South Africa is modern and energetic, the
perfect place to gain experience in your chosen career. We'll place you
in a delightful small veterinary practice in Cape Town, under the
supervision of an excellent vet who will endeavour to give you as much
knowledge and experience as possible.
The practice is situated in the capital
city of Cape Town - with it's world-famous Table Mountain and miles of
glorious beach, this is a good city in which to live and work.
►SUMMARY
FACTFILE
Start Dates
All year round - you choose your
start and finish dates!
Duration
2 weeks and up to 1 year, subject to visa
requirements
Requirements
No qualifications necessary.
Price
From £1,795 for 4 weeks, ranging to £2,365 for 12 weeks.
Full Price List
What's included
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the Airport
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Full pre-departure support
►Local in-country team support
and backup
►24-hr emergency support
►Two free T-shirts.
What's not included
Flights, Insurance,
Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and
assistance),
Return transfer to
airport, Transport to and from your
project.
Who can do this Project?
All our projects are
open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+
PROJECT OVERVIEW You'll work in
a general vet practice in Cape Town - small, but very friendly. It is
typical of a veterinary clinic in South Africa. The practice deals
mainly with domestic animals, but you may also get an occasional
opportunity to help out at the Blue Cross Animal/Veterinary Hospital,
which is much bigger. (The Blue Cross is a privately-owned veterinary
practice that deals with a wide range of veterinary procedures and if
you spend time here, you should get exposure to larger animals such as
cattle and horses.)
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PLACEMENT:
An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into
Africa and Sough African culture.
You'll learn a lot from experts in your field
about how they work in a culture that is very different to what
you're used to.
New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!
YOUR WORK: As this is a small practice,
your work responsibilities will differ according to what is required at
the time you're there.
"I've been very busy, LOVING working with Dr. Cathy Wahl at the
vet clinic. I couldn't be happier and love both her and her
staff. I've seen a variety of procedures so far and am already perfecting
my stitching technique. Cathy has been arranging for me to travel around to a few
other vet clinics too, which has been great. I've met loads of people here and am having a fabulous time!"
Devon Swartz
The practice opens at 8.30 but you will be
expected to come in around 9:00 am. The practice has surgery in
the mornings between 09.00 and 12.00 and in the afternoons between 15.30
and 18.30. Lunchtime is usually between 12.20 and 15.00 depending
on how busy they are. You will be free to leave the surgery during this
time.
You will have opportunities to shadow the
Vet with plenty of scope for observation and some hands-on work.
Depending on your experience and confidence, you may be able to
participate in basic and simple procedures under supervision, such as
making blood smears, analysing urine samples, learning to prep surgical
sites, etc. This will also depend on whether the Vet feels you have the
capabilities to take part in these activities.
At times you may find the work to be slow
as it only becomes busy when animals are brought in. During these
periods, there will be a variety of different jobs that you’ll need to
assist with and some of these will not be directly related to working
with the animals, such as attending to the upkeep and cleaning of the
premises, or helping out with Reception.
In other words, you should be prepared to do
anything and everything that needs to be done during the time you’re
there.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL
ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WHILE ON THIS PROJECT:
5-DAY OR 7-DAY SAFARI from
Cape Town up the renowned Garden Route: taking in Dolphin and Whale
Spotting, visits to many tourist attractions, such as a visit to a
brewery(!), the Bloukrantz Bungy Jump (reportedly the highest in the world),
and a guided tour of the Cango Caves.
1 WEEK WHALES, SHARKS AND DOLPHINS
Project: This is
an extraordinary and exciting project in a beautiful location, surrounded
by white beaches and blue ocean. And two hours from the world's third
favourite city - Cape Town.
What more could anyone want?
PARAGLIDING COURSE: Soar over the impressively beautiful Drakensburg
Mountain. You'll get a licence at the end of the course which qualifies you
to do solo paragliding around the world.
Entrance to the practice - the cat likes it !
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN CAPE TOWN
A ten minute walk from the centre of the bustling
Cape Town CBD is the quieter, more chilled out area of Green Point. Here we use
St Johns Waterfront Lodge, one of the better known backpackers’ lodges for your
accommodation. It is not only close to the city, but also to the famous V&A
Waterfront (5 min walk) and literally a hop, skip and jump away from the ocean.
Among a host of other activities, from here you can visit the world-famous
Robben Island by boat, where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for 27 years!
Apart from other Travellers volunteers, this hostel
mainly attracts international travellers to Cape Town. It is uniquely built on
two plots so literally has two of everything, including two pools! They are very
friendly and will always help you where needed. They can answer any questions or
can even help when you need some TLC because you feel a bit homesick!
The Main Lodge is the centre of all the lodges and
is a meeting point for everyone. You can discuss your day in the living room,
have a nice chat out on the terrace, go for a swim, watch a movie, etc. Included
in the placement cost is a bed in one of the large 8-bed dormitories, so you
will be sharing. However, there is an option of choosing a single or double room
if you are happy to pay the difference, but we do find that volunteers staying
in the larger dormitories tend to make friends easier and be a bit more social.
Remember, safety by numbers is always the most responsible way to do things!
This lodge has a living room, lots of bathrooms and
a two well-equipped kitchens. It also has a lovely big (recently renovated)
living area with satellite TV, a cosy bar and very comfy couches. In the main
outdoor area, there are two pools, the braai (South African for BBQ) area and
lots of tables and benches in the beautiful garden. There is a payphone inside
the main lounge and a FREE internet service. St John’s has also recently fitted
a CCTV security system, so you can live with peace of mind, knowing that you are
safe and sound.
Food: You will be given a food allowance to buy
your own food from the big supermarket up the road. The lodge is equipped
with a kitchen with a fridge, stove, oven and microwave, and all the necessities
to cook a good meal.
PLEASE NOTE: The World Cup kicks off in
June 2010 in Cape Town and accommodation surcharges WILL apply during this
period. We can advise you on the extra cost closer to the time.
To also assist you during your time with us in
South Africa, we have included the web-link for Pick and Pay a major Supermarket
in South Africa, by logging on to:
You'll fly into Cape Town where you'll be met at
the airport by one of our staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your work
and your accommodation and introduced to your hosts. You'd be well advised to
prepare yourself for an almost overwhelmingly friendly welcome!
You have the option to arrange your own flights or
we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this
for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit
you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by
Murray Rogers Travel Limited,
ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel
on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of
other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet
up before leaving for your placement.
VISAS:
For many
nationalities, visas are not required for a stay of 90 days or less. If you’re
not sure whether you need a visa or not, please visit
http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/visa_schedule.asp
to see whether your country is exempt. If you do need a visa, we will assist you
and help make the visa process as easy as possible.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have
changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket.
To read about the excellent Support & Backup we
provide before you leave and during your programme, please
We can also arrange your flight
dates
to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a
fascinating and wondrous country!
Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring
Road, Worthing,
West Sussex, BN12 4AP, England
Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595 Fax: +44 (0)1903 708179
Email:
info@travellersworldwide.com
.
