A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: BCom International Business

  • Colette Stander in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Colette Stander in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    When I first drove into Kuala Lumpur I saw a billboard that said: Welcome to Kuala Lumpur – A City of Contrasts, and after 5 months in this Malaysian city – I could not agree more. Kuala Lumpur is a city of contrasts: jungle bursts through the concrete, tall trees bend in the wind next to the sky train, the heat of the day and the freezing cold of the aircon and an amalgamation of cultures and languages that together make up Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur was also a city of contrasts on a more personal level, when I first arrived, it seemed that almost every part of my life would be different in contrast to my life in South Africa, which is an overwhelming feeling. However, as time passed, I began to feel at home in the company of my new friends, in my University and in Malaysia. Looking back at the five months now, I am so grateful for all that I have learned, for all the growth I underwent, for the memories and friendships I have made and, most importantly, how to find balance and a common humanity in, what at first appears to be, unassailable contrasts.


    The Patronas Towers

    Pre-Departure

    It is very important to learn about Malaysia before departure, and I was very luck to have a father that has travelled to Malaysia who could give me good advice about what to expect. My dad gave me a travel bucket list with locations across Malaysia and a travel guide. It is very useful to familiarize yourself with the geography of Malaysia before you depart and keep places in mind that you want to see before you leave.

    Visa Application

    It is very, very important that you double-check the Visa requirements well in advance before departure. I had to endure great difficulties trying to enter Malaysia because I did not have a single-entry Visa. While South Africa was exempt from needing a single-entry Visa in the past, there has been a change in the immigration procedure, and it is now required. I did, however, see that there was some misunderstanding between Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) and the immigration department, so rather just contact Univeristi Malaya (UM) through Stellenbosch International to make sure about your Visa Requirements. For your Student Visa there will be a very easy application procedure to follow and when you apply for university, the UM International Student Centre (ISC) will give you a step-by-step guide. You can track your application online to make sure your Student Visa is approved on time. This application is completed entirely online.
    The registration process for Universiti Malaya itself is made very easy by the institution, and Stellenbosch will give you access to registration. You will be required to pay some fees for both your Visa and Registration, so make sure your bursary is in place when you start registration. Choose your modules carefully and make sure the courses you choose are taught in English. While you can change your courses once you are in Malaysia, it is much easier to choose your courses online and in advance to ensure you get a spot in the classroom.

    Climate and Dress Code

    Perhaps the first thing you will find out when researching Malaysia is that it is a subtropical country that is incredibly hot and humid. Also be prepared for the Monsoon season (October to early December) – the thunderstorms are magnificent, but the non-stop rain can make it difficult to walk to class and go travelling. I made sure that I kept the climate in mind when I packed my bag – keeping my clothing cool and light and leaving heavy jackets and jerseys at home. You will also have to walk quite far to get to class, even if you live on campus, so pack comfortable shoes and clothing.
    I also had to consider that Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country and the dress code of Universiti Malaya (UM) includes strict requirements about hairstyles, clothing and shoes that can be worn on campus. Please ensure you follow the rules and dress accordingly – you can be fined by the university for contraventions, but it is also a sign of respect toward the Malaysian culture to cover up. Carrying a light scarf around with you can also help for an emergency cover-up if you feel that the context calls for it.

    Important Tips

    • Malaysia uses different wall plugs than we use here in South Africa so make sure your laptop charger is equipped with a universal adaptor or that it charges with a two-point plug (Two-point plugs work fine in Malaysia).
    • There is no need to overpack – Kuala Lumpur has an overwhelming number of shopping malls that are fully equipped with almost everything you will need. You will easily find bedding, stationery, cutlery and so on – the only downside is that you will likely leave these items behind when you leave Malaysia. Just ensure that you pack any chronic medication you need or that you have a prescription – I found the pharmacies in Malaysia to be strict about what they dispense. The closest shopping mall to campus is KL Gateway, but a good place to do your big shopping is Midvalley MegaMall or 1Utama.
    • UM offers an airport shuttle to take you from the KL International Airport to campus, and I would recommend booking your flights so that you will be able to make the airport pick-up times. Information on these shuttles will be sent to you by the UM International Student Centre about two weeks before you land. If you land in a time slot where there is no shuttle, you can download the Grab app (Uber in Malaysia) or MyCar to order a car to take you to campus. Once on campus, there will be many UM Buddies and staff to welcome you and help you get settled.

