Julius in South Africa

My story

For my final year at CIOS I had to do an internship of several weeks. I chose to do it in South Africa, because it seemed like an amazing and adventurous country for an internship. In the end I spent seven weeks there, together with two classmates who are also good friends of mine.

It is without doubt one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life so far. The internship didn’t actually feel like work at all. Every day was made up of fun and meaningful activities with the children there. The children are incredibly friendly, open and grateful, which makes working with them really easy and enjoyable.

After a day at your placement you come back to the grounds where you’re staying, and there’s a relaxed and friendly atmosphere there. You can chill out, or do something active with your fellow interns and volunteers. After just a few days it feels like you’re part of a close-knit group, as if you’ve found a second family.

Besides the internship, there’s also plenty of room for adventure. At weekends and in your free time you do all sorts together: bungee jumping, surfing, shark cage diving, going on safari, you name it. There are also regular nights out, such as karaoke on Tuesdays and beer pong on Thursdays, which always guarantee fun and new memories.

I would really recommend an internship in South Africa to everyone. It’s a unique chance to develop yourself, help others and fully enjoy a beautiful country. You’re guaranteed to come back with wonderful memories, new friendships and stories that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

What advice would you like to give future interns and volunteers?

Do make sure you’ve saved enough money, because even though it’s a cheap country, you still spend a fair bit. The activities also cost quite a lot of money.