Gap Year Internship Program in Cape Town with VACorps

This trip was the best time of my life. I have made so many memories and experienced so many things that will stay with me for the rest of my life, including skydiving, bungee jumping, Cederberg camping weekend, and my Kruger safari trip. I met incredible people along the way who have impacted my life and changed me far more than I ever thought possible. I have learned so many things and definitely look at life differently as a result of this experience. My internship was amazing and I know the skills and knowledge that I have gained from it will benefit a lot me later in life. Cape Town is an amazing place and I will definitely be coming back here in the future and would maybe like to live here one day. Thank you so, such a VACorps team -it wouldn't have been possible without you!!!

I chose Cape Town because it was one of the few cities that was open to American travelers at the time. I also have friends at home who were born in Cape Town and whose parents were raised there and they definitely encouraged me to go. I wanted to do an internship because I wanted to get a sense of the real world before studying it in earnest at University next year. It is hard to know what you really want to do career-wise without having any or much exposure to it. In other words, something may seem cool in theory but once you actually get there and start working in that field it may not be what you had imagined. VAC gave me the opportunity to explore my interests in hospitality before deciding that it is what I want to study in college and pursue long-term.

During my time in Cape Town, I learned that I am capable of so much more than I thought. The idea of college terrified me because of all the independence and having to figure out how to balance schoolwork with a social life and making friends with living my life and partaking in all the crazy adventures this world has to offer. It all just felt like so much to take on, but VAC gave me the opportunity to figure it out in a low-stakes environment. Yes, I was working in a professional workplace and needed to complete what was expected of me, but the mistakes I made there are not going to follow me the same way they may in college.

What I loved most about living in Cape Town was definitely the accessibility to so much. You are living right between a city, ocean, and mountains. There is just so much that you can do in Cape Town. I also enjoyed living alone with other people my age and learning together how to do it all. I will miss the energy that the gap students brought to the group. Someone always wanted to do something, so I was never bored or out of ideas of things to do. I stayed for three months and that time flew by quicker than expected. The VAC staff are nothing but incredible. I am most grateful for how they treat their program participants. They truly look at us like adults and not kids so they give us a ton of freedom but are also always there for support when needed. As a gap student, I feel that it was really up to me how involved I wanted to be with the VAC staff which I appreciate a lot. There were never any mandatory checkups or anything like that which made the environment more welcoming to stop by and say hello.

I chose Cape Town because it was one of the few cities that was open to American travelers at the time. I also have friends at home who were born in Cape Town and whose parents were raised there and they definitely encouraged me to go. I wanted to do an internship because I wanted to get a sense of the real world before studying it in earnest at University next year. It is hard to know what you really want to do career-wise without having any or much exposure to it. In other words, something may seem cool in theory but once you actually get there and start working in that field it may not be what you had imagined. VAC gave me the opportunity to explore my interests in hospitality before deciding that it is what I want to study in college and pursue long-term.

During my time in Cape Town, I learned that I am capable of so much more than I thought. The idea of college terrified me because of all the independence and having to figure out how to balance schoolwork with a social life and making friends with living my life and partaking in all the crazy adventures this world has to offer. It all just felt like so much to take on, but VAC gave me the opportunity to figure it out in a low-stakes environment. Yes, I was working in a professional workplace and needed to complete what was expected of me, but the mistakes I made there are not going to follow me the same way they may in college.

What I loved most about living in Cape Town was definitely the accessibility to so much. You are living right between a city, ocean, and mountains. There is just so much that you can do in Cape Town. I also enjoyed living alone with other people my age and learning together how to do it all. I will miss the energy that the gap students brought to the group. Someone always wanted to do something, so I was never bored or out of ideas of things to do. I stayed for three months and that time flew by quicker than expected. The VAC staff are nothing but incredible. I am most grateful for how they treat their program participants. They truly look at us like adults and not kids so they give us a ton of freedom but are also always there for support when needed. As a gap student, I feel that it was really up to me how involved I wanted to be with the VAC staff which I appreciate a lot. There were never any mandatory checkups or anything like that which made the environment more welcoming to stop by and say hello.

As I was planning my gap year, I was instantly drawn to VaCorps. The beauty of Cape Town and the opportunity to intern abroad with a group of students really interested me: there's something about living independently in a foreign city that is really hard to beat. My time in Cape Town definitely feels like the embodiment of "work hard, play hard": while we all had our own different internships and work commitments, the social aspect was definitely a huge part of why I loved my experience in Cape Town so much. I really feel like when you have a routine and have work responsibilities you're able to appreciate the city you're in much more: from sprinting to the beach after work to exploring new neighbourhoods and trying out new food markets we all really made the most out of our time in Cape Town.

