Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclones Serve in La Guaria, Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
06.14.2023 | Athletics
AMES – "Life changing" are the words used by all 16 team members to describe their experience building a sports court in Costa Rica mid-May. There were a variety of activities each day that consisted of constructing the sports court, connecting with community members and reflecting on the experience. The two staff members who led the 14 Cyclone student-athletes recounted the experience upon the conclusion of their time in La Guaria.
Upon embarking on this project, our team was unified in a goal to serve the community, challenge our own personal ideas and broaden our cultural awareness. While we were excited to engage in a service project that was built around collaboration alongside the community, we were surprised by the immense impact it left upon each and every one of us. Immediately upon our arrival Sunday evening, we were greeted with dancing and a distinctive sense of joy which remained throughout the entire week.
The first morning, we jumped into action building a cement sports court. Everyone attacked difficult work with a cheerful attitude and a strong work ethic. That first day, the main takeaway was we were all surprised by how hard the community worked alongside us – from kids as young as seven to members as old as 78. This immediately set the tone within our groups and fostered a profound sense of respect and community. These relationships were deepened through our homestays - our team was split among eight different homes – each giving our team members a special ability to bond in a very short amount of time. Of all our experiences on this trip, we agree that this was one of the most impactful components. The community showed genuine curiosity about our culture and lifestyles in America. Our conversations served to grow a sense of trust and belonging that allowed our team members to discuss important sociopolitical and cultural differences that broadened our perspectives in a way that couldn't have been done at Iowa State.
We were blessed with good weather, which allowed us to complete the court in two and a half days. By the third day, our collaboration with the community had evolved into an effort that surpassed our language barrier, and coupled with our grit and determination, provided a seamless work environment that felt incredibly special. Because we finished the court early, we were able to do additional projects in the community: Mowing the soccer field, additional concrete work at the local school and tarping a greenhouse were all projects we completed before the weather turned sour.
Alongside our bond with the community, a special aspect of this trip was our team's unity in everything we did. In each person, small transformations occurred that drew us closer together, despite the fact that most of us played different sports and came from differing backgrounds. The team walked away from the experience with several different takeaways. First, that "richness" is a matter of cultural perspective – we were constantly amazed at the community's joyfulness despite being in the midst of what many Americans would consider "poverty." They emphasized many times that their wealth came from the abundance of Costa Rican nature, faith and community. Geylin (pronounced Haley, one of the community leaders) told us that money was a superficial thing; if we became terminally ill like so many in this world, it didn't matter how much money we had. Secondly, we pondered the differences between providing and sharing. Providing for someone can often be impersonal or transactional affair, whereas sharing involves significant self-sacrifice and an invitation to enter in to that person's life. We all felt that the community shared rather than provided for us.
Lastly, as we began our departure process for the U.S., we remembered the words that Sofia, our Courts for Kids guide, and team leader told us: creating an environment that replicates what we experienced in Costa Rica will not be easy. However, graciously giving our time, attention and energy to invite those around us into a personal relationship can ultimately be a powerful culture-changing experience.
As a team, this is what we experienced at Costa Rica and most certainly what we want to cultivate at Iowa State University. In an effort to step into something that was personally challenging and others-oriented, we were blessed in ways we never could have imagined.
- Lindsey Long and Zach Streuber
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