From Groningen to Cape Town:
My Adventure as a Communications Intern
February 2025 | Vera De Prie
Hi there! I’m Vera, a communications student from the far north of the Netherlands. As part of my studies, I had to complete a six month internship in the marketing or communications department of a travel agency. But why stay close to home when you can explore the world? That’s why I chose to do my internship in Cape Town at Gap, a travel organisation where I was involved in various marketing activities.
My Internship Experience: Creative Freedom and Personal Growth
No two days during my internship were the same, and that’s exactly what made it so exciting. Some days, I spent the entire time at the office creating reels, posts, and blogs for Gap’s social media channels. Other days, I went out with my South African colleague, Themba, to shoot content or meet people. That mix of office work and being out in the field gave me the perfect balance between creativity and adventure.
So, what did I learn the most during my internship? I was given a lot of space to develop my own ideas, which was amazing but also challenging. It meant I had to stay motivated and constantly think about new developments and creative concepts. This really helped me become more independent and strengthened my problem solving skills.
While I enjoyed all my tasks, I found going out with Themba to create content the most fun. Not only did it allow me to explore Cape Town and its surroundings, but Themba also gave me new insights into life in South Africa. It was inspiring to see how different, yet how unifying, culture can be.
Of course, there were challenges too. Managing the social media channels was sometimes quite tricky. There’s a lot more to it than you might expect, and balancing all the different tasks made prioritizing difficult. But these challenges made me stronger and more organized.
One of the first things I noticed was the cultural differences in the South African workplace. Everyone was incredibly kind and gentle. From day one, I felt welcomed, colleagues always greeted each other politely and were ready to help whenever needed. In the Netherlands, it’s common for companies to have lunch together or organize Friday afternoon drinks, at our office this was not the case. I think it is because people came from farther away and were a bit more serious when it came to completing their hours and performing the work thoroughly and carefully. It was interesting to experience these differences and see how workplace cultures vary around the world.
This internship has definitely influenced my future plans. Thanks to this international experience, I now know that I want to pursue something with an international focus in my career. Working for an international company or spending another period abroad has become one of my biggest dreams. I’ve also discovered how much I enjoy brainstorming, designing, and creating.
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Written by
Vera De Prie
As marketing & communication intern at Gap Africa I take care of the social media, including creating and generating content and blogs for the website. As a student from the Netherlands, I choose a company that, like me, has a deep love for travel and exploring the world but wants to do so in a sustainable way. I am honnored to develop my communication and marketing skills during these five months in the beautiful city Cape Town.