    Academic program at University Malaya

    I spent five months (one semester) as an exchange student at the University of Malaya. During my time as an exchange student I had five courses:
    – Entrepreneurship
    – Political Science and Public Administration
    – International Politics and Human Rights
    – Sustainable Development
    – Global Environmental Change

    I grabbed the opportunity to take modules that I wouldn’t be able to take in Stellenbosch, and registered for modules with subject matter that I was interested in and passionate about. I was so lucky to have taken modules such as Sustainable Development and Global Environmental Change – I didn’t just learn more, but my worldview changed too. Hearing the perspective on issues such as the global economy and climate change from people across the world was an enriching and eye-opening experience – I learned that perspectives differ and that tackling global issues will require mutual understandings and consensus. This, for me, was the most important lesson I learned during my exchange – learning from others, from all corners of the world, is the best way to develop an open and critical mind, to question implicit assumptions that constitute your reality, to be aware of the possibilities to think and do things differently.

    Class Work

    Sitting in class with like-minded and passionate people was a major advantage of the academic program at UM. The lecturers I had during my stay were experienced, industry professionals who went beyond the textbook. In Stellenbosch, a lot of focus is placed on staying on schedule to cover all the work, but in UM lecturers focus more on real-life circumstances, and how students feel about the subject matter. Most of my classes were debates and discussions, with only brief mentions of the textbooks or theory. Therefore, it was incredibly important for me to work in my own time to make sure I cover the course outline in preparation for exams, because lecturers don’t really go into detail.
    However, I was constantly working – we were given many class and online assignments and groupwork presentations. There are many continuous assessment opportunities (especially weekly group presentations) throughout the semester and more emphasis is placed on group/shared learning than in Stellenbosch. Adapting to UM’s more flexible and open-ended academic structure can be challenging for Stellenbosch students who are accustomed to structure and discipline, but speaking to local students and being on class groupchats will make sure you are on the same page as the rest of the students.


    At the SUKMUM Athletics closing ceremony

    Examinations

    I found the exams at UM to be quite challenging -most exams will be worth only 50 or 60 marks and, depending on your module choices, will be in essay format. My recommendation for the exams is to understand the class work, but also to do additional reading, to stay on top of current events and to formulate an opinion about the subject matter. I found the exam questions to be very open-ended, testing how you understand and apply the work- not how you remember it. The UM academic program demanded a different approach from me, and the skills that I have learnt abroad (trusting my academic voice, thinking critically and asking more questions) will make me a stronger student here in Stellenbosch.

    Campus Activities

    The UM International Student Centre and the UM Buddies will host many events for international students during your exchange semester. I attended many cultural evenings, with South East Asian music, dance and art on display, and I attended traditional holiday celebrations such as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and Malaysia Day. The UM International Students Association (UMISA) will host events that introduce international exchange students to full-time international students, and UMISA hosts many events that I attended – the Halloween party, the Christmas party and the International Food Festival. I found that attending campus activities was the best way to meet new people, to make friends and to experience the unique campus culture of UM. There are also beautiful jogging routes on campus, the 25m swimming pool that is free for students, the UM lake that you can go rowing on and, my favourite part, the University’s botanical garden. All facilities are open and free for UM students.

    My Buddy Group Dinner

    Travelling

    Kuala Lumpur is a massive city with countless attractions and an incredibly far-reaching and efficient public transport system. What this means is that every opportunity to go exploring must be seized. Taking the skytrain (!!), subway and city busses is effortless and cheap and you can easily visit some must-see attractions – KLCC Suria mall and Park, the Patronas towers, the Batu Caves, the National Museum and Mosque and the Malaysian Art Gallery. Kuala Lumpur also has many beautiful parks and jungles that you can explore – the KL Botanical Gardens, the Bird Park and the Forest Eco Park (an ancient rainforest in the city). There are also countless mamaks (outdoor restaurants) that serve delicious foods – I would recommend Teh Tarik and Roti Telur as your first Malaysian meal.

    Travelling outside city borders is just as effortless, there are many buses that take you almost everywhere (at a very low cost) – Singapore, Penang, Langkawi, Cameron Highlands – beautiful destinations that are all worth the visit.

