Tyrell Burgess has reflected on his life-changing pre-season with Vancouver Whitecaps as he prepares to make his professional debut for his new club.

Whitecaps braved the sizzling East African heat as part of a two-week soccer safari in Tanzania, which saw Burgess feature in three matches against local opposition.

During the defending USL-D1 champions' sojourn to the Southern Hemisphere, the squad took time out of their busy schedule to hold youth soccer clinics and make goodwill visits to orphanages and schools.

For Burgess, 22, it was an experience that will live long in the memory, especially donating jerseys, balls, school supplies and tickets to deprived children of a Dar es Salaam orphanage.

"There must be no other continent quite like Africa and Tanzania is the most amazing country I have been to," Burgess said. "It really was a wonderful experience.

"The whole place was football crazy and there were kids running around in Manchester United and Chelsea shirts everywhere. It just shows you that football touches so many people.

"We built up a nice relationship with an orphanage just outside the city as there was a disused field just outside the neighbourhood and some of the players took time to hold a little football clinic for the kids.

"We were going to hand out some balls and jerseys but so many kids turned up and in the end we had to give everything to the orphanage's workers.

"If we'd distributed it ourselves there would have been a lot of sad faces."

The Bermuda international has been used primarily as a substitute for Whitecaps during pre-season but is pleased with the progress he has made since signing for the Canadian outfit on a two-year contract earlier this year.

He expects to start as substitute for their campaign curtain raiser at home against Charleston Battery on Saturday but has vowed to make an impact from the bench if called upon.

"It's a big step up in class at this level compared to the Bermuda national team and Reading Rage (PDL team)," said Burgess.

"These are professional guys I'm up against and there are players who are more experienced in front of me.

"But I've been used in every game so far and I've been pleased with my contribution and I expect to get some minutes against Battery."

Adjusting to the demands and intensity of the professional game initially came as a shock to the former North Village winger who admits the level of consistency required at the pro-level was daunting at first.

"The intensity was a shock to the system when I first arrived but you adapt and eventually your body clicks into gear," he said.

"You can't afford to have off days at this level and having a high level of consistency is key.

"We're the defending champions and the club has high expectations and we know we must live up to them."

Burgess could find himself joining compatriot Khano Smith and playing Major League Soccer in 2011 after Vancouver were awarded a franchise last month.