Sunday Football

It was the new volunteer’s first football match against the Yachana colegio. Everyone had been practising and was eager to show off their skills. Heading across the river and upstream 15 minutes, first port of call was the Yachana Lodge bar, where Douglas, the founder of Yachana, gave a little talk to the GVI volunteers about how Yachana came about. The volunteers took the opportunity to drink a most desired, chilled batido (fruit milkshake) before heading through Mondaña and having a little tour of the Yachana colegio (high school).

Then it was game time – Team GVI hit the field and the locals were more than ready to show these gringos how football is played in South America. The game started like any other, nothing unusual except for a little rain (which is not that unusual in the rainforest come to think of it). GVI scored the first goal and soon after Yachana had increased its number of players to about 20! The challenge was now on, except things just got more confusing – players from Yachana started playing for Team GVI, furthermore, a little rain turned into a massive rain storm, everybody was wet from head to toe and no one knew who was on their team. Suddenly tourists staying at the Yachana Lodge found their way to the field and started to join in, but for whose team? Nobody had any idea what was happen, the field was covered in players and the players were covered in mud. Team GVI left in haste in order to make it in time for their departing canoe. The new volunteers’ first football game wasn’t what anyone had anticipated, or could have expected and the rain had dampened spirits (well those of the spectators anyway). This is a game that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Bianca Amato - GVI volunteer Jan-Mar 2010

Sunday Football