Most people would think I was crazy to sign up to go play baseball in a country I had never been to and where I did not know anyone. As a matter of fact, at that time, I had never even been out my own country, much less a country that had a reputation for being one of the most dangerous in South America. But, last year I decided to jump at an opportunity to play more baseball in the Colombian Winter Baseball league, and it ended up being one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Baseball has taken me all over the place during my life. When I was younger all my family "vacations" centered around what tournament I was playing in that weekend. I would like to take this chance to say thank you to my parents for driving and flying all over the country to support my chasing my dream. Without them I would not be here today and they are truly and inspiration to me. Since I have been in pro ball, I have not gotten to see my family very much because of all the travel. But, I have developed a new family with my teammates and the staff. I learned that here in Colombia. The team is a family and we always have each other's back. That was the first thing I was told when I arrived last year.
When I came down last year, I was ready for anything and expected nothing. I was ready for whatever. When I stepped off of the plane and got on the bus, I got a reality check and gained a new perspective very quickly. Our ride to the hotel was in the middle of rush hour in downtown Barranquilla and it was definitely eye-opening. Taxis were everywhere, intermingled with buses, motorcycles, and an occasional donkey-draw carriage in the middle of the highway. People were scattered everywhere, some clothed, some not. Stray dogs and trash littered the street. But, in the midst of what seemed to me like the worst poverty I could imagine, Most of the people were smiling, laughing and joking with one another. I could not figure out why. I learned quickly though.
My first day at the field, every member of the team came up and shook my hand and introduced themselves to me. Then they proceeded to go to every one of their teammates and give them a hug or shake their hands and say hello. After the third or fourth day of this, I went and asked one of them, Donovan Solano, why they do that. He told me that they say hello to everyone every day they see them because it is a blessing that they made it through the day and so did all of their teammates. Basically, they cherish every moment they have with each other and on this team. That was when I realized why everyone in the street was so joyful. They were so excited just to be surviving and living another day. They were happy to be able to go home to their family at night, even if there were ten or fifteen people jammed in a house designed for five. The same was true with my new team. They were my new family. We bled, sweat, and cried baseball together. We prayed together before every game and practice (something that might be looked at strangely in the United States, but here it was something to bring everyone together every day). We grew as a family (and a team) every time we stepped on the field and it ultimately translated into a championship last year.
This year I have returned to Caimanes de Barranquilla (Barranquilla Gators) at the urging of my family at home and the St. Louis Cardinals. They both have told me that this is another great opportunity to get better on the field and develop as a player. But, I also wanted to come back. I wanted to be with my other family.
The media here calls Barranquilla my "segundo hogar" or, my second home. I am in my second home right now and we just won our first game of the 2010-11 season last night. Everyone on the team contributed in a come-from-behind win. It seems like our family is coming together very quickly.
I will keep everyone posted throughout the season on how things are going down here and my experiences, good and bad. I hope that everyone enjoys my postings and that they are informative. Thank you for your time and allowing me to post my thoughts and perspectives here in this blog.
Chris Swauger
No comments:
Post a Comment