by Zoe Dillman (aka Zoebles)
Stories are normally told from beginning to end, but this one, in particular, is an adventure that must be lived from start to finish.
5 flights and 2 travel days later I landed in George, where a two-hour drive in the one and only “Patricia” (also known as the project car) awaited me. *Cue background road trip music: “This is the start of something new, it feels so right to be here with you ohhhh.” * A few mini heart attacks later from driving on the left side of the road and I was finally in Nature’s Valley.
My first few days spent in the Valley were a little rough considering I was armed with a killer jetlag, a soon-to-be-found lost luggage, and last but not least a daunting vomiting cold. Who would’ve known that this hiccup was just a little bump in the road that would lead me on a once-in-a-lifetime experience towards education, self-discovery, and friendship?
Point Hike, Plett Game Reserve, Radical Raptors
This Internship with the Trust provided me with a strong base for effective communication, gave me the necessary skills needed to multi-task, to work efficiently, and helped me further improve my writing about a diverse range of topics from blog posts to scientific research articles. Little did I know you could pack so much into a 3-month experience!
Working with NVT allowed me to experience everything from early morning bird-ringing to coastal clean-ups and marine debris surveys, to conservation education and community greenings, to wildlife conservation and penguin releases, to not only seeing what a non-profit organization can really do but also understanding the positive impact NVT has on its community.
Robberg Beach Clean-up, Kurland Greening, Point Hike, Raptor Ringing, Bird Ringing
This internship with NVT has been a wild ride; an amazing experience that I will never forget, along with all the fond memories I will surely cherish forever. Thank you to everyone at the Trust who made my journey just how I like my coffee: super sweet!