Families from Oregon, Washington and California go to the community of Ixtlan de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico
This is the story of our Courts for Kids trip in Ixtlan de Juarez!
We were all tired when we landed, but we stopped for a snack at a restaurant called Chili Guajili. We headed over to where we were sleeping for the night in Oaxaca City. It was some kind of manor-thing with like 7 bedrooms which was good because there’s 28 of us. We all slept in groups per room and it was great.
In the morning we got ready to head to Ixtlan. We all put our luggage in a truck and (after a meeting laying out what we were going to do) headed off! We stopped at a restaurant to get breakfast, I got pumpkin flower tortillas. Someone else got cricket quesadillas which surprisingly weren’t that bad. Then we drove over to Ixtlan. The trip was beautiful but I wouldn’t know since I slept through the whole thing. When we arrived we got to hear from a few locals about what they thought about the project including the president of the town! They talked about what this meant to them and everyone introduced themselves. Then we started getting situated in the rooms. I stayed with my mom, sister, the aforementioned cricket eater Kai, KK and her son. It was a pretty good group all things considered. After that, we had dinner and then went to bed.
When we woke up the next day the mats we were sleeping on really weren’t as uncomfortable as I expected. I managed to get pretty good sleep! We started off with a great breakfast where we got challenges! My challenge was to play a game with a local. Then we headed off to the job site. We talked about whether or not to use full buckets (Around 70 Lb’s) or half and decided on half. Then we started working! We split into 5 groups with 2 on each mixer and one on break. We would have one of the said groups shoveling and another transferring buckets while the construction workers loaded the buckets into the mixer. After that, we all went to an awesome bread-baking class! They talked about the history of their shop and how the bread they make is special. We got to knead the dough before they put it in the oven which was really cool. I talked to the bakers about things and other people had a challenge to ask them about certain things. After that, we took some of the bread we helped make back to the school. We had dinner which was great as always and went to bed!
The next day we woke up slightly sore but still motivated! We got to work and decided this time to have 5 groups with one on break still, but have 2 groups on shoveling, one group on buckets, and one on loading the mixer except for one mixer only. The construction workers got tired from lifting the buckets by themselves. After that, we went to the Gualagetza! It’s a beautiful festival native to Oaxaca where (In Ixtlan) representatives from all the different regions come and perform a dance! It was absolutely gorgeous and my favorite was the one with the masked dancers with swords. We got to go out on the court and dance with them! After that, we had dinner there, and me and my mom went to go dance with around 3 people who were dancing on the court. The singer was hyping us up and giving us instructions and it was awesome! Eventually, more of us headed over and danced together! After that, we walked back to the school and fell asleep.
The next day EVERYONE was tired since we got back home late the previous night but we all still managed to work. We started with breakfast and did some shout-outs! I started loading the mixer today which was easily my favorite job. After that, some of the locals came over and taught us how to make Pinole! It’s a warm native drink associated with rituals that is made from cacao powder, cinnamon and achiote. It was really good and we talked about it while eating it. Then we headed to bed.
The next day might be my favorite, partly because we finished the court!! It was the final day of working and we were right on schedule. When we poured the last bit of concrete we all cheered and high-fived. Then we all took a picture with the construction workers (Jorge stood up on a bucket to look taller). Then we headed into town to a pottery class! The man teaching it was really interesting. He doesn’t use any machines to make his bowls just his hands. He was talking about how it takes him nearly a month for a bowl but it shines through because they’re beautiful! He also talked about the importance of preserving culture in Ixtlan. We all bought nice bowls with gorgeous engravings and handmade paint from natural dyes. Then we headed back and slept!
The next day was the ceremony. We all got dressed up nicely and went out to the court. I volunteered to write a speech which was a little stressful but nice nonetheless. Everyone cut the ribbon bit by bit and when it was fully cut everyone cheered! After that representatives from the town and school spoke about what this court meant to them. Then Irving, a student with disabilities sang “El feo” which is about a guy who is interested and conventionally attractive but has a great personality. Then they told a legend about the town, and then we gave our speeches. After the ceremony, we all played volleyball with the local teams (My team won both games we played). After that, we had a free day where we all relaxed and went into town. We got Frappuccino’s! Then we did a final reflection at night and went to bed.
Overall, the trip to Ixtlán de Juárez was amazing. we learned so much about how the people of Ixtlán practice their beliefs as well as how overwhelmingly friendly they were towards us. We met a lot of great people and improved a lot on our español! I also learned a ton about the history of Ixtlán as well as Oaxaca in general which is important to me as I love México and its history! The chance to do this has helped me understand myself and México a lot more and I wouldn't trade it for the world!
