Reviews
Real stories from real participants, parents and university partners who share their experiences as well as their advice. Learn more about the benefits Connect-123 interns and volunteers receive on our programs around the world!
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Prabhat Dhar
As far back as I can remember, I knew I wanted to go to South Africa and the wondrous city of Cape Town. Being close to wrapping up my undergraduate college career, I felt it would be a great place to spend some time during my summer/their winter before I decided upon my next steps. For this reason, I ultimately landed upon interning through Connect-123 for three months and can honestly say it was the greatest experience I could have ever wished for. Gabby and the rest of the Connect-123 team played an instrumental role in helping me find my internship and then also easily integrating me into my work environment. My internship was at The Children’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit (KIDCRU) in Tygerberg Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals situated in the Cape Town area. I primarily worked under the assistance of Dr. Barbara Laughton on a research study aimed at monitoring and comparing the different psycho-developmental tests used for children in South Africa with HIV. Besides analyzing data and authoring a research article that is now in the publication process, I was also able to assist various doctors in the unit on patient visits and ward runs as I got exposed to the many facets of hospital life. As a person who was unsure about whether I wanted to continue into the field of medicine, my internship helped me realize that this type of work is meant for me and I can only thank Connect-123 for helping me obtain such a rewarding opportunity. I urge any person interested in the medical area to get in touch with Connect-123 and look at the possibilities of working in Cape Town, as its an area that has need for such assistance. I believe the work you do will be beyond gratifying and there are definite opportunities for you to help make a difference. Besides my work, I got to attend multiple World Cup matches in both Cape Town and Johannesburg while soaking up the atmosphere of the world’s most popular tournament, which is something I had always dreamt of. I was also able to explore the diverse areas and cultures of Cape Town, which is easily the most beautiful and captivating city I’ve ever been in. In addition, I had the chance to travel to different parts of Africa including Botswana and Zambia, with the highlight being my conquering of the Victoria Falls Bridge as I bungee jumped over the rapids of the Zambezi River. All in all, I’ll definitely remember Cape Town for the work I did, but more importantly for the friends and connections I’ve made. I believe Cape Town is a city that every individual should immerse himself or herself in and there is no better program than Connect-123 that helps one in doing so. I already know I will be back to the mother city once again in the near future and can only hope my second time there was as great as my first.
Internships in Cape Town
Leah Casanave
I am currently a doctoral student in public health and had just finished my Masters when I headed to Cape Town. The summer I was in Cape Town was probably the best two months of my life. Connect-123 set up a wonderful internship that allowed me to work on items that I was interested in. I worked for a research council that is currently surveying 12,200 babies and testing them for HIV. My focus has been in HIV epidemiology and this internship fit perfectly with what I wanted to do over the two months. The best part was probably the friends I have made along the way. I would have never thought I would make such good friends in two short months. I met people from across the United States, as well as the world (Spain, Italy, Brasil, Canada and Ecuador). Gabby and the rest of the team are wonderful to work with and are always there to help if something arises. There are several opportunities to volunteer outside the internship, which provide a great experience to those who participate. I would recommend this program to anyone who has wanted to travel and work abroad. I can honestly say that I was sad to leave Cape Town, but can’t wait for future opportunities to take me back.
Internships in Cape Town
Kristin Bonello
Cape Town is one of my favorite places I have ever visited, and not just because of the beautiful scenery or the breadth of outdoor activities. The people in the city are some of the most friendly, welcoming men and women I have ever encountered. The South African culture is vastly different from any I have ever experienced, but in a truly eye-opening way. But what really made my experience in South Africa special was the work I was doing. Interning with the Neurosurgery Department at one of the largest hospitals in South Africa has to be the most incredible opportunity I have ever had. This group of doctors welcomed me into their family and taught me everything, from how to take a patient history to how to drill holes in a person’s skull. No question of mine was ever too big or too small, and everyone went out of his or her way to make sure my experience was all I had hoped for. My internship culminated with a large department dinner in the city one night, and the doctors each made sure to impart one last bit of wisdom before I left to go back to the States. I also have all of their email addresses and they made me promise to keep in touch. One of the hardest parts of leaving was knowing I probably wouldn’t see any of them again. Connect-123 made finding this internship so easy. Gabby was instrumental in setting up my job with the department, and also in providing the medical interns with different opportunities to learn; whether it was attending a talk by any one of the doctors in the area or volunteering with different clinics, we certainly had a ton of exposure to medicine in Cape Town. The hands-on experiences I have gained, the friends I have made, and the adventures I have been on will never be forgotten. Thank you Connect-123, for a truly wonderful summer!
