Tommy in South Africa

My story

I only decided shortly beforehand that I’d go to South Africa, because I wanted to do yet another trip in my gap year. Ticket booked, vaccinations done and the journey could begin. I arrived with 8 other newcomers in a group that had already been in Port Elizabeth for a while. But the nine of us ‘newbies’ had no trouble at all fitting into the group. It was a fun, close-knit group of about 30 people. I have no teaching experience, let alone teaching sport, but you’re well supported in this. Other volunteers offered help and explanations, and the coordinators made sure you were well prepared before you went to the schools. Teaching was great fun and the children were over the moon to see us every single time. Because you can see how much the children enjoy it, it gives you a lot of satisfaction. Alongside teaching there were also fun activities with the group. On Mondays the group played football, on Tuesdays there was karaoke at a bar, on Wednesdays games night, on Thursdays beer pong at a bar and on Fridays the weekend. After three weeks of teaching we started the Garden Route, a trip from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town with all sorts of stops and activities throughout the whole week. It was a fun week with lots of adventurous activities, and we saw lots of stunning landscapes. Because I was having such a good time, I even decided to extend my stay by one week. During that week we rented a house in Cape Town and had loads of fun. I’d recommend everyone to come to South Africa to volunteer and definitely to do the Garden Route too.

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

Don’t hesitate, just book your trip to South Africa. You definitely won’t regret it and you’ll have an amazing time