Connect-123 Internship Programs

I had the opportunity to work with one of the leading human rights NGOs in the country that gave me hands on experience with the social problems of South Africa. I could see immediate results from the volunteer projects I was asked to lead and the field work I participated in showed me the impact my work had on the communities. Cape Town is certainly a city that grows on you with never-ending excitement and entertainment to keep you busy once the work day ends. My stay definitely wasn’t long enough and I look forward to returning there one day as it is a place that I’ve made some of my most treasured memories and friends!

Living in South Africa on a budget is super easy because of the exchange rate (with the Canadian dollar atleast!). I could do everything I wanted to plus more, all while staying within my budget. The work experience I got through Connect 123 was incredible. I worked for a social enterprise called Greenpop and got to work on many different aspects of the company including general office administration, marketing, social media outreach, research, and client liaison. Having it on my resume has already opened so many doors for me, and is always a great topic of conversation which potential employers. The living situation as also pretty great. Although some apartments are nicer than others, it's so easy to meet others who are participating in the program when you all live in the same building. I met some of my best friends there whom I still talk to every day, and we all got to live in the same building together! It was ideal to say the least. The staff of Connect 123 was good for the most part, besides having to switch apartments due to 'booking times' which many people who stay there for 2+ months have to do, they were great to deal with and helped make life pretty easy. Pick up from the airport was arranged; they met with you one-on-one at the beginning, middle, and end of your trip; and social events and activities were hosted by them at least once a week. All of them were also fairly young professionals who shared a passion for travelling and exploring just like the program participants did. Overall I would 100% suggest going with Connect 123 for an internship abroad. They helped facilitate the trip of a life time for me. Even more so, I would suggest the city of Cape Town for any traveller; young, old, budget or no budget. It has everything you could ever want from a city and it is a place that truly holds my heart!

The whole experience was great! I was placed in the exact field I wanted. Connect-123 organized everything (housing, transport, etc). A supervisor even accompanied me to work on my first day. They laid out all the paperwork I needed to get into and out of the country. They provided me with a cell phone and met with me to make sure my experience was the best it could be. They even organized it so that my friend and I could live in the same house even though we were in different fields. I would highly recommend it.