Fat ankles and Swiss castles

     Another week in the books. I have officially been in my new place for a week and it is wonderful. 

I now know how to use my hobbit space more efficiently which means less goose eggs on my head.  Unfortunately, I am prone to injury at all times, 24/7, 365 days of the year and managed to roll my ankle at one of my practices this week. Thankfully it is minor, and I could walk just fine the next day, but still ridiculous. It's gotten to the point now where I couldn't even tell you the number times I have done this to myself. It is perhaps only the second time it's happened while playing defense. I digress. With some time off to rest the old kankle, I have caught up on some reading and good old fashioned me time at home. Update: since I've been in Switzerland for about 2.5 weeks, I have read 7 books. The latest one I finished is called "The Sisterhood". AMAZING BOOK. Ladies, please read and feel your inner Beyoncé come through in a story about fearless nuns during the time of the Spanish Inqusition. Girl power!

    After a long week of volleyball and ankle excercises, I had been looking forward to going to a sort of party/BBQ with my teammate Liticia (this is how you spell her name correctly) for our other teammate and my soon to be roommate Vannessa.  I finally realized once on the road, that we were going to her wedding reception and that it was in the German part of the country two hours away.  The town starts with a B but I forgot to write down the name among all the festivities.  The drive there is absolutely breathtakingwith the sunshine and rolling green hills. Just like Val-de-travers (Travers Valley) there are farms and cows everywhere. Halfway through the journey, we pased a small village that said "Little Nashville" which I feel compelled to go visit. If I never go to Nashvsille, TN, I have to try at least go to the one in Switzerland. After a nice scenic route past our destination and a long detour, we finally made it to the Castle where the event took place. Liti told me there would thankfully be people who spoke more than just Swiss-German there which would be crucial since that happens to be one of the few languages she doesn't speak. 

      After a 300m climb UPHILL, we made it to the castle. This was the view.

I haven't even been here a month and I've already been to two castles!!! Upon arrival, I finally met Vannessa, a bubbly Brazillian who welcomed me with a big hug and smile. My kinda lady. Everyone knows I love my hugs. Even Liti doesn't know all the people there, so we briefly meet the other guests, either in English or Portuguese which I cannot understand a lick of, even if they try and speak slowly. I was able to meet a few former volleyball players who played with Vannessa. One from Zurich played for three years at USF in Florida. Another two were from Brazil, and one's husband happened to have family in the states. Thankfully for me, they were kind enough to talk to me in English and I was able to play with all the babies there which of course made me content as can be. 

    I think the coolest part of this get together, other than two lovely people getting married, were the numerous languages and cultures present. Total, this is what you would hear amongst all the conversations; Swiss-German, Brazillian Portuguese, Portugal Portuguese, French, and English. Many of these people spoke at least two or more of these each and once again I felt inadequate with my 2-3 years of French and Spanish that I mostly forgot a long time ago. I also have a friendly PSA after another conversation with one of my new Brazillian friends. AMERICANS: don't make fun of someone's accent while speaking English if you can't even say hello in their language. It's incredibly rude. I even have been guilty of this a time or two, but the tables definitely turn when the language you speak is the minority.

     After pleasant chatter and drinks, food was served which included a very American looking array of BBQ sides and grilled meats including; sausage, chicken and some sort of steak that suspiciously looked like horse meat. (Side note: yes I have tried horse meat. Tastes and looks like beef but I still couldn't help but think of my babies back home. I'm sorry Louis!!!). Fun wedding games were played but I couldn't tell you all that went down because they were all done in Swiss-German. I think at one point, a sort of game that was based on Cinderella was played.  While someone reads the story, whenever a character that someone was assigned to is mentioned, they have to stand up and clap. The bride and groom are part of the "carriage" as Cinderella and the prince.  Two people on each side of them (two for the groom and the bride) are the wheels, a person in front of them as the coach driver, and two people standing at the front as the horses drawing the carriage. Very entertaining, especially because Liticia was part of the carriage as Vannesa's wheels and didn't know when to stand up and clap because the story was in German.  

   The evening rolled on, and desert was served with an adorable wedding cake and other delicious desserts brought from other guests. 

This picture doesn't do them justice. Tiramisu, chocolate mousse, a sort of lemon cheese cake, a marshmallow cake thing, and the chochoholic wedding cake.  Season has to yet to start so I'm in the clear.  Once our view was lost in the darkness, big logs that had been almost split all the way down like an X were lit and used as a source of light, heat and I think used for some sort of wedding ritual but I could just be making that last one up.  Another game was played which I am a little more familiar with. I have seen it used with shoes, but they used signs with me and him/her. (Ich and du). With each question, they had to answer who best fit the description. Once again, it was done in German but we were able to have a little translation and enjoy some of the fun. Around 9:45, we made our way down the pitch black path with a giant candle away from the castle and the happy newly weds. After a few hours of meeting her, I can tell this year will be a lot of fun living with Vannessa. 

bis zum nächsten Mal 

("Until next time" in regular German because google translate doesn't have Swiss German)

The blonde haired, blue eyed American who wears Birchenstocks.

Welcome to Middle-Earth

        

    Even on a cloudy day, my new view is beautiful. My panorama picture skills suck pretty bad. I took this picture at least 6 times and couldn't keep the camera level.  Welcome to Travers! Another small village similar to Couvet that is about a 5 minute drive from my previous location.  Don't worry, I still live on a hill and therefore have the pleasure of getting a workout to and from my home everyday. Less stairs and incline though so that is actually something to be excited about. My new flat is a side addition to a family home that regularly rents out the space to previous foreigners that have played for my club. The landscape is beautiful and surrounded by rolling hills and farmland.  There are cows everywhere. (Il y a des vaches partout.) I'm still practicing my French and I only had to use google for half of that sentence. Everything here is really great, except the flies that seem to want to be my roommates. I had one flying above my head all night my first night here. Going to invest in some sort of swatter in the near future. (Les mouches sont stupides) Enough of that though, guess I should give a quick tour of the new place.

