O testemunho da Verónica

 

This year has been wonderful.

Hi, I'm Veronica, and I've spent a year working on the Bola P´ra Frente project run by the National Street Football Association. It's been a year in which I've learned a lot, especially about stepping outside my comfort zone. There have been many difficult moments, but the happy times and the camaraderie have definitely outweighed them.

Here I have met many people who will stay with me for the rest of my life and who have left me with a warm feeling in my heart. They have taught me many different things, such as that I don't have to be strong and brave all the time and that I can ask for help even if I don't need it, in order to feel emotional support. I have learned a lot about letting my emotions flow, accepting them, and beginning to regulate them in difficult moments.

At Spin, they have made me feel safe and always listened to, addressing my fears and giving me the space and security to face them, giving me the independence I need to move forward, but always with a rope tied to them, so that if I fall, I don't hit the ground. They are the support and help that any volunteer hopes for when they leave home. They have included me in the Spin family from day one, and although it can sometimes be more complicated because I volunteer at another Association, they have known how to manage it to make me feel supported.

ANFR has been my second home. I have learned to express what I think and feel. It has been a safe place for me to express myself and give my best. All my suggestions have always been listened to and responded to. Even though some were difficult to implement, I always received a response. They have been like a second family to me, helping me in every way they can and giving their best to me and to each of their young people. Their work in this neighborhood is incredible. Not only do they help, but they also accompany you and make you feel heard and cared for. The young people and their families are the focus of their work, and everything they do is for them. Through street soccer, they teach basic values for a fulfilling adult life in society. The value of respect and fair play is something I take with me from here and promise to apply in my future life.

All that remains is for me to say thank you and invite everyone to try volunteering in another country, because you gain so much more than you lose. I hope to see you all again soon. In the meantime, enjoy life and everything it has to offer.

Não se esqueça que sentirei sempre saudades de vocês <3

Hugs,

Verónica.