Oluwadamilola Awojobi — Dami for brief — is a rising senior at Howard College in Washington, D.C We requested Howard coach Shaun Kupferburg if certainly one of his gamers would chronicle their workforce’s journey Might 16-27 to Botswana and Zimbabwe. Fortunately for us, Dami, a 6-foot-1 pin hitter from Hempstead, New York, took it on:
My workforce and I had been blessed with an unbelievable alternative to be a part of an 11-day journey to the continent of Africa! We went to Botswana as sports activities diplomats, teaching volleyball clinics and taking part in in a world event. We additionally met with members of the U.S. Embassy, went on 4 safaris, and visited Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe! I’m honored to have the ability to share the main points of our latest journey.
After a yr of, planning, uncertainty, fundraising, and extra planning, our journey lastly turned a actuality.
What does one take to Africa? Effectively, bug spray for certain.
On Thursday morning, Might 16, we made our solution to Dulles Worldwide Airport to embark on a journey we’d always remember. The aircraft journey was, properly, let’s simply say lengthy. Actually lengthy. Did I point out lengthy? After 20 hours of flicks, crying youngsters, sleeping, a sundown, and a dawn, we landed in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
As we walked down the aircraft’s stairs, the air was scorching, and the solar was beaming. I even caught some warmth waves on digital camera. Inside, after getting a Botswana stamp in our passports, we had been welcomed with a shock greeting from the Botswana senior nationwide volleyball workforce. The entire interplay was being filmed on TV. Cameras caught the various hugs and smiles that crammed the realm. Excited squeals could possibly be heard all through your complete airport. Earlier than heading out, we took a gaggle photograph in entrance of their symbolic ivory sculpture of a life-sized elephant. That’s when it hit me, I used to be going to see precise elephants within the wild!
Outdoors of Sir Seretse Khama Worldwide airport, there was a blue and white bus, resembling Botswana’s flag colours, already ready for us. As we loaded our luggage into trailers, we heard the loud roar of 4 bikes. On them had been males in blue apparel and sun shades. We’d be escorted by the police to our first lodge of the journey. On our approach, with bikes in entrance and behind us, we caught our first glimpse of town. As we weaved by way of visitors, our bus acquired wonderous stares from males driving in automobiles to girls strolling with youngsters on their again, making an attempt to determine who these police had been escorting.
Had been we celebrities?
Royalty?
Hardly, as a result of as soon as we acquired to the lodge and settled it was a fast turnaround, as a result of we needed to go to observe.
We arrived at an out of doors venue which had eating places and procuring areas across the courtroom. Strolling off the bus, it smelled of smoke from a hearth burning, we noticed males taking part in soccer throughout the car parking zone, and an enormous see-through wire sculpture of a chicken close to the courtroom. Earlier than seeing the courtroom, we heard the balls bouncing and loud discuss from across the nook. Then we walked onto the turquoise and purple courtroom lit by vivid purple and white strobe lights shining onto it. An outside courtroom is lot totally different than what we’re used to. Fortunately, we solely performed in the course of the night, so we loved the nice and cozy breeze whereas we performed. This could be the identical courtroom we’d play our event on for the subsequent three days. The Botswana workforce practiced with us too. After warming up individually, for the remainder of the observe we combined in collectively and performed a variation of queen of the courtroom. It was a pleasant and aggressive atmosphere. We might inform how excited they had been to be taking part in with us by way of their real smiles and laughter, and we had been excited too.
The following day can be the beginning of our first worldwide volleyball event!
Three matches in three nights
We performed at 6 o’clock each night, and every night time introduced extra pleasure than the final. The outside courtroom was lovely at night time. We nearly at all times caught the sundown, when the scarlet glow of the sky would shine by way of the big wire chicken. I believe I’d favor outside courts now. Each time we walked into the venue heads turned, folks couldn’t assist however look with amazement, and, boy, had been there lots of people. The stands had been full however there have been solely so many. Whoever wasn’t sitting made certain they’d a spot standing. We gained supporters simply from doing hitting traces throughout warmups. After each swing a loud roar erupted from the gang; you’ll have thought the sport began.
Very quickly they knew us by identify, screaming them from the stands. The actual HU was representing! We performed the Inexperienced Buffaloes from Zambia and received all three units.
