Field Guide Kim: Finding My Happy Place

It was a weekend getaway to celebrate my being back home after living in the States for three years. My life then was somewhat of a ‘blank slate’ and, to an extent, uncertain too as I wasn’t very excited about the prospect of going back into the corporate world. I’d been working the ‘8–to-5’ as a pharmaceutical sales rep for many years, and always felt that there was so much more out there for me.

I’d therefore made the decision to leave the corporate rat race for good, and arrived at Marataba with the mindset of putting my worries aside for a while and just immersing myself in nature. It’s an environment I’ve always felt deeply connected to, and – WOW - Marataba blew me away. It was as if my stars had aligned and this was my sign!

On every game drive, I bombarded our field guide with a million questions about how he’d come to be a guide and how it all worked. He mentioned NJ MORE Field Guide College, which rang a bell as I’d seen a pamphlet in our tent for it, which read: ‘Live your dream in the African Bush’. I arrived back home and went straight onto the College’s website. And so, my adventure down this new path began…

Following my studies and qualification, my placement at Marataba was one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me – and a lot of hard, honest work. So many ups and downs, and so much learning about the workings of the lodge environment and the effect that we, as guides, have on our guests’ lives. The team I got to call ‘my family’ at the end of it certainly helped shape me into the field guide that I am today.

During my training I latched on to a powerhouse of a female guide who became my mentor - she showed me the ropes, with a lot of tough love lessons. My six-month placement flew by, but looking back at it now, my passion and hard work paid off. I joined the Marataba team as a qualified field guide in early 2018. It was now my time to ‘take the wheel’, and step into my responsibility of changing lives for the better.

The likes of the rare and endangered pangolin, the bat-eared fox and the crimson-breasted shrike, to name but a few, are special to see. On top of that we have all of the Big Five. As a constant backdrop to our sightings, no matter where we are on the reserve, the Waterberg mountains never fail to enchant our guests, and their forever-changing colours are a topic of discussion at every drinks stop!

A question that I’ve often been asked is what my favourite animal is. It’s always difficult to give just one answer, but the one that stands out the most for me has to be the spotted hyena. They are matriarchal (run by females) and they don’t take any nonsense! I love the rich variety in the way they vocalise, and I just find them to be beautiful animals in general.

Speaking of questions, I also get a few unexpected ones. One of the most unusual was when a lady, obsessed with tasting new things, asked if I could find her some termites to try while we were out on a game drive. It’s true that they’re full of protein, but that’s a little beyond my bravery threshold. Note: No termites were harmed in the process! Respect all nature is our motto.

What I love so much about being a MORE Guide (along with the enriching guest interactions) is that we share an incredible bond and have a standard that sets us apart. We encourage each other, push each other to be better versions of ourselves, and are so family orientated that when we’re at home, we miss our bush home enormously.

There’s such team spirit here at Marataba, and it’s a family that I’m so proud to be a part of. Joining the MORE Family Collection was meant to be for me, and I’ll forever be grateful as I’ve truly found my happiness here!

Words & images by: Field Guide Kim le Hanie