Ranum Efterskole College is a Danish and International residential school located in West Himmerland of Northern Jutland in Denmark. Each year over 500 students, between the ages of 14 to 18, from 25+ different countries choose to spend 1 to 2 years at Ranum Efterskole College to pursue and realize their goals.
The prime objective is to provide a framework in which students and teachers in unity contribute to the development of school curricula and activities. This objective, amongst others, ensures an understanding of community, democracy and responsibility, whilst nurturing the students’ personal development and skills, to provide an inclusive environment in which students feel safe, supported and encouraged on their own personalized learning journey.
As a volunteer I was totally involved in the school life and I had different task to do:
- Help the students in the different subjects such as Spanish and football where I was teacher’s assistant.
- Providing activities for the students during the afternoons.
- Supporting the students in an emotional way to make them feel more secure in a new educational and cultural environment.
- Participating in school activities, trips and events, and being completely part of the staff during the school year.
This year I was sharing my native language in the Spanish lessons, I helped the students with their Spanish grammar, pronunciation and homework and also telling them, that they shouldn´t be afraid about using a language, that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Being also a football teacher assistant gave me the opportunity to trained them by doing different football exercises and also I had the opportunity to know them in a different environment.
The importance of team sports for teenagers
Football helps teenagers to improve their physical fitness. It promotes endurance, strength, agility, and coordination, also is a team sport that requires cooperation and communication among players. Teenagers learn how to work together with their teammates, make decisions collectively, and support each other on and off the field.
Is a global sport with a diverse fan base. Engaging in football can expose teenagers to different cultures and perspectives, fostering cultural awareness and tolerance, this sport Provides teenagers with the opportunity to socialize and build friendships with teammates.
In conclusion football plays a significant role in the lives of many teenagers, offering physical, social, and psychological benefits. It can help them stay active, build relationships, develop important life skills, and cope with the challenges of adolescence.
How knowing other cultures can affect in teen´s behavior and development
In Ranum efterskole we have students from more than 20 nationalities, being a volunteer gave me the opportunity to be in charge of the ASF students that arrived at the school for a short period, I spent lot of time with them preparing cultural nights and doing some AFS projects. I realized about how students like to share their culture with Danish students, by preparing presentation about their country, by singing, dancing or sometimes by preparing typical food for them.
I saw how exposure to other cultures have a positive impact on a teenager’s behavior and development by fostering cultural awareness, tolerance, adaptability, critical thinking, and empathy. It equips them with valuable life skills and a broader perspective that can benefit them personally and professionally as they navigate an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. In Ranum providing opportunities for teenagers to explore and learn about different cultures is something really common by doing some cultural days, in which the students can share their culture by preparing typical food for other students, and also by playing some typical games from their countries. Also in Ranum they organize a 2 weeks cultural trip for the students, in that period students are sent all over the world with activities that helps them to know the culture, the awareness of the animal conservation or how to protect natural environment.
Cultural Trips (Costa Rica)
Costa Rica, officially known as the Republic of Costa Rica, is a small Central American country known for its stunning natural beauty, commitment to environmental conservation, and political stability.
The purpose of this cultural trip was to let the students being aware of the environmental protection by doing different activities. We went to the Caribbean mountains to plant 200 trees to preserve aquifers and natural water springs.
Our students and I also visited an aboriginal village that shows them how aboriginals live in the 21st century and shared with them their heritage and history.
Costa Rica’s Indigenous population is relatively small compared to other countries in the region, their cultural heritage and history are still vital and contribute to the country’s cultural diversity and environmental conservation efforts.
We also went to the Coastal Rainforest, the purpose to visit this area was to bring awareness of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and encourage tourist to travel responsibly with the environment and nature. The Garbage of this patch drifts to the pristine beaches of the area so the community must constantly organize beach cleaning activities. Also irresponsible tourist through garbage in the trails and students created signs to educate tourist not to through garbage and to keep the environment.
I could see that at the end of the trip students gained a broader perspective on the world by experiencing a different culture firsthand. That helped them to understand better global issues, diversity, and the interconnectedness of the world.
We had interactions with locals that enhanced our interpersonal skills, including communication, empathy, and cross-cultural understanding, and we went more aware about how important is the environmental protection.
Conclusion
During this year I learnt many things, how to help the students in an emotional and educational way, how to improve my language skills, how to be part in the Danish society by involving myself into the local Danish handball team, but the most important thing was knowing cultures by speaking with students all around the world, they taught me how people have sometimes prejudges without knowing anything, they opened my eyes in many ways and it has been a pleasure for me to spent time with all of them, sharing languages, culture, and breaking borders through the sports and respect.
I will be always in debt for the opportunity that Ranum efterskole offered to me, I am really grateful, because they helped me to be included in Danish society as a normal citizen, especial greetings to my mentor and all the teachers that help me to have one of the best years of my life. Also, I want to have special words to the volunteer´s Cassie and Onur, I couldn´t have had better comrades to go through this experience.
ESC Solidarity Projects 