    Return to Stellenbosch

    My journey in Malaysia was one of ups and downs, but the good days in Kuala Lumpur far outweighed the bad. I was glad to return to my family and loved ones, the clear skies and the African sun, but at the same time, I was sad to leave my friends behind. I knew that we would be scattered across the world when we said goodbye and departing with the memories I had made close to my heart was both humbling and melancholic. En route to the airport it was strange to see roads that were once so foreign to me become familiar and I realized, as my flight took off, how Kuala Lumpur became a second home to me without me realizing it. The journey home was a long one – the Dubai Airport was flooded due to an unexpected tropical storm and I was delayed by almost 5 hours. I forgot all about the plane journey (24 hours long) the moment I saw my family at the gates.
    Coming home to South Africa and returning to my own life was habitual, it required no effort – it was like climbing into your own comfy bed after being away from home for a while. My lifestyle in Malaysia was so drastically different to my life in South Africa that my time abroad felt almost like a dream for my first few days back home. Trying to compare the two worlds would be fruitless. What matters instead is how I changed during my time abroad. Learning to adapt to foreign contexts and a vastly different lifestyle has made me more resilient and self-confident. Connecting with people from different cultures has made me a better communicator and the conversations I had opened my eyes to worlds very different to my own. My Malaysian friends taught me the value of compassion, my Chinese friends the value of selflessness and my Japanese friends the value of listening to others and respect. The value that these connections brought to my personhood is immeasurable.

    Studying at a South East Asian institution has also changed my perspective on certain aspects of South African life. Listening to scholars who are sceptic of the facets of life that I take for granted, such as democracy and universal human rights, made me realize that there are countries premised on vastly different philosophies and conceptions of politics and economics. Negotiating and working in the global society (which is what I intend to do in future) requires an increased sensitivity to these differences and an inter-cultural understanding requires deeper connections than what can be taught in one’s comfort zone. From this perspective, I realized how important it is to, not only go abroad, but to have enough time to immerse yourself in a different culture. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity for immense learning and self-growth.

     

  • Brandon Dinwoodie at TU Munich, Germany

    Brandon Dinwoodie at TU Munich, Germany

    Predeparture

    My Time at TU, Munich

    I applied for my Visa about 4-6 weeks before my departure date. I applied for a Work Visa in order to allow me to complete an internship in Germany before my exchange started. I did a lot of searching on online-internship-listing sites in order to find a company to do an internship at. I spent time working on my CV, researching how to open a bank account in Germany and finding a place to stay.

    Once I found a place to do an internship at in Berlin, I started working to find an apartment to stay. I asked the HR department of the company I had been hired by to please send around an internal email letting the employees know that I was looking for a place to stay. Fortunately, somebody at the business had a free apartment during the time of my internship and offered to sublet it to me.

    Once I had my internship and accommodation for the first two months sorted out, I could start preparing the necessary documents for my Visa. Such documents included my contract with the company I was going to work for, proof of accommodation, plane tickets, proof of enrollment at Stellenbosch University and more… I would recommend starting sooner rather than later when it comes to preparing for one’s visa application.

    The plane tickets served as a challenge, due to the fact that the visa office needs you to have a return ticket, however, I had no idea about when I would need to fly back to South Africa. As a result, I decided to book a flexible ticket which allowed me to reschedule both the date and locations of my flights within one year, while only having to pay the difference if the updates led to an increased cost. This allowed me to book my plane tickets and apply for my visa without having to worry about dates so early on. I would recommend booking your flexible return flight for the latest date which your visa will allow (generally 90 days) in order to afford you more time and flexibility to organize a residency permit when arriving in Germany.

    Due to having organized an internship before my semester, I wanted to leave for Germany as early as possible so I could get involved in the company for as long as possible. This was a good idea, however caused quite a bit of stress at the time due to the fact that I left about 2 days after my final exam. When booking flights, I highly recommend searching for alternatives as early as possible. In my experience, both Google Flights and Sky Scanner offer the best services when it comes to comparing flight costs and monitoring price changes. I ended up booking my flight with Emirates, with a day’s layover in Dubai (where I applied for a day visa to explore the city), to Frankfurt Airport.

    My Predeparture Tips:

    1. 1. Book your flights earlier to save money,
    2. 2. Book flexible flights if necessary,
    3. 3. Start your visa process in good time.

