Intern Chatter: Living & Loving CT and Heart 104.9FM

{this post is from Rachel Petua, one of our interns currently working in Cape Town’s mega radio station, Heart 104.9 FM. This will be a weekly blog series highlighting her time in Cape Town. enjoy!}

Upon being given the opportunity to work in Cape Town and also discover this amazing city, I did my personal research which didn’t necessarily turn out to be what I wanted it to be. It was all about crime in Cape Town and trust me, I was completely baffled and frightened for my safety, but on the other side I really wanted to spot and experience the city that everybody is hyped and ecstatic about! Cape Town, it is!

Everyone right from the taxi drivers, regular street walkers and everyone else around Cape Town, is full of energy and excitement in them. I kept wondering if some of these effects were from the presence of the beautiful Table mountain that surrounds most parts of the city, but am yet to prove myself right on this one. It just shocked me especially due to the fact that I am came from a less energetic country where everything is on the low, but it was a different situation in Cape Town. Everybody seems to be friendly, but at times you can get shocked with some of the answers coming from people. The best thing is to ignore them and move on. I am really impressed with the technological development as well. It’s incredible and at such a stage, Cape Town can even be compared with some countries in Asia. With regards to safety, to be honest, it’s not that bad.

I must confess that Heart 104.9FM, a famous radio station in Cape Town), where I intern during the “Phat Joe Breakfast show” is not just an opportunity for me, but a blessing. I interned with Heart for only a period of two months, but to be honest, I feel like I have interned with them for a period much longer than even 5 months due to the much experience I have gotten from it: screening callers before we eventually get them on air; following up callers to get hold of certain comments we as the team want to have recorded for promos and repeats; going out to interview people on the streets are one of the toughest tasks I have ever undertaken in my life. I feel so nervous when I am told to ask anyone random questions without preparing questions. With this, it came to my attention, that in life, we have to overcome our fear and think fast. Sometimes there’s just no time to prepare and the top dogs need the work done and the organization moving. I am much more confident than I used to be before I got to intern in Cape Town and I am ready to serve similar commitments that I had to leave pending due to my lack of confidence and little inexperience with regards to talking to people.

When you’re in Cape Town, you don’t only have to be really cautious of yourself, but walk like a Capetonian or like you’re very familiar with the city and its happenings. Ultimately, you have to be relaxed and enjoy yourself. It’s really an opportunity just to even step in Cape Town as many people out there may not have such a chance, so grab it wisely!