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135 entries.
April 21, 2026 at 1:15 pm
Dear Alan Thank you so much for having me here for the last two months. My time in South Africa has been amazing in so many ways and I will never forget the welcoming community that Swanage has provided. Your patience, warmth, generosity and kindness are an example for us all to aspire to.
Clinically this has been an amazing experience, and I have learnt so much.
A highlight undoubtedly was coming with you on the post intake ward round and learning from you and your interns. The improvisation, emphasis on physical examination and fluency in practical procedures are all things I will take back home. Outside the hospital I have had the most amazing experiences and really appreciate you taking us to the Pilansberg to see the Rhino both white and black, buffalo elephants, giraffes, zebras and much more.
I also think the melting pot of cultures is really something to be cherished. I have loved learning the lingo and now say "askies baba" much to the amusement of the doctors and nurses. I wish you, Lou, Nyasha and all the extended family all the best for the future and really hope I have a chance to return, Lots of love Tom (Tom Nottingham Southampton UK)
April 4, 2026 at 2:04 pm
Dear Alan and family. I came all the way from Italy for my medical elective and somehow ended up finding a home in Johannesburg. What I expected to be just a clinical experience turned into something much more: sharing a house full of incredible students from all around the world, each bringing their own stories laughter and energy. Thank you for creating a place where strangers become friends, where I always felt safe, welcomed and truly at ease. And thank you for being not just a host, but a doctor with an immense heart for everyone, You have shown that medicine is not only about knowledge, but about kindness and the way we treat people. I am leaving today with unforgettable memories, great friendships and a little piece of South Africa with me. With Love Lorenzo N
March 14, 2026 at 2:11 pm
Dear Alan, Lu and Nyasha and all future swans.
From now on when I think of the term "welcome with open arms" it will be an image of Alan and the Swanage Family from the moment I set foot in South Africa I felt welcomed and could feel like the familial culture that has been built into Swanage from the ground up. My stay in South Africa has been split into two parts, one living on my own and the second part living in Swanage. What I noticed was that after a long shift or gruelling day, it was the people at Swanage waiting to greet me at home that lifted me up. It highlighted to me how important having a community is, especially in a field that is mentally and emotionally taxiing like medicine. Family dinners were my favourite, hearing about people's day, learning lessons with Alan all made for an experience I will never forget. Including the different friends made from different cultures around the world. I would even go as far to say that a trip to South Africa is not complete without a stay at Swanage. I am so grateful to the Swan Family for taking me in and I have to repay the favour by hopefully hosting any members of the Swan Family in the USA. I wish every one the best of luck and will not end with a goodbye but a "until next time". Tyler Hoops inducted this day into the Swan Family 2026 USA
March 7, 2026 at 2:25 pm
Dear Alan, Lu and Nyasha. My time at Swanage has been the highlight of my medical elective. I thought I would do most of my learning at Bara, but in truth my time with you all has enriched me much more. The impact of my stay here and the lessons I have learned (warmth, patience, generosity, balance, relationships) I am sure will reveal itself over the decades of my life. I look forward to the time I can see you all again. Thank you all for everything. I wish you all the very best. Nathan Somerville Australia.
February 14, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Dear Alan, Lu and Nyasha
We want to say a huge thank you for the amazing four weeks of our internship in Joburg South Africa. Thank you for the experiences, the time, the support and for everything you shared with us. These weeks meant so much to us and will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you especially for welcoming us as part of the Swanage Family. We truly felt included and appreciated every single moment with you. The people, the warmth, the laughter and of course the Monday Steak nights and FiFA games - we will never forget them. The safari was absolutely incredible and such a special highlight for us. It was an unforgettable adventure and we would love to do the next safari together with you all three one day. We really hope that you will visit us in Austria sometime; it would be wonderful to show you our home and return some kindness you gave us. Thank you for everything for your love, your time and beautiful memories. We hope to see you again soon. With love from Marco, Zenzel and Martin.
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.
September 26, 2025 at 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.
September 12, 2025 at 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
September 12, 2025 at 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)
July 26, 2025 at 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.
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