Pre-departure and background
In June of 2012 I was awarded a travel bursary from the Postgraduate and International Office and Stellenbosch University which was used to fund my travel and flight costs for a summer school in Switzerland. Key to the success of this trip was early preparation like ensuring that my travel documentation and logistics (such as flights and accommodation) were in place well in advance. The Postgraduate and International Office was my primary access point for this, and besides the capital to finance the trip I also received transportation to the Department of Home Affairs in Bellville to gather visa documentation. The next move I made was establishing communication with the Swiss representative at the embassy in South Africa who advised me about what to expect in terms of the application process and fees. I also found it very helpful to go through a travel agent at Maties Travel, who extremely helpful in terms of arranging the flight as well as a hotel for a 10 hour lay-over in Doha.