Joshua Macabuag in Jozini

(CNN) -- Joshua Macabuag is a 23 year-old recent graduate of the University of Oxford's Pembroke College.

Josh, as he prefers to be called, studied civil engineering and achieved some of the highest marks in his class. "Josh is a very brilliant chap," remarked one of his professors.

Josh got interested in relief and development work during his second year at school and has already spent one summer abroad in Japan, where he worked with Japan Railways.

He loves to travel and perhaps it's his wanderlust that's motivated him to take the next year off and travel to Jozini, South Africa. But it won't be an easy year.

Jozini is a small town in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal Province on the main route to Mozambique. It is one of the most impoverished areas of South Africa, but is also surrounded by a massive dam, game preserves and two majestic mountain ranges.

Josh, who speaks some Spanish and has taught himself Japanese, will now focus on learning some Zulu.

He's teamed up with the charity Engineers Without Borders, and plans to put his education to use and get some practical experience in the field.

Josh will be working on a new sports complex in Jozini, a facility that will double as an educational facility for local youths. The idea is to replace a dilapidated, existing facility with a new one that will be self-sustaining and provide the community with a way of generating income as well as prepare area kids for a career.

There probably won't be much free time for squash and the martial arts that Josh normally enjoys, but it's certain new talents will emerge over the next year during Josh's time abroad. E-mail to a friend