Program Reviews

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Cape Town! VACorps gave me all of the resources I needed to thrive during my time in South Africa. They provided me with fantastic internship placement and created an independent environment of growth with numerous learning opportunities. As a future Public Health major, I was matched with a complimentary internship where I worked as a counselor for pregnant women and new moms, designed a resource book and compiled helpful programs for those seeking help, and worked in the Mowbray Maternity Hospital nursery and organized donations into new baby and momma bags! I transitioned from shadowing counselors to individually running counseling sessions.  Working at my internship site gave me a real introduction to public health in Cape Town, and, surrounded by such a supportive environment, I can undoubtedly say I experienced true growth in my confidence and abilities. I lived here for 3 months, and would definitely recommend staying for as long as you are able! There is so, so much to explore (especially with Cape Town's diverse geography), and you will certainly want to see everything. Some of my favorite activities have been hiking (do Lion's Head at sunrise!), surfing, trying new restaurants, exploring thrift shops, visiting Kirstenbosch, and museum touring. The 'vactivities' and Culture Series ensures you learn and see everything you can about the city! Overall, the level of growth I have experienced in this program, from within my internship, to simply learning how to live independently, has been unmatched, and I do believe my gap year would be incomplete without it.

I chose Cape Town because I wanted to go somewhere completely different and outside of my comfort zone, and it was highly recommended to me by a friend who had done the program last year. The VACorps Program was everything I expected and so much more. Not only did I learn a lot about Cape Town, South Africa, and its rich and beautiful culture, but I also learned so much about myself, and my future career. I am more confident as a result. The VACorps team is so supportive and empathetic and they truly care about their interns and the experience they have in South Africa. I’m going to miss everyone so much. The VACorps team, the other VACorps program participants, and all of my work colleagues who were so kind and from whom I learned so much.

When I first decided to go to Cape Town I did so mostly because I wanted to do an internship for my university and I was tired of the cold winter in Europe. But Cape Town has so much more to offer than just amazing weather and diverse and interesting internship sites. Interning here for three months was an incredible and life-altering experience. It stretched from swimming in the ocean and going on a variety of hikes to going to nice restaurants and exploring the multicultural and beautiful city. And there is a seemingly endless amount of things one could do. Even after all my time here, there are still some things on my bucket list that I did not get to do - even though I feel like I worked on finishing them very diligently. Doing an internship with VACorps was also giving me the opportunity to meet many like-minded people from all over the world and from a variety of different fields. Overall it was an experience I am very happy about and would not want to miss.

My experience in the VACorps program was a perfect balance of rigorous internship and freedom to explore a new city. I loved my internship dearly- teaching grade 5 Monday through Thursday- and the relationships I formed with both my learners and my teaching mentor will stick with me. Cape Town is an entirely unique city- coming from New England, it resembled nowhere I'd ever visited before, and I loved it almost instantly. It's hard to find a city that combines nature, adventure, history, and nightlife while maintaining such a sense of community. VACorps itself fosters a familial environment and getting altogether at the end of the week to explore the city was a highlight of every week. My time in Cape Town is leaving me with a unique cultural experience, a new perspective on the world outside of my hometown bubble, and many new friends that I look forward to keeping up with in the coming years.

I chose to come to Cape Town because the internship opportunities in South Africa with perfectly fit what I wanted to do. My university major requires international study experience and VACorps was a perfect fit. Through this internship, I have grown so much as an individual and it has awoken a passion to travel alone throughout the world. I will miss the views of Table Mountain and the wonderful sunsets from Camps Bay. I was here for 3 months and I would come back in a heartbeat, or extend my trip if I did not have to get back for school. For incoming interns, I would recommend going out with groups even if you're tired, and making the best of your time. Enjoy every sunset, try new foods, and try to talk to people outside of your VACorps program friends. I loved the group activities and I appreciated the fun things we were able to experience as a group that would have been more difficult alone (ex: cape point). I am most grateful for the ease and peace of mind that the VACorps program gave me when it came to placing an internship, safety around Obs, and a supportive hand whenever I had questions about living in South Africa.

I chose to come to Cape Town for my internship because there is so much to do here and heading to Cape Town's summer from England's winner was a no-brainer. Rowan was fantastic in helping me secure lots of internship options, but I chose to intern at the Women's Legal Centre as it was the most well-aligned with my career ambitions at home.

I came for two months but time went far too quickly - for prospective interns, I would advise at least three months! I had a Cape Town bucket list that was already long and when I got here, I discovered there is even more to do. Two months flew by and I wish I had longer.

