Internships in Cape Town with VACorps

I chose to come to Cape Town because it's in a country that's always fascinated me, and I thought it would be the perfect place to do a human rights internship. I learned so much here, not just academically speaking, but I also learnt so much about the culture and about myself. Overall, I think the most important thing I've learnt is that I am so much more capable than I thought I was. I've gained so much confidence in my own abilities, and learned more about my own potential in life. I've been in Cape Town for 10 weeks, and I think the best advice I could give a future intern would be to come here with an open mind, and be prepared for experiences you never thought you would have. Say yes to things you wouldn't necessarily ordinarily say yes to, and don't be afraid to speak to new people. VAC are so great at looking after us interns, and the weekly VACtivities are a great way to see more of the country and get more out of your stay here. I can 100% recommend Cape Town and VACorps for an incredible experience you will never forget!

Interning in Cape Town has been one of the most interesting and eye-opening experiences I have had. Cape Town and South Africa, have always interested me, the way in which various cultures come together and live among each other, the environmental challenges that are almost unique to this part of the world and the beautiful landscape make Cape Town one of the most worthwhile internship destinations globally.

I stayed in CT for 12 weeks doing an environmental consulting internship. During this time I worked at a variety of locations from petrol stations to ammunition factories. All of these experiences were priceless in helping me understand what i wish to do after graduating and in understanding how my studies help to shape policy through the world. Alongside the internship, living in Cape Town, at first was a large culture shock, to see such a disparity of wealth in such close proximity to each other was something I had not experienced before. However looking past that, the people you meet and the conversations you have are very revealing to peoples motivations and ambitions. Whilst someone may live in a township and not have a lot to their name, they're simultaneously studying for an undergraduate degree. I suppose CT forces you to look past the material and to see what truly drives people. If CT if one of your first travel experiences, the one thing to remember is to have an open mind and to understand those around you the best you can.

VAC itself has been very useful for me as they are always on hand to give advice or even if you just need to talk about your day there will always be someone nearby. The weekly activities were an excellent way of meeting people upon first arrival and they gave me a chance to experience areas of CT I may not have done otherwise. The program is also very flexible and the staff very accommodating so they will do their absolute best to help you as much as they can and to make the transition to CT the smoothest it can be.

Personally, I think 10-12 weeks is plenty of time to fully experience CT, if you're coming for anything less I don't think you have the time to acclimatize to your surroundings and fully appreciate the city.

I chose to intern abroad in Cape Town because I was looking to experience living and working in a place completely unique from what I was used to. I had done internships at home, but I really wanted something new and to gain experience working internationally. Interning at the Cape Town Environmental Education Trust really showed me how passionate I was about connecting to nature and helping to conserve the environment. The people at my site truly demonstrated their knowledge and commitment to educating youth about improving the environment, which helped me develop more of an idea of what I would like to do career-wise. In regards to the VACorps family, I think that good people and good conversation really make an experience; my time here was absolutely amazing thanks to all of the people that I met. I was in Cape Town for 12 weeks and definitely recommend staying for as long as possible, because it starts to feel like home.

To say that my experience with VACorps was a positive experience would be a lie. I have traveled extensively in my lifetime, but never struggled more than when I came to South Africa to complete an internship through this company. Before I came, I was told there would be many different avenues by which I would be supported by the staff whether it came to safety, housing, travel accommodations, etc. However, upon arrival, this was not the case. I was told there would be a shuttle service that would transport me to and from my internship in a township each day (very far from where I lived, and quite a dangerous area to travel to alone if you are a foreigner), but upon arrival, I was told they had shut down the shuttle service and that I would have to uber each day to my site with other interns. Due to the timing of arrivals, I was alone many days and had to pay upwards of R300 a day ($27.50) to travel to my internship. Once there, the staff seemed to have no idea who I was or why I as there as if VACorps had never talked to them beforehand. Additionally, there were other interns from other organizations at that site which made shadowing and learning a competitive endeavor. Ultimately, there was never anything for me to do or learn and the doctors did not enjoy having so many interns there getting in the way of things.
If you intern through VACorps, you will find that you are spending a very large sum of money without knowing where that money actually goes. The actual support you receive from the staff is very limited and you are ultimately on your own most of the time. Paying for this program is paying for a community of other interns, which has been a positive of the experience, but that is about it. I sent an email to my coordinators letting them know of my frustrations and never once received a response to the email. I was left scrambling trying to find something to do here for the remainder of my time in Cape Town, and luckily found a private hospital to take me on as a shadow student, but some of my friends were not that lucky.
Coming to South Africa is worth it- I have done and seen the most incredible things during my two months here, but do NOT come here through VACorps. It is not worth the money, the support you receive from the staff once you get here is completely lackluster, and you will most likely have issues with your internship.

