Cape Town is a beautiful city with amazing people. I only stayed for a month, but I could've easily stayed for a few more months. The city is very walkable and easy to get around. In terms of safety, be careful when taking valuables out. Try not to flaunt your valuables, and at night, travel in a group and take a cab home. Food is inexpensive and fresh, and the apartment was furnished and cozy. My internship at the hospital was a great learning experience. I got to witness things I would never get the opportunity to in Canada. Making friends and attending social gatherings really contributed to my enjoyment in Cape Town. The night life is incredible and memories are made on every corner. On a side note, if you are staying during the winter, invest in a blanket and portable heater because it can get cold in the apartment. I would recommend this trip to anyone looking to gain some knowledge in their field of interest while making everlasting friends and memories.

Accurately putting my time in Cape Town into words is impossible, because however I describe my experience won't do it justice.
Working at an addictions rehab center was amazing. I wasn't sure if clinical psychology was the right choice for me, so I wanted an experience where I could work with patients in a counseling setting. The four months I spent working at the rehab center not only assured me that counseling is something I want to pursue, but also steered me towards addictions counseling. At work, I often found myself in new and unfamiliar situations, but I was able to grow professionally and learn so much from these experiences.
Moreover, I was in the most beautiful city in the world, and I got the chance to really live there, rather than experience it in a short few weeks as a tourist on vacation would have.
This has been a life changing experience, and I would repeat it in a heartbeat. If you have the chance, go for it - it's an experience of a lifetime!

I am so grateful for the experience I had in Cape Town, South Africa with Connect-123. The time I spent there has absolutely changed the way I look at the world. Connect-123 made sure all the interns were getting the most out of their experiences, starting with making sure all the interns were in a placement with a host organization that would help them grow. Honestly, my favorite part my time abroad was working with my internship because it really complemented my interests and was tailored to my skills set. I spent my time in Cape Town working with a non-profit company with grant-writing and economic development proposals. I also was able to spend a fair amount of time doing field research collecting data in the townships which was extremely eye opening. At the beginning of my time in Cape Town, I thought I would become a Certified Public Accountant after graduation. However after my internship in Cape Town, I am so inspired to continue in the field of economic development that I was exposed to in South Africa.

I continue to stay in contact with my coworkers and South African friends. I really feel that Connect-123 personalized my entire experience and made sure that I left the country with complete appreciation for the culture and so much that the country as to offer.

I've been lucky enough to travel a great deal in my life, but can honestly say that Cape Town was the first destination abroad where I've ever felt like I never had to leave. It's an absolutely magical city, with fantastic weather, beautiful and friendly people, a wealth of things to do and one of the most fantastic settings that I've ever seen. I was there for six months, and rarely a day went by without going out into the city and exploring a new neighborhood or finding a cool bar or restaurant!

Additionally, choosing to do an internship in Cape Town through Connect-123 rather than independently vastly opened up my experience of South Africa. First of all, the apartment complex that I lived in, Perspectives, was located smack in the middle of the city center, walking distance from the majority of the city's restaurants, bars, and tourist attractions. Any place I couldn't reach easily by walking was at most a 3-6 dollar cab ride away! Additionally, the group outings that Connect organized both made it extremely easy to make friends from practically the moment I set foot in the city and made visiting the various attractions outside of the city - Garden Route, Cape Point, wine tastings, etc - much easier to plan.

Finally - and perhaps most importantly - the internship that Connect set me up with was absolutely FANTASTIC! I worked at a social enterprise whose mission was to plant trees in undergreened areas of southern Africa and to incite a more inclusive and popular environmental movement in the region. The organization regularly planted trees in Cape Town schools and organized activations to raise green awareness, such as free yoga on the Sea Point Promenade, giving away seedlings, and riding bikes to promote alternative transportation in a very car-dependent city. My role at the organization was as a social media and communications intern - I ran the Facebook, helped with events management, marketed to various media sources around the city, and performed a variety of other tasks that never failed to keep me busy. Additionally, I accompanied the organization to Livingstone, Zambia - home of Victoria Falls! - to plant 5000 trees in the country more plagued by deforestation than any other in southern Africa. Finally, one of my bosses was one of the most famous musicians in South Africa, so I regularly got to attend concerts for free and help out with selling merchandise and the like.

