Program Reviews

VACorps did a superb job of making me feel supported, safe, and taken care as I explored the beautiful Cape Town and all of its rich culture. Their staff were warm, responsive, and experts at making you feel at home while away from home.

During my first internship placement I worked primarily on a research deliverable for a land advocacy organization, that wedded international literatures and the South African context around farm worker evictions. I learned a ton about insecure land tenure and land dispossession issues across the world, and I am proud of the product.

During my second placement at a refugee advocacy center, I really enjoyed assisting on legal matters — and in particular getting to see South African courts in session. I developed greater confidence working on legal matters and materials, and affirmed my interest in going into the legal profession. I really appreciated my supervisors willingness to connect me with meaningful opportunities and get me involved in his work.

I was was so grateful for the internship placement, and my ability to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s work. I was involved in field work that made my time in Cape Town immensely enriching and eye-opening. VAC ensured that this placement was smooth and respectful.

After doing a structured group travel program for the first part of my gap year, I knew I wanted more independence in the spring. I wanted to do an internship and get some work experience, but I also didn't want to be working alone in a new city. VACorps was totally perfect for that. I got to be independent going to my internship, while also having a built in social group with the other interns I was living with as well as the support of the VACorps staff when I needed them. 

Cape Town itself is a city with endless things to do. I loved getting to spend time in nature, having access to the beach, and eating incredible food all the time. I was here for three months and I feel like it was the perfect amount of time to get into a routine in Cape Town, have a deep engagement with my internship, and also explore everything the city has to offer.

I did my internship at a local Radio Station, and everyone there was extremely willing to teach and make time for me. I loved being a radio presenter, learning about sound engineering, and getting to interview a wide range of awesome guests! I will definitely miss everyone at my job who were so welcoming and patient with me. I'll also miss all my favorite cafes and restaurants in Observatory. But I think most of all, I'll miss my fellow interns I got to live with for the past three months. Getting to go through this experience with them was the best part, and I have made some friendship that I hope will last a lifetime.

I will miss the people I met most, my roommates, my clinic staff, Kus and Kholi. They have truly been the highlight of my visit. Cape Town is like nowhere I have ever been before. It's a city built around nature. As an ecology major, I enjoyed living right next to Table Mountain and the ocean. I learned so much about living in an urban city and all of the joys and worries that come with that. I learned I'm braver than I thought I was coming down here by myself, knowing no one. I've made lifelong friends and colleagues that I will never forget. Cape Town is somewhere I want to come back to with my friends, with my family, and with the other interns I've met here. The staff at a medical clinic has changed my professional life. They took me under their wing and taught me so much. I will never be able to thank them enough for all that they have done for me. Eight weeks was a good length for being in Cape Town. I'm so sad to leave but it feels like a good ending to this adventure. VAC weekly activities were always a fun time. The wineries and Cape of Good Hope were my favorite trips. I'm most grateful to VAC for being there for me when I had questions about my internship or Cape Town itself. It was so easy to text Kus and ask her to arrange a trip to paragliding or the Garden Route.

I can't thank VAC enough for those staff members who kept up with me and my roommates. I could not have loved my time in Cape Town more. It is one of the best decisions I've ever made to take a chance and fly down here. I will always treasure my time here.

Choosing to spend six weeks of my life in Cape Town was the best decision I could’ve possibly made! I love traveling and I was yearning to scratch that itch.

My internship with the micro-publisher gave me a lot of insight into the literary scene in South Africa, especially poetry. During my time here, I also went bungee jumping, did a safari (and saw 4 out of the big 5), walked with elephants, hiked amazing trails with amazing views, drove an ATV across beautiful sand dunes, ate some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted and made friends with some really cool people! Throughout the whole process, VACorps was super friendly and helpful and it was fun to participate in the Monday night cultural series and the Friday activities. I will miss the daily adventures of exploring Cape Town with my friends, and I hope to return someday in the future. I definitely recommend this experience, 10/10!

I loved VACorps. Overall this has been a great experience for me. I think it has pushed me in ways I didn't know I would grow and taught me lessons I didn't know I needed to learn. This is a great way to learn about and explore an incredible country and I can't wait to tell everyone back home about it too.

I picked VACorps because it's unlike so many other programs. I enjoyed that we get to live with other interns and make our own connections while still having the freedom of our own internships and living life however we choose. I counted the other night, and I've met and said goodbye to 39 interns this summer, all people I never would have met otherwise. This is a really cool way to build connections not just abroad in SA but also between other countries.

