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Guests' Letters
Dr. Rafik
Mohamed
. . . June '06
Hello Prem,
We had a wonderful stay at Silver Sands. It proved to be the ideal base for our study abroad program. We were looking for a place that was safe and comfortable, but also one that did not limit interactions to those typically found at resorts. Silver Sands was perfect. Don't get me wrong, the facilities and amenities are comparable to those you would find at a resort, but unlike a resort, Silver Sands began to feel like a community rather than hotel rooms among strangers. Also, access to Duncans and Falmouth was affordable and usually convenient.
. . .I honestly cannot think of any problems we had that are worth mentioning. The most significant thing I can think of off-hand is that our house phone was unclear and then out of order for a few days. However, I had a cell phone in Jamaica, so this wasn't a problem. Further, once our villa staff (Ms. Constance and Cynthia) was made aware of the problem, the called in a maintenance person right away. In general, some of the villas were in better condition than others, but that's par for the course I would imagine, and my students were all quite satisfied with their living conditions. We did have a situation with Salt Ash as one of the bedrooms was supposed to have 2 double beds rather than 1 queen. Apparently the owners switched the 2 beds out for 1. However, this matter was resolved within an hour or so after our arrival when another single bed was located and placed in the room.
. . . Overall, my students, colleagues, and I found Silver Sands to be quite enjoyable.
The staff made the trip! I haven't eaten that well on such a consistent basis in my entire life. Ms. Constance was an amazing cook and Cynthia was marvelous with her duties as well. Virtually every day, they went above and beyond the call of duty. For instance, on the day we arrived, I did not request a meal because I knew I would be running back and forth to the airport to retrieve members of my group. At the last minute (3:00 PM) I decided it would be a good idea to have food available for the 10 members of my group arriving at 7:30 in the evening. Without hesitation, Ms. Constance offered to make food for 20 people. She ordered chicken, rice, and vegetables from the market and, by the time I got back from the airport, a marvelous stewed chicken dish was waiting. More importantly than how good the food was and how clean the house stayed, we found that villa staff were great people. I would stay at Tu Mac again if for no other reason than to be reacquainted with them. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to meet the villa staff of each of the villas we occupied (Beach Haven, Dreamin', Salt Ash, and Sunset 1). The women that staffed these villas made the trip worthwhile on a personal and academic level for my students. I dare say that my students learned more from their interactions with the villa and general Silver Sands staff than they did in the classroom. My students also formed meaningful bonds and friendships with the staff. On one of the last days we were in Jamaica, we asked the staff members of each villa to prepare some of their favorite dishes and then we invited them as our guests up to Tu Mac for a potluck dinner. We would have gladly cooked for them, but we didn't dare insult them with our cooking. This dinner was one of the highlights of our trip to Jamaica as everyone ate, shared stories, and enjoyed each others company. I cannot thank the ladies enough for spending this time with us.
Your office staff was friendly, professional, and always helpful. Debbie Ann, Kay, Alicia (sp?), Sasha, and the other office staff members were truly delightful. They helped us coordinate events, transportation, find a doctor when a student feared she had broken her nose, and quickly took care of any other needs that came up. They were great and my colleagues and I found ourselves just popping by the office to say hello to the staff. Also, the staff at the Villa Mart (a great convenience, by the way), was always friendly and always accommodating.
I worked with Mark once, but worked more with Trevor and Melvin (ground transportation). They were always on time, flexible, friendly, and simply fantastic. Also, the vehicles were clean and comfortable.
It is my plan to continue the program next year. If we do that, there's no place I would rather be based than Silver Sands. Of course, the price has to be right :-)
I have already told friends about Silver Sands and the positive experience we had on your property. And my wife, who came down for a visit, wants us to buy a house on the grounds so that we can visit more often. I think she's forgotten how much professors make.
Thank you for a great experience,
-Rafik
California, USA
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