Tahuichi Way International Youth Soccer Camp

Archived Q&A and Reviews

May 2001

Has anyone sent their son or daughter to the summer program at Tahuichi soccer camp in Bolivia? I am considering sending my 13 year old son this summer, and would like to hear from anyone with first-hand experience. Does anyone have a son who is interested in going? Lauren

Both my son's went to Tahuichi. In terms of soccer training, mental stamina, etc, the program was wonderful. Both my kids are serious soccer players and it provided an experience where they each connected to their own internal motivator. As a group those kids are tested to the limit and for the most part, they thrive. It's tough, especially the first week of solid conditioning. Both kids found living in Santa Cruz to be quite an education about poverty. The family my second son lived with was a cross-cultural nightmare and he was pretty lonely. He was with 6 American kids and the mother in the house was angry because my son choked at the dinner table and some of his food fell from his mouth onto his plate. It was something akin, to her, to puking on the table. There was no repairing this, apparently. So it was pretty rough for him after that. He came back nearly fluent in Spanish, confident in his soccer skills and his ability to push himself physically and mentally, much more savvy about how cross cultural misunderstanding creates grave rifts between people, and really glad to live with us!! There are lots of Tahuichi alums here in Berkeley who'd be glad to talk. I'm happy to correspond. Winfred