Joseph Aserios — Seattle
Washington, USA
2018

Joseph is studying a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies at the University of Washington-Bothell. He joined the VACorps Program in January 2018 and participated in a refugee internship at a non-profit that fights for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants. 

“I choose Cape Town as a place to do my internship because of the location. It was a diverse city that is so rich in culture. I came to Cape Town not knowing anyone but after my three months here, I will leave with unforgettable experiences and long-lasting friendships. I enjoyed the weekly VACorps activities because you get to learn more about the other interns and make new friends. My favorite part of Cape Town is the friendships that I have made. I have met people from over 32 nationalities. I made memorable experiences with my internship and my time here in Cape Town. With my internship, I worked with refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe. Every day, I learned new things about the DRC and Zimbabwe. My favorite aspect of my internship is learning a different language and culture. My ability to work with different nationalities and change the lives of the refugees was an experience that I will never forget.

“I will always remember the days that I directly helped immigrants and refugees and one story really stands out. Before he arrived at the center, “Shorty” from Ethiopia used to live on the streets. I met him, listened to him and helped him with his refugee papers. He now has a decent job where he can earn a regular paycheck instead of living on the streets. It was a powerful experience to impact someone’s life like that.”

View Refugee Internships

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