Mila in Curaçao

Participant

Mila

Programme

Internship

Country

🇨🇼 Curaçao

Duration

6 weeks

Short bio

Mila van der Donck, I’m from Geldrop (near Eindhoven). In my free time I love being on the tennis or padel court, spending time with my family and friends, or walking my little dog in the woods.

I’m now in the final year of SPECO Communication in Tilburg and I’m writing my dissertation for The Power of Sports. In Curaçao I did research and interviewed people to gather more information and insights.

How satisfied were you with the support from Holland?

Happy and clear.

My story

“I found my time there incredibly fun and a real learning experience.”

Mila · internship in Curaçao

For my final dissertation I went to Curaçao for six weeks to do research for The Power of Sports Foundation. The aim of my research was to find out how we can create more visibility on the island, both among the local population and among the potential target group and sponsors. That last group in particular is essential, as a foundation really needs sponsors.

During my stay I did different work from most of the volunteers and interns in the house. Among other things, I conducted interviews and had conversations with various people to gain more insight into the current situation and possible areas for improvement. I also spent a lot of time on social media and photography, creating content to raise the foundation’s profile.

No two days were the same, which made the work varied and dynamic. Alongside the various projects, there was often enough time to explore the island as well. This meant you not only learnt a lot about your work, but also got the chance to really get to know Curaçao.

I found my time there incredibly fun and a real learning experience. You live together in a house where there’s always something going on; it’s never quiet. Because of this, you learn a lot not only about working together, but also about living together with different people. You grow both personally and professionally!

Every week we got together as a group to talk about the past week and share our experiences. We also did lots of fun activities together, which made it feel like you were part of one big group of friends.

Time flies when you’re on the island. Every day you experience new things, and you learn an enormous amount from them.

I had a brilliant time on the island!

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

Enjoy every moment, be open and, of course, stay true to yourself.

It’s good to know that renting your own car is really important, as you won’t get far in Curaçao without one. You can do this on your own or with a small group. Be careful which company you rent the car from, as it’s easy to get ripped off.

Above all, enjoy it, because it’s over before you know it!