General Impression
Overall Rating: / 10
During the six months that I spent in Cape Town, South Africa, I learned many new thing and had some of the greatest adventures. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to spend time with children who do not get the love and attention they need. No matter how long the stay, everyone can learn a lot from the experience and have a lot to do during and after projects.My first three months I stayed in the volunteer hostel, which gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of other volunteers from around the world. I was working at a pre-school with five-year-olds which was challenging but fun. After project it was nice to have people that were working on similar projects at the hostel to talk about our days. The team in Cape Town was very helpful and made sure we were happy with the work we were doing. Even though the children may not have a lot, they always have a lot of love to give and I will strive to be like them in that way!
I then spent a month and a half with a host family. This was a great way to really experience everyday life and learn more about the culture. I worked at a primary school, which ended up being great because I was with an older age group so I had more teaching and assisting opportunities. I also enjoyed getting to play soccer and rugby with the children during breaks! I knew I could not fix all their problems in my time there, but I learned that this was not my job. The kids were fascinated to hear what life in America was like and I quickly became a friend to them as well as a teacher.
The beautiful beaches, delicious restaurants, exciting mountains, and welcoming people made my time in South Africa unforgettable. My only recommendation would be to stay as long as you possibly can, because you will not regret having more time to do all that Cape Town has to offer. I would also recommend skydiving, shark cage diving, hiking the mountains and going on a safari to add to the adventure! Cape Town has definitely changed me for the better and I will not forget the kids I worked with and friends I made along the way!