I am on my way to South Africa after spending two weeks in Europe following my time in Namibia.

This wasn’t planned, as I originally intended to stay in Namibia and travel directly to South Africa from there. However, the status of my visa decided otherwise. I did everything possible on my end to ensure a smooth experience during my training, so I wouldn’t have to worry about anything other than my studies.

So, I decided to stay in London and Madrid during the first weeks of July to enjoy the company of friends and family while trying to secure my student visa.

I enjoyed those quiet, vacation-like moments to work on my pictures and blog, read reference books, take care of important financial matters (which I should have done much earlier but couldn’t find the time), walk in nature, listen to music, discover local traditions, and share food and drinks with good company. I also visited museums and various buildings. I couldn’t be more grateful for those moments.

However, the visa issue never left my mind. I was constantly thinking about it. There was nothing more I could do—I sent a reminder and was informed that my application had been processed and sent to South Africa, but the landline was still not working…

When I arrived in Madrid, the first thing I did was go to the embassy to try to get an update on my visa status and explain my situation, with training starting on the 14th of July. I was informed that it was quite unlikely I would get an answer by Friday.

This situation is so frustrating. I planned everything in advance, tried to be as organized as possible to manage my costs, reduce my impact, and invested in the visa process, etc., all in vain. I’m filled with anger about the situation. I felt they showed a lack of respect towards me. My request was handled so poorly. I understand that things won’t go as I had planned, that other plans are in store, and that I’ll need to adapt to the situation. I had absolutely no control over it. I felt so helpless. I just have to let go and be grateful for the time I was able to spend in Europe, thanks to this unfortunate situation, and for the moments still to come.

In conclusion, as you might have guessed, I didn’t receive any answer before my trip. I don’t have my student visa, and I had to reshuffle everything to make the best of it. So, today, I’m still heading towards Johannesburg and will return to Europe in October—who knows what other plans may unfold.

Now, what’s next?

I have mixed feelings about what lies ahead.

I’m happy.
I’m excited.
I’m scared.
I’m stressed out.

The unknown lies ahead of me, bringing with it a load of doubts about my abilities. But I should try to enjoy every step of the way.

Wish me lots of fun in my African endeavors.