Outgoing Magazine Institute for Sport Studies trial Outgoing Magazine Institute for Sport Studies | Page 26

Student Local Dreamers Experience

“ An unique experience which made me hungry for more”
Ecuador( 2016)- Anne-Miek van Steenbergen
“ I’ ve had an awesome lifetime experience during my internship for Local Dreamers. I’ ve met great people and did a lot of cool stuff. Thanks to my Ecuadorian homestay, I could strongly experience the culture of Ecuador. For my internship I’ ve worked with children for a healthy and active lifestyle. Though I was teaching football training to the children of the Local Dreamers football school. These children made my day. I could feel that they had a lot of fun, but sometimes it was hard to communicate because I can’ t speak fluently Spanish. Because of this I had to think of other ways to make myself clear. Although, with some help of an example, a ball and some pawns, the children understood me very well. At that moment it’ s fascinating to see that sport is so much more than just moving around. You don’ t even need to control the same language to understand each other! I’ ve also teached children how to swim. They really improved after just ten weeks. It shows the drive of the Ecuadorians, because I am definitely not a great swimmer.
Before this adventure I hadn’ t went further than Europe. Therefore I’ ve strongly doubted if I would dare to travel for four months to the other side of the world. But when I look back to this amazing time, my personal development, learning time and the contact with the children, I am so glad that I’ ve went. I had such a good time in Ecuador that I would love to do again. Maybe somewhere else.”
Anne-Miek van Steenbergen
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