South Africa Internships With Academic Credit | From 2-24 Weeks

Prior to beginning my internship, I had no idea what to expect when I was planning to visit Cape Town. My decision to go there and intern abroad was almost purely based on looking at photos of sunsets on Table Mountain, on Google images. I was further motivated by an interest in educating myself further on the history of South Africa. Also, completing a business internship within the UK had made me more curious to see how different businesses operate within other countries.

Knowing that I would love the opportunity to intern abroad (if only for a short while) I decided that this internship opportunity would be the perfect time to combine my passions. I arranged an internship with Intern Abroad in the heart of Cape Town, for two-weeks at the end of January 2019. The short-term flexibility of the internship programs worked with my schedule and ensured I’d gain a taster of life in South Africa.

After an overnight flight, I stepped off the plane at 10 a.m. to a not-too-shabby 30 degrees hitting me right in the face – quite a change from the negative numbers I’d left behind in Scotland! Within just two hours, I’d arrived at and already left my accommodation to explore, having met fellow interns on the same programme, led by our local Internships Coordinator, Elisha.

The remainder of my first day on the internship program was spent getting to know everyone, which wasn’t difficult, as they couldn’t have been more welcoming and talkative. Between visiting their favourite spots together and driving to the coast, to sit on a rock and watch the sun go down in South Africa, I really couldn’t have asked for a much better way to settle into my new home for the next two weeks.

I woke up bright and early the next day to begin work at my internship placement - a task that was made easier with the blazing sun and blue sky staring in at me from the window. Safe to say, it was quite different to waking up for a 9 a.m. lecture back home!

For my Start Up Entrepreneurship internship with Intern Abroad HQ, I was placed via a customized process to intern with OBSRealty. To get there each morning, I only had to take a (not-so-strenuous) 10-minute walk down the road to the office. This location was relatively central, situated near the city center, the University of Cape Town, and about 10 minutes from the Cape Town International Airport as well. On the way to my internship placement, I passed cute cafes that I would later visit for lunches, street art vibrantly painted around every corner, and even the odd book shop for me to nip into on my way home from work (to find something to read at the beach that night).

My internship placement at ObsRealty is a local business, which specializes in residential and commercial sales and property management. The close-knit team at this internship placement included another intern and I. Each of the company’s staff members helped and demonstrated the day-to-day operations of their real estate business. I was driven to parts of Cape Town that I wouldn’t have visited otherwise, given the time constraints of my short stay. I had the opportunity to speak to local people, learning how the start-up company had developed and grown throughout the area. Each day was full to the brim, but it certainly didn’t end once the workday was over!

From visiting the most unbelievable beaches like Clifton 4th beach and Camp’s Bay, to seeing the colourful houses in the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, watching the latest releases in the Labia Movie Theatre on Orange Street, to exploring the Kirstenbosch National Park. If you can see the attraction listed within Lonely Planet’s guide to Cape Town, then you can rest assured that I visited it within my two-week internship! While I was a little worried that only having a mere two weeks for my experience wouldn’t be enough to see and do everything, the support from my Internship Coordinator (and Uber transport!) helped me to really make the most of every minute, from sunrise to sunset. I made sure that I ticked everything I’d hoped to visit off my list!

The most memorable day of my internship in Cape Town came on my first Saturday. A group of interns and myself joined the Internship Coordinator in Cape Town to visit the Old Biscuit Mill for brunch and to soak up the hectic weekend atmosphere. From there, we took an incredible road trip to Simon’s Town, to swim with the penguins at Boulder Beach. From there, we continued even further on, to the most southern point of Cape Town - aptly named “Cape Point”. The fog on that particular day may have slightly affected how far down the coast we could see, but this area offered so much more - like watching a baboon steal and then proceed to drink a full bottle of Gatorade from an unsuspecting tourist (please watch your food and drinks and don’t feed the wildlife!)

