VAC Internships Cape Town Reviews

Traveling to Cape Town has had an amazing impact on my life. Being submerged in this culture has allowed me to grow as an individual through the meaningful and amazing connections I formed. I volunteered at Site B clinic in Khayelitsha and collaborating with the nurses and doctors here have made me a better registered nurse here in the United States. My favorite memory of this trip I had was going to an authentic South African barbecue and playing with the children on the street. This trip has only benefitted my life and has allowed me to succeed in my college and nursing careers because of having this exposure to diversity.

This was an experience of a lifetime! I had the best time in Cape Town. My internship provided me with opportunities I would have otherwise not had without VACorps. I learned more than I could have ever imagined as a medical intern due to the fact that I got hands on experience as an undergrad student. On top of that, the friendships I made were incredible. The staff were always there and wanted us to explore. They helped us plan excursions and even sometimes came with us! I would go back in a heartbeat.

I had a truly formative life experience during my time as an intern with Volunteer Adventure Corps. Not only was the work I was doing fulfilling and life changing, but I found that the camaraderie with other interns, immersion into South African culture, and the intern outings shaped my perception of influence. I was able to realize the value and importance of how things that are unknown to me allow me to develop a fuller and truer sense of myself and my surroundings. Specifically, I developed curriculum and instruction for a nonprofit organization. I lived with interns and local Cape Town residents that helped encourage fun outings and memories. I also was able to fully realize my passion for adventure and thrill seeking during my time in Cape Town. I was able to go shark-cage-diving, bungee jumping, visit an elephant sanctuary, go on a safari, and gain PADI scuba certification.

While interning for VA Corps in South Africa 5 years ago, I learned the word Xhosa word Ubuntu which translates to "I am as we are." Since this experience that saying has become a way of life to me. To say my internship was life changing would be an understatement. It has shaped my career as a physical therapist, it has given me a motto for life of kindness and openness to others and gave me a clearer understanding of what a vision of togetherness means. As an example, I was a physical therapy intern at Athlone School for the blind. One of my favorite memories was when a bus driver saw the children with visual imairments playing soccer and said " I thought this was a school for the blind" and I proudly stated "It is. " Together we can help each other to see the world.

My experience as a VACorps volunteer in Cape Town, SA really opened my eyes to a whole other side of the world. I was able to gain useful knowledge and skills that have helped guide me to my career as a future physician assistant. My time in South Africa also enhanced my cultural awareness and understand of South African culture and history which has given me a deeper interest in learning about other world cultures. Being a VACorps volunteer teaches you things that you cannot read in a book or watch in a documentary.

I could write a novel about all of the things I have learned while being in South Africa. I chose Cape Town originally for the amazing scenic views. I pictured myself laying on the beach, climbing mountains, and seeing wild animals. When I arrived, I did all of that and so much more. My favorite part of being here was learning about the culture and people of South Africa. Everyone I met here was so inviting and friendly. I learned how to ask for help when I needed it, take chances, and slow down. I found tranquility in nature as well as the busy streets of the city.

At my internship site, I was overwhelmed by the differences in the school system at first. Luckily, I found that everyone at the school was so willing to help me learn as a professional as well as share my experience and ideas freely. I was able to try educational practices I had learned in my college courses without worrying if it would work or not. My mentor was always helping me along the way. We celebrated my failures and successes. I learned how to work along side of professionals in my field. I cried on my last day of teaching as I hugged and said goodbye to the students who helped me feel so at home in South Africa. I was thanked by all of the teachers, some I barely spent time with, and felt so appreciated.

I will never forget the mountains, the beaches, the Addo and the garden route, but I will miss the people I have met here and friendships I have formed the most. After about two and half months of being here, I am so sad to leave. I feel like a different person leaving here. I am more knowledgeable about the world, people’s perspectives, who I am and who I want to become in the future. I want to thank VACorps staff for holding my hand along the way but also letting me go on my own to explore this beautiful country. I know I will be back someday soon.

