Wukro, day 4, trainings begin

We got up at 6:30 a.m. for our first training session with the girls. We communicated with them in English, although some do not dominate it their teammates served as interpreters. The explanations of the exercises are always accompanied by practical examples so that they can learn through imitation. It is quite curious peculiar that they have such trouble respecting the limitations of space, a sign that they are used to playing without space restrictions. Also drawing attention is the player’s footwear, they have no football shoes, one even showed up with flip-flops and another with a shoe on the right leg and flip-flop on the left.

After breakfast we took a run, this time we took a different direction so as to experience the city environment. We ended up at an Italian leather factory that is about 8 km away. On our return we stopped at a couple of farms that we found along the way to simply browse around. Despite the fact that we were strangers and incapable of communicating by means of any language they still invited us to come into their homes to eat injera (Ethiopian staple bread) and Bels (prickly pears).

In the evening after the activities with the children at the mission, we enjoyed the coffee ceremony. It is a ritual that Ethiopians take with great pride in inviting guests to buna (coffee). The grains are roasted in a sort of small paella pan, then water is boiled, the grains are then cleaned and then they are ground in a mortar. The infusion is made in a traditional coffee pot and served in small cups. In the meantime they prepare sweet popcorn and burn incense with the purpose of driving away evil spirits.

The atmosphere at the mission is quite pleasant, after our meals we always stay a while just chatting. Today Tomas, a Madrid native who teaches tennis and English, proposed the idea of watching a film, so some 15 people gathered in a room with an overhead projector.