My experience as an international volunteer volunteering in South Africa Kathryn Patten (Northern Ireland)

I’m just back from the most amazing 2 months in South Africa volunteering on a h  Volunteer Mzansi Afrika program. My friend had been before and loved the experience so I already thought I would enjoy it but I never imagined how incredible it would be  Chantel the international volunteer program director helped organise everything before I arrived and talked through everything so I felt safe and excited before I left  having asked about my interests, she discussed different projects and opportunities that I would be interested in and that would be most beneficial to me My international volunteer placement was at a hospital and a kids crèche in the community in Ocean View- Cape Town where I stayed while I was there and I loved both! All the staff at the hospital and the teacher at my international volunteer placements were amazing and couldn’t care more! The kids have such brilliant and loving personalities and I loved going in to see their smiley faces every day  I stayed with Chantel and her family in Ocean View and they were so so welcoming and I felt so at home  the Ocean View community have the best people with the biggest hearts  there’s such a sense of caring for each other in the community  I’m just home but I’m so excited to go back to those beautiful people