It was set as much as be a pleasant event, so on the finish, we mingled with the opposite workforce and took plenty of photos. Individuals from the stands crowded the courtroom and everybody needed an image with us. It was like nothing we’ve ever skilled earlier than. Normally after a “pleasant match” we shake arms and go about our day, however right here we had been showered with love from little children, to folks our ages, to adults, it was so heartwarming. This was constant all through the three days of the event.
The second night time we performed Lepreng Olymafrica, from a rustic inside South Africa named Lesotho. A small nation with a volleyball workforce with an enormous coronary heart. The workforce and I watched them play earlier than our recreation the day before today. We cherished watching them rejoice after they scored factors. They might make a loud stomp after sprinting to the top line with pleasure, and all leaping in unison shouting “BOOM” as their braids flipped from one aspect to the opposite. My workforce couldn’t assist however smile as we sat collectively watching them. Actually, I needed to hitch in too. They even had us making an attempt some new cheers throughout our video games. It was enjoyable taking part in them as a result of they had been scrappy and performed with loads of vitality. However we received all three units once more.
The ultimate day of the event was towards the Botswana senior nationwide workforce. This was what everybody was ready for. From the primary day we met there was pleasant banter about who was going to win. Phrase of mouth introduced heaps extra folks to this match than the others. The atmosphere felt much more intense and was probably the most enjoyable. We had been taking part in laborious, whereas laughing and joking with the gang. We received in three once more and after we did merchandise swaps. We exchanged our warmups, t-shirts, and jackets for some Botswana volleyball gear that mirrored the colours of their flag. It felt good representing a international nation.
We had a farewell dinner with the Botswana workforce and the Botswana Volleyball Federation. Right here I used to be launched to malva pudding which tasted like scrumptious, candy pound cake. I do know sooner or later I’ll be craving it once more. As we ate, we actually acquired get to know the women of the workforce there. It took a bit to heat up to one another however ultimately the conversations flowed naturally. There was loads of curiosity on each groups which made the conversations fruitful. They’d questions on our tradition, and we had simply as many about theirs. Wanting across the desk, I noticed folks leaned in engaged in deep dialog, eyes widened, and jaws unhinged after listening to how inexpensive it’s to get your hair braided, not like the U.S. I loved dissecting the great thing about their language, Setswana, and African names with one of many women as properly. On the finish of the dinner, we acquired some lovely vivid blue jackets with blends of yellow, purple, and turquoise stitched with “Botswana” on the again. A candy present from the Botswana Volleyball Federation. Good!
Conducting volleyball clinics
The volleyball clinics impacted everybody who participated. It was plain in everybody’s eyes that spirits had been stuffed with pleasure. The workforce and I coached 4 volleyball clinics at 4 totally different colleges all through the nation, working with children ages 4-19.
The primary clinic was at Bakamoso Junior Secondary Faculty close to our lodge. Right here we coached 13-to-16-year olds, who had by no means performed volleyball earlier than.
We had the honour of introducing our sport to the children, and so they acquired the honour of being taught by one of the best, Howard volleyball. We confirmed up, within the morning round 8:30 the place the solar was already laborious at work. It was scorching, actually scorching! We had been greeted with shy smiles; they’d barely have a look at us however that every one flipped by the top. We acquired a fast tour of their faculty earlier than beginning. The best half to me was their massive inexperienced discipline of agriculture. We watched as youngsters tilted watering cans, tending to their massive leafy spinach and onion crops, positioned so neatly within the floor. That’s a category I want I might have taken at school.
The varsity grounds had been made from sand, so for the clinic we gathered within the largest open space we might discover and taught all of them the fundamentals of volleyball. Passing, setting, hitting, and serving. Excessive focus was plastered throughout their all faces. They had been attentive, hanging on to each phrase, affected person, and caught on shortly too. By the top of the clinic, they cherished us! In all places you turned somebody was taking a selfie or making a TikTok!
I’m assured I don’t stand alone once I say the second clinic was my favourite. This one was at Tshiamo Main Faculty. The nationwide workforce joined us and there have been a thousand children there. I don’t assume I’ve ever seen so many youngsters in a single place in my life. They had been ages 4 by way of 13 and completely lovely. It was outdoor on this big open sandy discipline. Once we acquired off the buses, they had been all sitting in chairs escaping the warmth underneath some timber waving at us. Cuteness overload. Their happiness and pleasure radiated off them a lot it was contagious. A few of my teammates had been even delivered to tears. We walked up with excessive fives for everyone, properly perhaps not eachphysique. Did I point out there have been a thousand children? I’ve by no means been surrounded by so many blissful children or given so many hugs, however I used to be so blissful to. I used to be smiling a lot I felt goofy.
