My internship in an incredible city of contrasts!

Completing an internship in SA through VAC has become a season in my life that I will never forget! The diversity and energy in this city are incredible-we never came up short on things to do and there are countless opportunities to plug yourself into and get you out of your comfort zone. From my three months here in SA, my experience has been one of contrasts-from fine dining in the city, to pasta kitchen meals with folks surviving on the streets, to South African braai's in the townships! There are countless opportunities for learning and growth and I have most definitely been changed because of it. VAC was able to connect me with an organization that matched exactly what I had desired to learn/be a part of as well as elements that I didn't know I needed/wanted! This opportunity was one that is incredibly unique and offers fresh perspectives that are so applicable to bring back home with me.

The VAC staff are full of life and love for their city and their cultures and made SA a safe and welcoming place to call home for three months! The VAC staff who lead my orientation were incredibly enthusiastic and warm! They made you excited to be in their country and treated you like family from the moment you arrived. Providing us with the hop on hop off tour was very helpful as it gives an idea of what is available to further explore. Riding the transit together was very helpful so that we could confidently take transit ourselves, and I really appreciated having a VAC staff accompany me to my first internship day so I knew that route was very helpful! Whenever I needed anything from VAC or had questions about anything, VAC staff were quick to respond to my needs! Coming into this internship, I am a 3rd-year undergraduate student. I have aspirations to become a Counselling Psychologist and desired to learn as much as I could from an organization that did just that! Taking on my own clients was incredibly eye-opening, challenging and rewarding for me. I was given the space to grown and make mistakes while being supported and encouraged along the way.