From Johannesburg to Griffith - and thriving!

Griffith may be a long way from Johannesburg, South Africa, but for Lynette Pretorius it’s home.

Lynette is a valued team member of Forrest Community Services (FCS) in Griffith and provides at-home care to our customers in Griffith and the surrounding area.

Lynette and her family moved to Australia in 2013 and first stayed in Hillston before moving to Griffith in 2018. While it was a bit of a culture shock at first Lynette and her family are slowly getting used to life in Australia.

“The climate here is really different. In summer there, it rains most of the time so it’s really humid and the hottest it gets is around 35 degrees. The winter mornings are cold but by the afternoon it’s nice and warm. Here, the summers are scorching, and the winters are freezing.

“But I like Griffith and am pretty happy with what I’ve accomplished so far. It’s much safer for us here than where we are from. We love what Griffith has to offer – sports for the kids, great schools, entertainment and a caring community.

“We now live in a friendly neighbourhood and there are many people from different cultures, which makes it an interesting place to live. This includes quite a few couples from South Africa who went through the same thing as us and we’re connected with each other here now.”

Lynette had previously worked in a construction company in South Africa but entered the Aged Care industry while in Hillston and has been with FCS since last year.

“When I started at The Forrest Centre, everyone was very friendly, especially Clare (Cunial) who interviewed me and made me feel at home from that first day.

“I love caring for the elderly. The caring side of it is rewarding. It makes you feel good when they say that you're doing a good job or when they’re happy because you've helped. They appreciate what you're doing, and I love the stories they tell. Sometimes they’re just hilarious and I appreciate their company as much as they do mine.”

For more information about at-home care services in Griffith, please visit https://forrestcentre.com.au/at-home-care or call (02) 6932 3009.