The time I spent living and working in Cape Town has proved to be the most powerful and intense experience abroad of my life up-to-date. When I first put foot in South Africa little I realised how much I had to learn about this country and how complicated and contradictory its everyday reality was. The support provided by the Connect-123 staff was invaluable – our program coordinators guided us through life in South Africa, making sure that each of us were getting the most out of our experience whilst staying safe and keeping an eye on budget! There is just so much the city has to offer: within a two-month period I climbed Table Mountain, hiked up Lion’s Head, went paragliding, spent a whole day in Khayelitsha, spent time by the ocean, went on a safari, and visited local markets and art galleries! Working as a journalism intern at a popular community radio station granted me an unequalled platform from where to observe and discover the fast-changing dynamics and phenomena underpinning the South African society. I was able to develop a first-hand knowledge of community media and to interact with a multitude of organizations on the field operating in the areas of the Cape Flats. A piece of advice: make the most out of it, because time will fly past you before you know it!

