I have never had a good relationship with sports and because of this, I have many funny stories.

When I was in the beginning of elementary school, I tried to be accepted at the women’s futsal team of my classroom.

The girls on the team played very well, but they needed more people to compete with the other schools. So, I was accepted.

I used to sit on the bench every match, but in the final competition, the most important, I was chosen. During the game, every time I managed to touch the ball, I would just run with it, not knowing what to do. Because of this, the adversary team saw me as an easy target and took advantage of it.

In the end, my team won, but I celebrated alone, because the girls were angry.

Years later I went back to a game, this time only to watch! At some point during the game the ball hit my face making me fall back. My crush had thrown it at me, what a shame!

I have never been and never will be back to a game in my life again.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved books and physical activities. She wasn´t a very poor girl, but her father was an electrical technician and he couldn´t give her a good education or opportunities.

Her dreams were big! She wanted to be a teacher and a sportswoman. She liked to dance, to walk, to play basketball and to have fun in the pool at the residents’ association close to her home. She wanted to learn a lot: to swim, to dance, to speak English, to be a teacher and more and more! She was looking forward to discover the world!

But the lack of opportunities frustrated many of her dreams… When she tried to dive in the pool and didn´t do it properly, she was mocked and nobody helped her to do it correctly… She gave up swimming and she became afraid of water. She abandoned the sports and focused on studies…. This girl grew up and her life has changed a lot…

After her PhD, she decided to take a break at her academic career, in order to fulfill some dreams. By the age of forty, she began swimming classes! This has been a great challenge to this mature woman. The body isn´t the same, the knees hurt, the learning is not easy. Several times she returns home crying because of the difficulties but she doesn’t give up! And now, after two long years, she is really swimming and slowly getting better and better!

Looking for another dream, she returned to English studies, but the difficulties have been even worse… After her last class, she was upset by her poor performance. However, some days later, while she was walking and listening to English podcasts, she bumped into someone unintentionally. Without thinking, she replied: “Sorry!”. Wow! The person was surprised but she felt victorious!

I can tell you, this woman is me! And if I can resume my dreams, you can do it too! But remember that important things of life are not obtained without effort!

I have arrived home, I can’t walk, my feet have bubbles, my legs are hurting, I can’t move my arms. My shame is killing me. I guess you are wondering why I am complaining. I will tell you, I just want to ask you not to give me consolation words. I am here because I want to complain. That´s it!

It all started when I got a job as a secretary at building Grefire. It is a very beautiful business building in São Paulo. I have met many businessman and I have started a date with the owner of a marketing company. Our relationship is recent. I am not sure if we will stay together. Especially after this terrible weekend. Wait, my dear reader. Take it easy. I am going to tell about my disgrace.

My boyfriend, Renato, loves to drink Champagne and eat caviar. I like to eat pastry with caldo de cana. Are we different? I think a bit. Well, he invited me to play tennis. Tennis? How so? How can anyone like a sport like that? What is funny? I didn´t accept it. Of course. I have never played tennis nor do I want to. But, suddenly he said we would play against Olivia and her boyfriend. Olivia is the beautiful secretary of my boyfriend. She has blond hair and blue eyes and she is tall and thin, like a Russian model. Everybody loves her… I hate her.

Still, I decided to play. I was afraid because I knew nothing about tennis. Then, I did what any smart person would do. I researched on Google. I watched many videos. I read about the rules. I came to conclusion tennis is more boring than I had imagined. I needed clothes, I talked to my friends that they talked to their friends. I managed to get smaller shoes and clothes than my number. I knew it would be a disaster, but I went anyway!

The big day arrived! I was so nervous! Renato came to pick me up and notice my anxiety, which I was desperately trying to disguise. When we got to the tennis court I soon spotted Olivia and her boyfriend, who came greet us right away. She looked gorgeous, and I felt crushed by the small sized clothes and shoes. After a quick conversation, we started to play. I looked around. I saw an audience. And I couldn´t help thinking, who leaves his own house to turn his neck from side to side. I am sure they will have a stiff neck!

But, back to the game. I was holding the racket, am I holding it right? Will I be able to hit the ball? Can I feel any more embarrassed than this? Olivia´s boyfriend was the first person to hit, I was sweating and I couldn’t breathe because the clothes. The ball was coming im my Direction. I looked it. I positioned my racket and I thought: it´s now. It seemed I would do the perfect move, but I let the ball pass and I hit the air. I looked at the audience laughing and Renato was shooting me with his eyes. My shame dominates me.

The game followed like that. When I thought it couldn’t get worse, I managed to make a more grotesque mistake than the other. I lost count of how many times I fell, I stumbled on my own foot, I hit no ball. The game was finishing, my shame destroying me from my inside. Would not I hit the ball once? It would be a big humiliation. When Olivia hit for the last time, I decided that the ball would be mine. It was a matter of honor. Olivia hit the ball, I prepared myself with the racket, I looked fixedly at the ball and I went to hit it. I couldn´t believe, I finally hit the ball. I was celebrating when I noticed the looks. The ball had hit Olivia´s face. The situation and I had just made it worse. Olivia´s face was swollen.

I apologized several times but Renato was very upset with me. He left me at my home and we didn´t talk during the way. Now I am in my home, I am in pain, I feel Renato will break up with me. I am wondering whether there is anyone as unlucky as me.