By some means our coaches ended up splitting a few of the children into teams. My teammates Leah Reeves and Maddie Siegel and I had a gaggle of about 12 to fifteen children. We put them by way of easy passing and setting drills, then performed a passing recreation in an enormous circle. If the ball went too far behind us, the remainder of the children behind us would wrestle to get the ball and produce it again to certainly one of us. It was clear this clinic was extra about interplay. They had been so playful. When it was time for us to go away the children surrounded us with giant group hugs. I imply they nearly took me down. They requested for our autographs of their notebooks, and ultimately a pattern began the place they’d ask for cash and our jewellery. They’d us feeling like celebrities. I gave one of many little women my necklace when she requested, however I realized later that it could actually result in resentment when one individual will get one thing and everybody else doesn’t. That was certainly one of many classes I realized on this journey. As we drove off in our buses the children didn’t need us to go. They saved up with our buses working and waving and smiling and yelling till their legs couldn’t sustain anymore. Superb!
The third clinic was at CSE Secondary Faculty. There was a cool breeze exterior that morning. We lastly caught a break from the new solar. Once we arrived, the scholars had been already warming up. They circled around the 5 courts shifting and counting in unison, it regarded like a dance routine. These college students had been extra skilled and nearer to our age (16-19). The courtroom I used to be on taught blocking actions. Every group of scholars that rotated onto our courtroom gave their all. Their laborious work was evident from the sweat gleaming on their faces. They meant enterprise. On the finish of the clinic my teammates and I got here out of short-term retirement to scrimmage with the scholars (it had solely been two days since our final recreation)!
The final clinic was in Kasane, Botswana at Plateau Main Faculty. This was my second favourite clinic. We acquired to the varsity and the children had been in matching mild blue monitor fits able to play some volleyball. They already had expertise taking part in and so they made certain we knew it. Once we confirmed them the way to maintain their platform, they had been like “thanks however we acquired this.” OK then!
After a couple of passing and hitting drills, we ended up taking part in extra video games which actually lit up the faces of the children. We performed freeze tag, scorching potato, and the “head, shoulders, ball” accomplice recreation. Volleyball folks know what I’m speaking about.
On the finish of this clinic the lecturers and principal of the varsity voiced their gratitude for us being there and the impression it had. I acquired the chance commemorate our expertise in a journal that holds the reminiscences of impactful moments on the faculty. What an honor!
A particular U.S. Embassy morning
One morning throughout our journey we had the chance to be hosted on the residence of the ambassador of the U.S. Embassy of Botswana’s residence. It was an enormous lovely white home. The yard was properly arrange with wood benches, a pool, and exquisite blooming flowers. They sat us as a big wood desk, the place we indulged in fluffy croissants, teas, espresso, candy fruits, and different finger meals. We had been joined by the Botswana senior nationwide workforce and the volleyball federation as properly. We mingled and laughed with the nationwide workforce, studying extra about their tradition, and some members of the embassy spoke on the significance of our journey and the impression it will depart. It was additionally an incredible alternative to community with the members of the U.S. embassy in Botswana and we did precisely that. Just a few of my teammates and I had an extended insightful dialog with a chief of mission and a regional safety officer. We acquired cool tales concerning the risks, struggles, and advantages of their job. We gained curiosity in profession paths we didn’t know existed or it could possibly be an choice.
Having fun with non-volleyball time, too
All through the journey, once we weren’t touring from metropolis to metropolis, we normally had some downtime earlier than matches, meals, clinics or safaris. I cherished the journey in its entirety, however I’ll say, we had a really full itinerary, so the downtime was rewarding and certainly one of my favourite components of the journey. Actually that’s once I assume the actual workforce bonding got here into play.
After the clinic on the primary day, we had some downtime earlier than our match, so we went to a shopping center. I acquired to trade my U.S. {dollars} for some multicolored Botswanan pula. It was thrilling, getting some new greenback payments! The shopping center was totally different than any I’d ever been in. It wasn’t a constructing precisely however extra of an open space that had shops, memento stands, and a movie show inside it. I preferred that construction, and that’s how majority of the procuring facilities had been. All of the memento markets had some lovely handmade clothes, jewellery, statues, bowls, and so on.
