I travelled with African Conservation Experience (ACE) for my school studies, and to see whether a career in conservation could be right for me. I feel like I’ve made a real positive impact, and helped to conserve the wildlife and the land here.
ACE gives students the eye-opening opportunity to gain on the ground perspectives about conservation issues, such as the rhino poaching crisis, that can be difficult to understand and appreciate fully from a distance.
There have been a lot of highlights during my trip. One of the most memorable would be getting to observe elephants drinking water out of a pool near our camp.
This trip has confirmed my desire to pursue conservation as a career and has shown me that I want to support real wildlife projects and learn directly from those who work in conservation.
I've volunteered with African Conservation Experience (ACE) twice now, and it's been an amazing experience both times. It feels like a second home to me. Everything about the program is perfect, from the incredible locations to the volunteer work.
The most important thing I have learnt from this experience is to slow down and take everything around you. Volunteering at The Game Ranger Experience and having time away from social media and my phone has helped me as a person. It has also made me realise a lot about myself.
I have several great memories. Too many to single out any particular one; from seeing Wild Dogs in Nthaba, feeding the baby rhinos at Care for Wild, to the day in Kruger National Park. Fantastic!