Life Changing Internship Abroad

I spent three months as an intern in Cape Town, South Africa and I learned so much. It was truly a life-changing experience! My internship was challenging, yet essential to my professional growth and VACorps is to thank for the opportunity. The program provided everything I needed and supported me fully through it all. Everything regarding my internship and the VACorps program exceeded all of my expectations.
Not only did this internship guide me to understand cross-cultural differences in the workplace, it also gave me a unique and unmatched experience that I wouldn’t have gotten if I’d stayed in the U.S. It helped open my mind to new ideas about politics, geography, language, socioeconomic status and so much more. I experienced a city that is more fiscally divided than any place I’ve been, a place where corruption, crime and hunger are all too common. But I also experienced more love and acceptance there than any other place I’ve been. The people I met were welcoming, loving and eager to get their stories out and to learn about my work and where I came from. I experienced a sense of community and respect for others, and I saw hope everywhere I looked, and going to another country than yours offers a more enriched learning experience on all fronts.
Living in an area so rich in culture and diversity gave me a new perspective on life and allowed me to absorb an incredible amount of history, cuisine, stories, people — the list goes on. The experience fueled my passion for traveling, and I learned that although sometimes discomforting, change will bring happiness. And without a doubt, I believe the best way to bring variation to life is through travel.