The trip all began on June 14, as we began our long journey to Uganda. Over a full day of traveling later, we finally reached our destination and were greeted with the most mesmerized children.



That first night at the village was something special; it was our first chance to mingle with the locals. The children greeted us with song and dance and had us in awe from the beginning. Some of them were really shy at first, as were we, owing to the language barrier. By the end of the night, I think we had high-fived just about every kid in the village. That really set the tone for the trip and made us all excited for the hard, yet rewarding, week ahead.

All the previous Oregon groups that volunteered with Courts for Kids said the trip would change our lives and give us some of the best friends. I didn't realize how true that was until I reflected on the trip as we were riding home on our six-hour van ride, which turned into nine hours – aka, "African Time."



We were warned about "African time" before we arrived, but I guess you don't really understand it until you experience it first-hand. It's funny how relaxed people are in Africa about time compared to us Americans. As student-athletes, we are always juggling so much on our plates and trying to get everything done as efficiently as possible; so, you could say we reached an obstacle when it came to African time, especially when it came to the court.



One of the workdays, it started pouring and everyone ran inside. In America, not even weather stops us from figuring out a way to work. During that time, we ran into the house and played card games, conversed with the team, and just enjoyed time together. We realized that by constantly being on the move and trying to get everything done in a timely manner, we might have been distracted and not able to enjoy the people right in front of us.





Uganda humbled us to say the least. We were amazed by how happy the locals were with what little they had. It honestly put life in perspective and showed us we are so blessed. We easily take things for granted at home when we should be over the moon with everything we have access to and are given.



Our group of girls got to stay in another part of the village down the road from the village and court. When we first arrived, none of us knew how to react. On the floor of the houses, thin mattresses were provided for us to sleep on. Those houses were for the king, which we didn't know until later in the trip. I remember thinking the house wasn't the greatest. Those houses are some of the best in the village and that is something I can't imagine being true in the States. We really take the little things, such as the comfort of our cozy homes, for granted and this experience was eye-opening to many of us.

Something that many of us took away from the trip was the foundation of relationships and the importance of them. The language barrier was definitely a challenge at first but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying time together, whether it was kids helping us gather rocks or helping push the wheelbarrows full of jugs of water. We never realized how quickly we would become attached to the little ones, but it happened before we knew it.



What's so amazing about being from different parts of the world was we both had so much to offer each other. We were both so eager to learn, whether it was picking up a rock and each saying what it's called in our language to discussing the differences among our cultures – it was an experience of a lifetime. Not only did we build relationships with the locals, but we also formed tighter bonds within our group.



There may have been a few athletes or staff members from each sport, but it was amazing to see other friendships formed on the trip. We may have crossed paths with these people every now and then, but this trip gave us the opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and really get to know some amazing people.

On t he last night in the village, we got to play on the court with the locals for the very first time. Watching all the smiling faces play on the court really sealed the deal and made all the hard workdays worth it. Overall, we all had the experience of a lifetime. Uganda will always hold a special place in our hearts, so "Apollo," Uganda.