What is your favorite travel memory?
There are so many amazing memories that come to mind with this question, but needing to choose only one I would have to say the first time I saw wild rhinos with their horns grazing on the open plains. It was my first time seeing these beautiful animals in the wild and was only after several hours of tracking that we were able to locate them.
I still remember cresting the hill and spotting them in the distance as the sun set behind the trees. It was in that moment that I knew Africa was the place for me to be.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Since joining Nkonzo Bush Academy several years ago I've realized that life isn't about making money, that it is about taking the time to sit with impala, which is the most common antelope in Africa, and just enjoy the fact that we are fortunate enough to experience it before it is too late.
I've changed ways of thinking and realizing what it actually means to be an ethical conservationist and how even the smallest action can have a negative effect on the environment.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
The best thing I've ever heard from a student comes from a volunteer who joined Nkonzo as "a way to beef up her resume" (her words). She confided that upon arriving she liked animals but was really only here to help make her more desirable to graduate programs in Journalism.
At the end of her time she approached me and told me that her time here had changed her outlook on many things, including her career path.
She decided that she wanted to pursue a career in conservation and that if she only helped one animal, or changed the mindset of one person, as hers had been changed, then she would be happy.
Though she also said she wanted to do a great deal more. This truly made my heart smile.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I would choose the Conservation Program because it allows you to see the conservation side of the industry, the wildlife management side, the research side, and to compare conservation to ecotourism.
It gives a wide range of perspectives that can help you narrow down your interests if you're thinking of pursuing a career in conservation and educate on how you can help even if you're not. I also love that you can leave Africa knowing that you have actually made a difference in the future of this ecosystem and protecting some of Africa's most amazing creatures.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Ethical considerations to put it in short. If there is any chance that our action could alter the behavior of the animal, even a mild disturbance then we don't do it. We follow the simple guideline that we are a guest in this animal's home and should treat the situation as this.
Every day that we go out to the field I am proud of our team; there is an undeniable passion and enthusiasm that undoubtedly rubs off on the volunteers.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I believe that passion and enthusiasm are the greatest factors. When you love what you do and have a team that feels the same way, others will see that. It provides an authentic experience that isn't a facade or put on for anyone's benefit.
The team that makes up our company work every day to protect this environment and encourages others to do the same.