This may not belong here but I thought I'd share it anyway. Twenty years ago I had a friend who worked the combines in the fields. An upright fellow, a humble man and quiet in nature. I liked him and developed a friendship. He told me one day while at dinner at his apartment that he wanted to go to Africa to work as a game manager. I thought, whaaaat? Why? How? When? (This was long before I wanted to go on safari).
He risked sharing his dream with me and we talked some. I asked what one would do to achieve this dream. (This is a white American who had no connections or education in this profession).
I would go over to his little apartment to have dinner with him and his young wife and he would be huddled over the kitchen table studying Afrikaans and taking a correspondence course in game management. To be honest, it seemed like a pipe dream to me, but I encouraged him just the same.
Well, one day, a year or two later, he said goodbye and I wished him well, not sure if he really understood what he was doing.
Over the years we lost track of each other.
Well, long story short, 17 years later, he's moved back in town. As the story goes, he did indeed eventually become a game control officer in the RSA. 65 bufalo, numerous elephant, lions and other animals later he is right back home.
He called me yesterday after not talking with him in 15 years. What a rich conversation and renewed freindship we look forward to. He has already achieved what I just read about. He has been on safari's too numerous to count and has seen Africa like I'll never see it.
I have many questions to ask of him as I grow in my learning curve.
For instance, I was astounded to hear that most all of the Buf he shot were with a CZ .375 Holland and Holland. He shot other calibers as well on occasion but that was his working gun. I spend quite a bit of time belaboring this gun or that gun, this caliber or that caliber, these sights or those and well you get the picture. It's fun to talk about this and that.
But the point is he used the .375H&H in a basic factory gun, because "it works."
I can't wait to have him over again, start the fireplace up, and to catch up on two decade's time, and hear him share so many stories of the bush and of his time in Africa. (He once had an 8' black mamba wrapped around the front porch light as he was entering his house...I saw the picture of it stretched out on his floor...yikes!).
For some, our dreams are a long and distant memory. Maybe some of us, or at least me, need to awaken and live out those dreams...before they turn into regrets.

There is no excuse for no following one's dream. Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. I'd like to know, if it isn't too personal, why he has elected to come back home. I understand from friends living there that RSA has turned the corner, so to speak, economically. Kudude

Wonderful story. One is never to old to make your dreams come true.

Kudude: I get the feeling he will be going back again some day. Everyone needs to reconnect with family every so often, though.

Thanks for the answer. If it were me, I'd be back sooner than later. But then if my wife would let me, I'd be gone tomorrow. Kudude

ScottW

Thanks for posting of your acquaintances story. It shows it can be done on rare occasions where there is a will and some luck.

I met a guy on a Qantas flight going to Zimbabwe in 1994. In fact he was an acquaintance of an acquaintance. Brian Harre, the ex-outfitter and now action maker of Auckland, NZ, had mentioned this friend of his. Anyway Bob (I think that was his name) was off to Zimbabwe to manage a friend's farm in the Triangle area of SE Zim for several months while the owner was off on holiday to Europe. There was some hunting available on the farm as well. Lucky fellow! He was retired and able to be free to do such things. Probably not possible today as the farm probably is no longer there.

A failed dream. I wanted to live for a while in Africa and was actually offered jobs in Ghana and South Africa in 1988 but turned them down and ended up in England instead. Did I make the wrong decision? Perhaps.

I am sure your friend has lots of memories to share.

"For some, our dreams are a long and distant memory. Maybe some of us, or at least me, need to awaken and live out those dreams...before they turn into regrets."

Good thinking Scott. I think that applies to all of us.

Food for thought Scott, no questions.
SO I looked at myself,following your conclusionary statement.
I am sure, I did and am like many of us.
When young,we make choices, choices to walk a path we have really little knowledge of,we invest a great deal of time and money getting there,and if we are successful,we learn that the goal is usually quite different than we though at the start.

A "dream" becomes a "job",if we are lucky we still like it.Invariably we now dream other avenues, lifes we had to give up because of the path chosen.

So whta's my point? Usually we did the right thing taken the path we lived,no path is perfect,no path gives us all we want,we constantly thrive for change and new challenges.
Call the life we now like to live a dream,thats OK, just dont loose sight that it is " a dream" only as long as reality doesnt catch up and it too becomes a job.
We like change and variety,we can never have it all,there is always another star that keeps beckoning

So in reality - we did alright

Sheep Hunter,

Very nicely put, and encouraging.

Harry C.

We don't have to do anything crazy to be happy.I remember when my granfather was dying and visiting him in the hospital,that being the first time anyone really close to me passed away,looking out his room window seeing the leaves on the trees swaying with the breeze,hearing the sound of traffic etc...I thought to myself in a few minutes I will be going back out there,but it seems unlikely that he will.Out there seemed more beautiful than ever before.Here I am out there,what more is there to ask?