SANTIAGO DE CALI – Things got going at the break of dawn for Inter Campus's final day of work in Colombia, with only the Andes separating us from our training session on the coast at 11:00 local time.
Our destination was Buenaventura, a chaotic city and the most important Colombian port on the Pacific Ocean. Huge cargo ships regularly pass through this port, mainly from Panama, China and Japan.
The local economy thrives but is swamped by corruption, which leaves the majority of local civilians in dire poverty. The trade in illegal imports fuels violence and conflicts between gangs, drags youngsters into it and keeps fathers away from their families for long periods of time.
Thanks to the tireless work of professor Alberto Candelo, however, the kids at Inter Campus are disciplined and enthusiastic at the same time. Split into two age groups, the youngest play among themselves, challenging each other at every opportunity and trying to be on the same team as their closest pals.
The older lads carry themselves with more awareness out on the gravel pitch. They train calmly and in a structured way, with smiles on their faces and never kicking up too much of a fuss.
On the way to the training centre, we passed a huge mural with a wonderful inscription: "Todos somos Pacifico" or "We are all the Pacific" in English. An affirmation of the strong bond that nature has with the ocean here, but also a cry to the waters to cease the violence.
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