One step at a time

by Vanessa Rodrigues (Portugal)

Making a local connection Spain

The story that you are about to take notice, is as real as a rainbow in the sky on a day when rain and sun have crossed paths. Last year around the end of May, I had finished my internship and with another year of college to go through, I was looking for an occupation for the summer. But he more I searched the less I found some project, our trip that I was really interested in. We all have a phase in life when we feel lost and with no idea of who we are, and what to do with ours lives, right? Well, I was living that phase at that time. But the truth is that sometimes we are not presented with what we seek, but with what we need. So, disappointed, and almost conformed with this fact, unexpectedlly, the association with whom I had already held an exchange in Italy, presents me with the opportunity to do a month of volunteering with children in Madrid. Well, "I've never been in Madrid, always loved kids (although I've never worked with them), and I still give a few touches in Spanish. Come on, let's go", I thought. The information about the project was very little, but the desire to go was so great, that I didn't even think twice. With the backpack on my back, and aspiration to discover my way through new adventures I left. It was a project at European level, bringing together young people from four countries, and I was very lucky with the people who crossed my path. Initially, I was placed in a leisure center with children up to the age of five. At first I was really scared, but then was amazing fell that I was being part of their initial discovery of the world. However, later, in order to live a more intense experience, I was deployed to another location- a holiday colony with children between 12 and 15 years. This time the challenge was bigger, because at these ages it’s when we start to understand the world and figuring out who we are. The group was quite large and quite heterogeneous, with children of many nationalities, religions, ethnicities, backgrounds... But the most beautiful thing, that I still remember to this day, is their comprehension and love for each other. A real example. Everyday there was always a part that was spent in the pool. All the kids knew how to swim, except Diana, a shy 14-year-old girl with huge eyes and long black hair. This caused her to spend much of her time by the pool, just watching her colleagues. But, believing that no child should be alone, when the goal is to have fun, I spent all that time with her. I confess that entering her world was not an easy task, but the poolside proved to be the ideal place to create a friendship that, I hope, for life. Diana was born in Ecuador, and moved with her parents and brother to Spain, about half a year ago. On the long afternoons we spent together, she shared with me the difficulties that her family went through, her struggles at school and the difficulty that is making friends in this new reality of hers. Although I was super happy, sharing these moments with her, I would also like her to enjoy the pool and not just watch the other kids having the time of their lives. So, subtly I helped her realize that if she has the strength to go trough all of that, she also has the power to overcome her fear of water. Little by little, I was able to make her go into the pool and, actually, enjoy being there. That was such a victory for her! Fortunately, technology today keeps us closer than ever, so we are able to continue to share our lives and, happily, see her now in her swimming classes! Despite the different angles and perspectives, we both learned a great lesson- always grab fear by the hand and jump into the unknown, because it's certainly going to be a lot better than what we were expecting.