On Friday night I started to write this blog and couldn't stop thinking about my first week back in reality versus the previous week I spent in Nicaragua. The two were so different, and to be honest, I
wish I could have taken parts of Granada back home with me. So there I am, holed up in my office, thinking that at that exact time just seven days earlier I was worlds away in a small ice cream shop with all the SWB volunteers and workers, smiling and trying to savor the week of camp we'd just finished. I was in shorts and sandals with sun-warmed skin, it felt great to be so far removed from my cell phones (yes, phones) and other technology that apparently makes my head buzz, and I was tired but in a good way because the project had kept us busy all week.
I know the purpose of the trip was to serve the people of Granada, after all the SWB mission is to use soccer as a vehicle for positive change in the lives of marginalized youth, but I think the week in
Granada ended up being really good for me too. Really profound, right?? Haha…well work with me here, there were just some things I was reminded of by being immersed into their culture, and I hope to figure out how to keep those reminders from fading as the week of camp moves further and further away.
So first, the week felt long. Not in a sense that it was boring and dragged on endlessly, but every day felt full. Maybe it's because we woke up somewhat early, or because walking everywhere doesn't feel
like rushing - I'm not sure but the time definitely seemed different to me. On Wednesday for example, we woke up at 7 as we did every day. We ate something, walked to the office, had a meeting, walked to the fields, did a session, walked back to the office, ate again in town and proceeded to wander around in search of Aloe for my sunburn, returned to the office again for a workshop in the afternoon with the
girls, and then we went on this incredible 2 hour bike ride around Granada with Suyen - by the time we ate dinner it was only 6 at night. I distinctly remember being amazed that we'd only been in Nicaragua
for three days because it felt like we had done and seen so much. And for some reason, most days at home fly by for me and it's hard to remember what exactly I spent so many hours doing. Between the time I spend online, answering emails and texts at work, and checking in with girls on the team, I barely find time to eat peacefully and squeeze in a workout before the team's practice and then I'm exhausted and ready for bed. Okay so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously what am I doing all day with my time that leaves me generally feeling rushed, stressed, and tired? This sort of leaves me to my second thought: technology must be killing my brain. Haha. In some ways though I think it is consuming and with cars, email, phones, television, and the internet I waste a lot of my time. That’s not to say that these things don’t exist in Nicaragua, I saw plenty of cell phones and cars were accessible, but our host family was sort of the rarity with a tv AND an older than old computer. It’s probably no secret that we’re sort of excessive in the United States with our toys and possessions…especially electronics these days. Obviously those things are helpful and useful, but at the end of the day a lot of people are okay without having them to the extreme.
Alright so I’m back here, but I kind of wish I was still there. So what? Why don’t I just move back to Nicaragua right now? Why not throw my cell phones away? There’s clearly a lesson I need to remember from this trip because my head felt a lot clearer during my time in Nicaragua. By stepping outside of my world for a week and seeing how someone else lives, I realized that I can and need to make better use
of my time and spend fewer hours checking and double-checking my email because whatever is waiting at the other end will probably be okay for a few extra minutes. This isn’t to say that the emails and phones calls aren’t important, they’re part of my job and the relationships I’m invested in, but I need to take some timeouts too. So I’ve decided to start by making some dramatic changes…first stage: a complete Facebook hiatus. But the more I think about it, I’m pretty sure my life will be just fine without Facebook. I think we all might be better for a few evenings spent completely putting our phones away, sitting on our front porch with our family, friends, and neighbors - just talking, watching the stars, and maybe learning a few Latin dance moves.
So thank you, Granada and Soccer Without Borders, for actually serving me and teaching me a thing or two about how to spend my time.
Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 11:47AM 
On the go!
Some of the runners at the starting line