    Experience at the Host University

    My time at TU Munich was truly incredible. The beauty of Munich city, central location of the university and the extensive public transport network made every day a joy. I was fortunate enough to be in Munich during an unusually warm winter, meaning that I never had to suffer in insane sub-zero temperatures. Instead, during the coldest time of winter, the average temperature was only around -2 degrees Celsius, which is very manageable with a decent jacket and long pants.

    Although I found the university facilities quite underwhelming (keep in mind that it only costs 130 Euro a semester to study there), I was thoroughly please by the fact that all lectures that I took were recorded and could be watched again online at a later date. This provided me with a lot of flexibility and made preparing for exams way easier as I could always revisit a concept. All my lectures were offered in English, which was a huge advantage for me. I also decided to take an intensive German course during my time there, managing to complete both A2.1 and A2.2 while studying in Munich.

    I found the level of academic difficulty to be very comparable to Stellenbosch University, however the workload in TUM was much less than what I am used to in Stellies. At TUM, most modules have no projects or semester tests during the semester, but rather only one single multiple-choice exam which counts 100% of your grade. While this does allow more flexibility during the semester, it can lead to a lot of stress if one is not prepared to buckle down and study hard when the exam period comes. TUM offers a wide range of English courses in its Business Administration faculty and is therefore a great international university to attend when it comes to a business focused degree like BCom.

    I would recommend taking German to anybody who plans on doing an exchange to Germany. While it was not used in most of my social circles, it helped me when it came to things like doing groceries, applying for permits and dealing with merchants and retailers. Knowing some German puts you at an advantage when dealing with locals as they greatly appreciate it when foreigners take the time to learn about their culture and language. I therefore made a point of always introducing myself in German and speaking German whenever my level of comprehension allowed me to. One time where my German came in good use was when I was stopped by a German border patrol agent when returning from a weekend trip in Austria and I had forgotten my passport in my Munich flat. Being able to explain my predicament, while also showing respect by speaking to him in his native tongue, I was lucky enough to come off with only a 25 Euro fine upon showing the other documents which I did have on me at the time (including a photo of my residency permit).

    German came in handy when having lunch at my ‘TUM Buddy’s’ family. I applied to be allocated a ‘TUM Buddy’, which is a TU Munich student which is paired up with you for the purposes of providing you with help and support during your exchange. I would recommend really trying your best to get to know your TUM Buddy and forming a friendship with them, as they will likely be one of the only Germans that you get the chance to regularly interact with. In my experience, getting to know and befriending a German is very rewarding. The Germans that I met were very friendly, always available to help and managed to get me out of difficult situations on multiple occasions during my exchange.

    Speaking of difficult situations, prepare yourself for copious amounts of bureaucracy and admin when planning your exchange to Germany!

    Return to Stellenbosch

    The time to return to Stellenbosch came way sooner than expected. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Upon coming back, the first thing I noticed is how beautiful and modern Stellenbosch’s campus facilities are. We are very lucky to have such a great library, many communal computer facilities we can use, as well as a central and bustling student center such as the Neelsie.

    On the flip side, I also realized how warped our perceptions of what ‘normal’ life looks like may be. Driving out of Cape Town Airport and seeing all the informal housing settlements, as well as having to live through load shedding again and having to worry about my safety constantly were rude awakenings when it came to my return. We as South Africans need to realize that these aspects should not just be a part of ‘everyday life’, but rather understood as deep issues within our society and governance. As South Africans, we need to put a lot more pressure on our leaders and each other to improve the safety in and stability of our country – because how we experience daily life should not be accepted as normal or simply ‘part of life’.

    All in all, I am happy to back in South Africa where I can see my friends again, reconnect with my family and finish up with my degree. The warm weather and cheaper restaurant prices are always welcome after months of having to convert from the ZAR to the EUR. After such an experience, I can see myself going overseas again. I am exploring the idea of completing my master’s degree overseas in order to improve on my international mindset and further establish a global network of friends and business contacts.

    I am incredibly grateful to Stellenbosch University and all its employees and helpers behind the scenes who made it possible for a student like me to undertake such a life changing experience. It is quite something to say that you’ve lived overseas before, and that’s something that I can now say because of Stellenbosch University. If any of you reading this are Stellies students, I highly encourage you to get into contact with the SU International Office and explore what options are available to you!

