This marks the sixth in a series of daily journals that will be written by members of the SRU women's soccer team and staff during their nine-day trip to Costa Rica. The following entries, written by players on the team, details Aug. 11-12.
 
Day 7
Today was a relaxing Sunday for the team. Some started with a walk on the beach to watch the sunrise while others took the opportunity to sleep in. Around mid-morning we all headed to the beach to play soccer tennis. The rest of the day consisted of relaxing by the beach or the pool, naps, Zumba and synchronized diving.
 
Throughout the day we witnessed a variety of wildlife such as iguanas and monkeys. In the evening we were able to go downtown to experience a small beach town. During our visit we really enjoyed visiting all the unique shops and interacting with the locals. Overall a solid day, 10/10.
 
-Georgia Nagucki
-Kaitlyn Barackman
-Tatum Bradley
-Emily Arnold
 
Day 8
¡Mamón chino!
 
In case you all thought "mamón chino" was a cool Spanish greeting like "pura vida", we can assure you it is not. This phrase is actually the name of a spiky red fruit found in Costa Rica that our amazing tour guide, Vale, surprised us with along with fresh coconut water straight from the coconut. You're probably wondering why the SRU women's soccer team is obsessed with this fruit and we can assure you that we do not know why. However, it has sparked many dances and jokes that we never fail to crack up at.
 
While mamón chinos is just a simple fruit, it relates to so many things we have experienced on this trip. The first being team bonding. From 5:15 a.m. sunrise walks to 6:00 p.m. sunset photoshoots, our team has made countless lifetime memories. I mean how many people can say they've played card games with their coach with mountains in the distance, ziplined with their teammates over the gorgeous mountains in the rainforest and made a synchronized diving video in the hot Costa Rican sun? It has been such a privilege to have had this extra time in a spectacular environment to grow as a team. The memories we have made as a team are something we will always remember and cherish. It has helped us grow so much collectively and as individuals.
 
It was amazing to play against the local soccer teams. The culture, pride and style of play we witnessed among all three teams was inspiring and reminded us of the pride we have in our team and country. This pride was something all three teams said they admired about our play. It was so touching to listen to both teams and coaches try to communicate in the other's native language and to bond over our love for the game.
 
This bond was especially shown in our second game against San Carlos. After the game we presented the other team with our jerseys and in return they gifted us the most delicious fresh fruit. Both of these gifts were not so much presents, but a sign of respect and admiration for the other team. Another heartwarming moment was when the MVP's were named. The coach of the other team informed us that the MVP we named had just returned from a knee injury, something our MVP, Miranda Gallucci, was all too familiar with. It was so cool to see two players who returned from devastating injuries celebrate together with two teams supporting them.
 
The culture and people of Costa Rica will forever be remembered by our team. We had so much fun talking with the staff and locals on our trip. They all loved that we tried to speak Spanish. Even those on our team who had never spoken Spanish picked up some key phrases that they used. Some fan favorites were "moy bonita", "me gusta" and of course "pura vida".
 
For some of the Spanish speakers on the team, our waiter, Alberto, helped us a ton. He made sure to speak to us slowly while helping us with our grammar. It was conversations and people like Alberto that made our trip so educational and personal. That and our much talked-about service projects.
 
Our service projects were by far the highlight of the trip. Nothing can top our time with the children of Costa Rica. Their laughs, smiles and hugs that they shared with us meant more than any game we could ever play. The tears that we shed at the end of our time with the kids proved how strong of a bond we created with them. While we brought them some happiness and love, they also had an impact on us by bringing us memories that will last forever.
 
All in all, this trip was life-changing and will forever be remembered. This trip wouldn't have been possible without all of donations and support we have received. We are grateful beyond words to all of you for giving us this opportunity to grow as a team and make all the memories that we did. Thank you.

-Madison Johnson
-Emma Yoder
-Kara Seebacher
-Alaina Mihalik
 
PAST ENTRIES
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3 
- Days 4-5
- Day 6


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