Envision being 3,563 feet in the air and looking out to witness the edge of the African continent; warm, with a light breeze from the sea keeping you cool. As you look out from the top of Table Mountain, one of the new seven wonders of nature, you gain the clarity and motivation to keep aiming high. My time in South Africa was a week of vibrancy, an exploration of authentic cuisine, and discussions of the business enterprises within the rainbow nation.

The natural beauty of Cape Town, from the mountains to the sea, lights your soul as the sun beams down on a nation of microclimates.

We visited non-profit organizations that inspired me to do something that matters and focus on the purpose of business over profit. We visited corporate start-ups priding themselves on being a business born in South Africa, looking to share the fun and adventure around the world through their products. I learned about the root of the economic struggles that face the country through one-to-one conversations with the people who have spent their entire lives in the surrounding area of Cape Town called the Cape Flats. Their stories of resilience and passion for changing the narrative surrounding South African challenges have inspired me to change my lifestyle and focus on purchasing from small businesses and start-ups with an infectious entrepreneurial spirit mirroring the diverse business ventures I saw in the developmental stage from young adults like me.

I am an out-of-state student who studied abroad for the spring semester last year and was eager to engage in a short-term faculty-led program with my fellow Spartans.

To pursue a career in the tourism industry, my week in Cape Town provided a global perspective of tourist impacts on a community economy and what the future holds for the rising global demand for travel.

In addition, on a personal level, my time in the Cape provided a space for reflection in my life and room for tremendous gratitude for the people committed to making a change in this world through the businesses, such as Khayelitsha Cookies and Thokozani Winery promoting a helping hands approach which provides shares to its employees to result in financial independence and empowerment.

Within the rainbow nation is a diversity of languages, which signifies Cape Town as a cornucopia of cultures, and I learned some phrases within the Zulu language and Afrikaans. By the end of the week, as we drove through the city one last time, I felt empowered to carry the gratitude that encapsulates the people of Cape Town back home and into my career.

Name: Paige Walker
Status: Junior
Major: Sustainable Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Hometown: Yardley, Pennsylvania
Program: South Africa: Global Business in the Rainbow Nation