I contacted VACorps in 2015 as I was looking to do my M.A. internship in South Africa but couldn't really find anything interesting on my own. I was quickly invited to have a Skype session with one of the team members and was immediately made comfortable and felt part of a family. Within a week after officially signing up, I received my first opportunity and before I knew it, was on my way to Cape Town.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by a different team member in my new accomodation. She gave me an introduction to my new neighborhood, general recommandations about Cape Town and helped me settle in. The free Friday VACtivities, an organized trip to Mozambique and the overall support of the whole team made my stay some of the best times of my life.
Choosing VACorps was a great decision and allowed me to grow so much as an individual. If you're looking into going to Cape Town, then look no further and contact VACorps, they will have something in stock for you.

I absolutely loved my study/work abroad experience which couldn’t have happened without VAcorps. I first heard about VAcorps through one of their alumni and was instantly hooked. His unbridled excitement about the program intrigued me so I quickly applied for the program. The application/interview process was simple and done over Skype. All my questions about the program and Cape Town were quickly answered during the video calls. After being admitted, VAcorps helped me find an internship with a well-respected video/photo production company.
In the weeks leading up to my departure for Cape Town, VAcorps helped me find housing with other students which was a huge relief. Once I arrived, a VAcorps employee picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at my house providing me with a cellphone so I could let my family know I had arrived safely. Over the next few days, I was given an orientation of Cape Town which helped me get familiarized with the city. In addition to the orientation, on my first day of work a VAcorps employee came along on my commute to show me how the trains worked as well where my office would be.
Between work and my new friends, the next four months were some of the best times I can remember. At work, I learned a great deal through hands-on experience while also still having plenty of time to explore this new country. The weekly VAcorps activities were always fun and provided a great way to bond with other students in the program. Over the next few months, I explored South Africa with the help of VAcorps which organized scuba diving courses, hiking trips as well as a week long adventure to Mozambique.
What stood out to me about VAcorps was its integration of housing, job placement and trips. Through its various programs, I quickly made friends from across the world while exploring this beautiful nation. These friendships make the study abroad experience exponentially more enjoyable.

I would highly recommend VAcorps to anyone looking do an internship in Cape Town. The owner of VAcorps, Sean, is a top-notch guy who goes out of his way to make sure that all of the students in the program love their stay in the mother city.

From the very beginning VACorps was excellent at helping me meet my university requirements overseas. I was placed at a shelter that did not go well. Being so far away from home and my support network was scary during this time. I was able to find support within the VAC team. They were very kind about the situation and helped me find a new and better placement that was more willing to meet my university requirements. I am very thankful for that help and support.
They not only helped with the placements but helped me get out of my comfort zone and try new and exciting things in Cape Town. I am very happy that I made this decision to come to Cape Town it was full of hurdles but in the end there was triumph.

I worked as a VA Corp Intern at Retreat Medical Clinic. I was a pre-med college student the summer before my senior year. My goal in participating in the VA Corp program was to gain international medical experience. The living environment was wonderful and having an organization I could turn to if anything came up (example I lost my debit card while in Cape Town, my only means of obtaining cash from the ATMs, and they were able to provide me cash and charged a credit card), but the relationship between the Retreat Clinic and VA Corp was clearly only loosely established. I was introduced to a few nurses on day one, but on day two it was new staff who did not know I was going to be there and did not know what I should do (or what I was able to do). One nurse had me drawing blood, and then the next day I was told I could not touch a patient. The rest of my three month internship was me walking around the clinic asking to help in random divisions, but there was no structure and I was not able to do or see much. This is not how my housemates' internships were at other clinics, but for this particular clinic, the experience was not very valuable. Cape Town itself was amazing though and I do not regret my decision to experience the country in this way with this organization. Had I been placed in a different clinic I think my experience would have been very different.