I came across VACorps when I was looking for a program that would allow me to get some work/volunteer experience while living in another country with people my age. It fit my criteria perfectly, Cape Town looked super exciting, and the website had a ton of information. I loved the internship I ended up doing a law internship because the site gave me meaningful and interesting work to do and was very welcoming. I also loved living in the Arnold Street house and became great friends with all of my roommates. I will miss being able to go hiking, to the beach, or to try new restaurants with them. We had so much fun at the VACorps activities and culture nights as well. Kus and Kholi were so kind, funny, and helpful and we always loved seeing them. I stayed for two months and am so sad to leave - I would recommend staying as long as you can. I feel so grateful for this opportunity to try a new job, explore a beautiful new place, and make incredible friends.

Traveling to Cape Town was genuinely the most transformative experience of my life thus far. From exploring new environments to going on exhilarating adventures, nothing compares to the amazing community of people who welcomed us with open arms. Despite being in a foreign country, the VACorps staff, especially Kus and Kholi, made me and other interns feel at home, safe, and protected. VaCorps staff supported us from the very beginning when we arrived at the airport and on our first internship day to the very end. The weekly activities allowed me to see more of Cape Town and travel to spectacular places like Muizenburg, Hout Bay, wine farms, and more. I truly tested my limits countless times by trying new things like bungy jumping, surfing, climbing Table Mountain, and crawling through caves -- to name the least. Cape Town has the most beautiful natural wonders I'd ever seen and I felt so attuned to nature in a way that's quite indescribable. While it was great to travel to other parts of Cape Town, there was certainly beauty in our own backyard of Observatory as well. The lively community is filled with fun people to connect with, fashionable thrift stores, and delicious food, especially Ivy's Kitchen! I would advise not to pass Obs up because there are a lot of hidden treasures as long as you're open to finding them.

If I were to offer any piece of advice, I'd highly recommend seeing all of Cape Town. While you can limit yourself to Camps Bay, Constantia, the central business district, and all the fancy beach cities, that only tells half the story of a multifaceted city and country. Visiting the townships and building genuine connections with locals who are living a reality that is often ignored by "tourists" can broaden your perspective on life. My favorite memory in Cape Town was playing with the sweet kids from the Bathande Children's Reading Club in Khayelitsha created by Kholi. Beauty is everywhere in Cape Town and having the opportunity to become culturally immersed in this wonderful city and country is something I'll never forget.

In just two months, a place almost 10,000 miles away from home began to feel just like home.

My time in Cape Town with VACorps has been incredible. I've learned a lot through my internship and exploring South Africa over the last three months. I was placed in a law internship, working with an independent firm run by my internship boss. I've essentially functioned as a paralegal, working through child support, car seizure, and hijacking cases with his assistance. I've come away with a deeper understanding of the South African Constitution, and how it applies to societal functionings here. I've also had lots of time to hike, surf, visit beaches, and explore the city here in the Cape. I've met people and had experiences that I will never forget. I have made friendships that will last beyond my time here in Cape Town. I really cannot recommend this program and experience enough. I have gained so much perspective on life, people, law, and myself. I've grown to love South Africa and feel invested in the societal challenges and successes the country faces. I feel that I have grown a lot as a person throughout my time here and VACorps was a great facilitator of my experience.

This experience was priceless. I was able to learn so much from the people around me about myself, Cape Town, and South Africa as a whole. The VACorps staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and the other interns became my family while I enjoyed my time here. My internship was fun and educational and gave me a first glimpse into my possible future career pathways in environmental conservation. It was not at all what I expected but it was easy to enjoy and clearly impactful work. When I had questions about Cape Town, Kus and Kholi were always there to answer and guide me in my explorations of this beautiful place. There is so much to do around Cape Town and Obs is a welcoming place. Cape Town will forever be an experience that has shaped me and will remain in my heart. I have built confidence, new perspectives, new appreciation for this place, and so much joy on my last 3 months in South Africa.

My experience with the VACorps program genuinely has changed my life as to who I am. I adored every second of being here and learning about myself and the different cultures here. If I had the chance to come back I would in a heartbeat and I made several life-long friends during my stay.

My internship really helped me have job clarity because I was unsure if I was in the right major. However, once I had spent several days at my internship site, I was reassured that my job choice in the field of PT is great for me as I look ahead to the future.