Ana (pictured center left) is studying Psychology and UNED. She joined the VACorps program in September 2019 and participated in a counseling and psychology internship at an organization that offers counseling, addictions support and training to marginalized communities in Cape Town. 

“I came to South Africa because I wanted to understand its history and struggle, to understand how counselors and psychologists apply western theories to people living in a country like South Africa and to explore this beautiful country. I tried to control my expectations, but even if you make a strong effort not to build expectations they magically appear. And I must say, both Cape Town and my internship site have gone above and beyond my expectations. Exploring Cape Town and its surroundings has been one of the most magical things I’ve ever done in my life, and it has given me a glimpse of how people live here, how they think and the historic context they live in. Regarding my internship placement, it was such an amazing experience that I will cherish forever. I felt my supervisor’s trust from day one, and that motivated me to give the best of me at anything I’ve done there.

In two months I’ve counseled 9 clients (7-8 sessions each) and co-facilitated two different groups at Levana Primary and Lavender Hill High, and I couldn’t be happier with how much I’ve learned from my clients and the learners, but especially from my coworkers. The kindness and hard work of people working at HH inspired me every day. Especially my supervisor, Mandy. She is so talented at what she does, she is one of the most talented persons I’ve ever met. She treats everyone with love and she passes her wisdom onto everyone around her. You can tell she is one of the people in this world who really cares for people around her, and wants to support anyone in need anytime she has the opportunity to do so. I will forever be grateful to HH and VAC, for choosing such an amazing placement for me. Thank you!”