Beyond the Game-Mas allá del Juego

Blog-Basketball Tournament-Beyond the game

 (Campeonato de Basquét-Mas allá del juego)

Part 1

During the last month or so, we have been planning a basketball tournament for schools  in the south zone of the city. We wanted to have a tournament to allow the kids who have been participating with the basketball school a chance to play against other kids their age, as well as, invite others into an experience of the basketball school being something ¨beyond the game.¨ The idea behind this basketball school, or program, is to not only learn a sport or sports, but to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Each practice, we take time to do a team building activity, watch a short video about a theme with a discussion afterward, or some other activity or reflexion to help stimulate personal growth. We have also emphasized putting that personal growth into practice in our lives socially, by doing community service work, as well as in the way we interact with those around us in our day to day lives. So one of the many challenges was...how do we create this type of atmosphere and combine it with a basketball tournament?

With some discussion on how we could promote this feeling and experience of ¨beyond the game¨ we came up with a very unique program that would combine the aspects that we felt most important to try and convey with the participating schools. Our plan was to have two ¨tournaments¨ taking place at the same time, one being strictly basketball, and the other being a combination of participating in workshops, cheering for other teams, as well as the basketball games themself. This was the championship of the best overall ¨team¨ and the one which we were promoting the most. We set up a system where teams were awarded points based on winning or losing a game (10 or 5 points respectively) attending a workshop, somewhere between 1-10 points depending on their participation and other criteria decided by the facilitatores of these workshops, as well as between 1-10 points for encouraging another team during their game (cheering). 

Each team was responsible for bringing a score sheet with them wherever they went. They were not allowed to participate in anything without being responsible to present their team sheet before any activity. This made for a very fun and dynamic two days. Teams were constantly playing in a game, cheering for another team, or participation in a workshop. Something which for me made this day special, was the fact that everything was done by volunteers. The tournament itself was also voluntary for the players. 

Although this may sound relatively normal from the perspective in the United States, it is a completely different reality and culture here. For example, some of the challenges include kids who usually have to work on Saturday to make money for their family, were allowed to participate. (at least the majority of them) Another challenge is getting adults/young adults to volunteer their time when they are usually doing something to better the situation of their family. (an example of a starting salary for a teacher is about 200 dollars a month) In Bolivia, there is a very strong cultural pressure of obligation. Yes, this means that most of the protests and marches take place because people pay a good fine if they don´t show up. This can be said for school meetings, clean-ups, hunger strikes, and more. It is a sad reality and one that makes any event or activity that we attempt to do very challenging because it is always purely voluntary. 

I am pointing out or being critical of a negative aspect of the culture here, but there are many things about the culture that I do enjoy. I have experienced such generousness from so many people. Hospitality is something that is very ingrained in culture. I would also say that there is much more time for people and relationships. Families still largely live together or close by, and its not uncommon to spend hours just hanging out. (frequently:) From my experience, there is a strong emphasis on the community rather than the individual and this makes life more connected. Anyways, I wanted to point out some of the positives but also honestly speak out about a negative side of culture here. The culture of obligation gets my blood boiling! 

Its important to realize that within every culture there are positives and negatives. But without thought and reflection we can be swept away by the negative aspects of our culture without much thought of another way to live. My tangeant was only to point out that it is pretty special that we were able to put this tournament together with between 25-30 volunteers between the two days as well as giving all the players the freedom to choose their priorities which is something I think is hugely important...So when it came time Friday to start the event, we really had no idea how it would turn out. We put in the groundwork for a special tournament and now it was time to wait and see what would happen... 

Vacation/Vacación

During the last month, I have had the opportunity to be able to do some traveling. All the schools were off for two weeks for winter break, and I took full advantage. I first made my way to Santa Cruz, one of the biggest cities in Bolivia. Last year, I got to know Romer, a Franciscan brother at the time, through some different activities that we attended. He was someone I connected with right away. He was only in Cochabamba for a brief time, because he was shortly thereafter sent to another part of Bolivia to finish up his training. He and his Franciscan brothers were actually in Cochabamba in protest, refusing to go back to their training and work because of injustices that were taking place within their own religious community. Yeah, you could say we got along pretty well. We both are a little rebelious and not afraid to shake things up when we feel it´s the right thing to do. 

My friend Romer

Anyway, throughout the last year we stayed in contact, and when I knew I was going to have a couple week vacation I got in contact with him. I took the bus to Santa Cruz and was happy to have Romer, my friend and tour guide for the next few days, there to greet me. During our time together, we walked through the city seeing and experiencing things like; the main plaza, view from the church bell tower, museum of culture and history, showing me his old school that he used to teach in (one hour plus walk in the country) tasting lots of typical foods of Santa Cruz, and maybe most importantly, teaching me the transportation system. It was great to be able to catch up on what had taken place during the last year in our lives, and with that, many meaningful conversations about life. Being able to be fully present with someone and to develop strong relationships is one of the best blessings of life. I am fortunate to have many great friends and family in my life, and I am extremely thankful for each one of them.

Main Plaza in Santa Cruz with Church in the background

The next stop during vacation was a visit with part of my Bolivian family to get some first hand experience of their lives growing up. We made our way to Oruro, a 4-5 hour trip from Cochabamba, to spend time with some of their family and also to revisit their small mining village they grew up in. I had been waiting for this experience for a while, because I have heard so many stories about their lives growing up that I wanted to understand better their stories and lives through a tangible experience. 

Statue of Mary in Oruro

Down in the Tourist Mine

Me with Emelia (top center) and Nieces and Nephews
as well as Emelia´s Aunt 

We were able to do some fun things like walk around the markets, go down into a mine which is now a tourist site, and climb up to the top of the city where they recently built a statue of Mary almost the size of the statue of liberty. 

But for me, what was most impacting and special, was to be able to go back to their origins in the mining village of Machacamarca. I had created this vision in my mind of this place from the many stories that I had heard, and now, I actually got to see it, to walk the dirt streets, to see their childhood home, and to feel a bit of the reality that I have never experienced. It is hard for me to describe what comes next...I felt a mixture of emotions from being in this place. I felt the excitement and joy of the good stories and memories that Emelia, my Bolivian mom, had as she retold parts of her life pointing out the actual physcial places where these events took place. I felt grief and sadness as I watched Emelia show me where her mom was killed by an electrical accident only a few feet away from her room at the age of 5. I felt cognitive dissonance, as I saw a childhood and way of life, completely different from my own. If only...was the beginning of so many questions I had in my mind; and this night and day difference of life or environment was ¨won or lost¨ thanks to only the good or bad fortune in ¨ovarian roulette.¨ I felt a strong sense of desire, seeded in love and service, as well as duty or responsibility, to use my good fortune to the best of my ability. I don´t know exactly what that means for my life yet, but I do know I want to commit my time and energies in striving to be a conduit of love, peace, and joy especially to those in most need.

Emelia, Uncle, Aunt, and Nieces-Daniela and Gabriela

Me standing next to Emelia´s childhood house

These are a few reflections of my time in both Santa Cruz and Oruro. My desire is for the words that I speak and write, and the feelings I contain deep within my soul or being, to continue to unite. May I and We live a life according to our deepest beliefs and values. And to this I say Amen. ¨May our future actions grow from here!¨