Day 1 (Thursday) Arrive at Cape Town Airport (airport code CPT) where you’ll be met and taken straight to your new home, a journey of around 45 minutes during which you’ll get your first sight of the iconic Table Mountain. You’ll need to arrive by 4pm so that you’re in time for orientation at 5pm, otherwise you should fly in a day early.
The School After a good night’s sleep, it’s time to get into it. On your first morning our team will accompany you to the township, to introduce you to the team of dedicated teachers and of course the children. It’s a good day to get to know the kids as well as the school and it’s routine before you get teaching properly tomorrow.
The Southern Peninsula of Cape Town is a beautiful area visited by tourists every day. But there are still poor communities in which many residents are uneducated and unemployed. At the heart of one of these communities is a school which, despite a shortage of funds, is dedicated to providing a good education for their pupils to give them a chance for a better future. It’s at this school that you can use your own education to help teach these enthusiastic youngsters and really make a difference to their lives.
Your weeks will be spent experiencing life as a teaching assistant, a fantastic opportunity to work alongside a professional teacher and gain valuable classroom experience.
Each day you’ll head to school by public minibus taxi, a cost of around $4 a day for the 15 minute journey. In the mornings you’ll be assisting the teacher and working with the children on a one to one basis. With only 33 teachers for nearly 750 children, your help is desperately needed and this one on one time makes the world of difference.
During lunch and break time you’ll help in the playground and later you’ll help with children waiting for their transport home.
Most classes are conducted in English. However the level of English varies among students - most children will have a grasp of the language but their comprehension may be low. Bring your smile, your creativity and all your great ideas about learning and help these children find their way out of poverty. These smiling little faces will make a permanent imprint on your heart and you’ll have an experience that you’ll never forget.
Weekends Spend your free time as you please, your weekends are yours to enjoy. Cape Town offers so much to do. There are loads of stunning beaches to choose from, go for a surf or check out a penguin colony. Maybe you’d like to climb Table Mountain, visit Robben Island, explore the city with its fascinating museums and art galleries….or even go wine tasting. You’ll also want to kick back and chill in the garden or around the swimming pool at the volunteer house.
Your last day (Thursday) Save around $30 for the airport transfer, which our coordinator will arrange for you.
Accommodation Our large volunteer house in Cape Town will be your home, only a short distance from the shops and beach. The house accommodates up to 18 people in single-sex bunk-rooms with up to 6 sharing. There are lockers for your valuables, a kitchen, lounge area, balcony, a nice garden and barbeque. Wifi is available at an extra cost of $10 a week, and a $100 security deposit is payable on arrival.
You’ll be self-catering during your stay, and can cook your meals in the communal kitchen complete with stove, fridge/freezer, microwave and toaster – or use the braai (BBQ) outside. We recommend you budget around $70 per week for groceries – markets and shops are nearby. Alternatively, we can offer catering which is delivered daily – it’s cheap as chips – and there are also heaps of take-aways, bars and restaurants about 10 mins walk.
Fish Hoek’s main street is only 10 minutes’ walk away where you’ll find a laundry, supermarket, serviced laundry and internet café, as well as banks and other shopping. The beach is just a stone’s throw beyond that! Bars, restaurants, more shopping and more beautiful beaches are only 10 minutes away by taxi. Taxis to Cape Town CBD cost around $30 - Fish Hoek is also on the train line, this is also a great way to get around ** accommodation for Equine Therapy and Marine Biology Internship is different – see the individual program Info Packs for details **
Accommodation Upgrade Work hard during the day and treat yourself to a bit more comfort for your downtime with our upgrade accommodation option in Kommetjie. This is a separate accommodation in a different suburb to the volunteer house. There are two king-bed rooms each with ensuite, fridge, wifi, TV and kettle and a shared kitchenette and pool. Stunning views and amazing sunsets. The upgrade is available on request for $140 pp (twin) / $200 (single). The beach, shops, restaurant and bars of Kommetjie are all walkable.