Being able to volunteer in Cape Town during my college career was life-changing to me. College times could be frustrating, confusing at times trying to figure out what is your true passion, who you are, and what are you looking for in the future... Having the chance to explore Cape Town, volunteering at various facilities and learning about their unique culture, values and history by interacting with the local communities, I've definitely found it the amazing way to self-learning and expand my vision.
I really appreciated the opportunity VACorps has given me to be able to travel with a group of intelligent and passionate young individuals and experienced professors/leaders that guided us to learn about being open-minded, being respectful, being curious about cultural backgrounds, being humble to history and appreciate the community, relationships, education, kindness and grow from experience to understand who I truly am in order to make more mature decisions after graduation.
I definitely recommend this program to all undergraduate students (junior/senior) to participate this, it will become an "unforgettable once in a lifetime experience" that will forever take a big part of our memories and growth.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this trip, but I can tell you now that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. VACorps was super communicative and on top of things during the application process and while I was there. Although I didn't stay near the other VAC students, it ended up working out really well and I was still involved in the weekly activities.

Speaking of activities, VAC always made sure to have something new planned each week (there was never a repeat!) and there were several trip opportunities as well as Monday night Xhosa lessons which were super interesting.

I interned for a small film company in City Central and the people there were just amazing. My boss took me under his wing, making sure I learned every detail of filmmaking and got hands on experience working on sets or editing. When work was slower in January (because holiday just ended), he would give feedback on my work, helping me to improve, and would have me watch and write a review on different influential films. My other coworkers were also super talented and kind, and I definitely felt at home working with all them! I even got to see them again when they visited NYC!

The city of Cape Town, itself, was the cherry on top of the whole trip. The place is absolutely stunning; there's a beautiful view of Table Mountain almost everywhere and there is always so much to do (hiking, wine tasting, garden concerts, surfing, etc.). People there are so friendly and you're almost guaranteed to make great friends from all over the world.

I do have two pieces of advice- if you're internship is based in City Center, look for housing near there so you can walk to work, plus you'd be surrounded by great nightlife and lots of activities. I didn't find Observatory to be that exciting and the AirBnB hostel I stayed at downtown was perfect as there were other interns and travelers there I befriended. My second piece of advice is to make the most of it. Even when you're tired, go watch the sunset on Signal Hill or go to First Thursdays. You'll look back on those moments when it's over!

Overall, I definitely would recommend VACorps and Cape Town to any interested student. You will love it!

VAcorps provided just enough support and assistance to really make the trip what we wanted of it. We we're not coddled which allowed us to explore Cape Town to the fullest. The internships were interesting, but make sure to clearly communicate what you want to do and expectations, if not you may not get the experience you hoped for. That being said the staff was very accommodating with any concerns or issues. Definitely take the chance to explore the views, local culture, and if you have time drive along the garden route for an amazing time. This program is excellent for travelers who want to take an active role in the process but may not be as good for more passive or unconfident travelers.

Without VAC I would not be who I am today. I started at an internship that wasn’t the best fit for me but VAC listened and made adjustments and got me into the most perfect job experience I could hope for. 8 years later and I am still working in the same field! The living situation was amazing. I lived with people from all over the world, it was easy for everyone to get along because we had so much in common. VAC taught me so much about growing as a person and respecting different cultures I am still trying to hit a new country every year and expand my travel experience. I still keep in touch with many of the people in my program! My advice to anyone looking to explore or have a new experience or a new start or just expand your knowledge is to get out of your comfort zone and take a chance and you will be rewarded with forever friends and memories.