Allison
2018 GSW Ambassador 

Ashley
 2018 Ambassador

Kira
2016-2018 Ambassador

GSWW has given me countless new friends, a new mindset, I guess I cannot fail to mention the stomach aches from all the laughter, but most importantly, GSWW has given me the opportunity to see the world beyond the bubble that many of us find comfort in.  As a team our goal was to inspire the young girls and fight against the struggle for women’s equality. Throughout our time there we strived to empower the girls through sayings like “Yo puedo hacerlo” which translates to “I can do it”. While it may be small, the results spoke for themselves. The body language of the girls before and after practice changed immensely, it was almost as if they have grown a couple inches taller. The girls seemed more comfortable to voice their opinions and they loved being able to play soccer on a field previously dominated by males. Above all, it seemed as is the girls felt they had a sense of belonging. The young girls of Coronel Bogado were so incredibly excited when they saw that we have shown up for practice, they were taken away at the fact that we had came all this way to see them. I was astonished by the pure joy that came from our presence.

Girls Soccer Worldwide was and eye opening experience that forever changed my life. For me it made me realize that our lives are just bubbles waiting to get popped so we can embrace the outside. When on the trip you let go of everything that makes our lives confined. Social media, our phones, our troubles back home, just everything. When I was there I could just let all of that go and bond with my peers and all the people that lived there. It was amazing to empower the young girls that have a love and passion for soccer. Even with a language barrier I managed to make connections with people I will never forget. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that i’m glad I was able to be so lucky to be apart of. 

I have attended the GSW Paraguay trip for 3 consecutive years, and every year I learn something different, impacting me in a different way. The people in Colonel Bogado truly appreciate the life skills we help them with, and they take what we teach them and implement it in their lives. I personally think that I have evolved as a person because of this experience. I realized how lucky I am to be able to have running water, school supplies, a house, and even being able to attend school. Something that I have truly taken for granted when these girls have no other options than to stay home and help their mothers with house work. It made me more self aware and grateful for everything I have. This trip isn’t really just about soccer, it’s about connecting with people. I honestly think those girls taught me more than I could have ever learned at school or from any other trip. This amazing journey allows you to create life long bonds with people from all the way around the world, and even to this day I stay in contact with some of them. I would not trade going on this trip for anything and I can’t wait to hopefully go again!