Anna's Ouanaminthe Volleyball Report. Part 2

That is when we were woken up and told to get up and ready. READY FOR WHAT? We eventually got a volleyball from Jean Pierre, and we played down in the inside gym for several hours before actually getting prepared to play a match. While getting ready we were rushed by the leaders, who told us that the vehicle had already come twice, so we now had to walk to the courts. When my team arrived, there was nobody there! We were the first. I got several cat naps in before others began to arrive. We eventually played the third team, and although we won one set, we still lost the match (due to continuing internal issues)

For the semifinal, as feared, we were put against the strongest team, called Magic. We surprised everybody by playing as a team, having finally worked out our issues, but we still lost. We headed back to the school for the finals. I enjoyed it when the Magic lost the final to Ouanaminth, since they annoyed me in various ways. (including their name, and the fact they beat us)

Our guys played a very hard game, going up to a score of 30, but they still won.

After supper and the awards we talked and played until being confined again. This time I tried sleeping by the feet of some of the shorter people. If one of them moved a foot, I could just place it where I wanted, although it took me a while to figure that out. Even so, my sun burnt shoulder and the heat still kept me awake, and I fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning.

At 4 a.m., I was waken up by Jean Pierre's packing. Since he had a flashlight, and I don't like light at night, I couldn't sleep well, therefore, drifted on and off for a few minutes until he told us to get up and prepare to go since supposedly the vehicle was coming any time now (remember this is before 5AM).

We got up and ready and then we all lay back down haphazardly. Quite a few of us wore shoes, so we lay with all our heads more or less toward the center, legs on the floor. The vehicle didn't come until 6-7ish (I can't quite remember; it is all a fuzz).

Then five of the guys had to go on their own, since the van was too small. I got to sit in the front middle...my most hated spot. My knees were squeezed, and I couldn't nap since then I would lean on the driver. I cannot tell you how long the ride was, as I spent it trying unsuccessfully to find a way to sleep. I remember multiple times thinking " wake up! " during my dreams. It was bad.

We finally arrived at the station in Cap H. where we got off and sat waiting. Eventually, I and several other girls got into a small van and were driven a short distance to a gas station. There we continued to wait for all the others to be ferried over, plus wait for the five guys to arrive and be ferried. When we finally were all together again, the Fauche people piled into a tap-tap and headed home. (The first tap-tap ride I can remember taking, though I remember riding on  both a bus and motorcycle)

I arrived home at about 10:36 AM. Although we didn't win, I had a good time and learned lots. I also now have new goals for volleyball, so I am happy I went. Even if I was very tired when I got home.