SWAZI GIRLS’ TRAVEL THROUGH THE LENSES

“If travelling was free, you would never see me again.” This is a popular quote which elicits the importance of travelling, regardless of the gender, race, religion and ethnic background.

Travelling obviously, exposes one to the world and it gives someone a totally different perception about life. Unfortunately, the society we live in does not really preach travelling but thanks to exposure through the media and social media, the youth is slowly being incorporated into the world of travelling.

Angella Msibi, former UNISWA Kwaluseni Miss Freshers and BCom Degree holder from the same institution and workaholic and socialite Nozipho Mncina, are young Swazi ladies and they have opted to travel as a way of rewarding themselves for the hard work done during the year.

These ladies preach education, hard work and a bit of enjoyment through travelling.
Many young people are known to enjoy their hard earned cash through partying, clubbing, braais and any other form of entertainment gestures, whose ‘high’ is temporarily lived yet travelling, is all about making lifetime memories which  come with the same entertainment, opportunities to learn and build networks.

“Travelling does not have to be sponsored by blessers. In fact, it can take us a whole year to save up for one single trip, which is worth every cent. The whole point is working and rewarding yourself for it, through your own means,” they said.
So far, they have been on a boat cruise which travels between Mozambique and Durban, Cape Town, Namibia and many other places in Southern Africa and they did it themselves!!!
Here are their trips through the lenses:

Top reasons to travel abroad while you are young according to GreenHeartTravel.com:
You’ll get out of your comfort zone
As young people most of us have a pretty established comfort zone. At home with mom and dad, in a community that has known you for probably a good part of your life. You have your established, friends, activities, hangouts and possibly jobs. We become comfortable in these daily roles and the idea of breaking out of them can be scary and uncomfortable.

The problem is, you learn the most in uncomfortable, unfamiliar situations. In our daily routines, you know how to act and respond to people and your surroundings. Being in a new place, with different people, who hold different values and go about life differently (or not so differently you may find) strips all that familiarity away. It can be scary, but once you figure out that you can connect with people despite differences, and you can navigate foreign environments, you become a smarter, more competent individual. Embrace the discomfort. Search for it, because it is helping you grow.

Travelling builds confidence
As you conquer the obstacles of figuring out how to use public transit in a foreign country, or asking for simple things in a grocery store, you are building some confidence and ability to adapt in foreign situations. I remember moving to a country where I spoke little to none of the language. When I returned home, I moved across the country to a state where I had no family, friends or connections. The prospect of that move may have intimidated me before living abroad, but then I thought to myself, ‘Well, if I can do it abroad in a completely foreign system, I will be just fine in a place where I at least share the language.’ You realise that you CAN do things, despite the obstacles and suddenly the obstacles seem less obstructive and more like welcomed challenges.

You will develop cultural sensitivity
Being culturally sensitive is key in our globalising world. It is not enough to say “people from X country are like this.” It is important to look for underlying values that may explain a certain behaviour in order to practice cultural sensitivity. A good example is when I was in Spain (especially in the south), where they take a two-three hour siesta and lunch in the middle of their work day. Many people view this cultural norm as the people just being lazy when it really has a lot more to do with the fact that historically Spaniards value family face time. Eating together as a family is more important to them than maximising work time by scarfing a sandwich down at their desks. Being aware of cultural values and norms is not only fascinating, but can help us understand international issues and conflicts, or even relate to the cultural norms of a foreign business partner. It is an important skill to be able to shift perspectives and see where someone else is coming from. Cultural sensitivity will help you with your communication on both business and personal levels.

You can adapt to globalisation
Whether you like it or not, with the internet and social media, we are globalising quickly. It is not unlikely that you would end up with a job that allows you to travel for business or take part in conference calls with international business partners. In our globalising world, it is important to be culturally sensitive and it can’t hurt to know a foreign language.In the business world, having lived abroad can give you a competitive edge. Use the confidence and cultural sensitivity that travelling helps you develop and help it make you successful.

Infinite opportunities to network
I have studied and worked abroad and made some incredibly valuable connections. If you are interested in working internationally or even just having a couch to stay on in a country that you love, never underestimate the value of networking wherever you go. One thing I have learned in my time abroad is that people are generally very friendly and love to talk about their home and culture. This is not always the case, but more than often it is. Making friendships abroad can make this big world seem a little smaller and help you feel more connected wherever you go.The best advice I can give is to meet as many people on your travels as you can. It will definitely make your time abroad more enjoyable since the locals know best! Plus you never know when these connections will come in handy in the future whether visiting each other for fun or otherwise.

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