Have you ever had the chance to make a child smile? Let me tell you, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. Throughout our travels in Venezuela, we've had some really great experiences that were completely unplanned. On this particular day, we were just passing by a basketball court and we saw children ages 3 to 16 playing hardcore soccer (or better yet "futbol"). We stopped by, introduced ourselves, and asked if we could join them. They were all very welcoming and had biggest smiles on their faces. They knew that we were not from Venezuela, not only because of our accents, but by our lack of skills in the "futbol" world. These kids were actually very good in the sport. They're very competitive and durable. Playing soccer on concrete (an outside basketball court) is not the safest place but they take what they can get and make the most of it. We saw bloody knees and scrapped elbows from the constant aggressiveness that's expected in the game of soccer. They just bounced right back up as if it were normal and continued playing. It makes me think of how fortunate others are in the world where they're actually issued a uniform, shin pads,and unlimited Gatorade to drink throughout the game. The kids were drinking water from an old rusted container and sharing the same green cup. They even offered us a drink and yes...we did not refuse. After 1 hour of playing soccer with the future stars of Manchester United, you'd probably drink anything! Venezuelan youth have hearts of gold and it was truly a great experience to meet everyone. This is why I love Venezuela!
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