Internships in Cape Town
Magdalena Niestrata
The internship in Buenos Aires was one of the best experiences I’ve had. It allowed me to combine excellent work experience in a public hospital with exploring the city and nightlife porteño style. Everyone I met was very friendly and helpful and made me feel at home in Buenos Aires very quickly. Connect-123 organized a bunch of great social events with Argentine spirit and although it was winter there when I did my internship, it immediately warmed up the atmosphere and outweighed the ‘polar cold’. I highly recommend it to everyone. Buenos Aires is really as great as its said to be if not better and Connect-123 team know how to help you make the most of it. Just be careful, once you go, you won’t wanna leave!
Internships in Buenos Aires
Laura Socha
Volunteering in Cape Town was probably the best experience I have ever had. My internship was at a small rehab hospital dedicated to the poor population. The people I worked with were amazing, friendly, and took me in with open arms. By working closely with the nurses, and showing my interest, I was able to function as a nurse myself. My hospital did everything to help me have a good experience and even offered for me to travel with patients to some of the big hospitals and day clinics. By doing so, I learned a lot about HIV/AIDS, TB, and the poor population. Working at a small hospital helped me to feel right at home. The city of Cape Town alone is breathtaking. There are numerous opportunities for fun activities including hiking Table Mountain, enjoying the beach, wine tours, safaris, and bungee jumping! The shopping is fun, whether at familiar stores down at the Waterfront or at Greenmarket Square bargaining with locals for a good price. There are plenty of things to do in and around the city, so there is no chance to be bored. Connect123 made traveling to South Africa and finding an internship very easy. They offer you enough freedom to be off on your own but give significant guidance throughout your stay so that you know you are well taken care of. Gabby, from Connect-123, gave me extra opportunities beyond the rehab hospital to experience South Africa’s health care, such as clinics in the townships and volunteering at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. These combined experiences were invaluable and really helped me shape my future nursing career. I made lifelong friends with the people I met through the program and locally, and I eagerly look forward to an opportunity to visit South Africa again.
Internships in Cape Town
Cara Magarian
For as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to become a physician. Throughout my years in college I dedicated a huge amount of time to volunteering at different health facilities and this was very rewarding for me. I’ve spent years preparing for medical school and before heading on this long journey, I wanted to make good use of my time and venture off to Cape Town, South Africa. I fell in love with this wonderful city, mostly because there was so much to offer and since I am a thrill-seeker, I was able to engage in many intriguing activities. For my internship, I was given the opportunity to observe live surgeries and take part in many different research projects at a pediatric hospital. Each and every morning I would wake up, I couldn’t wait to begin my day at the hospital. The people who I worked with were very helpful and I formed excellent, everlasting relationships with them. Now, as I begin my journey as a medical student, I will always look back on my experience in South Africa and maybe even decide to be a surgeon! I definitely recommend anyone who’s interested in a health care internship to take the first step and be a participant of the Connect-123 program. Thank you to the wonderful staff at Connect-123 for providing me with this exceptional experience!
Internships in Cape Town
Chris Androski
My experience in South Africa was truly amazing. The country was beautiful and my internship was awesome. I actually had an internship where I felt that I was truly making a difference. The people at Connect-123 were extremely helpful and made sure we were comfortable with both our living accommodations and volunteer experience. The best part about the entire trip was the people I met, both native South Africans and other volunteers. They made the experience all that it was. I cant wait to get back to SA.
