Oscar in South Africa

My story

I actually wanted to go to South Africa for my internship back in 2021. Unfortunately a virus came along that brought the whole world to a standstill. So I put my studies on the back burner, as I really wanted to go abroad. Almost 2.5 years later I picked up my studies again and started a minor in Sport Development. There I heard fellow students talking about The Power of Sports and immediately thought: “I want this too!” Back in Holland I arranged everything with my university, and with Ruben of course. At the beginning of February the time had finally come and my trip to South Africa began!

Once I arrived I was warmly welcomed, and we started with an arrival weekend where we got to know the new and other volunteers. This was great fun and prepared you well for what would happen in the weeks ahead. During these days you also said which sports you’d like to coach the children. I said I was happy with anything, so I was put on different sports, such as rugby, tennis, football, basketball and dance.

Coaching sport to the children at the schools is great fun. They have so much energy and are always excited to see you. It’s also fun to be challenged to come up with new drills so it stays enjoyable for the children. I was also really pleased that you could say if you wanted to do something else or didn’t want to do something any more; this was picked up well and adjusted when needed. In the end I’m really happy with the sports I coached and I’d do it all again.

Besides coaching, of course I also had to work on my studies. My assignment was to organise a tennis day (in the end it was called a tennis festival) and to research tennis participation among girls and how UTS could improve it. Organising the tennis festival in particular was great fun. After 8 weeks of preparation, 35 children could play tennis on a real tennis court for the first time in their lives. There were five courts and five rounds, so they kept learning a new stroke. After a lovely lunch for the children, they could play some matches. The atmosphere there is indescribable and seeing the children’s happy faces is truly unforgettable. They were so impressed and loving it. Afterwards they even came up to me to ask if they could do it again next week, and then you know it went well. I also carried out the research, which went well and which I’m very proud of. All in all, I passed my internship.

You’re not on your own: you live with all the other volunteers and interns in accommodation in Port Elizabeth. Living together like that, you really become a close group. You do fun things together, such as surfing in Jeffreys Bay (I got concussion from a surfboard), karaoke on Tuesday nights at Barneys, playing football and above all relaxing together. I also played a lot of padel in my free time. There are also options to go skydiving, bungee jumping and on safari. The whole experience is so special because you share it all together and really become friends for life. I thought that was amazing! And of course we can’t forget the mamas. Always up for a hug or a chat when you’ve just woken up or come back from coaching. They take such good care of you, tidy the rooms, change the beds and, not unimportantly, make a tasty, good meal every evening. The mamas are truly indispensable!

All in all I had an amazing time. Put together, it’s too much to tell and describe. I already miss it, and I’ll never forget the feeling I had there.

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

Go for it! I’d recommend it to everyone. The country, the people, the organisation, the volunteers and the children are all so special that it’s something you’ll never forget. The time flies, so make sure you stop now and then to take in what you’re doing. Really try to live in the moment and enjoy everything that comes your way.