Driving back up the coast, stopping at many incredible points along the way with Elisha as our tour guide, we got to visit a huge sea lion, see emus strolling along a beach, watch the sunset (which never failed to astound me, no matter how many times I watched the sun set in Cape Town), all before heading to a pub to watch a six nations sports game. We finished our weekend day-out by viewing the city lights from the top of Signal Hill. It was an incredible day to remember!

I couldn’t have chosen a better place to have done my internship or even just to have visited. Cape Town is a city with the most welcoming locals, an incredibly humbling history, and views so stunning that even flicking through the photos of them on my phone still leaves me in shock, that I was able to take in such beautiful sights. Having the Intern Abroad HQ team every step of the way really did make my trip unforgettable and allowed me to have such a personal memorable experience. Without the support of the Internships Coordinator in Cape Town, it would have just been so different otherwise, as recommending the best local eateries or the most beautiful picnic spots was a task he excelled at.

I wish that it would have been possible for me to remain on the internship in South Africa longer than two weeks, but now it just means that I’ll have to return in the future - either to reconnect with some of the people I was fortunate enough to meet, or to see what more Cape Town has to offer!

My experience with Intern Abroad HQ was incredibly smooth, organized, and simply one I will never forget. From the moment I submitted my application, I was put in touch with a specialist at Intern Abroad HQ who provided me with all the information I required and was always available for an email or a phone call if I had any questions. The information package provided was incredibly detailed and answered all of the questions I had about the program and the process.

I participated in the wildlife conservation internship at Dinokeng Game Reserve in South Africa. The moment I arrived at the airport I was met by my transfer to the reserve. The field guides I had on the reserve were extremely knowledgeable and helpful in being able to adjust to life on the reserve and the work to be done. Throughout my time the work involved a mix of both manual labour (fence and tree removal) as well as data collection. It was such a joy to wake up every morning surrounded by wildlife and then head out on the reserve and work so closely with the animals. The field guides also did a great job to break up the work throughout the day to avoid the high heat of the South African afternoons. Safety was also a major concern for the field guides and I never felt unsafe during my one month on the reserve. They even provided a lecture to review animal behaviour and how to conduct yourself should an encounter with an animal occur.

On top of feeling like the work I was doing was making a concrete difference for the wildlife of Dinokeng, I also left the experience with friendships with people from around the world; many of which I know will last long after the experience ended. I cannot speak enough about how this experience challenged me and provided me with a feeling of accomplishment in the work I was doing. I will definitely be volunteering abroad again one day and know it will be with Intern Abroad HQ.

My first time abroad on my own outside of Europe was certainly something I was looking forward to but also something I was apprehensive about. But having frequent communication and lots of pre-departure information made me less uneasy about my trip. South Africa as a place is absolutely amazing - beautiful scenery, plenty of activities to get involved in, delicious food and great culture and history to immerse yourself in. My favourite aspect of my trip however, was interacting with the people. I have never met people so friendly and willing to help!

Throughout my psychology internship I was based in a school in Cape Town. My only criticism was that I applied for a psychology internship, was told I would be interacting lots with the school counsellor. However when I got there I mainly shadowed classes and helped out with sports. I did not gain the exposure and insight into aspects of psychology that I was led to believe I would gain. Nevertheless, I had such an enriching experience and learned about not only myself and my capabilities but also the South African culture. The overall experience was worthwhile and I would recommend it. My only advice would be to pursue the internship you want independently and make sure you get all information regarding it prior to departure.

Other than that, the experience was amazing and I have taken so much from it. The support I received was good and I believe that the internship has equipped me with necessary transferable skills such as communication and teamwork, alongside the confidence to put myself forward to pursue future opportunities.

My time spent abroad on my placement in Dinokeng, South Africa was one of the most rewarding experiences I could have asked for. I spent 8 weeks on a beautiful game reserve, and I did not once feel alone or unwelcome. Everyone is kind and welcoming getting there, and all your questions beforehand will quickly be answered by Intern Abroad. Highly recommend, I will cherish my time from this summer forever.