What inspired you to travel abroad?
I was taking a break from work for a few months and wanted to spend my time volunteering abroad. I had never been to another continent before but had wanted to for years.
This trip allowed me to travel solo to a new country and fully immerse myself in the culture in a safe and enjoyable way. I was able to make friends with so many locals and had experiences that I will never forget.
Why did you choose Surfpop Foundation?
I was researching ways that I could volunteer during my summer break as a teacher and came across Surfpop. I followed the organization for over a year before reaching out to interview/apply.
The following year, I got to spend two months with Surfpop in October and November. I had never considered going to South Africa, but the program seemed so perfect that I knew it was the right place for me.
After researching more about Muizenberg and Cape Town and the experiences I could have there, I booked my flight and never looked back!
Tutoring session at Masi
What was your favorite part about South Africa?
Cape Town was an incredible city to be so close to, but Muizenberg, aka Surfers Corner, took the cake for me! South Africa is the most beautiful place I have ever traveled to. I loved how I could surf in pristine waters right next to large mountains.
The wildlife and nature were so different than any place I had ever been and it was incredible how untouched the environment was. Everyone was so kind, and you could strike up a conversation with anyone in a cafe or your hostel and feel safe and appreciated.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I was traveling by myself for the first time, and it was also the first time I had traveled to another continent. I learned so much about myself during this trip and discovered my passion and love for traveling and different cultures.
Surfpop is an incredible organization that makes a huge impact in their community. I was so impressed by the staff and surf instructors and every organization/business that partnered with them.
I made so many life-long friends, saw incredible sights, had once-in-a-lifetime adventures, and truly learned how to surf. What could be better than that?
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff gave us recommendations all the time on places to go, where/what to eat, and how to stay safe in South Africa. They went with us to explore the towns and allowed us to get to know the locals everywhere we ventured.
The surf instructors were so patient and comforting in the water and allowed my surfing to improve greatly in the seven weeks I was there. They constantly encouraged me and believed in me throughout my time.
The teachers at Surfpop were incredible with the children and had high expectations of them as students.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I were able to explore more on the weekends. I got sick a few times from a stomach bug going around the hostel so I couldn't venture into Cape Town as much as I had hoped.
I also wish I could have extended my trip and flown/drove to other areas in South Africa. The country is so big and beautiful that you would have to spend many months exploring all there is to see.
Lion’s Head hike
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I usually woke up around 7:30/8 am, ate a healthy and fresh breakfast from the hostel restaurant, and drank a hot cappuccino. Then ran and grabbed my wetsuit and board from the rental shop and headed out to the beach for my morning surf lesson with my companions.
If I had an early surf lesson, I would come back afterward to shower and spend some time stretching/doing core exercises in the yoga studio in the hostel or if I had a late surf lesson.
At 10, I would stretch in the studio beforehand to get my body warmed up. Usually, I would have time to eat some lunch (whether leftovers from the night before, a meal I had made with my fellow volunteers or checked out a local restaurant) and peruse around some of the local stores.
I sometimes had time to walk to another town called Kalk Bay and explore there. I might also sunbathe or read on the rooftop of the hostel or run and do some laundry at the laundromat.
The afternoons were spent volunteering with children from the local townships at a Masiphumelele tutoring center or in Muizenberg in the surf. While at school we would help them with their English and Math lessons. In the surf, we would help them with swimming in the waves or surfing.
The evenings were spent relaxing following a busy day and eating a nourishing meal. Sometimes, we would play pool, check out karaoke, or grab some dessert from the local shops.
This was our typical schedule, at least two or three days of the week. Some days, we had adventures in the morning, either hiking Table Mountain or Lions Head or exploring a different museum or area around Cape Town.
The days were always busy and lots of fun. One morning, we even got to go snorkeling in the kelp forest.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
In our free time, I loved exploring the local cafes and shops for cool souvenirs/clothing. I would sunbathe on the roof of the hostel or cozy up in a corner of the hostel cafe and spend time listening to music and journaling.
Sometimes, we would take a walk to a local town or along the ocean. On the weekends, we would go to a new area of Cape Town to explore or visit different beaches to surf or watch the more seasoned surfers.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I stayed in a public hostel with the rest of the Surfpop volunteers and some staff. The first month, I was in a shared bunk room with seven other females. The 2nd month, I was in a bunk room with three other females.
We had an ocean view in that room and fell asleep to the sound of the ocean waves through the open windows. The bunk-style rooms were not fancy, but they were clean. We had shared bathrooms on two different floors and a few common spaces.
There was a shared kitchen where we could cook and a community fridge for our groceries. The really cool part was a restaurant/cafe was attached to the hostel and overlooked the ocean so we could hang out in there whenever it was available.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Understand that the reason for volunteering with Surfpop should be to work with the local children, improve your surfing, and explore the beautiful culture of South Africa. There will be plenty of free time to explore Cape Town and the surrounding towns on the weekends, but your main focus should be on the children during the week.
This was an incredible experience for me, but if you are not ready to be active every day and have long days, then this experience may not be for you. This is a physically taxing experience because you move your body so much through surfing, walking everywhere, hiking, and so much more.
If you are not prepared for this or in decent shape, you may have a hard time at first. Also, there is very limited personal space living in a public hostel. My volunteer group got along really well so we did not have any issues, but you have to be okay with having little time to yourself or private space for phone calls.
I also would leave expensive items at home. Some of my friends had their phones/wallets stolen at nightclubs or on the street. Despite this, I felt safe the whole time I was there. You just need to travel in groups, preferably with locals, and have common sense.
Surf lesson at Witsand Beach
Would you recommend Surfpop to others? Why?
I recommend Surfpop to everyone! Their mission and impact are so powerful in their community. I would love to go back to South Africa in the future and spend time with the staff and children that I met while in Muizenberg.
It was such a fulfilling trip, and I met people from all over the world. I wanted to volunteer with Surfpop because I love their mission, and I would love to start a similar organization in the United States.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Getting to experience life in another place/country was so incredible for me. I learned so much about myself, how to feel good traveling solo, and met so many amazing people from all over the world.
Life in SA is so different from my life in America, in both good and bad ways (but mostly good!). I loved all the fresh, local food, walking everywhere, seeing sights so unlike those in America, and so much more.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time abroad really opened my mind to the possibility of working or moving abroad one day. I definitely am more inspired to travel and to travel to places that are similar to South Africa.
I would love to visit Africa again, or explore Asia, which is similar to SA in the way of how reasonable everything is to do there. I miss SA every day and look back on the pictures and friendships I made with such joy in my heart. I hope to continue surfing in the future and possibly create a therapeutic surfing program for children in need in the United States.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means to explore the world by making a real impact on the places you visit. I knew that I was helping make a difference in the community through my time with Surfpop, and that's part of what made the trip so meaningful for me.
I think that by choosing to volunteer for an extended time, I was able to truly understand the cultures around me and see the towns through the eyes of a local.
