Demi in South Africa

My story

To start with, it was an unforgettable trip that I’d recommend to anyone who gets the chance. Unfortunately my trip began with a lot of homesickness in the first few days, which I hadn’t expected beforehand (but looking back is of course completely normal). Every moment I had time I was messaging the family back home, and I even looked at flights home.

From day 2 it actually disappeared completely, we had a really lovely group and we became very close. The first 4 days were an introduction (think explanations about HIV, a tour of Port Elizabeth, games in the garden that you can use well in your own coaching session, information sessions, getting-to-know-you games etc.), on Wednesday the schools opened and we could finally get going. I loved the very first day with the children straight away, they were really enthusiastic and playful, but you could also tell immediately that they really need a lot of attention. In the 4 weeks I was there I coached 4 days and did 1 day of childcare each week.

The first weekend we went bungee jumping straight away and then drove on to an elephant sanctuary. This was one of my favourite days. First an adrenaline rush and then calming down with the elephants, which we were even allowed to feed. That Monday was my first day of childcare, we didn’t know exactly what to expect, but when we arrived we got half the school straight away. That was tough and took some adjusting, but it was one of the best days with the children. Childcare was one of my favourite things, because the children there were so enthusiastic and I really felt we were making a difference at that school.

On the whole I only coached football, and veeery occasionally rugby. On most coaching days you went to 4 schools and were done at around half past 2, and then you had free time afterwards to go to the beach, the shopping centre or lie by the pool, for example. The evenings were always fully planned too. On Mondays we had games night (think padel, beer pong, a talent show), every Tuesday evening we went to a karaoke bar called barneys, every Wednesday evening we had 5-a-side football, Thursday evening was usually a night out at beeryard and then it was the weekend, so you could fill it however you liked. Either way there was plenty to do and the days were well filled.

The second weekend we went skydiving, which for me is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. The third weekend we went to Jeffreys Bay, a little surf town an hour from port elizabeth. There we went sandboarding, had a really fun neon party in the evening and went surfing the next day.

Then sadly it was time to head back again. On my last weekend there we went on a big safari, which was truly the highlight of my trip. We went once in the afternoon, then had a delicious meal there, went on safari again in the evening and after that we were taken to where we were sleeping. All of us girls slept right in the middle of the safari area in really cute little huts, which we locked up properly. In the morning there was our last safari and we went somewhere for breakfast. Then we went back to the United Through Sport accommodation, where I packed my cases and had to say goodbye to everyone. It wasn’t an easy goodbye to such a fun, close-knit group and such a wonderful adventure, but I’ll definitely see everyone again! Thanks UTS!!

What advice would you like to give future interns and volunteers?

If you’re homesick, talk about it so you can get help. And trust that it will pass and you’ll have the best time of your life.