Internships in Cape Town
Michelle Eichhorst
The three months I spent in Cape Town were some of the most rewarding of my life! I interned with a child accident prevention organization. There, I was able to research children’s safety and help conduct community workshops. Not only did this internship fulfill my university requirements, but it gave me valuable real-life experience. My co-workers were welcoming and eager to share all that South Africa had to offer. I also really enjoyed living with other interns from around the world. There was never a dull moment with all that there was to do in Cape Town! I was ready for an adventure, which is precisely what I got. The Connect-123 staff were helpful and guided me throughout my time there, ensuring a positive experience. I find that I am eager to share my time with others and enjoy reminiscing with those who were there. I recommend interning in Cape Town for anyone who is outgoing, wants to gain valuable work experience, and is eager to meet wonderful new people. I know I will not soon forget my time in South Africa!
Internships in Cape Town
Mischelle Nelson
The time I spent in Cape Town was invaluable. Connect-123 offered the perfect amount of structure, from going on excursions to planning group social events. But at the same time I had the opportunity to explore the city for myself. I worked at an HIV mobile clinic that services greater Cape Town. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to interact with people from all walks of life; from residents in informal settlements to medical students at UCT. Learning more about HIV testing and counseling has aided in my understanding of South African HIV policy and will help me with the work I will do in the US. I encourage anyone that has the slightest interest in this program to check it out. I fell in love with the city and will definitely be returning soon.
Internships in Cape Town
Annie Berger
My four months in Cape Town were best described as an incredible learning experience. I learned so much about myself and the world around me – especially through my internship experience. When my initial internship assignment turned out to be something different than what I expected, Gabby and the Connect-123 staff took immediate action to find something for me that fit my personal and professional needs. Within two days, I had a new assignment that I ended up being MUCH happier with. My first day at my new internship at a leading pediatric hospital, involved me being asked to help with an anesthetic induction within about 30 seconds of walking into the operating theatre. Needless to say, I got some pretty amazing medical experience, not only with the scientific aspect of medicine but the social aspect as well. I learned to communicate with parents and caregivers (especially those who didn’t speak English as a first language) as part of my research project and continued to gain knowledge and skills in the anesthetic arena, including completion of a successful intubation during my last week at the hospital. I now feel incredibly prepared to be in a clinical setting as I begin Physician Assistant school. Outside of work, I formed some pretty amazing lifelong relationships with other program participants and was able to explore many different aspects of South African life, thanks to the Connect staff. I can’t express the true value of the things I learned in Cape Town, but I know that I will carry them with me for the rest of my life and have become a better person because of them.
Internships in Cape Town
Broghan Cully
The past 3 months I spent in Cape Town were nothing short of amazing. Connect-123 not only set me up with a biomedical engineering internship and great housing, but also provided me with weekly optional activities such as wine tasting, hiking, and African drumming lessons. Every week was a new adventure because Cape Town and its surroundings have so much to offer. Also, the weather was perfect, the people were friendly, and the food was exceptional! With that said, my time in this wonderful city would not have been half of what it was had I not come through Connect-123. The Connect-123 staff made my stay here just that much more comfortable. They were there to greet me when I arrived, they took me to work on my first day, they introduced me to all the other students visiting, they showed me the ins and outs of the city, and they were readily available to help me with anything throughout my entire visit.
