Herman Smit arrived in the United States from a small town called Secunda in South Africa on March 17, 2018. He will spend 10 months at MacFarlane Pheasants before returning to his home.
Secunda is built around the coalfields of the Mpumalagna province of South Africa. Herman says it is a town much like Janesville, but that instead of being surrounded by farms and country life, his family lives next door to a coal refinery called Sasol.
Herman comes from an engineering background and works for an engineering house specializing in control systems when he is at home. At MacFarlane Pheasants he is an egg picker, which basically means he is responsible for getting all of the eggs off the ground by the end of the day. He says, “We have to work as fast as possible so broken egg numbers are as low as possible.”
Experiencing new and exciting things and being in the United States has always been Herman’s dream. This job has given him the opportunity to do just that. He said life here gives him a sense of safety and security and is completely stress-free. He has really enjoyed seeing and learning about the different pheasant species. He also commented that he is enjoying every new experience in his job and social life and wants to see as much of this “beautiful country” as possible, while he is here. He has made many new friends and enjoys that aspect of life here, also.
Herman’s role model is his father. His dad works for the Sasol coal refinery and Herman describes him as “amazing”. He said, “My mother is caring, but can run a household with an iron fist if need be. She always says, “the only reason Rome was not built in a day is that I was not the foreman.” Herman also has two married sisters.
So, to wrap up Herman’s interview, he was asked what his favorite food was in America and what he would like to do while in the States. He said, “I just had a root beer float for the first time in my life and I loved it! I think I’m addicted.” Herman would also love to see the Packers play live. He said he has always been a Packer fan, but ESPN was cut in Secunda so he hasn’t been able to watch them. Music fests and being outdoors would round out the balance between work and play.
MacFarlane Pheasants is happy to welcome Herman Smit to MacFarlane Pheasants and America!
