Laura is studying nursing at Sacred Heart University. She joined the VACorps Program in January 2019 and participated in a nursing internship at a public health clinic. 

“I chose Cape Town because it was a place I wanted to be for a long time seeing it is so far, not only this but I wanted to immerse myself within the multitude of different cultures that would surround me. I decided to do an internship to gain further experience in my field of study; nursing. My internship at a public health clinic has taught me so many different skills I would never have a chance to practice in the US. What I loved the most about Cape Town was meeting so many new people from all over the world, whether they were apart of VaCorps or not. This is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to, and I was able to explore and adventure on top of learning new skills. I always loved how Cape Town provides endless adventures to take part in, such as hiking, surfing, etc. I’ve made so many lifelong friendships here which is what makes it so sad to leave. VaCorps did a great job of introducing each of the intern groups and setting up planned events. I loved how every Friday there was always something new and exciting planned out for us and more people to meet as we arrived at these excursions. Furthermore, after participating in the Mozambique trip, I was able to create more friendships with people I had yet to meet. Not only this but also I was able to adventure more and discover an entirely different part of Africa, the entire experience was surreal; from scuba diving to going on my first safari, there was never a dull day. I will definitely miss Cape Town and all it has to offer but I will be back soon! I am so grateful to have taken part in this opportunity to experience various different cultures and health care systems. I will be able to take this knowledge back to the US with me to further enhance my nursing studies. I am also so grateful for the VaCorps staff for making it so easy to adjust to the different lifestyle and few culture shocks.”