Often on our blog page, here at SPRT we talk about our events and the people around us in our community that inspire us most, but this week we’re doing something a little different to normal!
I’m Aimée, SPRT’s blog writer, I have been part of the team since the start of July 2018, and I am currently working for SPRT remotely from the Netherlands. On my Skype call with the Marketing team this week, SPRT suggested that I take control of this week’s post and write about my experience living in a new country as a part of SPRT but without seeing it where I live on a daily basis.
So I guess that’s what I’ll do!
If you want to learn about how or why I got involved with SPRT you can find all that in my TEAM TALKS post we did way back in December, but for now, let’s just flash right forward to today shall we? At the beginning of February, I moved to Utrecht in the Netherlands from Berlin. I found the new city relatively easy to navigate and the people friendly enough, I’m lucky with regards as to how quickly I settled here but it’s definitely not comparable with Berlin in any way! Haha! The cities are too different for that!
Berliners?-You’re lucky!
When I moved to Berlin, I was overwhelmed by the number of things on offer: Everything from Sport to Arts and Music. Whatever you’re into, it’s probably just right around the corner from you! At first, because I’d never experienced anything like this before, it seemed crazy to me! Almost as if the people here just couldn’t sit still! But then I started to relish the opportunities around me. Most nights I’d be doing something different than the last and I began to love it! Berlin is a melting pot of people, cultures, languages, and things to do and this is just one of the reasons why it’s so special. SPRT has, in my view, captured this perfectly and adds to the colourful sports scene and this is just one of the reasons that Berlin has adapted to the platform so well.
The importance of a SPRT community
To anyone in Berlin right now I’d say you HAVE to take part in SPRT’s events and download the app. We all know that getting involved in sports is massively helpful in feeling a sense of community and getting settled in a new place. For me now, getting accustomed to a new country and a new language- I’d do anything to have the SPRT events near me! The fact that SPRT’s events are free and open to anyone still blows my mind every now and then and I can’t help but think how helpful this would be in my situation now. We have all been there when gym memberships are too expensive and it’s simply not motivating or fun enough to train alone, SPRT for me is the perfect answer. You can do as little or as much as you want and whatever it is you’d like to get involved in you can almost definitely find it!
Connecting SPRT Abroad
Connecting without SPRT has made the process more difficult, but overall the impressions from my first few weeks here have been great. Although I miss Berlin, the team and all of the opportunities and events, being here has helped me to understand just exactly why SPRT is needed and it’s value on a day to day basis. Whatever you’re passionate about, there’s something on the SPRT app for you. I’d implore anyone in a city outside of Berlin to get your group of friends together, all download the app and start building your own communities. I definitely think there’s value in the platform for anyone anywhere and is worth giving a go. So, if anyone is in or around Utrecht I post my runs on the App-come and join me, let’s start building our own communities together and spreading the spirit that started in Berlin!
Are you brave enough!?
Thinking of giving winter swimming a go!? Or maybe something you’ve often thought would be exciting to do but never had the confidence to carry it out? We hope you do, and if you do just that, make sure to upload an event on the SPRT App and invite others in your area to come along. Whatever the sport, whatever the level, the SPRT App has something for everyone and we’re excited to see our community taking up the challenge to try the next best thing!
