Internships in Cape Town with VACorps

I chose Cape Town as a place to intern abroad because I have always been eager to go to Africa and I felt that Cape Town would be a perfect fit for me. I decided to do an internship because after graduating University and working for two years I wanted to travel more but also get some experience in my field of interest, so I thought interning abroad would be a good option. Observatory was a great neighbourhood to live in, with everything you need pretty much within walking distance. I was placed in a 6-week human rights internship program with Kelly Stone, an independent policy researcher and human rights lawyer. Kelly was an awesome supervisor and it was a pleasure to work with her. I would suggest my internship site to anyone interested in the field of human rights. The internship itself was super rewarding and gave me a lot of insight into things like South African law and policing in South Africa. My internship gave me the opportunity to work independently, as well as part of a team and I feel like it was a perfect balance for me.

A couple of things I loved the most about interning in Cape Town was the people that I met through VAC and the friendships I have made. I loved being able to explore Cape Town on my days off, whether it was alone or with a friend. The weather was also fairly warm during my stay here, which definitely didn't hurt. Also, the weekly activities were a great addition to the program as they were a great opportunity to go and meet other VAC interns and explore South Africa. I am grateful for the support and guidance I received here by the VAC staff and my internship supervisor. They were always responsive and willing to answer any questions I had. I would definitely advise people to come do an internship through VAC.

Coming to Cape Town was a big leap of faith for me as i went into doing this internship not knowing what i will face. I wanted to get far out of my comfort zone and choose a country where i would never imagine coming to. I surprised myself and adapted quite well in CT, learning, experiencing new things and falling in love with the people and culture. I loved interning at Groote Schurr hospital as it helped me to learn so much about the health issues that CT has been facing. I was able to be open-minded and experience what i have learned in theory during my years at university and actually gaining experience and insight on Research and the prevention and intervention of HIV. I went through an amazing journey for 3 months here, and i have faced challenges and done things i thought i could never do. I have grown so much from being part of this experience, becoming more independent and looking beyond what meets the eye. I loved living here, especially in Obz and i do not regret coming here at all. Out of all things, i will deeply miss the people here and their free and welcoming spirits. I have created so many beautiful relationships here and i will cherish all the memories. VACorps staff are the best! I joined a few activities and loved the garden route tour the most. I am super grateful for everyone here and the support has been the best.

I am so grateful that VACorps put me at NICRO to work on human rights law with Kelly Stone and Venessa Padayachee as my supervisors. I have learned so much in the past month and a half– not only about myself and my passions, but also about the South African society, its people, its history, its issues. Kelly, Venessa, and everyone I met through this internship were so open and welcoming, bringing me to all their meetings and showing me things that were hard but necessary to see. This is probably my favourite internship that I’ve done so far. My two supervisors are extraordinary, truly respectable people who are very passionate about their work, and I am honoured to have had the privilege to work with them.

Cape Town is a beautiful city, and VACorps provided me an opportunity to explore it while meeting likeminded young people. The program gave us a lot of freedom and choice, while the support and advice was always there when needed. The VACorps staff are very approachable and I loved getting to know them through the Friday trips we did. I especially enjoyed the wine tasting and the hiking trips!

Cape Town has been a city that I have wanted to visit for a very long time due to its natural beauty and the unlimited range of activities that it can offer. However what really encouraged me to choose Cape Town for my internship was VAC. I personally did not have much experience in travelling on my own and felt quite overwhelmed trying to find an internship for myself. However, the support that VAC provides from the initial application phase, all the way to your last day in Cape Town, was a huge deciding factor for me. In my first week alone I was able to meet so many new people from all around the world. Some highlights for me was the Garden Route where I conquered my fear of heights and bungee jumped off the world tallest bridge jump. This experience was so amazing that I went on to do a tandem skydive jump a couple of weeks after!
My internship has been a whole other experience in itself. I have loved working with my close knit family at TCOE. They have offered me so much both in terms of desk and field experience. Through them I was able to travel to the Eastern Cape multiple times for research that will prove beneficial for my university studies.
What I will miss the most about Cape Town is the nature, (having discovered a new found love for hiking), the coffee (Dolce Bakery serves the best coffee and bagels!), the food (Obs is just amazing for its range of restaurants) and all the amazing new people I have met in my 10 weeks here. I am very sad my time in Cape Town has come to an end, but it definitely is not a goodbye

I chose Cape Town for the culture difference and the new experiences! I came here alone and I am so glad because it really made me step out of my comfort zone and meet the best people from all around the world. My internship was a medical internship and I gained so much knowledge here about the medical field and Cape Town. The hiking and beaches here are unbelievably breathtaking! I will miss the views and the people! Everyone should travel as much as they can if they have a chance!

I have gained experience and interacted with patients more than I ever have in America. It was cool to meet and listen to the SA language as well.

My tips for future interns going to my same internship site would be to be ready to see interesting stuff! Keep your eyes open.

I originally decided to do a medical internship after I graduated from college just to get more experience in the medical field but as I arrived and started thinking about my time in Cape Town I believe it was much more than just getting experience. I felt as if I took a leap of faith and truly got out of my comfort zone which was one of the greatest feelings. I believe my month spent in Cape Town instilled in me an immense amount of growth and confidence. One of my favorite things about interning in Cape Town was the beauty and variety of cultures that exist there. One of the aspects of the VACorps program that I was most grateful for was the people I met through the program. They truly made Cape Town feel like home and each person I met had such an amazing outlook on life. The people and the beauty of the city is something that I miss the most. Overall, one piece of advise I would give to people who are coming to do an intership would be to be completely open to meeting new people and trying new things. By simply saying "yes" that choice can change your life.

I honestly never had Cape Town in mind when I was looking at internships abroad but I found VACorps through a random internet search. What sold me on this program was the weekly activities and culture series along with how close the staff and other interns are. The VACorps office is right in observatory, the neighbor hood that is recommended to stay at, and it was less than a 5 minute walk from my house. If I ever needed anything I could pop into the office and would immediately have my questions and concerns addressed. The program made me feel comfortable and at home and each step of the way was much easier with all the support provided. I loved being able to intern in Cape Town because of the different lifestyle and cultures I was able to work with and experience. I felt it was an amazing opportunity to experience a different way of life than I was used to and see how different social work practices were done in other parts of the world. I also loved the amount of adventures South Africa has to offer. Every weekend I was off experiencing something new and I never ran out of things to do. I stayed for 3 months and I feel that was the perfect time because it gave me plenty of time to experience my internship and get an understanding of the youth home I worked at, it also allowed me the time to check off all of the items on my Cape Town bucket list. I also went on the Mozambique and Kruger National Park trip that VACorps offered and I would 100% percent recommend going it was one of the highlights of my time spent in Africa.

This trip was one of the most eye opening experiences i have ever done. I learned so much about myself and am well prepared to travel more. I never wanted to travel much because i love my home but after this trip, it opened a door for me to go to so many new places. I already planned my next trip!

I can easily say South Africa changed my life and my perspective on things. I am speechless when it comes to explaining how amazing my trip is. I became so close with so many students and VAC employees and will cherish these friendships forever.

During my internship experience in Cape Town I learnt a lot about myself, I met amazing people, became more confident in myself and stepped out of my comfort zone! I joined for the VACorps Mozambique-Kruger adventure and I would definitely advise all interns to join for this trip if they had the opportunity.