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130 entries.
wrote on October 23, 2025
at
10:47 am
Dear Alan, The community you foster here at Swanage is unlike anything I've had the privilege to be a part of. You bring people together in a way that not many can and is truly magical to experience., Thank you from the bottom of my heart for takin me in so last minute and bringing so much value to the time I was able to spend here. You know I came here more for the people and the country than for trauma and I found so much more than I could have dreamt of because of you, your generosity and your sprit. Thank you for giving me more people to visit when I come back and know that you and your found family are always welcome where I am.
wrote on September 26, 2025
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10:54 am
Dear Swanage for your Norwegian girls: Camilla, Tonje, Agnes, Tirill, Maria and Andrine
It has been such a pleasure to stay with you and learn about your culture. We have flet so welcome into this family. We have enjoyed having African brothers for 5 weeks. To Lou, you are so cool. We hope you continue baking cinnamon buns after we leave. To Nyasha you are so kind, and it is so inspiring how you share everything you get. Hope your friend loves the compute. To Alan thank you so much for welcoming us into your family. We have had a great time. The safari is one of the best memories of the trip. Thank you for letting us stay in your home and that you shave everything we could possibly need here. To the Singaporeans we wish you a great stay and that you get plenty of experience from Bara.
wrote on September 12, 2025
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11:09 am
Dea Alan Thank you for welcoming me into your home. When I first arrived to South Africa I was scared and alone, I now leave knowing that I have found a home and a family on the other side of the planet. I really enjoyed going to Bra with you every morning and having the chance to get to know you better day by day. I loved the dinners at home with your neighbours and the rest of the Swanage family. I will miss those deeply, Luyanda you are the first of the sons I have met. I/m so glad to have met you, you have such a good heart, I really wish you all the best in life (And please come to visit me in Italy). Melvin you have a gift for entertaining people, I had so much fun spending time with you. I/m sure you're a great doctor and I wish for the best of luck for your career. Nyasha, I will never forget you face when you first arrived at Swanage, you were so overwhelmed. I got to see you find a new family and start a better life and I/s so happy for you. Jared it has been great having a Surgeon in the house. I learned a lot from you and I/m really grateful for that. To the Norwegian girls enjoy Bara and South Africa as much as possible. I know I'm a workaholic and that I spent a lot of time at Bara but I loved it. This experience made me question myself and mad me grow so much. I will be back for sure, so don't forget about me! I will miss you all so much. Lots of love Emma
wrote on September 12, 2025
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9:01 am
Dear Alan and Swanage. It has been an absolute pleasure to have spent the last few months under your roof. You treat everyone who passes through the gate of 19 Victoria Ave with dignity and respect including the Bara doctors after a placement, international doctors and students passing through, Moses and your many sons and daughters. I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying you on your famous safaris to the Pilanesberg and hope one day to join you with my family to Kruger. I loved our many conversations about faith of God's purpose in our lives and how He calls us all to do specific tasks for His name's sake. You will always be my South African "Father" and i look forward to our next meeting. Thank you for a lovely stay in the Cygnet cottage. May God richly bless you as you carry out His will in your life. Love in Christ. Dr Jared Wohlegemut (Senior Traum Registrar, UK)
wrote on July 26, 2025
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11:26 am
Dear Alan Staying at Swanage has been a unique and memorable pleasure. From the moment I arrived, I felt as though I had been welcomed into an instant family. I'm so grateful to have met your sons Luyanda, Boipilo Melvin Lindo Olwethu and others. as well as Jared, Emma and Caro not to mention your wonderful neighbours! I'll deeply miss the sunny post-afternoons in your garden and the warm family dinners around your table. I've cherished our stimulating conversations, particularly those that opened my eyes to the challenges and triumphs of this imperfect but beautiful rainbow nation. I've also loved your Safari stories and hope to you out in the bush someday! You have, by your own example, given ne a newfound appreciation for Christian values and the quiet strength in the example set by Christ himself. Thank you for sharing your compassion, and your unwavering faith. These five weeks have flown by and I only wish I could stay longer. This experience has been truly life changing I feel I've grown more as a doctor during this short time than the rest of medical school to date. I've been inspired by the selfless dedication of the staff at Bara and by the grace and empathy you show to every patient and every other person with whom you cross paths.
This has been an experience I will never forget, and I'm already looking forward to the day I return ready to give back even more to the community that has given so much to me. With heartfelt thanks, your mate for Aus. Oscar Healy.
wrote on June 29, 2025
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11:30 am
Dear Future Swans If you Google Swanage you will find a website with 5 stars and only good recommendations. Usually this makes me sceptical because there is always someone who would dislike a place. I also did not believe that there is a place this wonderful. But I was very wrong.