     

  • Bianca Brandt at KU Leuven, Belgium

    Bianca Brandt at KU Leuven, Belgium

    Pre-departure:

    The time leading up to my exchange certainly can be described as a stretching but beautiful process. Going on a semester abroad and actually living by myself in another country was something that I had never imagined doing. The thought of it brought many different kinds of feelings, however my expectancy for something GRAND outweighed everything. The strangest thing for me to come to terms with was that even though I had known about my exchange since being accepted into BCom(International Business), 2019 had finally arrived and it was time for all my preparations to take place. I definitely took a great amount of time processing all the changes that awaited. I am thankful that I took the time to have real talks with the people that I trust with my heart because by the time I arrived in Belgium, I truly arrived on solid ground and was able to handle everything that came my way. I am so thankful for my leaders, family and friends that walked a road with me of encouraging me and stirring my faith because I knew that I was not going anywhere if it was not BY FAITH. I am also grateful to Sarah for keeping me updated with all the admin requirements and their due dates. She certainly helped me approach the entire process and guided me along the way. Given that this was the first official time that I would be going abroad, everything was incredibly new to me. Fortunately, selecting which university to go to was really simple. The moment I saw KU Leuven (which appeared second on the list of possible designations) my heart was convinced that this was the place I needed to be. Once it was official that I was going to be attending KU Leuven, I began sorting out all the admin involved with finalising my modules, getting accommodation and getting a VISA from the Belgian Consulate. Putting together my learning agreement was also incredibly smooth-sailing as they offered a variety of diverse modules that interested me. I was placed in a university residence within a week of applying which was a great blessing. I quickly discovered that it was necessary for me to get a police clearance certificate and had heard that it could take quite some time. I admit that the thought of this first overwhelmed me, but ended up in the position where I was able to go straight to the head office in Pretoria and hand my application in. What was known to take 4-6 weeks to get done miraculously took 5 days in my case. Because I live in East London, I had to fly back to Cape Town to visit a Belgian Consulate approved doctor in Rondebosch for my medical check-up. Once this was completed, I went for my appointment (which was very easy to get). Because I did not have any source of “official” funding from abroad, I was required to pay an additional fee and had to transfer the minimum amount of spending money into a KU Leuven account, obtain a certificate and provide that as my proof of solvency (which I later learned was necessary for all foreign students). This slowed the process down ever so slightly, however once the certificate had been provided, my VISA was delivered to me within two days. Thereafter I booked my tickets, said my goodbyes and my adventure of a lifetime began on 13 September 2019.

    Experience at the Host University:

    One of the things that drew me towards KU Leuven was their mantra that they inspire the outstanding. Upon arriving, I quickly saw that things there were done differently but simultaneously had a golden thread that left their structure pretty much in alignment with Stellenbosch. The differences for me included that classes were much longer – ranging between 2-3 hours long each time (students I met on the exchange even had 5 hour classes). The assessment structure of each module typically included a group assignment of some sort as well as one exam at the end of the semester where the entire course’s content was examined. Interestingly, most of my courses did not have text books (meaning that the only study content I had was the slides and notes made in class). One of my modules was even an open book exam and another module did not have exams but three group class presentations. I found that KU Leuven placed great emphasis on group work and class presentations. This certainly forced me to ensure that I had an even greater understanding of the content than usual given that questions would always be asked at the end that would require me to think beyond the box and provide an educated, wisdom-filled answer. I admit that Industrial Organisation, one of my courses, truly forced me out my comfort zone. The module required that we evaluate ongoing merger cases within the European Union. I was placed in an auto-generated group including a Brazilian, Russian and Belgian student and together we had to spend many hours together grappling with previous EU cases, critically thinking and evaluating the case for ourselves and we were forced to come to our own conclusion based on the facts that we could find. Although at times this was pretty uncomfortable, I found that it was one of the most enriching experiences because apart from it cultivating a solid, communicative and cohesive team, it left me in a position where I had to tap into and grow skills that extended beyond ordinary theory. By the time all the group projects were completed, I had interacted with numerous cultures and nationalities and got to learn so much about different countries and often found myself reflecting on all the concepts that I was introduced to in the introduction to intercultural communication that we completed prior to our exchange. From the beginning of my arrival in Leuven, I realised that the Belgian culture was very much oriented towards task-orientation. Everyone was very driven, managed their time incredibly well and devoted many hours to their studies daily. The amount of content required to study was also more (or seemed more given that everything had to be studied for one exam). Something else that was different was that Christmas time there was not considered family/holiday time… it was a time where the numerous libraries were filled to capacity and students did not want to do anything other than study. Given that I was not aware of the standard in the exams, and that they were each examine out of 20, I studied extremely hard for them, however, when actually writing the exams, I found the standard of exam questions much lower than that of Stellenbosch and much less application based. Despite the content needed to be studied, they were more interested in me provided short and brief explanations of the “complex” concepts. I also was able to complete two masters courses there and the standard there also was exactly like that of a bachelors module in Stellenbosch (in my opinion). Overall I was extremely satisfied with my results. When I arrived, I had heard much negativity about how “don’t expect to be an exchange student and get above 13/20” however I did exceedingly abundantly above this. I realised that the Stellenbosch standard is much higher – not only in terms of the exams, but also in terms of the way we have been taught to reference properly and complete assignments. To sum my experience at KU Leuven up, I’d say that they certainly stayed true to their desire to inspire the outstanding. One of the best parts is that all the content I learnt in my courses has provided me with a wealth of contextual understanding upon returning to Stellenbosch to complete my fourth year. I’d definitely describe this content as being the golden thread that has finally tied all my modules together and given me a blueprint of the overall framework of my degree, the purpose behind my specific degree and the direction that I am headed in my future.

