What. A. Year!

And pause! Is this even a pause, or a stop? Whatever it is, a chapter has ended. And so, after an exhilarating year, my Chevening journey has come to an end. Does it feel like a year? It surely doesn't.

On Monday, 18 September, my final week in the UK, I spent the afternoon and evening walking around Manchester city centre with my friend and fellow Chevener, David Contreras. We took a few selfies on St Peter's Square, just minutes away from Manchester Chinatown where we had taken our first selfie and had our first UK meal out on 30 September 2022, my birthday. It felt like a full circle moment. And as we walked around, I kept thinking about how quickly time had flown by.

But, I get ahead of myself. I should go back to the beginning. But what's even the beginning of this journey? How do you sum up this year for the ages into a few paragraphs?



Supported from the beginning till the end

On the final leg of my journey to the UK, travelling from Frankfurt to Manchester Airport, I met a lady on the airplane. She was eager to speak to me. At first, I was hesitant to engage her, aware that scammers were always on the prowl. But, as I later found out, that lady was far from a scammer- she was God sent. Our conversation was very brief but life changing. She connected me with a church, Transformation Life Church in Manchester, which became my home away from home for the duration of my time in the UK. 

Two families from the church, the Mude and Maroa families, became my anchors as I navigated life in the UK. They never waited for me to call. They called, offered assistance of all sorts and invited me to their homes for dinners countless times. It felt as though they had been prepared to receive me long ahead of time. In my final week in the UK, I had dinner with the Maroa’s at their home on Tuesday and on Thursday, the Mude’s took me to Manchester Airport. I was covered in every way you can think of. It is difficult for me to even think about how life would have been in the UK without them.

 

Manchester United

Perhaps the biggest highlight of my time in the UK was watching the club of my heart, Manchester United, live at Old Trafford. The Theatre of Dreams became the place where my wildest, wildest dreams came alive. In the end, I watched 19 Manchester United games at Old Trafford, consisting of 16 wins, 44 goals and countless unforgettable moments. I will never forget the first time I saw Old Trafford with my bare eyes. It was my birthday on 30 September 2022, just four days after arriving in the UK. I decided to treat myself to a stadium tour. 

I took bus 250 from Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester’s main bus station. As Old Trafford came into view, I could feel the hairs at the back of my neck rise. It was an intense, almost unexplainable feeling. Our tour guide led us through that famous tunnel in the same way the players do when they appear before the beginning of a match, with the unmistakable tune of ‘Glory, Glory Man United’ hitting through the speakers- it was truly glorious.

On one matchday, I glanced behind me to see Lisandro Martinez, the no-nonsense World Cup winner from Argentina seated behind me. At first, I was scared to ask for a picture, and then I thought to myself; how many times will you get the chance to be seated in front of a World Cup winner who plays for Manchester United? At the beginning of the second half, I placed that fear aside and went for it. I should frame that picture. 

My first live match came against Bournemouth on 3 January 2023, a thumping 3-0 win. My last was not so successful, a 1-3 defeat to Brighton. But that took very little away from the overall experience. I also had the pleasure of watching England’s Three Lions beat North Macedonia 7-0 at the same stadium. These are moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Image 1: Visiting Old Trafford for the first time.

Image 2: A selfie with a World Cup winner.

 

Exploring the UK

Side by side with my studies, I tried to see as much of the UK as I could. I visited London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Liverpool, York, Birmingham, Brighton and the Peak District in Edale. Of all these cities and attractions, Edinburgh enchanted me the most- what a glorious city! I saw and explored Arthur’s Seat there, an ancient volcano. The views from atop, looking down on the city, were glorious. But, that day also served us the classic UK weather experience. As we climbed up the hill, it was sunny and beautiful. By the time we were going down, it was raining, windy and snowing. 

I also enjoyed Brighton and of course London, with its bright lights. Perhaps the most memorable moment in London was on the evening of our Farewell event in July. Latin Cheveners had organised a boat party which they opened up to every Chevener and it was truly beautiful! We spent the evening on a boat, cruising along the famous River Thames, celebrating the beautiful year we’d had and the friendships we had built.

Image 3: On a boat cruise on the River Thames with my friends David and Shaylim. 
 

Friendships and lifelong connections

Arguably, Chevening’s greatest power is its immense network. Over the course of the year, I had the honour of building friendships and connections with people from all over the world. Right now I can pick up my phone and speak to a lawyer from Tanzania, a journalist/photographer from Venezuela, a fintech guru from Sudan, an education expert from Turkmenistan, a development expert from Saint Lucia and more. It is a real honour to call these change makers my friends!