The climate was lovely the entire time we had been there, and each lodge we went to had a pool. Tanning time! Each probability we acquired a few of my teammates and I laid out on the pool chairs (with sunscreen on, in fact) and soaked within the solar. We laughed, listened to music, I learn my ebook, and journaled right here and there. I bear in mind one night time a few of my teammates and I even sat by the pool doing random accents and laughing about it. It felt like a mini trip; particularly after we completed the volleyball portion of the journey.
4 totally different safaris
The safaris had been arms down one of the thrilling components of the journey. We went on 4 totally different safaris and noticed three totally different cities in Botswana.
The primary safari was on the Mokolodi Sport Reserve, the place we had been launched to statuesque Kudu, skittish impala (members of the antelope household), towering giraffe, a retreating warthog, water-guzzling zebra, and shy orphaned cheetah hiding behind bushes. There have been different animals that we didn’t get an opportunity to see, however the tire on the primary safari truck we had been in went flat, in order that made it attention-grabbing. We thought we had been going to have to modify to a strolling safari. A few of my teammates and I had been all for it, however most had been against the thought. Once we heard there was a defensive mom rhino close by together with her one-month-old child, all of us agreed strolling was not a good suggestion. On the finish of this safari, we had lunch at a picnic web site. It was a phenomenal setup with scrumptious meals and a wide ranging view of Lake Gwithian. I heard the bellows of hippopotamus throughout the lake, and a few others noticed a crocodile swim throughout. A gorgeous expertise.
Our second safari was in Palapye, Botswana, on the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. This was a extra informative safari. We realized concerning the distinction between black and white rhinos, the way to spot their footprints, and the strict safety and poaching safety they’ve over the sanctuary. Botswana could be very stern about preserving wildlife. Though we didn’t spot any black rhino, we did see three white rhino up shut: So shut that we nearly bumped into them in our safari truck. Scary! Proper after we had been again on our bus heading to our subsequent metropolis.
Our final two safaris had been my absolute favourite of the 4, and I’m certain my teammates would agree. Each had been in Kasane, Botswana, in Chobe Nationwide Park. The primary was a river safari. We had been on a double-decker boat and spent three hours on the water. We noticed some superb issues. The primary few animals had been scaly crocodiles basking within the solar and one little water monitor lizard with a blue tongue. Namibia was throughout the river, and we realized that the island within the center, Sedudu Island, triggered battle at one level between the 2 nations however now it belongs to Botswana. On that island had been African Buffalo, massive hippopotamus, and an enormous herd of elephants that we noticed from afar. Not too lengthy after we had been capable of witness a younger elephant crossing the water to be with the remainder of its herd. It was superb! I prayed to see an elephant cross the water and I noticed simply that. It was so cute. Not too lengthy after that our information pulled us very near some elephants that had been on land, and we acquired to simply stand and admire them. As we circled again to our place to begin, we witnessed a phenomenal sundown and the moon rising. One other lovely expertise.
The following morning, we had been up vivid and early for a six-hour land safari in Chobe Nationwide Park. 4 safari vans got here to choose us up from our lodge so early it was nonetheless darkish. Beginning off with a full-circle second we noticed the solar rise after seeing it set the night prior. Every truck acquired to expertise, one thing superb. We noticed totally different species of birds, eagles, and even drove into the midst of a big household of defiant baboons. That half was a bit of nerve wracking, as a result of our safari truck was very open so they might have simply jumped in and had us for breakfast. Yikes! Their infants, tiny purple balls of cuteness, had been hanging the other way up from their mother’s stomach. At our first relaxation cease we had been visited by fluffy vervet monkeys, their black faces framed in white fur who had been extra fascinated with our meals than us. They ambushed our snack luggage and took a few of our snacks. Actually all we might do was chortle. By the top of the journey, I concluded that vervet monkeys we’re like our squirrels right here in America.
