My experience to Pretoria

Wow! What an amazing experience I had! From arriving at the airport, while it was still dark on a Tuesday morning, to arriving home while it was dark already on a Friday evening was just a marvelous experience. I greatly appreciate this experience, and sincerely thank Doctor Nirvana Bechan for this wonderful experience possible for me.
My position at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology is a research assistant. I assist Doctor Nirvana Bechan in her research, which benefits not only the university and students, while also those involved and those interested in specific research topics. The topic which we focused on was International Relations and nuclear exploration.

Prior to Pretoria, an immense amount of planning took place. We were instructed to draw up letters to ambassadors, as well as additional information on our topic of research. We constantly kept communicating with embassies and consulates. We received a great deal of feedback after a long period of waiting. Many countries did not give us any feedback. Research and contacting of people, needed to be accomplished on specific deadlines set out. We constantly sat down and discussed the procedure we would follow during our two days in Pretoria. She constantly encouraged us to do better. We sat down and discussed our two days in Pretoria. We researched suitable people, and arranged dates and times which was convenient for us to meet with them. If they where unable to meet due to a busy schedule, we would arrange telephonic and email interviews. It was our aim as researchers, to maintain a balance of each research means to create a balanced view in the study.

On Tuesday, fifth of October, at four o’ clock in the morning, I was in the shower. My bags were packed and after having a sleepless night due to excitement, I was finaly off to the airport. This was my very first time on an airplane, leaving Cape Town going to Johannesburg. I was anxious and nervous to put it mildly. My family was more excited than I was. I was dropped off at the airport where I met Doctor Nirvana and my colleague Donna. We were extremely excited, as we stood in the line to recieve our tickets. Soon we boarded the plain. What joy I felt, I felt as though all the passengers in the plain were starring at me and whispering to each other, “Its his first flight, you can see it”. I walked with pride, dressed as a business man on a mission, with my shirt and tie, dressed to kill. The pilot could have mistaken me for a suicide bomber.

I followed the instructions keenly, listening and taking note of the air hostess. We then took off slowly. I was leaning over some person I did not know, so excited to see Cape Town from the air. Soon we were flying SAA, with a nice captain calming you down and telling you to enjoy the flight. Indeed I did. I enjoyed the breakfast, and then had a nap, before I knew it, it was time to land. The excitement never stopped, it just continued.

To be continued…