Pre-departure:
Upon receiving correspondence from Fudan University that I have been accepted to attend the BRICS Shanghai Summer School Program, I was faced with much uncertainty regarding financing the trip. In the middle of that uncertainty however, SU International was a space where I could experience bouts of positivity each time I went to enquire about the possibility of actually going on the trip. From this process SU International afforded me a travel bursary. It was at this point that I began feeling excited about the possibility of going abroad. When all calculations were done I realized I still needed further financial support to cover all the trip logistics. Again, after motivating why I should be afforded an extending grant, I felt hopeful that Stellenbosch University would find it necessary to invest in me. In this waiting period I was in constant contact with both Fudan University and SU International. From Fudan’s side I had to relay to them that I have all the intentions to attend the program, however I needed a little bit more time to sort out the financial part in order to pay for tuition and the travelling costs. What was really encouraging during this time was the responsiveness I received from SU International.