Internships in Cape Town
Samu Pelkonen
In January, my friends and schoolmates started looking for their regular summer jobs whereas I started thinking outside the box, stumbled upon this website and applied for a medical internship in Cape Town. The whole application process was smooth sailing; I got the type of an internship I wanted most, when I wanted it and over 10,000 kilometres away from home. I knew I was in for a real view-expander. During the course of roughly eight weeks in July and August I interned in a private clinic for orthopedic surgery. My average work week consisted of three days in an operating room having the privilege to witness top-tier shoulder surgery and two days of working on my own clinical research project. On the office days I also got to observe patient consultations and minor procedures done under ultrasound guidance. Despite the surgeons being busy beyond recognition at times, I feel that I got enough instruction on how to conduct the research. Also, worth highlighting is how well we interns were treated as a part of the staff and the creativity of the managing surgeon in, for instance, coming up with fascinating research topics out of which I could choose the most tempting one. All in all, the work schedule and how time was split between ‘theatres’ and office space was an optimal mix for an eager intern with a specific interest in orthopedics. Naturally an integral part of the whole internship experience was the innumerable evenings, nights and weekends spent meeting new and interesting people, going out and just having the time of my life – partly on the expense of my liver. In retrospect and amidst the lethargy-inducing Finnish fall weather it is invigorating to savor the afterglow of such South African outdoorsy activities as mountaineering, road tripping, bungee jumping and going on safari. The drinks nights and excursions organized by Connect staff deserve two thumbs up for bringing the Connect interns together every once in a while. As a non-native speaker of English I immediately realized I was in an obvious minority so my internship had one more dimension as opposed to that of a, say, Brit. I did find myself delving deeper in the de facto world language in two different registers that would have been hard to even graze had I stayed in Finland. Firstly, the refined medical lingo of surgeons and other healthcare professionals and the blatantly contrasting jargon of mostly American college students. Some of the more peculiar colloquialisms will undoubtedly linger in my mind for long… In short, the friendly Connect-123 staff enabled me to have the best summer of my life. The downright flabbergasting internship and everything it entailed also were the final incitement for me to strive for an international career. Apparently, I was the first Connect intern from Finland and coming somewhere ‘exotic’ only added to the value. The summer when I felt more alive than ever will definitely be remembered.
Internships in Cape Town
Lauren Day
Connect-123 was the perfect organization to go through for a summer internship. From the start, Steven, Lea and Gabby were very prompt in answering all my questions and were extremely helpful throughout my entire internship. My placement was doing research at a children’s hospital, and it was an amazing experience. I got to work on various research projects, scrub in to numerous surgeries and build relationships with the staff and children. It is obvious that the doctors want you to learn, and are more than willing to explain a procedure or answer questions. I felt welcome and learned an incredible amount from everyone. Not only was the internship incredible, but also the Connect outings allowed us to explore around Cape Town while making friends with the other awesome interns. Cape Town is full of endless things to do such as wine tasting, mountain hiking, nightlife and shark diving. The Connect staff creates an energetic, friendly and lively environment, and through it I made friends that are going to last a long time. My summer truly was unforgettable. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful and exciting cities I’ve been to, I got the internship of a lifetime, and I met some of the most amazing people. It will no doubt be an experience that I will never forget.
Internships in Cape Town
Chris Troeger
A few weeks after I returned from Cape Town, where I was an intern at an HIV/AIDS prevention organization where I taught high school students about HIV, one of my friends, who was radiant with jealousy, asked me if I had any advice for someone who wanted to go to Cape Town. Without hesitation, my advice, in a single word, was, “Go!” Cape Town is a unique city, alive with culture, night clubs, music (listen to Goldfish, they are going to be huge), beaches, mountains, wine country, and countless things to see and do. Connect-123 does a fantastic job of matching interns with relevant and exciting internships and also organizes events and trips to meet other interns and explore Cape Town and South Africa. I highly recommend Connect-123 for their level of commitment to make each participant’s experience as complete and near to perfect as possible, especially on the individual level. The Connect-123 staff is great; friendly and energetic, which is a theme for my experience in Cape Town. Even more than my life changing experiences, I think I will vividly remember the people that I encountered. The Connect-123 staff, my friends and fellow interns in Connect, my coworker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, my high school aged students, even that guy with the thick Afrikaans accent who challenged me to jump off the world’s highest bungee bridge; it is the people that made my trip what it was, and I have no doubt that the people that you meet will make your time in Cape Town life-changing. So if you are like my friend, looking for advice, my answer to you is the same, “Go!”
