My experience in Cape Town can only be described in one word – awesome. I enjoyed almost every moment. It was a great chance to meet people from different parts of the world, and form connections with people I would never have come across on a normal day. Living with 3 girls that all already knew each other pretty well, I felt like a new girl in boarding school. Being thrown in the deep end, I have to say I loved it.

Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The Connect-123 team did everything to make my internship as fun and as insightful as possible, whilst still giving me the opportunity to be independent and learn to use my own initiative and be resourceful. My street skills have improved as well which is always good; walking to work everyday made me more aware and cautious.

I worked as an accounting intern for a rather small accounting firm. At first the small office and the jail like door took me aback. However, working there proved to be a worthwhile experience. The people are very welcoming and the warm, the friendly environment makes you feel at ease almost immediately. Also, everyone has a nice ‘African’ sense of humor, thus working hours were rather enjoyable. Unlike other firms I worked at, I actually was given a lot of responsibility and I felt that my time was valued. I worked on both the accounting and tax side of things, as well as, had a lot of contact with clients, which improved my interpersonal skills in a professional manner.

All in all I can say that my experience in Cape Town is not one I will forget. I love the people I met and have made what I think as life-long friendships with some very amusing individuals. The Connect-123 team were amazing and my program coordinator, Simone, was incredible – the guidance was endless, which is something I think one can’t get enough of.