Gap Year Internship Program in Cape Town with VACorps

When I discovered VACorps in September, I applied immediately on a whim, but the thought of actually coming to South Africa and doing an internship here in the midst of a pandemic seemed laughable and almost dream-like. But there was the VACorps staff, instantly walking me through the rest of my application, meeting with me with less than a few hours’ notice, asking me about my personal and professional interests and my preferred internship placement. They were so dedicated to making this happen for me, and for that, I am beyond grateful.

When I finally arrived in Cape Town, halfway across the world and knowing no one, I was so nervous. But VACorps made the transition so fluid. Within two hours of landing, we were already on a hike and then exploring the city’s neighborhoods. The orientation week was absolutely perfect; it provided an ideal mix of structure and independence such that I could instantly acclimate to my new home.

It is hard to pinpoint the highlight of this journey because every part of it has met and surpassed my expectations. My internship (where I work with and teach refugees) has been so interesting and fulfilling—I genuinely look forward to going to work each day. Weekends in Cape Town are even more amazing. There are an endless amount of once-in-a-lifetime activities to do here: snorkeling with seals, sandboarding, wine tasting, hiking Table Mountain, skydiving, bungee jumping, shark cage diving, seeing wild animals on a safari, swimming with penguins, surfing, or tanning at the most gorgeous beaches. Cape Town is undoubtedly the coolest place I have ever been to. I’ve spent three months here, and I can say with absolute certainty that I could spend three more and never run out of things to do.

I am so sad to be leaving Cape Town, but I will cherish the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had for a very long time. Coming here has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and easily the highlight of my gap year. I would recommend VACorps to any independent and adventurous individual enthusiastically and without reservation.

Being a part of VACorps has been amazing for a number of reasons. Not only did I learn about myself as an individual living alone, but I also learned about the unique cultures and people of South Africa. At my internship, I was given incredible opportunities and responsibilities that taught me more than 4 years in a classroom could have. I especially loved when I was thrown right into the deep end at my internship site and was asked to fill in for a guest on live TV on my second day of work. I loved the community here and the freedom, not to mention the insane landscape and natural beauty. I stayed for three months and enjoyed every second of it, though at some points I did feel very far from home. I loved every member of the staff and especially loved hanging out with Kholi and Kuselwa. I am grateful for the accessibility and generosity of the staff. No matter the issue, I was always able to text Oliver, Leanne, or any others with questions and the response was quick and helpful. I will miss everything about Cape Town but mostly the food and the group of interns at VACorps.

I found VACorps when I was looking for a program to travel and learn during the pandemic. VACorps turned out to be an extremely reliable and consistent organization that always answered my questions and shared my and my parent's values of safety, fun, and learning abroad. They placed me with an internship that aligned with my career ambitions but was more virtual than I would have liked, were very accommodating when I decided to switch internships, and found me a better fit at an NGO. While working at my internship site, I learned a lot about the inner workings of NGOs, how to propose a budget, public schools in South Africa, and much more. It was a great learning experience and will be very helpful as a resume addition in the future.

My time in Cape Town was an experience I will never forget. I made lots of friends, tried many new things I have never done before, like bungee jumping, canyoning, and paragliding, and had an overall amazing time. I especially loved the VACorps Friday activities and outings, like camping at Cederbergs, Garden Route, and Kruger. Living in Obz and getting to know the area was also great, and by the end, I definitely felt at home there.

I was terrified to come to Cape Town and live in an apartment with seven strangers, but after three months here I can confidently say that it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. After the first week, I had already become amazing friends with my roommates and now we are inseparable. My internship was the perfect fit for me as a future nursing student and I learned so much more than I could have imagined. I loved all of our Friday activities from wine tasting to Cape Point. But what I loved most about my time here in Cape Town was just spending time at 197 with everyone on a Friday night or going to Ferdinando’s with my roomies on two for one Tuesday. Those moments are what I will miss the most- spending time with the amazing group of people I have gotten to know here. I am so grateful to VACorps for allowing me to learn so much not just about nursing, but about South Africa and all of its beauty. It is sad to leave but I am grateful for all the memories that I get to take home with me.

Visiting Cape Town had always been on my bucket list, so I was ecstatic when I learned that I had the chance to live here for three months. Since the first half of my gap year had been mostly traveling for fun, I wanted to spend the second half doing something that would involve work and would help prepare me for college. Arriving in Cape Town I was both excited and apprehensive about what I would experience over the next three months. Any doubts I had quickly evaporated though, as I spent my orientation week meeting fellow interns and beginning to explore Cape Town. After living here for three months, I can definitely say that Cape Town is one of the coolest places I have ever been. The amount of activities that you can do here is insane, let alone the incredible food, culture, and scenery. My favorite times here were the weekends because we got chances to do fun activities like skydiving, sandboarding, wine tasting, hiking, and many other things. I particularly enjoyed the VACorps weekly activities because they allowed us to do things that would otherwise be difficult to organize, like visiting Cape Point. I am so grateful for my time in South Africa and I will miss it dearly once I am gone.

I decided to take a gap year pretty late in the summer, and due to that decision, I did not have much time to plan. In the fall, I visited family and worked in Norway, but I knew that I wanted to find something more exciting and I wanted to travel to a new country. So I decided to look for some gap year programs, and VACorps seemed like the best fit for me. They helped me get set up in Cape Town with an internship, housing, and activities, but we were also given the freedom to explore the city and have fun. It was also nice to know that if I got into any trouble, VAC would help me out and make sure I was well taken care of. Orientation week was amazing, I was able to get a sense of the city. Also, the support from the VACorps staff was great.

I have had plenty of memorable experiences here, from going on a safari in Kruger, surfing at Muizenberg, going up to Table Mountain, and also plenty of memories from working on Manelisi’s Urban Farm. At the farm, I worked with two other interns and we made a pretty sizeable impact. We were able to help them start their sizeable renovation, help them with their daily tasks, and it was also an opportunity to learn more about the people on the farm, their background, and also make meaningful connections. Finally, Cape Town was a beautiful city, I will miss it a lot and hopefully, I will come here again.

Frantically needing a place to go VACorps came in with a stellar option in a matter of days over my past December break. Aside from receiving a placement at an amazing internship site, I was also in one of the most beautiful places I have ever traveled to. Never have I seen mountains and the ocean perfectly interact as they do here in Cape Town. I learned a lot about my professional self and a lot about how I strive in foreign environments. Aside from the internship, VACorps provided some amazing activities including a Wine induced camping trip. An experience I will never forget! What a treat to live in Cape Town for 2.5 months.

I came to Cape Town about three years ago but didn't get to stay long enough to do a lot of the things I wanted to do. When someone suggested VACorps to me as soon as I saw that the program was in Cape Town, I knew immediately that I had to come back to this beautiful city. VACorps was incredible throughout the entire experience. The process of applying on a very tight time span was incredibly easy and helpful, they made sure I had options in my internship in conservation, and they were very open and easy to talk to from the very beginning. I absolutely loved my internship, where I worked on the waterfront with an Eco-Tour group. I helped the captain around the boat and pointed out wildlife to the guests. It was incredible to learn about all of the city's conservation projects involving the ocean and sea animals. Unfortunately, because of Coronavirus fears, I only stayed for two weeks. However, those two weeks were absolutely amazing. Also, the activities VACorps puts on on Fridays are extremely fun! Overall, I am incredibly grateful to VACorps for giving me this opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and explore different subjects in a new city and an entirely different continent. They made the process so easy and fun and I wish more than anything I could stay longer. I will definitely be back!