Cosi ’26 learns about the resilience of the human spirit while sharing their love of squash with young refugees.
Over the course of my time volunteering at Squash Dreamers in Amman, Jordan, I learned an incredible amount from observing and interacting with the young refugee girls. As I arrived, it was obvious that a significant language barrier stood between them and I, as I knew as much Arabic as they did English. I initially found it awfully challenging to communicate with the girls, both on the squash court and in the classroom, but after I completed my first day there, I soon realized that this wouldn’t be an issue. From congratulating each other to sharing laughs together, no word of either language had to be exchanged for us to begin forming bonds. The girls, some as much as 10 years younger than me, never failed to impress me with their willingness to learn and grow at Squash Dreamers. Their optimism in the face of unimaginable hardship is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and is immensely impactful to anyone lucky enough to work with and witness these incredible young women. I left Squash Dreamers with so much more knowledge than I arrived with and I’m looking forward to returning soon. 