~ Will Bonner, HS Student Volunteer
Volunteer quotes:
“This community values kindness and helping others over individual needs. I have learned to help others like the locals have done. The community takes care of others, los abuelos live with the rest of the family and everyone is taken care of by the neighbors of the community.” ~ Sonya Drayton
“What I learned about the world is the importance of a strong community, At home, we get so wrapped up in our jobs, consumption, social status, etc. We lose sight of our community. So many people are isolated and lonely at home. However, here where there’s such a strong sense of community, I believe that’s why there is such an authentic happiness seen throughout this town.” ~ Lucy Loftis
“I love watching how our group, starting out as complete strangers, can come together and become a cohesive whole, working towards a united goal. I feel our group did an exceptional job, not only on the court but also on the social level, by the support and inclusivity shown to all members.” ~ Sharon Fujioka
“Before coming on this trip I thought that I wouldn’t have a good sleeping arrangement or good food. Although, my sleeping arrangement was great and the food was spectacular. I also thought that the trip could be more chaotic, but it was very organized and efficient.” ~ Kai Scribner
“When we arrived in the community, we were strangers with a common cause to build a court for the school. Every day the connections and unity grew. As the Courts for Kids group ate together, worked together, and shared our reflections, we became very connected in heart and purpose. Throughout the challenges of the day and work on the court, we learned more about how many ways we enjoyed the company of our new community. On the trips to town, we saw more ways we were similar, our love for our families, our desire to help others, and the joy found in sports. On the last day, we celebrated our deep connection with each other through building a new court and our dedication to strengthening our communities. Watching our children play on the court was the ultimate achievement of our work.” ~ Molly Blum
“The hardest part about going home is going to be leaving my new friends.” ~ Joey Loftis
“Of the many things I learned about the community, I learned about pride and support. The residents here are so proud of their heritage and their lives here, and from this seems to come a network of support from one another. They focus on keeping their traditions in the forefront and are so generous in sharing this. I always felt so welcomed here, and people were so willing to open up and teach us about their work, art, and lives here. The autonomy of this community is something unique I’ve not experienced and this wouldn’t be possible if the residents did not support each other to reach community goals.”
~ Laura Bekos
“Everyone is so welcoming and nice! I love Mexico and noticing all of this makes me want to come here again.”
~ Caleb Blum
“Everyone has a critical role in the community. That role is valued and respected. This includes the laborers, cooks, cleaners, architects, and elected officials. There seems to be a deep understanding around the importance of connections and intersections that unifies the community. Also, the respect for inclusion with the women in political positions and as leaders of the community. Finally, the singing by the gentleman with the disabilities. Progressively inclusive!” ~ Blair Loftis
“I learned that my daily routines and expectations are extremely schedule-driven. This basis drives my impatience and anxiety which reduces my connections with others. I feel that by reflecting on my experience at Courts for Kids I can become more present which in turn will enhance relationships and fulfillment.” ~ Jason Blum
“I enjoyed getting to know new people, both my teammates and the local people. Watching all of us work together to build this court together for the community was really powerful. I love all the small moments, people helping each other, smiling through the hard work, and laughing a lot. My most favorite memories will be the times that I got to work together with my son and watch him do something completely new. It will stay with me forever.” ~ Kiki Grant
Community Quotes:
“This wonderful experience began in Panama through my dear colleague from the indigenous foundation of the FSC Mary, who introduced me to Juan Carlos from Courts for Kids, with whom we started a journey of experiences, meetings in Panama and later in Mexico with his bosses who visited us in our community. What was seen as an idea, became a dream and later a reality with the construction of the multipurpose court for the students of our secondary school. Thanks to all those who accepted the invitation and gave financial resources in its construction, but above all, they gave their hearts.” ~ Alina Santiago
“For us the work with the Courts for Kids Foundation has been an admirable experience with a lot of heart ❤️, we were part of the excellent organization they have, the willingness to work and the humility with which they do it, and not only that, besides the physical work, the desire to learn about our culture, the evenings of coexistence and joy that we spent together and although we did not speak the same language we could communicate because we were united by the same goal.
We are very grateful for all the blessings we received from you and we can only tell you that we keep this beautiful experience, we learned a lot from you, the unity and solidarity that still exists in this world. You will be present in us and every time we see that field our memory will remember everything we lived in these special days. Thank you very much.”
~ Profesores Raul, Cristina y Raulito
“I express my sincere thanks to Courts for Kids for their invaluable collaboration in the construction of the sports court at Escuela Secundaria Técnica No. 40. This initiative represents a great step towards the promotion of sport and physical activity among our students. We are confident that this new court will have a positive impact on the health, well-being, and all-round development of our children and young people. I greatly admire and appreciate the professionalism and dedication shown by the entire Courts for Kids team during the process of organizing and implementing the project. Their commitment to the community is truly admirable. We are convinced that this court will become a meeting, fun, and learning space for our students, promoting values such as teamwork, respect, and discipline. It was an amazing experience to learn from the Courts for Kids community - everyone was so kind and taught us so much! Thank you for everything! Your friend.” ~ Francisco Cruz
“I was blessed to collaborate in the construction of the court of the high school in my community, through volunteer labor, the knowledge and the desire to make the construction possible. I thank the people of my community who selflessly got involved in the process, I was pleasantly surprised with the active participation of the volunteers from the United States and Juan Carlos, their coordinator, for the lesson they gave me of organization, determination, teamwork and companionship that regardless of language, skin color, nationality, among others, they knew how to give me and I knew how to receive. I can only say thank you for everything, thank you Courts for Kids.” ~ Jorge Santiago Pérez