As we continued the safari it acquired much more mind-blowing. My truck’s information ended up recognizing some sleeping elephants behind a tree, and we acquired shut to 1 standing on the financial institution of the river utilizing its trunk as a straw. Majestic! A few of my teammates in different vans acquired to see an entire household of elephants strolling so near their vans it created a wide-eyed second! My teammate stated one even lifted its trunk to pose for an image. We had but to see a lion till our information acquired a radio name saying a lioness had been noticed. Once we acquired to that spot all our vans had been already there. We waited holding our breath. The suspense was intense. For a minute, there was silence. When she lastly emerged, we let loose our breath in an extended “wow”. Superb. Much more superb, our information determined to trace her. Shout out to Chika. The following factor we knew she strutted out the bushes and stood proper in entrance of our truck. We had been silent. In that silence, she determined stroll across the aspect of the truck. The place we had been sitting. We froze. We had been lower than three toes away from a lioness in an open truck. Chika backed the truck up in sync together with her stride so we might maintain on to that visible. She gleamed within the solar. As she walked, her muscle tissues rippled. No phrases! This safari made me realized I need extra. I grew up watching Nationwide Geographic, Animal Planet, wildlife documentaries and nonetheless watch them, so these safaris had been really a full-circle second for me.
Victoria Falls
As we approached the top of our journey, we drove from Kasane, Botswana, to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Once we arrived on the falls, we had been greeted by locals dancing in a market space. One among our coaches, Jaimeson Lee, acquired in on the motion and my teammates Amari Patterson and Sydnei Jones and I jumped in, too.
Then it was time to see one of many wonders of the world: The “Smoke that Thunders,” Victoria Falls. From the remark decks we marveled on the avalanche of water raining on us like a tropical storm. It was extraordinary, to say the least. I’ve by no means seen one thing so massive and highly effective in individual like that. Now I’m motivated to see the opposite wonders of the world. My poncho was like carrying plastic wrap in a tsunami. I acquired soaked, however I couldn’t even be mad.
Takeaways, classes, workforce bonding
As pupil athletes, this journey was so particular. The time calls for of taking part in a university sport don’t enable many journey alternatives aside from school-issued breaks. We will learn and listen to about different cultures as a lot as we wish, however experiencing them for ourselves creates one other degree of understanding. A number of us are oblivious to the life of individuals exterior of the USA and what it entails, particularly in nations with much less sources than we’re used to.
Each interplay I had with somebody was a healthful one, and I say that with out exaggeration. It jogged my memory of “southern hospitality” turned up a couple of notches. It was refreshing to see that the folks as an entire, made one of the best of their conditions, discovered the enjoyable in them, and had been content material/labored what they’d. That’s not at all times evident in American tradition.
Admire what you have already got, get comfy being uncomfortable, be affected person and type in all conditions. These classes introduced themselves in lots of types throughout our journey. A state of affairs that stood out to me was having to pay for items of bathroom paper to make use of the toilet in sure areas. This isn’t one thing you’ll usually see in the USA, however I’ve heard of this taking place in different nations, so it was attention-grabbing to expertise in individual. At first it was a bit of vexing to have to drag out cash simply to make use of the toilet. Then I noticed that locations might not have the cash to restock rolls of bathroom paper in all of the stalls on a constant foundation. Individuals usually use approach an excessive amount of bathroom paper anyway, and other people have households to feed, so charging 2 pula (Botswanan) for every few sheets of bathroom paper might probably be serving to to place meals on the desk and be a supply of revenue.
Whatever the cause, it was experiences like people who made the journey all that extra necessary, my thoughts was opened, and ignorance was lifted. It pressured much more humility in my way of life whereas residing right here in the USA. Hopefully that impression was felt by everybody on the journey. Conditions like that may be uncomfortable and are straightforward to complain about as a result of it’s not acquainted. So, throughout this journey it was particularly necessary for me to be the place my toes had been, absorbing each expertise for what it was, constantly making an attempt to make the selection to watch and discover the lesson in them.
Since being part of the Howard volleyball program, we’ve tried to provide you with one of the best workforce bonding concepts to create extra intimacy and belief between one another. This expertise takes the lead as one of the best, most enjoyable, and efficient workforce bonding (no less than in my eyes). We had the platform. We simply wanted the plan.
We’d by no means spent that a lot time collectively exterior of volleyball. The most effective half was realizing that all of it occurred by itself, within the small moments off digital camera. The tire bursting on our first safari is one thing I’m certain we’ll carry up and at all times chortle about. On prime of that we’ve got a brand new teammate that got here alongside on this journey. We acquired to get to know her and make her really feel like a part of the workforce. These girls are just like the sisters I by no means had, and this expertise introduced us nearer.
And to assume I nearly didn’t go on this journey makes me much more grateful that I did. So, on behalf of myself and my workforce, I ship out an enormous thanks to the Howard College volleyball program, Carry It Promotions, and all people who had been concerned in making this journey what it was.