I did a law internship at an NGO that advances women's rights and equality through strategic litigation, advocacy, and education. The thing I loved about interning here was the flexibility of my placement. My internship site was very understanding when I wanted to work remotely, and when I wanted to go into the office. They were always welcoming and everyone was super friendly. The office culture is vibrant and happy, completely different from London, and I will miss that dearly.

I will also miss all the VAC staff immensely. No question or query was ever too much - the support and availability from all staff is truly next level. Everyone communicated with me positively and enthusiastically and I truly wish VACorps all the success in the world in the future because you deserve it all. I appreciated the variety of weekly activities which were suitable for everyone's tastes.

There were so many amazing moments in Cape Town but my favorites were definitely my trip to Kruger (I saw the big 5!), and the penguin beach.

I feel I have grown as a person and re-discovered myself again which I had lost amidst the pandemic. The whole trip was everything I expected and so much more, and I will always cherish the amazing memories I made here in Cape Town.

I chose Cape Town because I wanted to be in a city that offered a vibrant culture, but I also wanted to be able to easily do outdoor adventures. Cape Town is unlike any other city in the world and it is worth experiencing firsthand.

I absolutely loved my internship. I was an Intern at the Oranjezicht Urban Farm. The farm manager and other workers there were beautiful humans and the internship allowed me to have a lot of autonomy to really make my experience my own. I was able to be outside looking at Table Mountain while learning the ins and outs of what it takes to be an organic farmer and the struggles that local farmers experience in CT. I was able to explore my own interests in Herbalism and create a workshop on Herbal Tea Making. I could be as engaged as I wanted to be because the farm was involved with a large variety of projects including farm work, the market, and alternative township farm involvement.

I was also really grateful for the friends I made through my internship and the VAC program. They are lifetime friends for sure. It was amazing to always have people to do activities with. Everyone was very like-minded. Independent, hardworking, and culturally aware. It was refreshing!

VAC helped me find the perfect placement. They gave me support in case of emergencies (like when I lost my phone). They ensure fantastic housing options. And the staff are always there to help and extremely friendly.

Being able to not only travel abroad but also gain work experience is amazing. South Africa is a beautiful country and is filled with so much life and color. I decided to intern in Cape Town because it offered options that I never would have had back home. I interned at a local Radio Station in Cape Town, and my job entailed a wide variety of reporting and informing the public, either through Voxing, editing sound, interviews, and even reporting live from events like SONA. I was able to get the work experience that I needed for university, and I was able to do my own networking through both my internship and fellow VACorps interns. I learned how to be more independent, and I loved the sense of family and community among everyone at VACorps. I stayed for 8 weeks in Cape Town but I do wish I had stayed a little longer, Cape Town has stolen a little piece of my heart.

I chose to come to Cape Town after volunteering in the greater Kruger area a few months prior. The people I met there were very adamant that I visit Cape Town, so I decided to head there next! The best part of interning in Cape Town was the relationships I was able to make with my co workers. The majority of them were immigrants from other countries in Africa, so I loved getting to learn about their experiences. I also enjoyed the friendly nature of the people there, and found myself consistently walking around with a smile from daily interactions I would have. I learned that the Cape Town version of myself is one of my favorites, and I will miss it here dearly. Table Mountain is deserving of being one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, and inside the park was where I was happiest in Cape Town. I had some truly remarkable hikes with friends I made here that I will never forget. I will miss the friends I've made and the unique hybridization of mountain, forest, ocean, and city that is unparalleled. I stayed here for 7 weeks, and if it were not for an upcoming trip to Nepal, I would surely be extending. I really hope to come back to this place, and deepen my understanding for the beauty in the people and land. So I would advise people to stay for as long as possible, especially if they are coming for the summertime. I would say that for someone who is fully fluent in English, CT is very easy to navigate and there is not much preparation needed. And the VACorps staff were amazing throughout the whole process. They assisted me when I had Covid, and although I didn't need much from them, it was great knowing that I could rely on them if need be. I'm most grateful to the VAC program for bringing together such an amazing group of interns. I hope to remain friends with many of these people.

VACorps has given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern in and explore Cape Town. There is no other place in the world quite like Cape Town and I will forever cherish the memories I have made here for the rest of my life. I interned at a spectacular organization that helps children in need, and I was able to get an insight in to social work with children.
The VACorps staff are some of the sweetest, nicest, and most helpful people I have met in Cape Town. I appreciate how they were so willing to help me out when I needed it.