feedback received on the students ' programme

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Have a look at this wonderful clip captured and posted by Max Ellis, a previous participant in the HESC Students' Programme. Pictures often capture what words cannot.

Feb - Mar 2012

"My favorite moments were the unexpected ones. Going to the vet with Crunchie; playing football with the six cheetah cubs; moving cheetahs and all the interactions with savannah; the caracals; the 6 cubs and Khula. It was amazing to be able to touch them. I also really enjoyed feeding; the excursions and braai's."

Sarah Ghys

Oct 2011

Click here to read about Niall's experience as a student at HESC.

Click here to read an article written for PET Travel Magazine in New Zealand by students who participated in the programme.

Click here to read an article prepared by Victoria Smith, a student who participated in the programme.

July 2011

The things I enjoyed the most? The chance to see and play with the cheetah cubs, kissing nyala every time we fed them, the chance to see a vet work with wild animals and be able to at least a bit help at the centre and learn about conservation.

11 Jan 2011

Dear Karen & Jeanré

Now it’s my turn to leave.... This week has passed in a second, and now Italy is waiting for me!  Well, how can words express my feeling?

This has been one of the most amazing experience of my life!  In front of animals such as cheetah I feel very small ... they are wonderful creatures and all around me seems to stop when I look at them, this time here has been full of emotions:  starting with the feeding, to game drives with you Kruger (wonderful day!) and ending with the typical braai the last evening. You and all the staff are very competent and prepared people, in particular you, Karen and Jeanré, were able to make me feel part of the team, and a “resource” for this program.  Thank you very much for your help and support.
Ps. I’ll send you an Italian famous recipe via e-email asap...

Thanks and see you next time with my family!  CIAO

Eleonora Italy

28 Dec 2010

Tabs & Karen

I would like to begin like I do with all important statements.....Dude! that was awesome!  And awesome it was.  Every minute of the last 3 weeks.  I’d like to say thank you, because there are no better words.  I loved being in the heart of nature, right in the middle of the birds, warthogs, lions & antelopes.  I’ll never forget how it feels to touch a cheetah....especially the babies!  Eddie is awesome too, I bet he and my Oliver would get on so well! (if he goes missing, you’ll know who did it).  Thank you guys for taking such good care of us...driving us halfway around the world, waiting endless hours while we were off having the experiences of a lifetime & preparing such amazing food for us every night.  I’ll miss boereworst & stickbread!  If I had to name the experience I loved the most, I’d probably need to list everything we did in the last 3 weeks (except butchery, of course).  But there’s something about the view from an elephant’s back on the morning of Christmas eve... nothing else in the world would match it!  The Reptile Park, God’s Window, Bourkes’s Loukes Potholes, Kruger Park & River Rafting....I’ll be telling stories and envy it for a long time to come!  I’ll never forget you guys for giving me that.

I wish you guys  the best of luck in your work and future lives.  I wish you the joy you gave me.  And if you ever think of coming to Ireland, just give me a shout.

I’ll do the driving.

Baie dankie
Rayyan (aka boss lady)

Dec 2010

Morning

Thank you very much for everything!  The last 3 weeks have been a blast!

We never expected to get sooo close to all the animals in the centre, it was a really hands on and close up experience.

Also the excursions were great!  We saw a lot of the regions amazing landscape and an awesome sunset yesterday.  The visits at Moholoholo and Khamai Reptile Park taught us a lot and if we will ever get bitten by a snake we know now what to do.  Scream hysterically and drink a lot of alcohol and then go to the next shaman.  Do you think that it’s possible to have caracals in Switzerland?  If yes:  please bring one with you, when you come to visit us!

Baie dankie, we miss you!
Annete & David

Dec 2010

Que mora! (however you spell it!) but you know what I mean.  Where else in the world can people say they wake up to the sound of a lions roar, hand feed a zebra, have cheetah cubs lick your hand, and take an early morning elephant ride on Christmas eve! (looking for sable I should say ha ha ha ah).  Thanks Tabs & Karen, my expectations of always wanting to come to Africa have been exceeded and the experiences amazing to say the least.

Katherine Stevenson (Australia)

P.S Give Eddie the biggest goodbye kiss for me!!!

Nov 30’th 2010

Karen+Tabs

These past 3 weeks have been truly amazing.  I know that sounds generic but it’s true.  This place and South Africa are what true cracked up to be, and I know I have only seen a very small piece of the country.

You two, the staff, and the centre have a great thing going here!  To be able to offer something like this to people all over the world is priceless.  I grew up having and believing in the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat but to experience it here a world away from home and actually participate in the everyday activities of such a facility has been wonderful.  I never thought I would carry a cheetah, or play and cuddle with a caracal, or listen to a cheetah purr or meow that stuff was added bonuses and just so much fun!  Apart from all the activities @ the centre thank you for having our butts around on game drives and excursions!  I know I said this already but South Africa is beautiful.  I hope to return someday and see much more of the country.  Along with the big events of the activities of the centre and all the great excursions I really enjoyed the evenings of sitting outside as the temperature started to cool (sometimes), drinking a glass of wine, watching the birds. The nyala and the warthogs until the sun set.  The sky was always beautiful.  I will also miss all the birds singing before the sun came up and the lion roaring @ night.  I will never forget driving through the bush ( I think maybe our third day) diving under the seats to avoid 3 inch accai spines going into our heads, necks, arms in search of a cheetah.

You two are great cooks!  Especially your chocolate cake Karen! It’s time to get back in the gym when I get home.  Tabs like I told you stick bread will be a new meal @ my future camps, I will send you a picture.  Tabs watch out for the guinea fowl! Where there is one there’s always another.  Karen keep up the excellent driving and I wish both of the very best in all your future.

Thanks again

Nicole USA

10-30 Nov 2010

Dear Tabs and Karen

This has been a fantastic experience.  Being here the last 3 weeks has meant so much to me!  I don’t want to go home and back to my normal vet nursing job.

Everyday was always different from the meats in the butchery, to the small animal food (tiny chicks for the ground hornbills), to the excursions etc.  It was all amazing.

The best bits at the centre were defiantly getting to work so close with the cheetahs, assisting when taking blood samples, taking one to the vet, feeding them, having a little cuddle through the bars..everything.  Though sometimes grumpy, they are amazing and beautiful creatures.  I have learnt also during this project, only wish there was time to learn more.

Thank you for everything to you and to all the other staff members!

Take care

Ali England
P.S your cooking was fantastic especially the South African Traditional meals.

To view more comments made by previous students, click here.