It is true when one says that there is no other place in the world like Cape Town. Coming to South Africa I had no expectations or ideas about the country or the city I’d be living in, but quickly after orientation it became a home. Meeting others that were arriving at the same time as me and those who had already been in CPT for a few weeks or months made me very eager to get out right away to explore.
My internship site (Observatory Junior Primary School) was absolutely perfect as well. I’m majoring in Special Education, therefore helping out with the school’s literacy English program as well as science lessons helped me directly apply the skills I have spent three years studying. The school’s staff were among my most favorite people I met while in Cape Town and were more than willing to make sure everything was going great. They offered to take me to places around the city as well as eagerly asked questions about the school systems and life in the United States. The children were amazingly well behaved and respectful. In fact, they were among the most difficult to say goodbye to.
During my time with VAC, I also had the opportunity to travel to Mozambique which was unbelievable. A place I certainly never imagined I would travel too but going with VAC allowed me to see that country in a way that I would not have been able to on my own. We basked in 10 days of sunshine during a cold winter in Cape Town and explored remote beaches, villages and even Kruger National Park.
VAC attracts people who are just as eager to travel and explore South Africa, providing me with friends that will last forever. I have not laughed so hard during three months or cried so hard saying goodbye. One could go on and on about their time with VAC but it isn’t until take the chance, go outside your comfort zone and experience for yourself how incredible it really is! Cape Town has an endless amount of activities to do and there will never be a day when there is not a new place to go explore, a new restaurant to try or a new path to hike.
A stay with VAC is one that will no doubt be unforgettable!
Meet the amazing Rebecca Longman, who participated in the VACorps program in 2019. Rebecca studies Biopsychology, Cognition, Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, and participated in an internship at a community health clinic in Cape Town. In this alumni interview,...
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I volunteered in South Africa in college and it was the first place I thought of when considering a conservation internship. As an aspiring conservationist, Cape Town is a great place to intern due to the uniqueness of the area....
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Rachel is studying for a BA in Anthropology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She joined the VACorps Program in June 2022 and participated in an internship at an NGO that supports refugees in Cape Town. “My time in...
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