Gap Year Internship Program in Cape Town with VACorps

The last 2.5 months in Cape Town have been some of the best of my life. I’ve done lots of exploring— penguins, gardens, hiking, and plenty of beaches. Plus I have made such special friends. The people I’ve met through VACorps are some that I know I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life, and Cape Town has been such an amazing place to explore. There’s nowhere like it. I really settled into a routine of interning, working out at the gym, and then seeing more of Cape Town after, which made it easy to enjoy my internship while also being adventurous. I never want to leave Cape Town and am so sad that I only have 2 weeks left here, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience so far. VACorps did a phenomenal job of organizing activities, always being helpful if any issue arose, and cultivating a true sense of community unique to other programs I’ve heard of in the area.

Originally, I was nervous about coming to Cape Town. I had never been so far from home but it’s been the best decision I've ever made!

Cape Town itself is beautiful. In the last two months, it’s become my favorite place I’ve traveled to since it has everything: beautiful beaches, mountains, the ocean, amazing food, friendly people and there is always something to do. Though living so far from my home in Chicago, I’ve truly made a new home here.

I’ve been in Cape Town for two months and I wish I could stay longer. If I could do it again, I would most likely choose to stay for three months. The VACorp staff has been very helpful in making our time in Cape Town the best it can be. They’ve created the perfect combination of independence while also having support from the staff whenever needed night or day. The activities hosted by the program are always really fun and we are always doing new things. The turnout rates for the activities are high which speaks highly to the program community.

VACorps was an amazing program. I am so grateful for this experience. It provided me with a new perspective of South Africa, dissolving all assumptions I previously had. The danger and poverty here are real, however, it’s nothing to be afraid of or something that discourages people from coming here. This is a beautiful place full of so many fun things and adventures. I really appreciated all of the Friday activities they took us on. During this experience, I’ve learned and become more confident in being 100% myself. I’ve made so many great relationships here with these kids. I stayed for 2 months, and I think people would enjoy 3 months here easily. I would definitely recommend any gappers to take part of this program.

I chose to travel to South Africa to do an internship in Cape Town because of how amazing this city is. You can find everything here, beaches, city life, and mountains. There is always something to do, see, and partake in. I loved that through VaCorps I had an organized group and community when I arrived, but I still was able to be independent and live freely. My time here has been absolutely amazing and I have learned so much about myself and the world in these past two months. Cannot recommend coming here with VACorps more!!

I chose Cape Town as my place to intern during my gap year because I wanted something different from my mundane 9-5 life back home. I wanted to experience people and places unlike what I have seen and get a better perspective on the world I live in. In my time in Cape Town, I learned who I could really be, facing challenges and living independently. Whether taking a walk to clear my mind in the beautiful sea point to taking on seemingly indomitable mountains there was always something to reflect on with myself and my surroundings.

My goal before arriving in Cape Town was to gain independence and confidence in an uncomfortable environment and find a home away from home. I definitely achieved this.

My experience with VAC has definitely been life-changing. Through my internship, I learned so much about the eco-tourism industry as well as how the workspace in another county operates. I love the work environment that Cape Town offers. VAC has been so helpful to my experience by always providing help when needed as well as endless activity suggestions. The weekly VACtivitys were very well planned and helped me to explore areas that would have been difficult otherwise. Through this experience, I have learned how to look after and care for myself. I have pushed myself to accomplish some incredible things here in cape town. Living in Cape Town has increased my desire for adventure, as well as shown me how to live a well-rounded life. Cape Town has been one massive playground and there is so much I want to explore. The biggest thing I will take away here is how to interact with others from very different backgrounds. I have gained a much bigger global perspective and hope to keep exploring. I will miss looking up wherever you are and being able to see Table Mountain and/or the ocean.

Living in New York City, coming to Cape Town originally felt intimidating and in a way kind of like I would be integrating and adjusting myself on my own. In reality, this is far from the truth. I think VAC’s best description is that they will make you feel at home, and this is just how I felt after just the first week. The staff is so comforting and so readily available for you for whatever problem, question, or planning you need. Our weekly activities bring the group together, along with the staff, and although you are working at your internship alone, we always have a community to go back to. I couldn’t have asked for more supporting staff and a group of students, and I was surprised how little I felt isolated and so far from home being with these people and taking part in these activities. Whether you’ve been to Capetown, or not, or have prepared for your trip, or not at all, the staff here will have you ready to go in no time. For this, I’m so grateful, and the smiles, help, and love from the staff in the VAC office brightened and comforted me every day.

I chose Cape Town as a destination because I wanted to go somewhere vastly different than anywhere I had been before, and I succeeded. I wanted to gain experience in a field I was interested in as well as explore a new city. I did my internship at a local television station, and I loved meeting and getting to know my coworkers and learning about their lives because, often, they are so different than even how I was living in the same city. I loved directing the shows (specifically the daily show) because it is an exhilarating feeling when there is a high-pressure situation but you learn so much from it. I learned how independent I can be and how reliable of a person I can be, by taking care of myself and others during my time here. I will definitely miss the city itself the most, as it’s easy to navigate and there’s something for everyone. I stayed for 8 weeks and I think it is the perfect amount of time to stay. The Vacorps activities were awesome and the other program participants that I met were incredible, definitely some friends for life.