Cape Town has been an amazing place to work and live. I chose Cape Town because I had never been out of my comfort zone, and I was fascinated by the rich history of the area. I am interested in pursuing a career in government and experiencing the Parliamentary system of South Africa has been fantastic and eye-opening experience. Over the past 3 months, I met some amazing people, from all walks of life, and together we cultivated unforgettable memories all over the country and beyond! I will miss so much about this place, the hikes, views, food, people, lifestyle...ect. The VAC staff and weekly activities have been incredible as well. I'd like to thank my supervisors Rashaad and Monique for their guidance, insight, and friendliness. I had never been excited about coming into work until I started at PMG and will truly miss the office dynamic. I would advise everyone to fly to SA, stay for 90 days if you can, and try everything possible! It doesn't get much better than this.

I chose to intern in Cape Town because of the rich culture that is South Africa. At my university, I learned about the resiliency of the South African people and how they draw power from their culture to change their communities for the better. I wanted to come to Cape Town to experience this sense of bravery with my own eyes. I decided to do an internship because I wanted to lend my skills, knowledge, and care to the people of South Africa. My goal was not to step into South African communities and tell their members what they needed to do; rather, I came to South Africa wanting to meet the needs of the people I intended to serve. Instead of meeting South African people halfway, I wanted to meet them where they were at.

Within my first few days in Cape Town, I fell in love with South Africa, especially the South African people. The individuals I had the privilege of meeting welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. Initially, I was scared that I would feel homesick since I was thousands of miles away from home, but this feeling could not have been farther from the truth. Even though I did not have my friends and immediate family with me, I was able to find a community in South Africa that made me feel loved, cared for, and accepted. Thanks to the guidance and support of the VACorps team, I was able to develop a sense of belonging here in South Africa.

The thing I will miss the most when I leave is the people. I never expected myself to connect with so many individuals on such a deep level. Each week at my internship site, I had the opportunity to listen to my co-workers stories and learn about their experiences living in South Africa. Every story I heard was told with conviction, humility, and love–I always left feeling inspired by their words and in awe with their presence. Hearing people's story helped me realize how important it is to create spaces for people to speak. Throughout my stay in South Africa, I learned how powerful listening is. When you listen, you help others find power in their voice and the strength in their stories.

While my time in Cape Town, South Africa is coming to an end, the experiences I had and the lessons I learned will be taken with me wherever I am in the world. Thank you South Africa for sharing your beauty with me.

Cape Town is amazing, but would made the experience even better was VAC. From pre arrival to orientation, I was constantly supported. VAC's staff and the weekly activities were great. I would suggest that people budget before they come here. And definitely go to Mozambique, it's a once in a lifetime experience!

I think the application process was perfect. The effort to match the right internship site with the right person really shows.

And lastly, I enjoyed that I felt the support from VAC before I arrived, and the second I was on the ground. It eases the transition period.

Interning in Cape Town has been one of the most enriching, inspiring, and over-all remarkable experiences I have ever had. The places I've seen and the people I've been fortunate to connect with have really made this experience what it was. My internship site has blessed me with so much knowledge and understanding that I can now take out into the world. I am so thankful and so excited to bring these memories and experiences with me as I continue a life of exploration, service, and laughter.

My goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the immigration issues in South Africa. Through this internship I was provided with first-hand knowledge and experience concerning the xenophobia issues that plague Cape Town and all of South Africa. Working with women specifically, I gained a deeper understanding of the intersection between gender and foreigner.

VACorps was an amazing experience. I was able to do hands on work in a rapid growing business which was a once in a lifetime opportunity. VAC was incredibly helpful on setting up the internship and helping with any needs i have once I arrived, but once I got situated, VAC gave enough freedom so I could discover all Cape Town has to offer.

My tip would be to try and get Friday’s off or a half day on Friday. There is so much to explore in Cape Town and VAC does a good job showing Cape Town through the activities on Friday.

I came to South Africa because I wanted to understand its history and struggle, to understand how counsellors and psychologists apply western theories to people living in a country like South Africa and to explore this beautiful country. I tried to control my expectations, but even if you make a strong effort not to build expectations they magically appear. And I must say, both Cape Town and Hope House have gone above and beyond my expectations. Exploring Cape Town and its surroundings have been one of the most magical things I've ever done in my life, and it has given me a glimpse of how people live here, how they think and the historic context they live in. Regarding my internship placement at Hope House... it was such an amazing experience that I will cherish forever. I felt my supervisor's trust from day one, and that motivated me to give the best of me at anything I've done there. In two months I've counseled 9 clients (7-8 sessions each) and co-facilitated two different groups at Levana Primary and Lavender Hill High, and I couldn't be happier with how much I've learned from my clients and the learners, but specially from my coworkers at Hope House. The kindness and hard work of people working at HH inspired me every day. Specially my supervisor, Mandy. She is so talented at what she does, she is one of the most talented persons I've ever met. She treats everyone with love and she passes her wisdom onto everyone around her. You can tell she is one of the people in this world who really cares for people around her, and wants to support anyone in need anytime she has the opportunity to do so. I will forever be grateful to Hope House and VAC, for choosing such an amazing placement for me. Thank you!

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. There is access to everything and always so much to do. I loved all the opportunities to be outdoors and find adventure. Through VACorps I have met so many wonderful people who have made exploring this country such a wonderful experience. From hikes and sunset beach picnics to shark cage diving and swimming with penguins, I was never bored and I have memories that will stay with me forever. VACorps was especially great because of all the wonderful staff and the cultural and friday activities. I learned and explored more than I ever could alone. Two and a half months is definitely not enough time in this beautiful city.

I chose Cape Town to explore what the medical profession would be like away from the United States. My experience was enlightening and exceptionally interesting, but more importantly, VAC internships set me up with a unique opportunity to meet amazing people through the program. I have made amazing friends and gone on adventures of a lifetime (especially the Mozambique trip), and I would do it again a thousand more times. I have seen myself change for the better in all aspects of my life, and I have this program to thank for that. I will miss the party block at 89/91 station road, and especially Rust cafe. My only advice is to actually prepare a budget for your time here.