Katharine Stevens, Massachusetts, USA (2022)

Katharine (pictured on the left) joined the VACorps Program in March 2022 as part of her GAP year and participated in an education internship at a local school in Cape Town. 

“I chose Cape Town as a place to intern because I wanted to go somewhere international and the urban aspects of Cape Town along with having nature so close really appealed to me. The VACorps program really interested me because it was a much more independent gap semester program. After having done a semester group program this fall, I wanted to have a lot more freedom. I also love to travel and I had never been to Cape Town, let alone Africa, and I wanted to experience something completely different. The VACorps program did not disappoint, and I found it to be the perfect balance between work and play. I interned at a local school, and I loved the challenge and responsibility that the internship offered. I taught the kids alone for a lot of the internship, as my teacher was gone for 3 weeks during my time at the school. Although it was very overwhelming at times, it was nice having so much to do every day and working so closely with the kids. I also think it helped me learn how to manage stressful situations. My favorite thing about living here was how much there is to do. From coffee shops to museums, to the beach, hikes, and surfing, there was always something amazing to experience.”