Overall, I had an absolutely magical time with Connect-123 and my internship in South Africa, and can't wait to return!

This is one of the best opportunities I could have ever asked for. My internship was a dream. It allowed me to do what I loved, reconnect with a part of my life that I had let go of, and immerse myself in the local culture. I felt like I lived there with traveling to and from work and walking around. I enjoyed the drinks nights with the interns because everyone has a different experience and it was great to see all of the different perspectives. The highlights of my trips were my internship, going to the a rugby match, and just hanging out in general. I cannot think of a single day in which I was unhappy. I had such an amazing time.

If you’re reading this and considering doing an internship with Connect123 in Cape Town…definitely do it! I had an amazing and unforgettable experience in Cape Town, both from a personal and professional perspective.

I worked at a human rights law firm that specialized in refugee law, constitutional issues, gender violence and land law to name a few areas. Tasks I helped with included client intake and interviews, research, drafting legal documents, negotiations with Government departments and the police, as well as attending court hearings. The team I worked with was supportive, fun and absolutely inspiring. I was given real work and responsibility from literally Day 1! Overall, the work experience I obtained was more than I had hoped for and completely relevant to my future aspirations.

The team at Connect123 were amazing! Their help before and during my time in Cape Town allowed me to make the most of my internship opportunity. They offered a placement that suited my needs, organized logistics prior to my arrival, prepared great social events, provided support as well as an instant network of friends and activities to take part in.

Cape Town is a beautiful city and I encourage everyone to visit. There are so many incredible things to do – hiking, beaches, safari and shark-cage diving just to name a few! I met some amazing, fun and incredible people and together we fully immersed ourselves in the beautiful culture and lifestyle of South Africa by trying something new almost everyday. You will not be bored while in Cape Town!

I strongly recommend the Connect-123 program to anyone who would like to experience more than just an internship. I had an unforgettable international internship experience that opened doors for my professional future and also allowed me to personally grow as a person. As they say: “I came here to change Cape Town, but Cape Town changed me”.

My time here in Cape Town was so life changing and incredible. I met so many great new friends and was able to explore such a beautiful and diverse city. On the flip side, you are so overcharged for rent (about $525 for a double!), and the program administration fee. What exactly is the $1495 going to? They help you find your internship which is nice, but you could easily walk two blocks and find several organizations who would love to have you help out and work for free. So essentially you are paying someone to apply for you, to work for free. That fee doesn't include the activities they set up, transportation, the wi-fi or the electricity. Electricity is expensive and to have good wi-fi you pay at least $35 a month. There is no gym upstairs (it is one working bike) and the apartment location is in a sketchy area as well. If you have the means to do so, find a cheaper living alternative and look for an organization yourself. Again, why pay $1495 for them to do it. When you go talk to them about internship problems, they tell you to stick it out because their relationship with the organizations are more important than your happiness and money that you paid to come here. The only good part is you live with other interns through the program...

I interned with a non-profit organization called Hoops 4 Hope and Soccer 4 Hope for three months in Cape Town. This experience was by far one of the most amazing things I have ever gone through. I worked with young children in the townships surrounding Cape Town providing them with basic life skills, while also providing them with opportunities to learn and play the great game of soccer. Some of my other day to day duties were organizing a 15-year celebration fundraising event for Soccer 4 Hope and also organizing soccer tournaments for the children in the townships.

Not only did I work for a great organization, but I met some amazing friends along the way. You get to live, travel, and explore with people from all around the world, what more could you ask for? Some of the things I did while I wasn't working included: bungie-jumping, shark cage diving, going on a safari, exploring the wine lands, climbing table mountain, kloofing, and going to some amazing bars/restaurants.

This was truly an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to have the time of their life.