Antonia in Indonesia
Participant
Antonia (Bo)
Programme
Volunteering
Country
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Duration
6 weeks
Short bio
Hiya, I’m Bo, but most people in Indonesia know me as Antonia. I’m 20 and study at the University of Groningen. I’m in my 2nd year of International Relations and International Organization (IRIO) and next year I’m starting another bachelor’s, in Law. I played football for over 10 years and have now been playing futsal for 2 years. I do this at Vijfje, the biggest futsal club in Holland and also a really friendly student club in Groningen! I also go to the gym regularly and generally focus a lot on healthy living and eating, although combining that with student life is always a bit of a juggle:) This year I briefly put my studies on hold to have this amazing experience in Indonesia!
How satisfied were you with the support from Holland?
Very happy. Ruben is always easy to reach via WhatsApp and always wants to know whether everything is still going well and where the sticking points are. This year I had a slightly negative experience applying for my visa. The Power of Sports had given the wrong advice about which visa I needed, but of course this wasn’t done with bad intentions and these things can happen. Ruben immediately updated the visa information on the website afterwards.
My story
“I’m proud of what we achieved as the pilot group and can’t wait to return to Semarang in a few years to see my Indonesian friends again!”
Antonia (Bo) · volunteering in Indonesia
Together with Puck, Bo, Nynke, Oscar and Jasper, I started the new The Power of Sports project in Semarang, Java, as part of the ‘pilot group’! The first weeks were a voyage of discovery: the Indonesian team, the house, the schools, everything was new. Our task as the pilot group was to set up the project, which meant we constantly had to look critically at areas for improvement. It soon became clear that this was no unnecessary luxury; there were still lots of aspects that could be sharpened up. At the same time it became clear that this was going to be an incredibly cool project, thanks to the fantastic, enthusiastic Indonesian team and our shared commitment to making something great of it.
The time flew by. We found new schools that better matched the target group of The Power of Sports, which meant we reached children who normally had little or no access to sport. Giving sports lessons was amazing and gave us all loads of energy, although the tropical climate sometimes meant sweating buckets, which can be tough. A tip: bring plenty of suncream and a cap, and always drink enough water!
During Ramadan we unexpectedly got two weeks off. Together with Nynke and Puck I used that time to travel to Yogyakarta, Malang, Bromo, Bali and Nusa Lembongan. In the first weeks we also had Fridays and Saturdays off, which left room for trips. As a group we visited the Dieng Plateau and climbed a mountain there at sunrise, definitely recommended! A day trip to Yogyakarta or Solo is certainly possible too, or you can spend a nice day at one of the many shopping centres here in Semarang. There’s always plenty to do here.
After Ramadan we worked for another two weeks, but with some changes: intensive sport wasn’t an option during the fasting period. Instead we played games and did lots of dance activities, which helped develop the children’s motor skills.
Of course there were also some less fun moments. A stay in Indonesia can come with challenges, such as Bali belly or even dengue, and I was unlucky enough to get both. But don’t let this put you off! With good preparation and if you read up properly, your time here will be unforgettable.
All in all, I look back on an amazing experience in Semarang. It was lovely to get away from studying in Groningen for a while and do something completely different. The Indonesian team made it a unique time that I’ll never forget. I’m proud of what we achieved as the pilot group and can’t wait to return to Semarang in a few years to see my Indonesian friends again!
What advice would you like to give future interns and volunteers?
Bring plenty of DEET and suncream. And very important: don’t forget to bring your smile to Indonesia:)
As a woman, pack plenty of long trousers too. And a good book. Then everything will be fine.
Antonia (Bo)’s photos