    In terms of my experience beyond academics, I’d describe this part as the truly life-changing component. Unknowingly, I ended up living in the most sought after street in Leuven with a really great rental price (it was only a two minute walk to most classes). I lived in Leo XIII Seminarie (upon applying, I had absolutely no idea what a seminarie was but soon discovered). I got placed in a section that had 13 people – with 11 different nationalities (from China, Belgium, the UK, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, Mexico…). What made this experience with my own “Pangaea” all the more interesting was the ages of the individuals. Their ages ranged between 19 and 50. My time spent interacting with them can be described as an eye-opening, perspective-shifting, heart-softening and humbling experience. The people in my community taught me about the resilience of their cultures, they showered me in generosity, hospitality and shared their life experiences with me that left me in awe. We all took turns cooking for each other and introducing one another to our country-specific cuisine and I was forced to learn to make my first Malva Pudding ever. Apart from my great living experience, I spent much time travelling. During my time abroad, I was able to see a glimpse of eight countries and a total of 23 towns/cities. Many people ask me what my favourite town was, however, each one holds such special memories. In the Netherlands I met my ultimate role model at a women’s conference… in Italy, I spent amazing time with three peers from my degree and many places included Sandri and I having amazing adventures (from overpriced potato in Prague to the old town of Luxembourg). It was truly a blessing to share this exchange with Sandri, for us to grow in our friendship, to support each other through the challenges and to explore new places with our “Tuesdays are for Travelling” day trips (since we had no class), waffle and fries trips (the Belgian delicacies), group projects done together and our strengths complementing one another – ensuring the best experience possible. Most times, when travelling by myself, I’d end up going to hidden away places (from Dasing to Barneveld to Beilstein) upon which most times Europeans would ask me “where is that even?” to which I would respond “I don’t even know”. I’d spend much time monitoring the Flixbus and Ryanair app looking for cheap buses and flights and always found great deals. Another massive blessing was being able to connect with other International Business students who opened their places of accommodation and always took the time to show me around where they lived. Traveling yanked me out of my comfort zone and the thought of arriving in random places by myself always initially frightened me but I simultaneously was adamant that fear would not hold me back from all the adventure that waited on the other side. During my long bus rides and walks down palace-filled streets and photo-taking in yellow flower fields, I came to realise that I am stronger and more courageous than I had ever known. Everyday I found myself in awe and would often burst out laughing at the fact that I was living in and travelling across Europe – a dream that once seemed impossible. There’s no way that I could possibly begin to describe my entire experience here, however have been intentional along my entire journey to journal and art my way through – making sure that I never forget the massive shift that took place in my life over this (almost) six month period of my life. If you’re reading this and wondering whether you should take a leap, dive into the unknown and go on an exchange… my answer is YES YES YES! May your heart be awakened at the little I’ve shared about how this time of my life changed me completely for the best, introduced me to the authentic me and deepened my position in Love like never before… may you refuse to let anything hold you back and may no circumstances be the deciding factor about whether you should go or not. Decide that you want to go, have faith and watch an adventure of a lifetime unfold before your eyes. If this even slightly resonates with you, ask yourself… if nothing was impossible, where would you go and what would you do?

