Freya Brokken

Freya joined the VAC Program in January 2024 as part of her Gap Year and interned at a law firm specializing in legal advocacy for refugees.

I am so happy that I chose to intern abroad in Cape Town with VAC; looking back, it was definitely a highlight of my Gap Year. Cape Town is an incredible city, rich in history and full of fun activities. Obs, specifically, has a lot of really cute coffee shops and thrift stores, and I loved exploring Lower Main.

Living in an environment surrounded by other like-minded Gap Year students who were passionate about their respective internships was truly inspiring. Even though we all had separate internships, we were experiencing Cape Town together, and I loved hearing about the different work everyone was doing.

I am particularly grateful for my time working with my internship supervisor. I learned so much from spending time in the office, attending high court sessions, writing and drafting opinions, reading cases, researching case law, and sitting in on client meetings. Witnessing my supervisor in every aspect of his job was an incredible learning experience. It was fascinating to learn about South African Law, especially after studying American Law, and being able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences. Some of the highlights of my internship included sitting in on client meetings and researching and analyzing case law relevant to the cases my supervisor was working on.

I not only learned a lot from my internship but also gained valuable life skills during this experience—like managing my free time, living with others, and navigating day-to-day life in another country. I stayed for 8 weeks, but I definitely could have stayed longer. It was the perfect amount of time to settle into my internship and environment, as well as do all the activities I wanted. Anything less would have been too short.

My favorite activities involved spending time outdoors—whether it was hiking, going to the beach, or just exploring. The sunsets in Cape Town are incredible, and I would highly recommend going to the beach for a sunset picnic. Additionally, the VAC staff were so kind and helpful; they were always there if I needed anything.