 

Extra-curricular activities

At the beginning of our time as Chevening scholars, we were invited to apply to be Chevening Social Media Ambassadors. This is a significant role, which sees you work closely with the Chevening Secretariat’s communications team to create content showcasing your life in the UK as a Scholar. There is always stiff competition for this role. I was blessed to be selected among 12 SMA’s for 2022/23 from all over the world, and the first ever from Eswatini. We were introduced formally at our Orientation event in London in October, in front of about 1500 fellow Scholars. At our Farewell event in London in July, where we were also joined by Commonwealth and Marshall Scholars, the work of SMAs throughout the year was showcased. It was a beautiful experience.

As part of my duties as SMA, I was invited to the 2023 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. It was the first presided over by His Majesty King Charles III. To be in the same building with a Head of State in a foreign land was a truly surreal experience. As I unpacked my things last week, I found the invitation card to that event. I'm keeping it for life.

In June, I took part in a match between Chevening and Commonwealth Scholars which we won comfortably (of course). I had seen previous editions of this match on social media and had always dreamt of taking part. Here I was now running down the flank for Chevening F.C. I also had the great honour of being nominated for International Student Award at the Create Student Awards organised by the School of Arts and Media at my University, for which I came second place. The nomination itself felt like a win. 

When I arrived home, my mother asked to take a picture with the framed runner-up certificate I received. Towards the end of my time in the UK, my Programme Leader invited me to speak to the new MA PR and Digital Communications class. As I stood in front of the class and shared the little I have come to know, I couldn’t help but marvel at the speed of time. Only a year ago I had been in their shoes, arriving with trepidation in the UK to start a demanding MA. Time flies and when you are having fun, it doubles the speed.

Image 4: At our Orientation in October 2022 with fellow Chevening SMAs.
 

Thank you

As I look back on this magnificent journey, I wish to thank everyone who made this greatest of my dreams come true. In particular, I wish to thank God Almighty, who makes a way in the wilderness. I wish to thank my family who supported me through the many attempts to get here. When I left for the UK in September 2022, there were over 20 people at King Mswati III International Airport just to see me off. When I returned, there were 14, just there to welcome me, made up of family, church, and family friends. I am grateful.

I am grateful to my partner who was incredibly supportive during this demanding period. I wish to thank my friends, in particular, Nkosinathi Mavimbela, Sephutile Mhlongo and Gugu Nkambule who reviewed my Chevening application essays and helped me prepare for my Chevening interview. I am grateful to Joy Akisanya and Kader Bouregag who also reviewed my essays and held a mock interview with me, respectively. My mentor, Mr. Sabelo Dlamini, and undergraduate lecturer Mrs. Siphiwe Mohammed wrote outstanding reference letters for me and I will never forget them. In the UK, I was taught by outstanding lecturers in Debra Manley, Michelle Eagleton, Sara Eyre, and Tracey Gallagher.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank the Chevening Secretariat and the UK in Eswatini High Commission for making the dreams of this guy from Sihhoye come true. I am grateful to have received a truly world class scholarship and to be part of an outstanding alumni network, for life.

In this world of limited job opportunities, it is rare to find an employer who will give you generous study leave. For that, I am eternally grateful to my employer, the Eswatini Government, for affording me this opportunity to pursue my studies while keeping my job. I am grateful to my bosses and colleagues at the Ministry of Sports and at the Press Office for all the support I received as I prepared to go to the UK.

Lastly, I want to thank you, the one reading this, for reading and engaging with our content during this period. I am greatly humbled by your support. Thank you!

My story is that of immense support. I am so, so grateful. Ngiyabonga kakhulu!

Image 5: At KMIII Airport being prayed for by family and friends before departure. 
 

By: Sibongiseni Zondi

NB: Sibongiseni Zondi writes this blog in his personal capacity. The views expressed here do not represent the views of the Chevening Scholarship Secretariat, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Chevening partners.

Zondi is a 2022/23 Chevening Scholarship alumni from the Kingdom of Eswatini and also served as a 2022/23 Chevening Social Media Ambassador. He pursued a Master's Degree in Public Relations and Digital Communications at the University of Salford, in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Chevening is the UK Government’s international scholarships and fellowships programme. Chevening Scholarships are awarded by the UK Government to develop international leaders.