    Return to Stellenbosch: 

    The thought of returning to Stellenbosch was one that I often imagined while in Belgium. The hardest thing about my exchange was leaving my church community and being away from my friends that had actually become my family. However, I intentionally made sure that I lived in every moment while away and ensured I embraced every moment, every possible new friendship and every opportunity. Towards the end of my exchange, I knew that it was time to go home. Saying goodbye to Leuven was a bitter sweet moment but my transition back to Stellenbosch actually was more seamless than I had ever imagined. I heard a lecturer say in class before leaving for Belgium that returning back from an exchange is often more difficult than leaving. I’m grateful that she said this when she did because it once again helped me to process this part of my exchange as much as I could before actually arriving back. I arrived here aware that things would be different… I believe that things could have been very different if I had not known this. There is no doubt that my time away fundamentally changed me. I grew in independence, confidence, strength, courage and most importantly, I learnt to be my best friend. I discovered that I am a unique, colorful, bubbly, bold and innovative woman of God. I’d say that one of the most difficult things about being back is that my exchange is pretty much just like a secret – something that no one else will ever have a reference point to. Many people have seen me in class, on Victoria street, in a line outside MyBrew or sitting in church and have excitedly asked “HOW WAS IT?” I always look at them with an expression on my face that says “IF ONLY YOU KNEW”. It is incredibly difficult to put into words everything that I experienced, everything that changed within me and everything that I grew in. However, I have been having a wonderful time having conversations with different people and seeing strings of words flow out my mouth where I finally realise exactly how much I changed. Belgium marks a Great Exchange in my life. Where I exchanged my fears for freedom, my doubts with confidence, my question marks with courage… a deep impartation took place and I have returned with a wealth of wisdom that I am so excited to share with everyone around me. My time overseas marks a period of a download of ideas which I’m ready to implement across the different spheres of my life. I am expectant to take what I learnt and impart it into the lives of others because my mission in life is to add value wherever I go. Just like my heart rose up and I woke up, I’m ready to help others awake and arise… in their studies, their identities, their dreams, their challenges, their finances etc. I have returned feeling more purpose-driven than ever before and I am in pursuit of seeking mentorship in the innovation realm and establishing my own business this year. I have a hunger for new knowledge, new wisdom and new opportunities. I find myself more alert than ever- absorbing all that I hear in class and my eyes are constantly open to identify places where I can fill the gap. I am inspired to see all the gold within me come forth and to see everything I touch prosper. The generosity and hospitality I experienced abroad has opened my heart and left me seeking to always be inclusive wherever I go. On my exchange, I learnt to listen to what others had to say and to love them through whatever they were experiencing. I believe that these are two key attributes that will help me equip and empower others because they provide the foundation to everything else.

    I experienced my exchange to be a window into all that awaits in my future. I know that I will spend my life travelling from nation to nation – equipping and empowering everyone I come into contact with. There’s a powerful truth that assures me that I will see exceedingly abundantly above what I could possibly imagine. The wonderful part of this exchange is that it granted me vision that I never had before. I can finally see what I am working towards. Although I plan to move abroad in the future in pursuit of the vision for my life, I intend to complete my education in South Africa. During my time of travelling across Europe, my love for South Africa grew exponentially and I was able to reflect on all that I have to be grateful for. No matter where I went or who I met along my exchange, nothing compared to meeting a South African, and reminiscing over the taste of braai meat, the bright sun, the beautiful beaches and most importantly, our beautiful country with the most beautiful, diverse and authentic people I have ever met. In conclusion, I would like to say thank you to Stellenbosch University (namely Sarah and Prof Erasmus) for pioneering and making this opportunity possible. Their commitment and devotion to the empowerment of the future generation is commendable and they will always form a special part of this exchange. Ultimately, the greatest thank you I have goes to my Dad who gave me a PhD in Bianca. He woke my heart up and showed me exactly who He created me to be. Now I get to lead other people to that place and help them embrace their uniqueness and the grand plans that are in store for them. On this exchange, a desire to see people discover their voice was birthed in me and I’m ready to spend every moment I have innovating, pioneering and adding value to Stellenbosch University, the Stellenbosch community, South Africa AND the world as a whole.