Internships in Cape Town
Julie Ellsworth
Connect-123 is an amazing organization that made my time in Cape Town unforgettable. Steven and Lea were so prompt with my initial application and answering any questions I had, no matter how minor. They helped me find the perfect placement at a local hospital volunteering with children as well as participating in various research projects. Not only was the volunteering aspect of the program well organized and worthwhile, Connect-123 also plans exciting outings that allow you to travel around the breathtaking country. From trips to Cape Point to braais on the rooftop of their apartment building (which has an amazing view of Table Mountain, I might add), Connect gives you the opportunity to make many new friendships that will last a lifetime. It was such an eye-opening experience to see the extreme of poverty in the hospitals one day and then the next, drive the coast and take in the beautiful scenery. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to travel to Cape Town and it would not have been the same without the extraordinary staff at Connect.
Internships in Cape Town
Dora de Kenessey
Connect-123 was the absolutely ideal organization to go through for the summer! They set me up with a fantastic internship at a hospital, which was exactly what I was looking for, and provided a beautiful apartment as well. From there, we were all given complete independence, though you always knew that Steven, Lea and Melanie were right there in case you ever needed anything. They also organized great expeditions and were always extremely helpful and accommodating. I just had the time of my life this summer, and couldn’t have had the same experience without Connect!
Internships in Cape Town
Claire Kinnison
My internship at the hospital was extremely rewarding. The doctors with whom I worked were wonderful and very willing to teach and explain abstract ideas. During surgeries, the doctors made sure I understood their procedures and they explained the most effective techniques. My research was also quite rewarding. I interviewed patients’ families and interacted with the children at the hospital. This allowed me to see firsthand the extreme bravery with which these children and their families conduct their lives. I would not give up my experiences at the hospital for anything! They taught me about myself as well as about the sometimes emotionally draining ways of the world which have in turn made me a stronger person. I highly recommend this hands-on program.
Internships in Cape Town
Jared Brown
I had always wanted to visit South Africa and found that Connect-123 was the most impressive group out there. My expectations were far exceeded throughout my interaction with Steven and the gang. Not only did Steven call me almost immediately after my application, but he quickly replied to all questions I had in my preparations for my trip. From picking me up from the airport, to ensuring that my work at the hospital went smoothly, to arranging excellent and affordable accommodations; I was continually impressed by Connect-123. I wouldn’t travel to Cape Town any other way.
Internships in Cape Town
Kelly Neel
I honestly don’t know where to begin. If I tried to say all the amazing things I gained throughout my experience with Connect-123, I’d end up with a novel the size of the latest Harry Potter. One thing I had asked Steven was “How did I stumble across this program while surfing the internet, and have it COMPLETELY change my life?” Not only did I gain experience from working in the hospital, but I gained an overwhelming appreciation for the people and world around me. There are just no words to explain how much I have grown as a person by simply being immersed in the culture that surrounded me. To find beauty in a place with such devastating poverty is beauty in and of itself, if that makes any sense at all. I highly recommend Connect-123. They make the best team and are super supportive of every participant in the program! Steven and Lea were there for us at the drop of a hat, as professionals and as friends and I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world!
Internships in Cape Town
Elizabeth Boyer
I had the time of my life in Cape Town. My internship was exactly what I was looking for, and helped me make some major decisions concerning the career that I would like to pursue. I was able to meet South African students and get to know more about their culture. Everyone was so welcoming and interested in helping me learn more about them. Lea and Steven are amazing. Their pure passion for their work and their city makes this program a once in a lifetime experience. They showed us all the hot spots around Cape Town and were always willing to help out. Our apartment had an amazing view, and living in the same building as other participants allowed me to get to know other students from all around the world. Between the internship, the city, and people, I could not ask for a better experience than what Connect-123 has shown me!
Internships in Cape Town
