“Before I came to Buckswood, I had never heard of Swaziland. As a small, poor country adjacent to SouthAfrica, it had just never registered in my Central-European mind. Following recommendations from friends, I signed up for the annual trip. I had never been outside of Europe, so this was going to be an adventure… And what an adventure it turned out to be!

The landscape is magnificent. Sunrises and sunsets alone would make going worth it! While there, we restored a rural school. Many of the children did not have shoes or clothes other than what they were wearing when we met them. Their only meal, usually some form of porridge, was given at school. And still, one thing cannot be debated: those were, by far, the kindest, loveliest and most purehearted people I have ever met!

I experienced many things, from planting orchards, gifting food aid to the poor, to visiting an AIDS hospital. We totally immersed ourselves in local Swazi culture.  We saw many things on this once in a lifetime trip, be it the most beautiful scenery, the wildlife in the game parks, to meeting the locals and the Royal Family. The friends  I made sitting around the Buckswood House campfire  will be with me forever! But… when I now think back, I think of the people, the sense of welcome, the pure joy, and the love they showed me. Coming to Swaziland has been the best experience of my life… and I promise to come back!”

(Tim Soestwoehner, Lower 6th & Buckswood Adventurer)