Emma is a pre-med student at the University of Georgia. She joined the VACorps program in May 2022 and participated in a medical internship at a public clinic in one of Cape Town’s townships. 

“I have had the time of my life in Cape Town these past weeks. I have been able to enjoy both the touristy things as well as immerse myself in South African culture. I have loved being my internship at the clinic, and have learned some Xhosa and been shown what it is like to live in a township in Cape Town. I have loved the nurses and doctors at the clinic as well- they were more than willing to teach me and encourage me. I felt respected by the clinic staff, as well as the staff at VACorps. They helped me get the most out of my experience.  I enjoyed living in the house provided with RAR and that there were other VACorps interns in other houses. I liked getting to know the other interns that were from all over the world and doing all sorts of internships. It helped show me the versatility of the city and the opportunities available in the country.

I honestly think that this is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been- geographically and culturally. The people that I have met here and had the opportunity to learn from have shown me how rich the culture in South Africa is, and the differences from back home.  I also appreciate that I got a taste of what medicine looks like outside of the USA. I feel as though the United States has a generally common theme between medical systems, so I learned a lot from the different care here. Overall, I think that the staff at VACorps did an incredible job in helping me feel welcomed and comfortable. They helped me ease into living in another country on my own and talked me through what it looked like to have a successful experience here. I also loved where I got placed for my internship, and would not change a thing about my time spent in this beautiful country. 

This has really been an experience that I will carry with me forever. I can’t wait to tell everyone at home about what I got to do and learn!”