South Africa

South Africa 2017

The magic that IS Africa! ✨

When I told my family I was going to Africa by myself they nearly shit themselves. I'm no stranger to the world of travel and most of the time I go alone, so I didn't think anything of it. I was on a mission to go and nothing was going to stop me.

My whole reason for going to South Africa was to do volunteer  work at the SANCCOB organization with injured African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) on a rehabilitation and conservation project. To be honest, the whole trip was one of the best experiences of my life. I think everyone should get the chance to work with an endangered species because it allows you to see the value of life AND appreciate the diversity of animals in the world. Those little birds stole my heart and I learned a lot about working with wild animals. For me, being able to be apart of something that helps the "greater good" was extremely fulfilling. The African Penguin is a truly beautiful species and knowing that I was able to help, hands on, in conservation efforts really puts things into perspective.

Besides working with the penguins, I was able to do a lot of other activities such a sight seeing, climbing Table Mountain (which was the first time I ever climbed a mountain), shopping around for souvenirs, and even doing the Cape of Good Hope tour. Each different part of SA that I had the opportunity to experience had such a different aura to it. It was like being in a dream seeing all of the absolutely breathtaking sights.

Table Mountain was phenomenal and the view from the top was unbelievable. Much to my surprise, once you make it up you can relax at a cafe and visit a souvenir/post office. I think my favorite part of that whole climb was being able to mail out postcards from the very top of the mountain (it even had its own postcode!). In total I climbed TM twice, once with my friends and once with my Aunt Jenny, and both times were amazing.

Another favorite part of my trip was going to the Cape of Good Hope with my friend, Audrey, who I met at SANCCOB. One good thing about traveling is the fact that you get to meet so many amazing people. Hearing about her previous trips really inspired me to see more of the world and to participate in more conservation projects like she did.

At the end of my time at SANCCOB, I participated in a "penguin release" which is when you take the rehabilitated penguins and release them back into the wild. That moment was such a magical experience for me because I got to see the "fruits of my labor" in action. Getting to see the penguins go back home was so great that I almost cried tears of joy. Our efforts were making a positive impact on the wild population of African Penguins.

One last tidbit that I feel is important to mention is in regards to the people I met. The friends I made at SANCCOB and the friends I made at my accommodation are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Home is where the heart is, right? I did a "home stay" type deal for my trip and I really got lucky with my "roommates". They are part of the reason why this trip was so enjoyable. In the short 6 weeks that I was there we become somewhat of a family and it was a really special experience.

**I want to give a big shout out to my amazing friends for making my time in Africa such an enjoyable one. Audrey, Sabiya, Josh, and Hannah, I MISS YOU GUYS! **

Meeting them and making the memories we share will always be a special thing to me. I hope that one day we have the chance to meet again someday and, if we are lucky, maybe even work on another project together!

Overall, this was a life changing experience for me. Working with wild animals, going to Africa, and meeting the people that I did really had such an overall positive impact on my life. I would HIGHLY recommend doing this African Penguin conservation project to anyone who is interested!

~RMW