An immersive cultural gap year experience with VACorps

I chose VACorps because I wanted to travel somewhere far and very different and live like a local. Once I arrived in Cape Town I felt truly welcome. During the 2 months I lived here I found community through conversations with Uber drivers, business owners, restaurant employees, and other locals. Learning about Cape Town and South Africa through the perspective of everyday people and not a tour guide was a special and unique experience.

My internship at a radio station was another completely unique experience. Even without prior radio experience or having taken a single college course, I was trusted to represent the station in interviews with politicians, artists, and important businesspeople. That trust gave me the confidence to be creative and stick to my gut. I presented on a radio show every weekday and wrote and ran my own show on Saturdays. I filmed and edited videos for their social media, scheduled interviews, wrote scripts, and played my guitar live on air.

I learned so much through all of these tasks, but my relationships with my colleagues at the station were the most meaningful. The casual work environment gave me plenty of time to get to know the staff. I learned about the very different upbringings that all of them had. However, I ended up being surprised at how much we had in common often fostered through a mutual love of music. Ultimately, I am happy to call many of them my close friends. Leaving Cape Town and the radio station has been hard because I've loved it so much. I know I will return someday.