Ashley is a pre-med student at Indiana University and joined the VACorps program in May 2021, where she participated in a medical internship at a local Cape Town clinic. 

“My time in Cape Town could not have gone better. Though the pandemic limited some of what we were able to do, it did not negatively impact my experience mostly because of the people that surrounded me. Before arriving, I was worried about whether I’d get along with everyone as it is a very diverse group of people, but later I learned there was absolutely nothing to worry about. I found my people here which also allowed me to grow as a person. With this being my first trip alone, I knew there would be challenges, but the VACorps staff and participants were there for me every step of the way. I’ve only been here for 6 weeks but it has already become my second home and wish I was able to stay longer! The internship placement at a clinic was great as well since I’m studying medicine which gave me the experience I couldn’t have gotten in the US as an undergraduate student.”