My First Trip Abroad - China! (2025)

By Michael Charles from Acakoro

The Acakoro U13 with the trophy!

Hi, my name is Michael Charles. I’m 12 years old and I play for the U13 team at Acakoro Football Academy in Nairobi, Kenya. This year something unbelievable happened – I got to travel to China with my teammates to represent our academy and our country in an international football tournament!

It was the first time I ever left Kenya. We flew through the night, and I didn’t sleep much because I was too excited. I kept looking at the map on the screen, watching our plane fly over different countries. When we finally landed in China, everything felt new – the language, the food, the buildings – even the weather was different!

Our team had only been training together for three months, but we worked very hard. We knew we had to play as one, support each other, and give our best no matter who we faced. Some teams were stronger or had better gear, but we had something special – our unity, our speed, and our fighting spirit. We made it all the way to the semi-finals and finished third in the whole tournament. That made me so proud.

Off the field, the trip was full of adventures. We also made new friends from different countries, and even though we didn’t all speak the same language, we laughed and played together. Football truly connects people.

This trip changed my life. It showed me that dreams can come true and that with hard work, I can go even further. I want to thank all the coaches, organizers, and supporters who helped make this possible. You didn’t just send us to China – you gave us a chance to believe in ourselves.

I’ll keep training harder every day. Maybe one day, you’ll see me on TV playing for a big team. But no matter where I go, I’ll never forget where it all started – at Acakoro.

With big dreams,

Michael Charles

(Team Captain)