A Strong Back: The Adventures of Tom Mc Sherry

[grim101]

Most defiantly someone is benefitting and I suppose it’s not that bad for us other than the initial money we need to put down if that makes sense.
Halfway through the contract we get 50% of the air-fair and at the end of the contract the remaining 50%.

It’s just especially very hard for new-entries like Freddy. His mom had to sell their bakkie to cover all his expenses to get here.
I have helped one of the other guys and it’s the second one I helped not only to get the job but also lend the air-fair, travel insurance and visa cost.
Visa and travel insurance is on us, just shy of R20k total.
The Travel insurance is for ‘H2a farmworkers’ specifically.

I don’t think I will assist for money again because in both cases I had to constantly remind them and got payed back bit by bit which was rather frustrating.

In my case due to the ‘flag and homeland security - background check issue’ I carry a lot of risk.

If they do turn me around ar the airport I will end up loosing every dine invested.
Defiantly like Sean said ‘calculated risk taking’ but so far so good.

Being loaded at Hercumer Kansas, need to hit the road!!

Later

Sukkel ook deesdae om mense te help. Jy hekp hulle om voor te kom in die lewe, jy weet hulle maak goed geld, maar hulle huiwer om terug te betaal. Ek was te veel al teleurgesteld in die opsig.

 

[Tom van Brits]

Sukkel ook deesdae om mense te help. Jy hekp hulle om voor te kom in die lewe, jy weet hulle maak goed geld, maar hulle huiwer om terug te betaal. Ek was te veel al teleurgesteld in die opsig.

Sadly true; this last guy was really pushing it.
He owed me almost $3k and put me in the awkward position of having to ask him to pay me back and then first came the excuses. Only after telling him that I am going to ask advice and assistance from the manager did he start paying. His one excuse was that ‘the ZAR vs USD’ is currently a record high so he firsr want to exchange and then pay ne back later after the ZAR recovered
Pok people, I don’t get it.
If someone organize me a job I would rather let ‘that someone’ benefit from the better exchange as a thank you!

 

[heinzz]

Most defiantly someone is benefitting and I suppose it’s not that bad for us other than the initial money we need to put down if that makes sense.
Halfway through the contract we get 50% of the air-fair and at the end of the contract the remaining 50%.

It’s just especially very hard for new-entries like Freddy. His mom had to sell their bakkie to cover all his expenses to get here.
I have helped one of the other guys and it’s the second one I helped not only to get the job but also lend the air-fair, travel insurance and visa cost.
Visa and travel insurance is on us, just shy of R20k total.
The Travel insurance is for ‘H2a farmworkers’ specifically.

I don’t think I will assist for money again because in both cases I had to constantly remind them and got payed back bit by bit which was rather frustrating.

In my case due to the ‘flag and homeland security - background check issue’ I carry a lot of risk.

If they do turn me around ar the airport I will end up loosing every dine invested.
Defiantly like Sean said ‘calculated risk taking’ but so far so good.

Being loaded at Hercumer Kansas, need to hit the road!!

Later

Surely Freddy is going to repay his mother if he can afford to buy a bike cash.

 

[Tom van Brits]

Surely Freddy is going to repay his mother if he can afford to buy a bike cash.

He did already
He is a good kid

Last load of the day

 

[Tom van Brits]

My US buddy Dillan got this white tail wirh the bow

 

[Tom van Brits]

Another great day in Kansas

 

[Tom van Brits]

We got an e-mail from the work informing us that we will be going to a Hotel in Omaha coming Monday, company expense.
Then the hotel will shuttle us to the airport on Tuesday morning when our first of three flights will start.

We have two working days left, feels unreal.
Friday we still need to load a train, might be Friday night or even Saturday but that’s it! An abandoned house and bakkie, I bet it’s been stripped of some valuable parts since that Chevy is a classic….some refer to that model as ‘the classic Chevy truck’

 

[grizz]

Chevy is a 60-61 with the ugly snout hood.
People used to swap them, now they are popular.

The hood and grille are worth more than the rest.

 

[Tom van Brits]

Some of our South Africans were surprised when we got here and see many ‘run down’ or what appear to be run down facilities and so on. Quite a lot of contras in America, but in a way I have noticed that in the (some) movies.
What is different though; everything is maintained and in a working condition and I suppose a ‘working infra structure’ defines a country as first world.

Hauled my last day of the season corn from ‘Barnston in Nebraska to Frankfort Kansas.
Parked the truck after refueling and cleaning of the cab.

Tomorrow we will load a corn train and that marks our last working dat of the season.
Looking forward!! Fuel price came down a lot, at some stage diesel fuel was over $5 a gallon and we under $4 now.
R17.76 a liter

 

[Tom van Brits]

 

[Blou Zebu]

 

[Oubones]

You must be looking sadly forward? to complete your last day of work on this contract!
Enjoy it, have a safe trip home and enjoy the kids and grandkid when home!

 

[Tom van Brits]

You must be looking sadly forward? to complete your last day of work on this contract!
Enjoy it, have a safe trip home and enjoy the kids and grandkid when home!

Mixed feelings as always Oubones.
However; yes I am excited to meet the little boy now, he is 7 months old and crawling already!
Looking fw to see my daughter as well, everyone for that matter!!

 

[Seank]

Enjoy the last day of "Corn shoveling in Kansas". Really awesome photo's. Many safe rest filled flights on the way home.

 

[Blou Zebu]

Tom, I know you mentioned it, but I cant remember clearly. What's happening next year?

Enjoy the flightsssss

Geniet jou mense as jy tuis is.

 

[Tom van Brits]

Tom, I know you mentioned it, but I cant remember clearly. What's happening next year?

Enjoy the flightsssss

Geniet jou mense as jy tuis is.

I am still awaiting feedback from an agency placing drivers both in US and Canada
I prefer Canada for work due to my ‘very uncomfortable flag I earned by actually indirectly serving for the US in the supporting forces back in the day as operational medic in both Irq and Afg for a combined rotal of four years as well as demining (lifting landmines) in the DRC and Sudan.
I also do not qualify for a green card so having to retry every year to come back getting a Visa is sometimes a bit troublesome but ok.

The Coop awaiting approval from the US gov to accept the H2a (approve) program 2023.
Back in 2020 some Coops were bot approved which left a huge amount of SA H2a Coop workers without a job for the season.

Once the Coop gets approval we will (may) get offered either a 4 or 10 month contract.
No guarantees and I do bot know where I stand nor Freddy or anyone else for that matter at this stage.

Biggest issue to make a move: our CDL’s (commercial drivers licenses) are State bound or issued and different States different laws.
I can’t afford to loose it, can only be renewed in Kansas since all Visa workers get’s limited term drivers licenses.

So I can’t nake a move to another State nor Country without re doing my Cdl and now you need to go through a driving school which cost time and lots of $

This ks were I stand mate
Have a great weekend Y’all

 

[Tom van Brits]

Last working day for the season looks like this …flipped 4 train car lids, another 106 and 7,5 hours to go!!

 

[Sandban(g)k]

Hou bene hou!!

 

[Tom van Brits]

My secret weapon among others It’s cold but not terrible, fighting the latches and flipping lids with coffee every hour warms me up enough

 

[Tom van Brits]

It’s a ‘grey cold wet day’ which does not compliment photos but this just to somehow illustrate that Coop work at the grain elevators are not for people with a fear of height nor confined space. went up to do bin measurements to see where we at Almost dine with the train, two more hours