The Bloed family in Saint Lucia

My story

As a family we had been looking for a while for a chance to go on a great trip where we could immerse ourselves in another culture and also roll up our sleeves. We wanted to broaden the horizons of our three girls (9, 7 and almost 4), but also really make a difference. Our search led us to The Power of Sports, and the vision and activities appealed to us straight away. The programme suited our abilities well and was also suitable for the children to join in. It was a fairly unusual request to want to take part with the whole family, but from the very first contact everyone was enthusiastic and thought along with us about the options. The local coordinator also helped us think about accommodation, school, suitable activities and so on, which helped us a lot. April 2025 was finally the moment: we left for St Lucia for a period of 6 weeks. Of course we had some idea of what we would be doing, but exactly what it would all look like wasn’t completely clear yet, so it was quite exciting! But from the very first moment we were well looked after and could say what was and wasn’t feasible for us. Each week we looked at which activities were on offer and what suited us. We soon found a rhythm: usually schoolwork for the girls first thing in the morning, sport and play activities in the second half of the morning and the afternoon, and then relaxing back at ‘our’ house. This rhythm turned out to work well for us and for the children. In terms of activities, we mainly went to primary schools and a pre-school, where there was plenty of room to come up with our own ideas for sport, games and dance activities. But the swimming lessons and football training were fun to do as well! Our children’s role varied: usually they simply joined in, sometimes they helped with instructions, and in some cases it was better to take little Emmi off the football pitch for a bit 😉 But they always came along happily and loved coming up with ideas for games and dances and so on. It was lovely to see how easily they fitted in with the St Lucian children, who were welcoming and curious. Now and then we had to translate a bit, but in a game of tag, swapping gymnastics moves or a kickabout, a language barrier is of course no problem at all. They also enjoyed learning the various games the children there played.

Working with the other coaches went really well, even though we’re a little bit older… At first it took a while to find our place in the team; the others were all staying together in one location and we were in another rental house, so we were literally a bit further away. But the atmosphere was always good and the teamwork went smoothly. We regularly popped by, and we sometimes prepared activities via WhatsApp. ‘Living day by day’ took some getting used to at first, but after that it was really pleasant; in the evening you’re told the plan for the next day, and things often change on the day itself too. It makes you very flexible!

On Fridays and at weekends there was plenty of time to explore the beautiful island; we really enjoyed the stunning nature, idyllic beaches and waterfalls, but also the contact with the locals, for example when visiting the local church. Getting to and finding the places we wanted to visit wasn’t always easy, but it was certainly an adventure!

Of course there are some extra challenges when you have a few children in tow; you’re more focused on safety, the heat, a manageable daily programme and so on. Here and there we also had some real challenges, such as a broken-down car (we could fill a whole page with our adventures on the roads of St Lucia anyway ;-)), a trip to the doctor for a wound, and motivation for schoolwork wasn’t always ideal either.. And the activities often called for flexibility and a talent for improvisation too, but all of that is exactly what made it an adventure! All in all, all five of us look back on a very successful trip; we were truly able to do this as a family and do our bit together. At the same time, it’s also humbling to be a small cog in the big ‘United Through Sport machine’. We hope we made a meaningful difference in our contact with the children there, but after 6 weeks you naturally pass on the baton again. For us it was in any case a valuable experience that gave us a lot as a family, and we are very grateful to The Power of Sports for making it possible!

Are you considering taking on an adventure like this with your family? We’re happy to share our experiences of arranging things like compulsory schooling, accommodation and so on, so feel free to get in touch with us via Ruben!

How long were you in Saint Lucia?
6 weeks

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

Don’t just focus on delivering an activity or training session as well as possible, but really try to connect with the children and see what they need!