Horticulture Internships in South Africa

My internship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa was an eye opener to both research and a new culture. At my internship I gained new skills including RNA Isolation, PBMC Isolation, ELISA, MDM Generation, Graphpad Prism and much more. I was also able to shadow an endocrinologist at the Groote Schuur hospital which introduced me to healthcare outside of the U.S. Shadowing in a public hospital opened my eyes to what being a doctor really is. It was chaotic, stressful, busy, but it also showed me that people of the same community suffer from common conditions that are uncommon in the U.S. Outside of the lab and clinic, and I was also able to attend and assist at a research foundation conference here in Cape Town. Though this conference was focused on sustainability, I was honored to attend and learn more about how research expands around the world, bringing together different continents and countries for one purpose. Overall, this internship experience allowed me to gain a better understanding of what research is, but also what healthcare is like in a different country. If anyone is thinking about coming to Cape Town, I recommend seeing the “not so pretty” side and learning about the history behind the mother city. It really opens your eyes to something you might not have known before.

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to spend two months in Barcelona interning at a foundation whose mission is to create transformative impact across the city of Barcelona not only for people in situations of vulnerability, but also for the volunteers who serve them. Working closely on grant management and volunteer coordination, I gained hands-on experience with the operational backbone of nonprofit work. As someone interested in public policy, this internship gave me a ground-level view of how policy and civic mobilization intersect in practice. I want to thank Sophie and Brenda, whose support made this experience what it was; guiding us, supporting us every day, and matching us to internships that fit us so well. This internship taught me so much about the challenges vulnerable communities face and the power of organized volunteerism to meet them. Working in grant management and volunteer coordination showed me how thoughtful funding decisions and resourceful organizing can translate directly into impact on people's lives. It opened my eyes to different ways of life and to a city deeply committed to mobilizing its citizens for good. Barcelona will always be a second home for me, and I'm so thankful to have taken part in this experience and gotten to know so many wonderful people along the way.