
Juwairiah Ishaq
Roots Interns
AlumniI was inspired to gain experiences in new cultures and different perspectives. Despite this being a remote internship, it was an enlightening experien...
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with Go Abroad China Ltd.
GoEco - Top Volunteer Organization
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This reserve is home to Africa's infamous Big 5 including the lion, leopard, elephant, cape buffalo, rhino and many other key animals as well as over 400 species of birds. Staying on the reserve gives volunteers opportunities to be involved in a variety of research initiatives on endangered and
Child Family Health International
8
Experience Durban, the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal province in South Africa. Child Family Health International is proud to have operated this excellent program in collaboration with many health care providers and public health projects in the Durban area since January of 2006. The Durban program highlig
SIT Study Abroad
1
Prepare for a career in diplomacy, conflict resolution, or global affairs while interning at a civil society NGO in South Africa. This program emphasizes non-Western perspectives on international relations, South-South cooperation, and multilateral diplomacy. Through internship engagements with NGOs
Hear what past participants have to say about their experiences
Participating in CFHI’s Health Program in Durban was an unforgettable journey in my global health career. CFHI’s structure gave me a unique opportunity to learn about South Africa’s healthcare system not just from a clinical perspective, but also through lived cultural experiences. From our daily clinical shadowing in hospitals and clinics to our immersion in my homestay, CFHI ensured that our learning was authentic, ethical, and grounded in community realities.
My time with CHFI was unforgettable and enriching. Over the course of 4 weeks, I had their opportunity to rotate through the surgery unit, pediatric wards, malukazi clinic and Hillcrest aids center. It was great clinical exposure. Seeing firsthand how healthcare providers navigate challenges with limited resources while delivering compassionate care gave me a whole new perspective on medicine. I had so much mentorship and support from the physicians, interns, students and other medical students who came from medical schools in the U.S. They took their time to explain pretty much everything to me. Beyond that, Durban is such a beautiful place. There was always something to do, beautiful beaches and nice sunny weather!

Program: SIT Study Abroad: South Africa: Diplomacy, Politics Intern
I had an absolutely unforgettable time during my Summer in South Africa! This was my first time ever leaving the United States, and I feel so unbelievably lucky that this was my first destination. I met such wonderful people, those within the program and locals alike. The staff at SIT Durban were incredible and provided us with an incredibly comprehensive overview of the country so that we felt at ease. There was a perfect level of structure and free time, allowing us to explore on our own and with the help of those with experience living in the Global South. I learned so much here, and I will truly never forget it. I will definitely be back one day!

The internship provided me with a very enriching opportunity to explore the complexity of HIV management in the South African context. With a variety of healthcare environments such as hospices, hospitals and clinics, I got to experience first hand the operation of the three-tier healthcare system of South Africa in a ver populous and predominantly Zulu province. The culture of the Kwa-Zulu Natal was fascinating from their marital parches to their language via their colourful fashion, I absolutely loved being immersed in this dynamic environment. I even learnt some Zulu! The South African country is also incredibly beautiful and I was lucky enough to explore some highlights like Cape Town or Kruger National Park. Visiting other cities like Johannesburg or Cape Town made me understand the cultural and economics differences between the provinces. Overall, the internship was the most defining experience in my public health career thus far.

Alumni and staff share what it's really like to go abroad

Juwairiah Ishaq
Roots Interns
AlumniI was inspired to gain experiences in new cultures and different perspectives. Despite this being a remote internship, it was an enlightening experien...
Read Full Interview
Diego Garcia Rosales
Roots Interns
AlumniAfter a few years of studying in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, I felt the need to have a new experience abroad. Moving to a new country and the "getting...
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Masato Mbugua
Penda Photo Tours
AlumniI would say that my biggest personal motivator for going abroad was the sense of wonder and awe that comes from going to a completely unfamiliar setti...
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Tiana Salomon
Evolve Abroad
AlumniTraveling has always been one of my biggest passions. I believe that only by stepping out of my comfort zone, by going to places I’ve never been, emer...
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Hanne van de Pol
Evolve Abroad
AlumniAs a young girl I was inspired by my teacher. She was a volunteer for UNICEF and that was something that inspired me to do something for another count...
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Joseph Oliver
Masambeni South Africa Internships
AlumniI wanted to improve myself in numerous ways. I wanted to share my skills and knowledge with others in order to help people and communities. I wanted t...
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Juliana Connors
Roots Interns
AlumniIt was a long road to choosing to spend time abroad. Mostly, I was inspired by wanting to contribute to a cause meaningful to me and to see more of th...
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Laura Penninga
Roots Interns
AlumniI've always wanted to go abroad. I grew up in a small town in the Netherlands, with not much to see and not much to do (except for staring at the hori...
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SaraBeth Anderson
Deep Blue Conservation
AlumniI was inspired to go abroad because of what I heard from friends who said that they learned so much more than they could have imaged in their time ove...
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Michael Hewitt
Africa Media
AlumniI love wildlife documentaries and particularly David Attenborough programs. My dream is to become a documentary filmmaker and work for the BBC. I foun...
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Alexis Sullivan
(DEAD URL) Bridging Gaps
AlumniI've always wanted to travel and experience a new culture. I decided I wanted to spend my summer of 2018 abroad somewhere, so I started looking at the...
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Samantha Leung
VAC Internships Cape Town
AlumniI wanted to travel somewhere during my summer holidays, since I have volunteered (Reach Out Volunteer Scuba Diving and Marine Conservation Program) in...
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Riley Jay
CIS Abroad
AlumniI have a love for travel and wanted to get out of my small town in Kansas for the summer. Both my sisters have studied abroad so I was already familia...
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Courtney Schaf
iXperience
AlumniI was interested in exploring a new city with other highly motivated students from all over the world.
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Andrea Nosich
VAC Internships Cape Town
AlumniWhat inspired me to go abroad was the need for new experiences and to challenge myself a bit. I have wanted to travel abroad for some time and chose t...
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Rachel Davis
iXperience
AlumniI have a passion for traveling and want to explore as much of the world as I possibly can. It has always been a dream of mine to visit South Africa, s...
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Yash Tekriwal
iXperience
AlumniI've had the good fortune of being able to travel abroad frequently with my family, but the experience of studying and truly living in an entirely for...
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Cameron Cross
iXperience
AlumniAt school, I am surrounded by peers who have enjoyed life-changing experiences abroad. Some go on foreign exchange; others take classes for a semester...
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Hannah Green
VAC Internships Cape Town
AlumniHaving traveled to Europe before and studied in Australia, I wanted to go some place I had not gone before. I knew that South Africa was a place like ...
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Mark Rook
Projects Abroad
AlumniAfter taking countless classes with political theory after theory on how to improve the world, I decided I was tired of the constant conjecture on wha...
Read Full InterviewExplore the destinations and program types travelers search for most
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