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.
What would you improve about this program?
More culture night series! More events hosted at the VACorps office! I loved how we were introduced to South African culture by local South African people. I would enjoy having more opportunities to interact with the VACorps team–they are amazing individuals. One on one time would also be nice; however, I do understand that one-on-ones are time consuming and difficult to coordinate with dozens of interns. Perhaps interns who want one-on-one time can sign up to meet with a VACorps member. This can be extremely beneficial to interns who are a bit more on the introverted side and would benefit greatly from connecting with a VACorps member before starting their internship, as they will feel that they have someone to turn to during their stay in South Africa.
