Madison joined the VACorps program on January 2022, and participated in a sustainability internship at an Urban Farm.  She is studying her masters of Liberal Arts in Industrial/Organization Psychology at Harvard University, School of Continuing Education. 

“I chose Cape Town because I wanted to be in a city that offered a vibrant culture, but I also wanted to be able to easily do outdoor adventures. Cape Town is unlike any other city in the world and it is worth experiencing firsthand.

I absolutely loved my internship. I was an Intern at an Urban Farm, based in the heart of the city. The farm manager and other workers there were beautiful humans and the internship allowed me to have a lot of autonomy to really make my experience my own. I was able to be outside looking at Table Mountain while learning the ins and outs of what it takes to be an organic farmer and the struggles that local farmers experience in CT. I was able to explore my own interests in Herbalism and create a workshop on Herbal Tea Making. I could be as engaged as I wanted to be because the farm was involved with a large variety of projects including farm work, the market, and alternative township farm involvement.

I was also really grateful for the friends I made through my internship and the VAC program. They are lifetime friends for sure. It was amazing to always have people to do activities with. Everyone was very like-minded. Independent, hardworking, and culturally aware. It was refreshing!

VAC helped me find the perfect placement. They gave me support in case of emergencies (like when I lost my phone). They ensure fantastic housing options. And the staff are always there to help and extremely friendly.