Our students were so thoughtful. After they met some of the staff’s children, one student, Alyssa purchased soccer balls and a doll to leave for the children.
Here is Alyssa’s story: “On Wednesday during lunch I had noticed that a few of the tour guides were playing volleyball, and being a volleyball player asked to join. Carlos one of the tour guides started making jokes with me saying they are pro so it’s going to be tough to compete with them. During the “game” I saw a few kids running around. I started talking to the little boy who is about 8 years old named Jaimito. I asked him to join in on the game and he hopped right in. Eventually the game had ended but I was still hanging around and met the two little girls, one named Sumi who is 11 and Mirani who is 2. After a few minutes of playing volleyball with the children I had to leave for our next trip but had promised them that when I came back I would hang out with them again.
As promised when we got back I ran up to them grabbed the volleyball and we started playing again. As we played they seemed to be more comfortable with me and started talking more. Sumi could speak the most English and was helping me learn Spanish. I tried talking to Mirani and I forgot it was only Spanish she spoke and she was also only two so it was very few. I would say hola and she would make an adorable face and noise at me, and I would try saying whats up in Spanish and she would do the same. I then tried tu bonita (you are beautiful) and she shined a smile my way and said Si (yes).
I introduced the kids to Katy and my other roommate Jessica and we all started to play another game of volleyball. We were running around and all acting like children. At one point Jaimito started whispering to Sumi about me. I demanded to know why they were giggling so much and pointing at me. As I soon found out Jaimito gave me a nickname. Nades Sonas (big nose) I started laughing as well. He also gave Katy and Jessica nicknames. Like, big ears and big mouth. For the next few hours we were making jokes back and fourth and having a ball. They were some of the coolest kids I have ever met.
I noticed as the days past when we would play the kids had some real talent at soccer and volleyball but they had told me that they really enjoyed soccer. My next plan was when we would go shopping in San Ignacio I would buy a soccer boy for the oldest kids and a little doll for Mirani.
After we got back Saturday with two soccer balls and a doll in my bags I had found out that the children went home because their mom had been in labor and had her fourth child, a girl. We all signed the ball for the children and had Pablo deliver those. We also signed the schools name on the other ball and left it for the resort. Something that I can look forward to seeing to when I come back next year (hopefully)” – Alyssa