Hero in Ghana
Name:
Hero
How long did you volunteer?
13 weeks
Short biography:
My name is Hero, I am 22 years old and I study International Sports Management and Business at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HVA). I am very passionate about football. In my final year, I had to complete a 20-week internship. I also love traveling and discovering new things. That’s why this internship at a football academy in Ghana really appealed to me.
During my internship, I met many kind and wonderful new people and I am very grateful for this experience.
How satisfied were you with the guidance from your home country?
The guidance from Ruben was perfect. I could easily and quickly reach Ruben whenever I encountered difficulties here in Ghana. Ruben was always honest and helped me find solutions. He regularly checked in to see how I was doing. I always felt very comfortable with Ruben. I felt like I could share anything with him or ask questions whenever necessary. He also helped me well during the preparation phase.
My Story
I did an internship most of the time at the football academy. The preparations for my internship went very smoothly. I received great guidance from my home country, and everything also went well with my supervisor in Ghana.
I worked as an academy manager and did administrative tasks, attended all the matches, and helped the players whenever needed. What I enjoyed most about my work was the diversity. The Ghanaian way of working is completely different from the structured way of working I was used to in the Netherlands. At first, it was quite an adjustment and sometimes challenging, because things like time and appointments are very different here. After getting used to it, I really liked it because everything is possible and a lot can happen in a day. It is never boring. I also felt very appreciated. I built good relationships with the players, and they really value that someone from Europe comes here to help them. This felt very rewarding.
The country itself, Ghana, was also an amazing experience. I had never been to Africa before. Everything was new to me. In the beginning, it was a bit intense and impressive, but eventually you get used to it very quickly. Because you live together with other volunteers, there were plenty of fun things to do during free time. I went on many great weekend trips across Ghana to see the country, and in the evenings we often went out. During my internship, I met many kind and wonderful new people and I am very grateful for this experience. I saw and experienced many things that I will never forget.
What advice would you give to future interns/volunteers?
The Ghanaian way of working is very different from the Netherlands. You can already notice this when applying for a visa. So my advice is to start everything early. Be very proactive and clear during the preparations and throughout your internship. Waiting around or being unclear is not helpful in combination with the Ghanaian way of working. Also, don’t be afraid to create that clarity yourself.