Alan I cannot believe that I am leaving already. When I first arrived in SA I was at a very bad point. I felt so lonely and was looking for flights back to Germany after just a few days. But I really wanted to give this trip a chance, and you turned it to the best experience in my life so far. It was nothing special that you did. It was just You being You and all the kind and loving people that I got to meet because of Swanage. As soon as I moved from my working side to Swanage all the loneliness and homesickness stopped. Now I will feel homesick when I am back in Germany. Over a year ago July told me about this guy that I should meet and stay with him in South Africa because it will be the best experience ever. I did not really believe her, but you proved me wrong. For you this is your regular life and you are just yourself. But for all the people coming here this is absolutely unique. Thank you for everything for being you and for bringing all the different people together. Swanage is now my home too and I am happy to call you Dad and your sons my brothers. Thank You! Thandeka/aka Caroline Hannover Germany.
wrote on April 28, 2025
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10:13 am
Dear Alan, the time has come to say goodbye, that in Italian would translate to "Arrivederci". This has been probably one of the most educative moments of my life.
From someone that still lives with his parents is hard to move out and go for new adventures on the other part of the world. I was scared to come without knowing anyone and with the fear that I would only stay at the hospital, without any travelling.
Here at Swanage I found a family, I am completely satisfied of this experience and the people I have met at Swanage.
I will always remember you; I will be back at some point, I just need to get a degree first.
What you have created is a beautiful community. I hope you will continue this way. I will copy this from my friend Norman. It was an honour to meet you, Mr 5P.. I will miss you ARRIVEDERCI. Paulo Pallavicini
wrote on February 1, 2025
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3:26 pm
Dear Alan Thank you for making Swanage a home away from home, as well as introducing a new family of Swans to me! This house was always a safe and loving palce to return to after a long hard day or night at Bara, and that is all thanks to your endless hospitality and generosity. Highlights for my time at Swanage were the family dinners, with great conversations around medicine, family, careers, finances and your life wisdom. I loved running around the golf course and of course using the weights set and gymn bench in your beautiful garden. On my first day you took Xavier and I to Sheads to show us the SA prices of steaks, which I will sorely miss when I'm home. Thank you for cooking for us and teaching us how to cook a Texan style steak. Outside of Swanage, thank you for all your tips about travelling around Joburg and South Africa. Xav and I loved our time in Cape Town and Pilansberg. And it was with your quick message we managed to see a pride of lions. Thanks again and I wish you all the best going forward., I'sure future swans will enjoy this as much as I have. Hopefully I can send some your way. Zack Bowls (University of Sydney and a proud Swan Alumni).
wrote on January 31, 2025
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3:18 pm
Dear Alan I just wanted to say a massive thankyou for everything during my time in South Africa. From the moment Zack and I arrived at wanage, we were treated like we were juwst returning hoem, and I couldn't have felt more welcome. After a long tough day's work at Bara, it was incredible to have such a warm and comfortable plac3e to come back to. It was truly the Duck's Nuts.
I really enjoyed all our conversations, whether about medicine, faith or even the mega of compound interest (Which I'll be putting to good use!) I don't think I will be ever be able to taste such tasty steaks (at such affordable prices) ever again. Your tips for Pilanesberg made the trip even better, and knowing exactly where to find the lions (even when you were in Durban)...proved your magic game ranging skills. It was a priviledge to stay in your home, learn from you and be part of Swanage. Thanks agin for your generosity, wisdom and hospitality. Xavier Rickard (Sydney University)
wrote on December 28, 2024
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3:17 pm
Dear Alan and dear Swans
I dont know what to say. The fact that I am writing my entry into the Swan Book means that it is time for me to go. It feels like I arrived yesterday and now I have to leave already. I still remember how the Uber dropped me off on your doorstep and I could hardly wait to finally meet you in person. My expectations of Swanage and Bara were far exceeded. Swanage became a place that the word "home" does not quite do justice to. Swanage was a support in difficult times after a hard shift in Bara, a place of refuge and a place that captures you iwth your warm love for life. There was nothing better than sitting together on your terrace after work, chatting about what we all had experienced and enjoying the sun. I have found friends and brothers for life here and I would not want to miss the time here.
Thank you Alan for giving me this unique opportunity to become part of this wonderful sommunity. I will never forget your kindess, your comapssion and your humourous outlike on life. You were the support I desperately needed in a city like Johannesburg. I agree with Nicolai that Pilanesberg was a unique experience, but the community in Swanage was what made my trip to Johannesburg an unforgettable one.
Pascal Nepper (Universsitatsklinikum Frankfurt, Deutschland).
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