My experience with Rainbow Garden Village at the Children Center

After graduation abroad!

Studying was out of the question for me immediately after graduating from high school, I wanted to get away from my regular everyday life and so I spontaneously decided to go to Cape Town with RGV. At first, only an animal project was an option for me because I was reluctant to get in touch with the locals and especially to live with a host family.

But it came as it had to come and there was neither a place in the animal project nor one in the student house. Nevertheless, I decided to do it and a few days later everything was already booked. Just two weeks later I was sitting on the plane to Cape Town with a large suitcase full of souvenirs and incredibly excited. Apart from a bit of stress when changing trains in Johannesburg, everything went smoothly.

Arrival & orientation program

When I arrived in Cape Town, Chad picked me up after a short wait and took me to the small student house, where I had the orientation program with two other volunteers. After that everything happened very quickly and an hour later I was sitting in the car with my three host sisters on the way to my host family.

My nice host family

After a short unpacking and freshening up, the girls showed me the area and in the evening I got to know my host parents. Unfortunately, my host mother only found out in the morning that she was getting another volunteer and therefore seemed a bit taken aback by my arrival, but she was still very nice to me. In the evening she cooked for us and although the food was very tasty, I had to get used to the fact that there was meat every day and you weren't allowed to be so squeamish about it.

Overall, I was very lucky with my arrival because, in contrast to other volunteers who had very long waiting times, everything was planned very promptly and I was able to do a sightseeing bus tour with another volunteer the very next day.

My project in the Childrens Center

I stayed at the Childrens Centre, which is actually like a kindergarten. Since my host mother was the director of the center, my host sister and I always drove with her for a gas fee of 15 Rand per trip.

On my first day there, I was greeted warmly by the children, and over time the joy does not diminish when you arrive there in the morning. The first day wasn't easy because the process there is very different from that in Germany. But you shouldn't let that put you off, because over time you'll get used to everyday life. The better you get to know the children and their fates, the more you take them to heart.

Leisure highlights: West coast trip & surfing in Muizenberg

I actually always spent my free time with my host sisters. So we climbed Table Mountain together, watched sunsets, visited the Cape of Good Hope, went to Mzolis, a big party, and much more. All in all, one can say that you never get bored in Cape Town, because all the markets are really worth seeing!

The absolute highlight, however, was a self-organized West Coast trip, via Langebaan, Elands Bay and, as the crowning glory, the Cedderberge, where you can admire a breathtaking starry sky. I had actually booked the surf camp from RGV as well, but it didn't take place in such a framework, which is why I canceled it and we went surfing on our own (highly recommended in Muizenberg).

In my opinion one of the most important things in Cape Town is having a car because it gives you a completely different way of seeing the city.

Conclusion of my volunteer work in South Africa

You go to Cape Town with the thought of being able to make a difference, but unfortunately this is only the case to a small extent, you notice that on your first day. Time there gives you so much more than you could ever give yourself. The main task is to give the children a lot of love and closeness and so you are actually converted into a living cuddly toy.

For me personally, the time was the best in my life so far, you often reach your limits and sometimes you get homesick, but what you experience there, nobody can ever take away from you again. After that I added two more weeks of vacation to it and the fact that I was "homesick" for Cape Town reveals a lot. You have to get involved with life there and also try to adapt, then you will have an unforgettable time there.

Tip for future South Africa volunteers

PS: Another little tip - definitely take warm clothes with you, it can get really cold sometimes (I was there from mid-October to December), not only at night because there are no heaters, but also during the day because there is always one quite strong wind and the weather does what it wants anyway.

Experience report from the Children Center in Cape Town by Laura B, 14.12.15