Ecuadorian Ballers!
So, here I am with my Ecuadorian basketball team. I guess it took me moving to Ecuador to play basketball again. Living here has helped shape and change my perspective on sports a bit. I seem to value it more here. It is such a central part of community here that I have wanted to be a part of a sport here in order to integrate myself more in the community. Surely, Ecuadorians are very competitive but at the same time there seems to be a lot of love shared in sports….there is something different here than the way I felt in the States. Of course, this is just a friendly community tournament so professional sports may be different. Maybe sports aren´t different here at all but it just took moving to another country to look at something so essential to culture in so many countries from a different light. I can say though that Ecuadorian customs find their ways into everything, even those things that are familiar. For example, in my 2 basketball games this last Saturday, no one had water or brought a water bottle. We all shared some gatorade type drink from a huge bottle in one little cup….and as we came off the court out of breath needing to drink we passed around the little cup, each person taking a few sips and passing it on. I recieved some funny stares when I finally pulled out my water bottle and drank from it, out of pure thirst and the desire for gulps of water. Even in this moment on the courts, someone my Western individualism seemed to shine. Here is the wonder of living in another country….you never forget where you are even in the most familiar moments.
Wish me luck as I am definitely an aging woman who once played but now only remembers!
This is so wonderful, Jenny! What a cool opportunity. Your team is a really interesting mix of ages. I like that there’s a random perro in the middle of everyone. Team mascot?
I really relate to what you said about your perspective on sports having changed as a result of living in another culture. I have started to appreciate sports and the way they bring people together a lot more since I’ve been here.
your story about the gatorade and the little tiny cup was hilarious