VACorps

After watching the 2010 World Cup, seeing pictures and videos, and learning about the culture of the country and its people I knew that South Africa was a place I needed to visit at some point in my life. When I learned that my program at school offered an internship in Cape Town through VAC I realized I would finally have my chance. Thanks to their hard work and willingness to answer all of my ridiculous questions, everything from the application process to getting settled in my house to helping us plan trips went very smoothly. My experience in Cape Town was one I will never forget. Working as a PT at a school district in Gugulethu was an experience unlike anything I’ve done prior, and both my coworkers and the kids I worked with definitely left an imprint on me. Every day, regardless of how tired I was from the non-stop sightseeing and activities, the kids helped keep me going with their fun attitude toward ‘physio’ and the looks on their faces when I walked in to the classroom. I was also lucky enough to be placed at Maitland Cottage for the second half of my internship, which also was incredible. The happiness that some of my kids showed when they found out they could return home from the hospital really made me feel like my work made a difference, and that was a pretty incredible feeling. On top of the amazing internship experience, all of the ‘VACtivities,’ our Garden Route trip to bungee jump, ride elephants, and do a horseback safari, and paragliding over the city were the icing on the cake. Cape Town and my time with VAC was truly an unforgettable experience and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in travel and working abroad. Thanks VAC Team!

As my last year of graduate school was arriving, I wanted to experience as much variety in my internships as possible. My school, Pacific University in Portland, Oregon, sent students to Cape Town last year through VAC. I spoke with the students who’d ventured to Cape Town and they described their experiences as “a once in a lifetime opportunity” and “the best time of my life”. After hearing their stories, I swear I wanted to book my ticket to Cape Town the next day! I applied to VAC’s program and the rest was history. I was placed at an internship site called Tembaletu in Gugulethu. Tembaletu is a school for children with disabilities. I kept an open-mind going into this internship because I really had no idea what to expect. I completely fell in love with the students. I know I was supposed to go into this internship teaching and providing the students with knowledge on their ailments and disabilities, but ultimately the exact opposite happened. The students ended up teaching me! I looked forward to going to work everyday because I couldn’t wait to learn something new. I would join the Grade’s 1 and 2 in their classrooms as the teachers instructed on Xhosa lessons. I was able to learn basic Xhosa with the children’s help. The students also taught me life lessons and truly what to be thankful for in life. Every child I worked with, regardless of their situation, had the best attitude and the biggest smiles on their faces! Additionally, VAC was very helpful in providing opportunities to explore Cape Town. The Friday activities put on by VAC were such a great way to meet new interns and try something new. I will never forget some of the most beautiful and epic hikes I explored around the city. I tried surfing for the first time in my life and now I can’t wait until I have the chance to go again! I rode an elephant and fell in love with the gentle giant. This experience pushed me to leave my comfort zone and try something new almost every weekend. Furthermore, VAC placed me in a house with so many other interns. I have made some really good friends since I first arrived to Cape Town. I became friends with people from all over the world... France, Switzerland, and Sweden; just to name a few. I will never forget this internship because it afforded me the opportunity to be submersed in a completely different culture. I can honestly say this has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life and one that I won’t forget. I grew as a person and I can’t wait until I am able to return to South Africa!

Having never been over seas before, VAC was a godsend in helping me become acclimated to Cape Town, South Africa. Thanks to VAC, I was able to go to Cape Town immediately part of a community of people where I could go hiking with, scuba diving with, dining with, and ultimately push myself to find new inner strengths. Through the program, I was able to take some Xhosa speaking classes, become a certified scuba diver, and intern for Black Media where I filmed/edited numerous events (surfing competitions, DJ conventions, music festivals, soccer tournaments, etc.) Sure you could probably find many programs that provide similar services, but I guarantee you will not find people as inspiring and fun as the VAC staff. They are always looking to have a good time, and are willing to share that with everyone. On the other hand, When I had to go to the hospital for health concerns, VAC also made me feel comfortable and secure as they constantly checked in to see how I was doing. I went to Cape Town to gain an internship experience (which VAC also helped me locate and secure), but thanks to the VAC staff I gained so much more. When you are looking to join an internship program of any kind you should be looking for the ones that are going to cultivate your skills in all aspects of life. At its core, this is what Volunteer Adventure Corps strives for. I definitely recommend the program to anyone looking for an adventure.