Soccer Fun-

Well, of course, when our guide found the group of kids in the middle of gym class who we were bound to play soccer with, I was scared. The kids looked super intimidating. I was starting to question my idea of playing with kids in each country. I realized it was too late, for the kids had already realized what was going on. We were challenging them to a game of soccer.

They got hyped. Somehow they knew they would destroy us. And somehow, I knew they would too. At first, the boys all wanted to be on the same team, and just play me and Nico. Before the game could start, my mom cut in told the boys that that was not fair. They kinda understood. Then the game started out with just a few passes, kinda like keep away. The  kids who passed to me I felt were on my team, and the kids who weren’t passed to by those boys and did’t pass to me were on the other team. Nico kinda stood there and watched, until one kid got the ball and said something in Mayan. I guessed it was time to begin. I followed the kids who had passed to me, my team, and got Nico. There were then two different groups of boys. Nico and I along with  two boys that seemed nice enough, and strangers on the other. Then we started, and instantly, I knew I was in trouble. I hadn’t really considered that we were playing on concrete, nor that I was wearing flips. Lucky for me (not really), I had the great idea to take off my shoes. The concrete was hot and hard, but I fought through it, running, blocking, juking, passing, trying to score. We all played so hard I forgot I wasn’t even wearing shoes. That was until I felt some sort of cut on the balls of my feet. I looked down and realized I had two huge blisters the size of golf balls. Thanks to my bright idea, I then had two second  degree burns on my feet. Thankfully, the game was soon to be over. I feel as if this was kinda a test of my courage. To see if I could truly take on this trip, and not be held back by any fears. I now I know I am ready. I can do it. So let’s get it on. What’s next? Let me guess…

Of course, more soccer. This time, in Honduras…

For starters, this was no fun game. This was two Americans who were really terrible at soccer joining in a soccer practice. It was fun, yes, but I have to say, I do prefer just kicking the ball around for the purpose of fun, not for practice. We joined a group of boys shooting at a goal at the end of a huge field. We took turns shooting, and it kinda felt like a practice. Nico left with a stomach ache half way through leaving me alone with the boys. They shared jokes in Spanish, which of course I felt as if they were made of me. They probably weren’t. When it was my turn for goalie, I got really nervous, but I actually did a pretty good job. The next thing I knew, my mom was yelling at me telling me we had to leave. I tried to get it across that I had to go, but they really didn’t get a thing I said to them. I took off the goalie gloves and walked to one of the boys. I handed them the gloves and started to walk away. At that point, they kinda understood what was going on, I had to leave. My mom got a picture of all of us, and then we left for lunch. In all, I think it was cool to join in on a practice, but would choose playing a game over it.

So far, finding kids to play soccer with has been pretty easy, but when we get to the Galapagos, I really doubt we will find anyone to play with me. Fingers crossed!