Profe in the DR 17

Profe in the DR 17

Saturday we had our first co-ed soccer game with Batey 5.  We loaded 13 girls and 11 boys in the back of a small pickup and headed over.  The game scheduled for 3pm began a little after 4pm, which is on time for here.  It was hot and dusty, and we didn’t have enough water.  (The home team was in charge of providing water.)  Their field was full of glass and many of the players were barefoot.  Our team dominated the first half, but discipline broke down in the second half with all the forwards and center line playing back with the defense instead of their positions.  The only score came on a free kick, after one of our girls touched the ball with her hands.  By the way our kids cheered and sang on the way home, you would have never guessed they had lost. 

All in all the game was a success.  The boys and girls played well together.  The girls from the other team seemed to have outplayed their boys.  There were complaints from both sides that some of the kids weren’t between the ages of 12-17, but in a country where so many don’t have birth certificates, it is hard to prove.  The game between the other two teams in the league was successful as well.  Batey 9 beat Batey 7 five to zero.  Our next game is June 25^th against Batey 7.

Sunday morning I worked with Jairo (my project partner), helping him write a business plan.  He is starting a business producing and selling cleaning products.  He took a course and learned how to make bleach, shampoo, pinesol, and several other cleaning products.  In the afternoon we played volleyball again.  There was a huge crowd gathered, and we played for hours.  Once again, I insisted that they play mixed with three guys and three girls to each side. 

Monday no one showed up for English class in the morning, although my house was full of kids playing chess.  (Its always full of kids playing chess.)  In the afternoon we started the first course of Deportes para la Vida with the boys from the soccer team.  Deportes para la Vida is a program to teach about HIV and AIDS using sports to do so.  It started in Africa with professional soccer players under the name Grassroots Soccer.  At 3pm I taught another English class, and then had my Creole class.  At five, I headed for the play where they were practicing baseball, soccer, and Jairo had decided to play volleyball again.  Since Blanco was working with the soccer team and Profet with the baseball team, I decided to help Jario with volleyball.  We are discussing the possibility of forming a small league just with in the batey.  After dark, my house was full of kids playing chess again until 10pm when I kicked them all out.