Riley is studying for a BA in Global Studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined to VACorps program in June 2022 and participated in a sustainability internship at an urban farm. 

“I decided to come to Cape Town because I wanted to challenge myself to acclimate to a new environment where I didn’t know what to expect. I also wanted to learn more about myself through traveling and had never been this far by myself before.

I did my internship at an urban farm NGO, and I became a lot more confident in my ability to communicate, and I learned a lot about the origins of farming and sustainable practices. I think that I became a lot more comfortable asking questions, and having a good support system within my internship made me feel comfortable throughout the time I spent there.

Highlights of my time in the VACorps program include getting to live with other interns, making amazing friends, and spending time at my internship site. I loved how independent I could be throughout this whole experience and that I could make it my own. With each week, I was able to grow more confident and felt truly Capetonian! I also really enjoyed the garden route trip and getting to do fun activities like sky diving and bungee jumping. I think that coming to the program with set expectations isn’t necessarily the best route to go because you will be pleasantly surprised if you keep an open mind throughout the entire experience in the VACorps program.”