Sibo at Ljubljana University, Slovenia

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail:

So, since I heard the great news that I was accepted to attend the Summer school in Ljubljana, I seemed to be quite idle in my preparation process. This is because prior to finding out that I would be leaving, I had lost all my identification documents, I therefore had to apply for a new identity document, and a passport (I was definitely not looking forward to standing in those long queues at Home Affairs).

To my surprise, I actually received my documents a week after my application. However, I still needed to book my visa appointment, which also astounded me, as I received my passport a week before departure. (PS: PLEASE DON’T TAKE THE CHANCE).

Had I managed my preparation time more effectively, I would have probably known that the power sockets in Slovenia were definitely not the same as the ones in South Africa, and this cost me to not have a laptop for 3 weeks L. My cellphone was the only technological device that served my numerous needs.

Communicating with the summer school coordinator at my host University, as well as seeking guidance at the PGIO office (weekly), assisted me in ensuring that I paid for my accommodation on time and completed all my flight bookings in good time.

Think the excitement of the trip got the better of meJJ!! PS: Preparation is key, always.

Touch down Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport:

Sibongile Vanqa  - PIC 1- LANDING IN SLOVENIA

As I land at the airport, I’m overwhelmed with mixed emotions. This is my first time travelling abroad, I am a tad excited but also nervous. Fortunately for me, upon landing I met a friendly young lady who, coincidentally, was going to be attending the Ljubljana Summer School program. Meeting her helped a lot in terms of calming my nervous state. To make the situation even better, we had booked the same cab to take us to the hostel (PS: You need to book the GoOPTI cab before your departure, their service is excellent and they are reasonably priced too).

Arriving at the hostel, I check-in and a single room is allocated to me. The first evening was quite relaxed, jet-lag being the main cause of this.

The next day, my newly found friend and I decide to explore the city of Ljubljana a bit, we start off wandering through the City Centre where we literally got lost in the city, but eventually found ourselves having ice-cream at the top of the Ljubljana castle J. My goodness! The breathtaking view of the beautiful city from up there was exquisite, but unfortunately, the rain started pouring and we had to make our way back to the hostel.

Sibongile Vanqa  - PIC 2

Its Monday, time to get ready for the welcoming ceremony which will be held at the Economics faculty, where I will also be attending classes, yay for me!!

The welcoming ceremony was quite enthralling, it got me super excited for the next 3 weeks ahead. We were introduced to the lecturers of the various courses offered, received so many gifts and freebies, and helpful tips on how to get around the city. Oh, and a bus coupon to travel anywhere around Ljubljana, this should ensure that I don’t get lost again.

International evening was quite amazing, I learnt so much about other people’s countries, tasted so many different dishes, a variety of drinks- both hot and cold, and discovered so much about countries within and around Europe.

The ceremony was basically a warm welcome to the city of Love, sLOVEnian style!

CLASS and all that Jazz:

Class from 9:00-11:30 Monday- Thursday every week, Friday’s are for exploring the city, meeting new people over a good meal and an ice cold Radler, LOL! I’m up bright and early, ready to take the 8:15 bus to campus.

The lecturer for the Negotiation techniques class, Mr Rosa was quite friendly and open-minded, the other students were quite diverse, and everyone was opinionated. The discussions and group tasks encouraged students to engage with each other. As we were placed in groups, we had to engage with each other, learn from each other and develop our negotiation techniques within the various scenarios provided. This was quite different to the usual learning environment I have been exposed to at my beloved Stellenbosch University, the lecturers’ teaching method wasn’t merely to impart knowledge but to take students out of their usual environment and place them in settings where they had to think on their feet, put their innovative thinking skills to the test and come up with solutions which were not always clear from the onset.

Sibongile Vanqa  - LAST PIC (A)

I also took part in various organised and social trips. We had an organised trip to Italy, where we spent the entire day in the beautiful city Venice, where I even went on my first gondola ride. I attended a salsa course, learned a bit of Slovene, and ate a whole lot of ice-cream to last me the whole year.

#TouchdownMZANTSI:

As I landed in South Africa, I was filled with so many emotions. It was actually a bittersweet moment, I think I left a piece of my heart in Ljubljana. However, I’m excited that I’m finally home as I totally missed my family and indulging in soul food.

Travelling abroad has broadened up my perspective about the world and its people, I’ve learnt so much about how people from different countries communicate, not only through the diversification of languages but also though their non-verbal communication patterns.

To say Ljubljana was amazing would be an understatement, I am eternally grateful to the PGIO for granting me this opportunity to fulfil one of the many dreams I have. I was not only challenged intellectually, but I was also inspired by the people I got to interact with. I made lifelong friendships, and now when I want to travel to Germany, Macedonia, Portugal, Vienna or even Morocco, accommodation might not be an issue.