Aidan Lawrence

Aidan is currently studying Zoology at Oregon State University. He joined the VACorps program in October 2024 and completed an internship at an aquarium.

During my process of finalizing and applying for an internship, Cape Town was always at the top of my list. Many of my friends and family had traveled and studied abroad, but South Africa stood out to me. I knew very little about the country’s intricate history—only the big headlines that tend to define it in conversation. I saw this as an opportunity not only to pursue my passion for travel and exploration but also to immerse myself in a completely new world.

This experience gave me the chance to reflect and learn more about myself—what drives me, what excites me. Almost immediately, Cape Town and the people I met brought out the best in me, breaking through the shy shell I so often find myself in. Though I had a strong hunch, my love for traveling and learning about new places and people was solidified. Even after three months away from home, my experiences here have only made me more eager to stay—and even more determined to keep exploring this massive, endless world.

That may be what I loved most about my time in Cape Town. Then again, I could just as easily say it was the friendships I made. Both through VACorps and my internship, the people I met shaped my experience in ways I’ll never forget. They made the transition to living in a completely new place feel effortless.

My internship at the Two Oceans Aquarium was truly a dream come true—one of many that unfolded during my time here. I was welcomed immediately and always made to feel like part of the team. I was given opportunities beyond my expectations and experienced so many unforgettable firsts, all of which will stay with me as I continue down the path of working with animals. This experience has prepared me immensely for my upcoming job search in the animal field as I look beyond university and graduation.

Overall, my time in Cape Town has been truly incredible, though even that feels like an understatement. I would encourage anyone to visit—and even more so, to do it as part of VACorps. They embraced us from the start, filling our time with new, unforgettable experiences that we would have regretted missing.

Throughout my stay, I’ve struggled to find the perfect sentence or phrase to sum up how I feel about this place and the people I’ve met. But the truth is, there’s just too much to fit into a single line. This experience has changed me in ways I may not even fully realize yet, and I hope that anyone who returns home from Cape Town can say the same—whether in big ways or small, for better or worse. Just that it happened.