First Day (afternoon actually) in Ciudad de Dios, Peru
What I think the citizens of Ciudad thought of us:
I believe the children were fascinated with us and very excited that we were there.
I also believe the adults had a very positive and welcoming demeanor towards us, even after losing the soccer match to us. As a matter of fact, after losing to us, a crowd gathered around Jep, the all star of our team (with 3 goals). A few of the adults even invited him (and the rest of our team) to play in their Sunday tournament as part of the team for a chance to win 3000 soles for Ciudad. I felt like this interaction is symbolic of our presence in Ciudad and how the citizens view us. It is clear to them that we are more privilieged than they are and that they respect us and admire us. However, the people are very proud of their own identities and community and are not afraid to challenge us, play with us, and compete with us. No matter the outcome of a match that is ¨premio o amistoso,¨ it is the interaction itself that will help both groups to learn and grow. In other words, without waxing poetic, I think the adults welcome our presence and are proud to be our hosts.