"There are cows everywhere," says senior Emily Morgan, of the month and a half she spent in Paraguay this past summer with Athletes in Action, an international evangelical nonprofit. "And the food wasn't that good. Tons of pasta dishes, although I loved Zucaritas, their version of Frosted Flakes," she continues. So, why Paraguay?
Paraguay is one of only two landlocked countries in the Eastern Hemisphere. Paraguay's geography is made up of grassy plains, low hills and marshes. No white sand beaches, clear blue water or luxury resorts like those that draw people into the rest of South America. Not exactly your typical summer vacation destination. Instead there was only the old Olympic Village, where Morgan stayed, and soccer fields. Lots of them, littered with mud, sinkholes, anthills and cow dung.
And there's the answer to the question: Morgan went to Paraguay for soccer, sort of. A psychology major and a three-year veteran of the women's soccer team, Morgan heard about the opportunity to go to Paraguay through her roommate. In late May, she flew down to Paraguay, along with teammate Megan Manthey '09. Together, with an Athletes in Action team comprised of players from around the nation, Morgan and Manthey played local club teams in Paraguay and put on soccer clinics for children living in the streets.
"Despite the cows, mud and food," Morgan laughs, "it was a great experience. Paraguay has a lot of character, and when it came time to leave, it was tougher than I thought."
The best part of the trip, certainly for Morgan, was working with the children. Despite the differences in language and culture, she was able to build connections on the field. The clinics she helped host gave her the opportunity to incorporate her personal faith and beliefs onto the soccer field, and to have an impact on the children that transcended the game.
Morgan was not sure what to expect at first, but she came away with a lot: not only a new appreciation for what she has, but a new appreciation for the sport.
"I realized when I was there that soccer is soccer," Morgan notes. "It's a privilege I have been given to play ... something I really love. My personal faith gave me a different motivation for something I'm very passionate about. I learned there that there is actually more to soccer, more to playing sports. It's about making the people around you better, loving your teammates and enjoying every minute of it." 