Julia in South Africa

Participant

Julia

Programme

Internship

Country

🇿🇦 South Africa

Duration

7.5 weeks

Short bio

Hello, my name is Julia and I’m 19 years old. I study at CIOS college in Haarlem. For my studies I got to do a 7.5-week internship in South Africa. This was something I had dreamt of for a very long time: making a difference in the world and discovering other cultures

How satisfied were you with the support from Holland?

I was very satisfied. You have several phone calls with Ruben, who tells you more about what to expect but also about the things you need to arrange before you leave. That’s really nice. Not only what to expect, but also a packing list and things you mustn’t forget, and they help you with your vaccinations. That way you set off well prepared.

My story

“The people in South Africa have truly changed the way I look at life. In a really beautiful way that I will never forget.”

Julia · internship in South Africa

My trip began with a lot of nerves. It was my first time flying alone, I had only flown once in my life when I was 8, and straight away it was on my own and outside Europe. I found this incredibly nerve-racking, but it was all worth it. What was waiting for me was even better than what I had dreamt of for years.

And there I arrived in Port Elizabeth, a tiny little airport. Three lovely girls were waiting for me, the coordinators. So strange to realise now that these were three unfamiliar faces, and now they are very special people I will never forget.

When I arrived at the house, all the volunteers were waiting for me. It was very hot and everyone was enjoying the weather by the pool. The first few hours were already so much fun, everyone was so open and welcomed you really warmly. That was lovely. A few hours later some new colleagues arrived, which was quite overwhelming. In the end it was a lot, but also fun.

The first days took a lot of getting used to: the heat, a different culture and so many people. But you get used to it quickly. Then we were allowed to start teaching the children. This was the greatest honour of my life. Making a difference for others, something I had dreamt of for so long, stepping out of my comfort zone, and then you’re really standing there. I loved teaching all the children so much. They come running up to you, give you hugs and ask your name. Something we don’t know here, and it’s truly indescribable.

The people in South Africa have truly changed the way I look at life. In a really beautiful way that I will never forget. They are so kind and caring, we in Europe could learn a lot from them. Everywhere you go, people ask how you are. Even in the supermarket.

I taught lots of different things myself. You get to decide what you enjoy and they’ll see whether they can arrange it for you. In my case, my week looked like this: on Monday I taught swimming, Tuesday dance, Wednesday childcare, Thursday dance, Friday teaching. I really enjoyed the variety, and later I also taught hockey on Wednesdays and sometimes Thursdays. But you can also choose to coach football every day if that’s what suits you. That’s what I love so much: they really help you find what you enjoy, and if it wasn’t nice or didn’t work, you could always switch. The coordinators are so lovely and really help you have a great time.

I got to meet so many wonderful and kind people, and I’m forever grateful for that. I made friends for life. I got to have the most amazing adventures, from bungee jumping, skydiving, safari, surfing and a rugby match to the Sunday run club we set up together. Every day was a new adventure: placements, new stories from the children or funny moments, and afternoons full of fun and unexpected moments, through to the nights out. I had the time of my life and would do it all again in a heartbeat. This is something I’d wish for everyone: such a special place and a wonderful place to make an impact, not only on the children there but also on yourself. I would really recommend it to anyone who has the chance.

I always loved the moments when the kids taught me their language. I learnt a bit of Afrikaans, which is very similar to Dutch. And Xhosa, which is a really difficult language but very beautiful. Enkosi South Africa, Hamba kakuhle!!