Blog post written by Sean Soni
Prior to leaving the beautiful country of South Africa, each and every student who had the good fortune to attend this CAP destination discovered something new about themselves and about their enhanced global consulting abilities. The entire CAP South Africa class can agree that after visiting such a remarkable, warm and flourishing country, something within themselves changed forever.
It was through the site visitation in Johannesburg and the emotional journey through the Soweto township that our class learned about humanity and social justice within South Africa and the world as a whole. Apartheid was abolished in 1994, however South Africans can still feel the last breath of this oppressive history in everyday life. We walked through the gates of the famous Apartheid Museum in Soweto while unwillingly following the historic signs which stated ‘Whites Entrance and ‘Non-Whites Entrance’. Through the journey to Johannesburg and Soweto Township, the classmates of CAP South Africa realized just how lucky and privileged we were to be studying at the graduate-level in another country.
Through the visits to nature-made masterpieces like the world famous Table Mountain and Camps Bay, the classmates of CAP South Africa discovered that beauty surrounds the massive continent of Africa. Beauty in every step of our journey was so abundant and so breathtaking that it was often hard to imagine leaving certain places, like Cape Point.
Finally, it was through the site visits with real-world companies where we discovered the marvels of South African entrepreneurship and business culture. Our class discovered such awe in the operational innovations of ATNS, impressive utilization of global networks with Aksa Power Generation, and the remarkable sustainable manufacturing process utilized by Sealand Gear. Our class was able to determine that although South Africa has substantial income inequality, the possibilities to create fruitful employment opportunities and chances to innovate are endless within this country and we found that the locals are determined to improve the deteriorating condition of their country.
At this point you must be wondering how our CAP Final Presentations went? Well I am proud to report to you that each separate team “sealed the deal” and dazzled the clients in South Africa. What we all shared in the learning experience of the Consulting Abroad Project in South Africa was that the service to international clients can sometimes create unexpected demands, but it is critical to react with poise and utter professionalism. I can soundly say that each of our classmates did so in remarkable fashion. Furthermore, our class thoroughly enjoyed the entire process of consulting for an international client, from start to finish. Global & Experiential Education, please sign us up for 18 tickets to Cape Town/Johannesburg (no return ticket needed).
