Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tenkodogo Futsol

When I lived in Thailand in 2007, football (soccer), or more specifically futsol, was my best tool to integrate and make friends. Futsol, played 4v4 with small goals on a blacktop, was the most popular sport at my university. Teams would gather every night for hours to compete for that coveted right to say, “I am better than you.” I played almost every night and made many friends doing so. My love of football and futsol has allowed me to make friends around the world; doesn’t matter that I’m terrible at it. I always bring a pair of cleats with me because you never know under what strange rock you will find a match.

Countries and places that I have played football in since 2007: Thailand, Burma, Vermont, Washington DC (all over), Seattle, Stanford University, Golden Gate Park San Francisco, Guinea, Mali, the beaches of Ghana, and of course Burkina Faso. I have played on almost every surface from turf, to grass, to dirt, to rocks with locals and friends alike. Only music in my opinion can rival the power football has in bringing people together.

When I went home for Christmas last December, I found a futsol that was donated to me in my pile of assorted donated soccer equipment. I remembered how much I loved futsol as a game; its fast-pace and quick footwork puts players above the rest. Playing on a hard surface limits contact and frankly that is just fine by me-I am not in the business of getting hurt.

Could I get a futsol group started in Tenkodogo? Why not, it’s worth a shot. Football is religion here, kids and adults never stop playing no matter what condition Mother Nature throws at them. I returned with the futsol ball and began organizing a group right away.

Along with two of my friends Rodrique and Las, the group began slowly. We started by playing Sunday mornings with a turnout of 6-10 people. This continued for two months and some days nobody would show up at all. Then, the strikes happened. My high school gave us permission to use the small metal goals we have for classes to play our own futsol matches and then futsol took off.

With all the downtime allotted to the residents of Tenkodogo with the school closings, people picked up futsol as a replacement activity. We played so often (it was my friend Rodrique that took charge) that we destroyed our ball. Just the other day we had over 20 people come out and over 50 spectators. We have officially become a club, and as a result players are pooling in money to pay for new balls. I have loved watching this project grow from nothing to a very popular sport and for others to share my interests in the great game.

Football creates bridges that no other game can do. If you are a world traveler and enjoy spending time with locals, not other travelers, pick up the game of football (guitar and/or drums is another option). You may be terrible at it and often you will be the worst on the field-playing against kids who have played since they first walked will do that to you. But that’s not the point. It’s the spirit of the game that is important. Nobody cares that you stink (but being awesome makes you pretty badass), most people are just happy to have an exchange created only through the football pitch. Pick up this activity and just watch the fruits of it grow, there is a damn good chance that you will find footballers everywhere.

Maybe one day you will win the right to say on the football or futsol pitch, “I am better than you.”

First Class in Two Months!

Yes that is exactly right. Monday was the first time I had a math class since February 17. In between my last class and my first class of April the world has seen the fall of Gaddafi’s government in Libya, an astronomical earthquake in Japan, and the escalation of the crisis in the Ivory Coast (but authorities have arrested Laurent Gbagbo so hopefully we will see that situation end). Amazing really how our singular planet can change so match in such relatively little time.

If you have noticed (or have not), I have not mentioned at all on my blog why I have not been teaching since February. Burkina Faso too has seen its fair share of…change? After the softball tournament I was forced to stay in the Peace Corps medical unit and the day I returned was the first day of student led strikes in an effort to support a fellow student who was mistreated by authorities but the cause was blamed on something different (I won’t go into details but I encourage everyone to read up on it). Since those strikes started there has been a whirlwind of activity.

Schools were closed nationwide for weeks with marches flaring up in every major town throughout the country. Tenkodogo was relatively untouched by the demonstrations for weeks until last week.

The last week of March signaled my close of service conference, or the conference for those volunteers who will be finishing in a short period of time (my official day is July 29). During the conference, tempers in Tenkodogo flared up and as a I result I stayed in Ouaga for an extra week.

During the week in Ouaga other Volunteers and I decided to at least make the most of our situation by doing something in Ouaga. We visited an orphanage, helped our medical team with inventory, and planted moringa trees. Volunteers who are stuck in Ouaga often choose to stay very inactive. There is always work to do in Burkina Faso, no matter where you are, and the four of us (coined the M-Team for our medical inventory work) made the most of our respective situations.

Country wide situations have calmed, and finally we are back in school. Students are very happy to be back, especially those who have major tests at the end of the year. Teachers as well are happy to be back because now we have something to do again! Tenkodogo as a whole is calm and life is returning to normal.

So what has happened the last 7-8 weeks? I’m not really sure. I don’t wish to disclose any more than I have. There is clearly much more that has happened, but I tried to write the dullest, detail-lacking blog entry as possible for two reasons: 1) to encourage you to read up on what has passed here and 2) to let people know that I have not been a ghost the last month. Things happened out of my control and my blog suffered for it