Tomorrow I'm planning on going to the orphanage with two of my classmates to play some more soccer with the kids. Call me hyper-emotional, but last time I played soccer there, I got a little bit choked up. When I play with these kids, we transcend all language barriers. When little Rios scores a goal, we all go crazy. When Elvis gets a big save, we give him high fives. If I wanted to, I couldn't sit down with one of these kids and express in words the same feelings we exchange during a soccer game.
They say that soccer is so popular in South America because it is the most inexpensive sport ever created. We'll drive by farms, back yards, and empty land that have make-shift goals of wood stabilized in the groubd by stones. After that, all you need is a ball, which you can find on virtually any street with tiendas for a few soles. Clearly soccer is valued here. I think it's a cultural phenomenon--it truly connects people in an undescribable way.
So there I was, a blondie Gringa who is (at best) mediocre at Spanish, connecting with these kids in the same way I would with any of the children in the U.S. I babysit and love. In all reality, I couldn't be more different from these kids. At that moment, though, when we were all fighting for that same, simple goal (get that ball in that square), we had everything in common.
Bertadino !
ReplyDeleteDear Blair,
ReplyDeleteI think you're getting more out of this experience than your typical "blondie Gringa". Of course a lot has to do with the person herself. In this case you have opened your eyes, your mind, and your heart to this place. Were there that everybody be as good a person as you.
You know, I often wondered what is better, an orphanage or foster care? I didn't know about foster care before I came to the U.S. I thought it was better than an orphanage. But lately one hears such horror stories than I begin to wonder. Of course neihter is ideal...
So, how did you like Aguas Calientes? Paul says that that's the place we are going to retire to. He loved it! No traffic (hard to have traffic when there are no cars and, really, no streets), friendly dogs and people, beautiful weather... and just a bus ride away from Machu Picchu BUT, he said he would start his own newspaper/ magazine stand. He noticed there was not a place to buy a magazine there. He says he wants to be known as the "crazy gringo who sells magazines at the corner"...
Take care and have fun!
Maria