I’m finally at that stage when I fill confident in what I am doing, but there is still a lot to learn. During these few month I gained a lot of experience in formal part, how NGOs operate and run projects, how to build communication, maintain it and create relationships with other organisations. Faced not only perfect scenario but also faced my first challenging case where things were not that smooth as it used to be before.
My biggest highlight so far was the actual project that my host organization was running. From the very beginning of my internship, I was following all the processes, and now finally had a chance to co-facilitate it on the spot. In small Belgian village in a big old house with a lot of strangers that became dear friends.
It was a very challenging journey: physically and emotionally. But every day I was feeling how stronger I am becoming, how much confidence I gain and how fast I am growing. I was angry, proud, tired, excited, sick, laughing, and then immediately crying. Feels like just one week felt like the whole decade, like if I had an opportunity to switch to another reality and now slowly coming back to mine.
The hardest and the most beautiful part of it was to break the perception of me as one of the “authorities/ teachers” by participants, and try to be their friend, to learn with them and to be part of their experience. As we are approximately the same age and there were moments when I felt like I would also like to hang out more with them instead of managing project. But I got the most beautiful feedback in my life probably – trust, support and love.
It was certainly an incredible experience both professionally and personally for me. And I hope it was the same for people who were participating in this project. A big inspiration also for the future. I know that before finishing my internship I will have another opportunity to try myself as a co-facilitator, and I can’t wait already to see the difference, and to apply the knowledge I just got or to try something else!
