Monica Martis, derdejaarsstudent lerarenopleiding Engels

Hello everyone! My name Monica Martis and I’m in my third year of the study teacher of English. This year I had the opportunity to travel abroad to Genadendal which is a small town in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Living in South Africa as an intern is possibly the best experience that you will ever have in your life. However, things may not always be easy for you due to the fact that you’re not used to living in a foreign country.  For some it will be easy to adjust and others may struggle a bit. It may also be the first time that you are living on your own with roommates. This is why I am taking the liberty to write a blog post with helpful tips for the future HAN students that will be interning in South Africa.

1. Bring entertainment! The internet will be slower than you are used to. You might not even have internet the first couple of weeks. So definitely download as many shows and movies as you can before you come to South Africa.
2. Brush up on your English or at least pay attention during your Afrikaans lessons. One thing that I’ve noticed is that there is a big language barrier between the Dutch students and the locals. If you’re expected to work with South Africans you should at least know how to properly speak English or Afrikaans. You will definitely get used to Afrikaans once you make the effort of speaking it especially when you’re constantly surrounded by the language.
3. Respect the culture that you are in. In Genadendal it is very normal to say hello to everyone when you pass them on the street. Try to be as friendly as you can. Also be accepting of other people’s way of life. Genadendal is a very religious village and it is very normal to pray multiple times a day. The people there will definitely appreciate if you pray along even if you are not religious.
4. Be patient. Literally nothing is going to go the way you want it to. You may make appointments but they can fall through. You may set a time, but sometimes people may not be punctual. This is very common, which is why you must always start as soon as you can with your work. Just remember that you’re not in The Netherlands anymore. Don’t stress because these things happen. As the South Africans say: “alles sal regkom” which means everything will turn out okay!
5. Don’t assume that everyone is going to magically talk to you. As HAN students you look very intimidating. Remember that even though you are coming from Europe, we are all equal and we should treat each other equally. Make the first step and socialize! The people here are extremely friendly and they appreciate it more if you’re the one making the effort to communicate.
6. Don’t take advantage of your work. Your supervisors will be extremely grateful that you are there to help. However, there are some students that come to work and wait for instructions. Try and be pro-active here. Try to help with school functions if you’re teaching in Genadendal, go help with rugby/netball practice or help with a career day. Try and be more useful than just the field you are studying for.
7. Try to compromise. You’re going to be sharing a house with 1 or more people. You’re also going to share a car. Not everyone wants to do what you want to do. As a group you’re going to have to compromise and try to share the car equally. Try not to be selfish and take one for the team sometimes.
8. Don’t exclude someone in the group! I know that the Dutch like to be “gezellig” and eat together every night. However, some people like to rest after a hard day’s work. You shouldn’t assume that someone doesn’t want to be part of the group just because they don’t always want to join in. Some people just like to go on their own path. It may also be the case that someone will feel like an outcast. Try and integrate them into the group if you notice this.
9. Do speak to your foster mom/dad often. Remember that they are human too. Yes, they are always there if you need something but a visit here and there is well appreciated.
10. Don’t be afraid of doing things on your own! South Africa may definitely be scary at first because you’re in an unknown place. When the months start going by you’re going to realize that you won’t want to do everything that the others want to do. Definitely get the courage to do things by yourself! As long as you have internet and airtime on your phone, you will be fine. I managed to go to an elephant park safari by myself and honestly it was a great experience. It’s not as scary as you think. Just go for it!

I hope these are some helpful tips and don’t forget to enjoy and don’t sweat the small stuff!