The Vanderbilt women's soccer program took its international trip earlier this year to South Africa and the UK. Sophomore Hannah McLaughlin recently wrote a reflection on the journey for TDS.

When the Vanderbilt staff told our team of twenty female soccer players that we would be going on an international trip to both South Africa and London, I had a couple of contrasting first thoughts. Obviously, I was extremely excited. Who wouldn't want to travel to South Africa and London with their favorite people?

But I was also a bit confused. These places seemed as if they did not fit together on one single trip. Why South Africa and England, two countries so geographically far apart? After the trip, I now see that yes, they are very different, but they have many similarities, and for us, these similarities begin with the beautiful game of soccer. I’ve been home for a little over a month, and I continue to think about the trip and the awesome effect it had on my team, and also for me as an individual.

Traveling overseas is not something you do every day, so it was pretty new for a lot of us. Throughout the duration of the trip, we experienced many novel sights. If you asked me to name my favorite part of the trip, I could name six or seven things at the minimum.

In South Africa, I enjoyed some of the best seafood I have ever had in my life, and that’s saying a lot considering how much my family loves seafood. One day, we went to a quaint market on the water that had all the goodies that one could imagine: handmade gorgeous colorful jewelry, beautiful clothing, intricately painted coffee mugs, hair braiding, delicious coffee and pastries, kitchen supplies (including the hundreds of cheese graters that the eager salespeople convinced Vandy Soccer to buy and bring home to our families), and so much more. I cannot speak for everyone, but the hike we took up Lion’s Head Mountain offered some of the coolest and most breathtaking views I have ever seen. All the steep drop-offs and scary cables we used to climb were worth it for the unreal view at the top.

Thank you for the countless memories, Cape Town 🖤💛

🇬🇧🔜#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/G7LSK2QljA

— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) May 25, 2023

We also visited Robben Island, the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for almost twenty years, which helped open our eyes to the extreme injustice and racism that South Africans have dealt with for a long time. The things we saw in London were also unforgettable, from Big Ben to both Arsenal and Tottenham’s stadiums.Just think about the excitement from over twenty soccer players who have been playing and obsessing over the sport since they were little girls. Also, not only getting to tour such well-known teams’ stadiums, but also getting to watch Liverpool versus Southampton live… let’s just say our team was pretty pumped. The people there love soccer just as much, or dare I say, even more than we do in America. What we saw, and the places we visited in both of these incredible countries bring memories for which we teammates will be forever thankful.

Most noteworthy from the trip, however, had nothing to do with the spectacular natural scenery or the famous historical landmarks. It had everything to do with the people that we met, and the bonds that we formed. In South Africa, the people we encountered welcomed us with joyful hearts and sheer delight. From the women full of hope that we met in the shelters that are striving to find a better life, to the girls we played soccer with for hours that do not even have a mom or dad to go home to, and even to those we met who lived in literal metal shacks that have tarps for roofs - all of these people welcomed us with love.

It just means more. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/6MSoqJqQgk

— Vanderbilt Soccer (@VandySoccer) May 23, 2023

I am so thankful for the time we spent singing and dancing with the University of Western Cape’s team, the hours we spent kicking the ball around with the young girls from the Oasis Project in Cape Town, the Tiktoks we made with our new friends there, our awesome tour guide who dealt with our anxiety up Lion’s Head Mountain, and ultimately the overwhelming amount of smiles we got to share with the local people from South Africa. When I think about this trip, I think about these people, and the love they had in their hearts for us and for life in general, despite many of their unfortunate circumstances.

It is crazy to think how the simple game of soccer is what brought all of this about. The sport I love and have played since I was a little girl, the sport that has brought me some of my best friends, the sport that brought me to Vanderbilt University: this is the sport that allowed me to have such an incredible experience in South Africa and England.

Soccer has taken me all over the United States, and now to other countries. It’s the sport that had people screaming their lungs out at the referees at the Southampton game. It’s the same sport that led me to sing and dance with the locals in South Africa. What an extraordinary sport! I have now seen that a tiny soccer ball can bring together people of all different ages, genders, ethnicities, and economic statuses. It was truly inspiring to see the impact the game has and incredible to witness the power of unity soccer brings to people around the world.

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