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Volunteer Name: Maria Homewood
Gap Year Programme: Cape Town - Children's Orphanage
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How was your experience in the destination that you traveled to with Real Gap?
I had an amazing experience in Cape Town. I worked four days a week in the Orphanage so in my spare time I got to see a lot of Cape Town and the surrounding areas. It's good to have a balance between the voluntary work and free time to explore. I went to the Cape of Good Hope, Stellenbosch (wine vineyards), Robben Island, whale watching - just to name a few things.
There is plenty to do and see in Cape Town. There is still a lot of poverty in South Africa, which can be quite humbling. |
Luckily I only heard about the crime in Cape Town and didn't have any bad experiences but it was important to be careful and act sensibly.
I got to learn so much about myself during my time away. The whole experience gave me a real confidence boost and revealed abilities I would never have known I had. It really changed my life.
What did you think of the programme?
The Orphanage was great and the children are all well cared for. I chose to work with the youngest group under 18 months old so I got to spend most of my day playing! The majority of the work is to keep the children stimulated playing with toys and helping them with their physical development.
During my time at the Orphanage I met a lot of other volunteers, who further enhanced the experience for me and I got to make some good friends along the way.
I had the opportunity to do voluntary work with the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals for one day a week which was a real eye opening experience. I had never even considered working with animals before and I absolutely loved the experience. I got to assist and learn so much from the Vets. They do a fantastic job. |
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What was the accommodation like?
I was lucky enough to stay with a great family. I think it's important to embrace the different cultures when staying with a host family. The family I stayed with were Muslim and during the course of my stay I learnt a lot about their culture and they were interested to learn about my own as well. They were just as curious about my life at home as I was about theirs! The accommodation was comfortable and clean.
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Were you pleased you went with Real Gap?
Yes - it's good to know that you have booked a trip through a reliable company. I would, and have already, book another trip through Real Gap.
The staff can also provide you with information regarding not only the project but also the destination you are travelling to.
What was the most memorable moment of your trip?
There are so many memorable moments but the best is probably seeing one of the children in the Orphanage walking for the first time. |
I felt like I had bonded with this particular child and she had only been crawling since I arrived at the Orphanage. After 6 weeks she actually walked her first steps towards me, which was quite emotional for me.
 Further information on the South Africa Cape Town Volunteer
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