I definitely learnt to be more adaptable here in Cape Town: I grew to enjoy the feeling of being out of my comfort zone and trying new things, as well as just accepting that many things in life are unpredictable. Additionally, I learnt to appreciate teamwork much more through my internship. We always worked on tasks as a team and I really valued that experience.

I love how much Cape Town has to offer: there's really nowhere else in the world in which you can go straight from a 3-hour hike to a relaxing afternoon on the beach. I'm also a huge fan of the food scene here: during my three months here in Cape Town, I've spent almost all of my Saturdays at the Old Biscuit Mill food market (it's INSANELY good).

I'm extremely grateful for the constant support VACorps provided. I knew that if I ever needed anything, even at the craziest hours of the night a VACorps staff member would pick up the phone and help out. You're really living the best of both worlds, living independently in a foreign city while having the certainty that if anything were to happen the VAC team would be there to support you.

When I discovered VACorps in September, I applied immediately on a whim, but the thought of actually coming to South Africa and doing an internship here in the midst of a pandemic seemed laughable and almost dream-like. But there was the VACorps staff, instantly walking me through the rest of my application, meeting with me with less than a few hours’ notice, asking me about my personal and professional interests and my preferred internship placement. They were so dedicated to making this happen for me, and for that, I am beyond grateful.

When I finally arrived in Cape Town, halfway across the world and knowing no one, I was so nervous. But VACorps made the transition so fluid. Within two hours of landing, we were already on a hike and then exploring the city’s neighborhoods. The orientation week was absolutely perfect; it provided an ideal mix of structure and independence such that I could instantly acclimate to my new home.

It is hard to pinpoint the highlight of this journey because every part of it has met and surpassed my expectations. My internship (where I work with and teach refugees) has been so interesting and fulfilling—I genuinely look forward to going to work each day. Weekends in Cape Town are even more amazing. There are an endless amount of once-in-a-lifetime activities to do here: snorkeling with seals, sandboarding, wine tasting, hiking Table Mountain, skydiving, bungee jumping, shark cage diving, seeing wild animals on a safari, swimming with penguins, surfing, or tanning at the most gorgeous beaches. Cape Town is undoubtedly the coolest place I have ever been to. I’ve spent three months here, and I can say with absolute certainty that I could spend three more and never run out of things to do.

I am so sad to be leaving Cape Town, but I will cherish the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had for a very long time. Coming here has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and easily the highlight of my gap year. I would recommend VACorps to any independent and adventurous individual enthusiastically and without reservation.

Being a part of VACorps has been amazing for a number of reasons. Not only did I learn about myself as an individual living alone, but I also learned about the unique cultures and people of South Africa. At my internship, I was given incredible opportunities and responsibilities that taught me more than 4 years in a classroom could have. I especially loved when I was thrown right into the deep end at my internship site and was asked to fill in for a guest on live TV on my second day of work. I loved the community here and the freedom, not to mention the insane landscape and natural beauty. I stayed for three months and enjoyed every second of it, though at some points I did feel very far from home. I loved every member of the staff and especially loved hanging out with Kholi and Kuselwa. I am grateful for the accessibility and generosity of the staff. No matter the issue, I was always able to text Oliver, Leanne, or any others with questions and the response was quick and helpful. I will miss everything about Cape Town but mostly the food and the group of interns at VACorps.

I found VACorps when I was looking for a program to travel and learn during the pandemic. VACorps turned out to be an extremely reliable and consistent organization that always answered my questions and shared my and my parent's values of safety, fun, and learning abroad. They placed me with an internship that aligned with my career ambitions but was more virtual than I would have liked, were very accommodating when I decided to switch internships, and found me a better fit at an NGO. While working at my internship site, I learned a lot about the inner workings of NGOs, how to propose a budget, public schools in South Africa, and much more. It was a great learning experience and will be very helpful as a resume addition in the future.

My time in Cape Town was an experience I will never forget. I made lots of friends, tried many new things I have never done before, like bungee jumping, canyoning, and paragliding, and had an overall amazing time. I especially loved the VACorps Friday activities and outings, like camping at Cederbergs, Garden Route, and Kruger. Living in Obz and getting to know the area was also great, and by the end, I definitely felt at home there.

I was terrified to come to Cape Town and live in an apartment with seven strangers, but after three months here I can confidently say that it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. After the first week, I had already become amazing friends with my roommates and now we are inseparable. My internship was the perfect fit for me as a future nursing student and I learned so much more than I could have imagined. I loved all of our Friday activities from wine tasting to Cape Point. But what I loved most about my time here in Cape Town was just spending time at 197 with everyone on a Friday night or going to Ferdinando’s with my roomies on two for one Tuesday. Those moments are what I will miss the most- spending time with the amazing group of people I have gotten to know here. I am so grateful to VACorps for allowing me to learn so much not just about nursing, but about South Africa and all of its beauty. It is sad to leave but I am grateful for all the memories that I get to take home with me.