After we woke up on a rainy Monday morning we soon arrived at Zoungbomey Village, where we were greeted quite literally right off the bus. The excitement and happiness of the young children clearly came across through their positive and energized body language. Although body language was easily understood, the language barrier created a problem when trying to communicate and connect with the children on a verbal level. Soon enough one item quickly solved this problem. A soccer ball. We brought a few soccer balls for the children along with several other items. A soccer ball so clearly reminded me of the true beauty of sports. You do not need to speak the same language to play sports; sports are a language in and of themselves. Sports break down language barriers and allow all people, not just athletes, to connect, teach, learn, compete, and work together. Although my soccer skills are minimal to say the least, I was able to truly connect and form bonds with the children in Zoungbomey. Language barriers exist all around when you are abroad, but sports are an effective and secular solution that allow people to connect and make memories together without ever saying a word.