Sophie in Saint Lucia

Participant

Sophie

Programme

Internship

Country

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

Duration

10 weeks

Short bio

Hi, I’m Sofie and I’m 19. For my second-year internship on the Sport Studies course, I went to Saint Lucia for 10 weeks! Back home in Holland I mainly play handball and now and then I go to the gym. In my free time I mostly do fun things with friends, like sitting outside at a café. I also work in a restaurant, which I really enjoy :)))

How satisfied were you with the support from Holland?

The support from Holland with Ruben was really good, especially before the internship. He always replied quickly to messages and I could ask all the questions I wanted. He also puts you in touch with other interns who have already been to Saint Lucia or who will be there at the same time as you.

During the internship I had hardly any contact with Ruben, as everything went well. But if I had needed him, he would always have been reachable.

My story

“I had 10 amazing weeks and look back on them really positively. It was a hugely educational and above all unforgettable experience in which I met so many kind and lovely people.”

Sophie · internship in Saint Lucia

From April to July 2023 I went to Saint Lucia for 10 weeks to do my internship abroad. 10 whole weeks in the Caribbean was quite something, but looking back I’m incredibly grateful and happy that I did it!

During my internship I mainly gave swimming lessons to the children, both in the swimming pool and on the beach. Because it was at a different location each time, it was really varied. Every morning I went to the pre-school to play different games with the children. This was my absolute favourite thing to do, because the children all joined in so cheerfully and enthusiastically, each in their own way. During my internship I noticed that the children here are hugely eager to learn and really want to get better at sport and school.

What took the most getting used to was that the way children are brought up and the customs of the people here are very different from what we know, but I adapted quickly and before I knew it, it felt more than normal. You build such an unforgettable bond with the children so quickly that when they see you, they immediately come running up to you so happily. That was the most beautiful thing to experience!

During my time in Saint Lucia I lived in a house with other interns and volunteers from all sorts of different countries. In my case there were mainly lots of English and Dutch people. At first I found it quite hard to keep up with the fast English, but after a few weeks in the house my English improved enormously and I even started dreaming in English.

Every Friday is dedicated to an excursion, and every intern and volunteer has the day off. The activities vary from kayaking, ziplining and climbing Gros or Petit Piton to boat parties. My favourite was of course the boat parties, but I also really enjoyed climbing the Piton, because that’s not something you’d do in a hurry in Holland.

I had 10 amazing weeks and look back on them really positively. It was a hugely educational and above all unforgettable experience in which I met so many kind and lovely people. The 10 weeks of volunteering were full of ups and downs, but I learnt so much and did so many cool things that I’d recommend it to anyone. 10 weeks to never forget!

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

If you’re still in two minds about taking on this amazing adventure, definitely do it! You won’t get this chance very often. The island is amazing, with glorious sunshine, sea, beaches, cocktails and above all loads of friendly people.

Enjoy every day!