I don’t know which emotion is stronger, the pride you feel in your daughter’s adventurous spirit or the trepidation you feel in having her half way around the world in a country that is unfamiliar.  In any case, Melanie Martin and the people at Connect 123 made the experience absolutely perfect…for my daughter and for me.  I traveled to Cape Town in order to help get Jenny settled into her new surroundings…and to check things out first hand.  It is clear to me that Melanie Martin has a lot of experience with anxious dads as she showed patience with my many questions about security, dealing with every one of them with grace and professionalism.  Seeing Cape Town for the first time was a wonderful and reassuring experience for me.  The people are warm and engaging, and the city felt safe to me.  For Jenny, the experience in Cape Town (her second time there) was nothing short of life changing.  She was able to absorb the rich culture of South Africa in a way that will benefit her throughout her life.  Her time there was the final step of her Masters Degree in Social Work at the University of Texas, and the knowledge and life experiences she gained will no doubt better prepare her for the career she has chosen.  Thank you Connect 123…for the experience of a lifetime and for giving an anxious dad the comfort of knowing that my daughter was in good hands!  Thanks especially to you Melanie, you are the BEST!