  15. jane g says:

    A toast of South African Pinotage to you all from the states. Breaking out my “Chakalaka” this week to join you in spirit. Hakuna Matata about your team Shannon S. we all wish we there too!

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 9:35 pm EST

  16. dawn m says:

    All of us from Chicago, especially the Rory Zimny/Tim Webb franchise family wish all of you best wishes for a successful clinic.
    We are proud of every one of you.  Miss you, Tim.

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 9:53 pm EST

  17. Rory says:

    All of you are very special !  Growing the heart by helping others who need us most makes you all ROCKSTARS!!!!!

    Posted on Mon Feb 6, 2012 10:12 pm EST

  18. Rosalynn Mitchell says:

    Good luck Peter and the rest of the team! What a great service you are all doing!Im proud of you- Congrats!

    Posted on Tue Feb 7, 2012 5:33 am EST

  19. Judi Johnson says:

    Anita——Take lots of pictures and have the time of your life!!! Such an amazing experience Go OneSight!

    Posted on Tue Feb 7, 2012 7:13 am EST

  20. Shamim Hussen says:

    Dr.Ali Wish you and all other doctors lots of success as you embark on your mission to contribute your expertise to the local people.Miss you!!Hugs and Kisses.Bless you all!!Shamim

    Posted on Tue Feb 7, 2012 7:54 am EST

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