                                    

      First thing through the door you see the closet, et le salon ( living room/area I think).  To the right, my "bedroom", my roommates "bedroom", and our "dining room". I can't really say "room" but a sleeping, eating, and leisure area. I share this studio/flat with the other foreigner who is from Brazil. I will be here full time while she goes to and from her other more permant residence elsewhere in the country. Not enough giraffe decor but I was able to bring at least one item from home. Now you can't read on until you find him.........got it? Good, moving on.  On the other side of my dining area, we have the office space where many important documents and work can be done. Buuuuuut, I'm not a student anymore so that will be just for decoration. WOOHOO!  Next is where all the magic happens, la   cuisine!

        Ici (here) is my kitchen.  It has a really cute countryside feel to it.  There is a window I can open in the RARE case that I burn something while cooking.  

     The best part of this room is the stove.

                                                                           

I get to either cook like this or hunch over. "It's a kitchen for ants!" Brownie points for the premier (first) person who comments with the correct guess of that movie reference. I just read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in a week (I tend to read like a mad woman when the book is good) so I feel like Gandalf in the the Baggins' residence.  It's funny because the sink area is actually just right but due to the architecture of the slanted ceiling, it is much lower here.  It has character therefore I am entertained by the situation....for now. 

     Now for the best part, what you all have been waiting for! The bathroom. But first, I need to walk inside...

                                      

Yes it's true, I actually moved to the Shire and live amongst hobbits.  And yes I have already hit my head.  All jokes aside, this place is really nice and the family next door are incredibly helpful in making me feel at home.  Even as I'm writing this, I can see the sun trying to burn through the clouds via my window that serves as a sky light.  I receive a meal once a day that is delivered to my mail box.  I would talk more about that, but I plan on a full post for that subject another day. This is the Parker home until April rolls around. I really hope it snows a bit here because I can only imagine how beautiful the view will be. You'd think that would be guaranteed here but apparently last year they barely had a day or two of white fluffy stuff. 

    Until next time, if you haven't read the books and only seen the movies, I recommend starting the LOTR trilogy.   Goodbye precious!

Gabbi the Grey

P.S. This picture made me incredibly happy to see because my mom has it as well.  It just so happens to hang next to my bed. It's one of my favorites of all time.  Feels like home.

Volleyball, volleyball, and moooore volleyball

     With more of a routine in place, I find less need to update you on every single detail of my days here. It seems that this cloudy Saturday morning is reminding me that I should try and write some more.  This week has been filled with more volleyball which sped up the weekend faster than I expected.  Even though I am dedicated solely to my volleyball club, I also have been given the chance to practice with another team nearby in Neuchâtel. The difference between the two are the divisions we are placed in. In Switzerland, there are two divisions. I myself am playing in the second division, but this new team plays in the first. Because I know more touches for me means better volleyball played, I took the train 🚞 to the "big city" to train 💪 more. My first day with them was on Tuesday. 'Twas also the first day I rode the train all by myself. Big girl now. With directions from my coach, I warily made my out of the station and had no idea what to do next, only to be saved by another player I saw on my trip who helped direct me to our ride to the gym.  

     After a few "one way only" streets later, we made it to the facility and I was greeted by all the girls and coaches. Already I noticed a difference between this group from my own small town team. The average height was raised by about 2-3 inches (still not sure how to say how tall I am in the metric system yet). I also noticed one of the girls was wearing a UCONN basketball shirt and USA vollleyball sweats and at first, I thought she must be the American that plays on this team. That was until I heard her speak. She either was incredibly fluent in French or had acquired some sweet gear from American teams. The latter proved to be true. Most of the girls here speak English and I am able to briefly introduce myself before the practice begins.  We start out with a quick warmup and the fun then begins.  It seems to be common practice to use a sort of bench that can stack upon each other to as low or as high as needed. Though only wide as a bench press bench, we stand precariously on them to hit balls across the net to work on defense. I was glad to not be the only person apprehensive to stand 4 feet off the ground. (2 meters? I have no idea) With a couple close calls, I'm happy to report I have yet to fall off one of these stands this week. (Please knock on wood for my sake. Do it now). Once I had the chance to go through the defense a couple times, I figured we would switch drills. Haha silly American. Apparently in Europe, or maybe just Switzerland, they do not jump at all in the morning or midday practices.  (Apparently America and Brazil does, food for thought.) We did this for a solid hour and a half with a little passing at the end of practice. Not that I was upset or mad, but I honestly can't remember a practice in all my 12+ years of volleyball where I solely played defense all practice. It was really fun, but very different from how I received defensive reps at UW. In high school we did something similar, but that was generally during camp time as well. 

     Once I learned the cultural fact of no plyometrics, I realized each noon practice I plan to attend with this team, will more or less be the same thing. I am surprised I have yet to be six packed yet but once again, please knock on wood for I'm sure I just jinxed myself.  On Friday, Since my team does not practice at all, I trained with the NUC team both at noon and in the evening.  The later practice would promise to have more than just defense and passing.  I was able to meet more of the girls, for during they day, some cannot make the noon practice with school or work.  Like I said, the level is higher here, and by the end of practice we are playing a sort of 5 on 5 game with down balls as the start of each rally.  Not to sound vain, but I think of myself as a powerful hitter, only I may have met my match this practice. One of the women on this team, (and I say woman not girl) for she can rip the absolute snot out of the ball. It was fun playing with all of these great players, but I especially like the challenge to see if I can dig the likes of her.  My turn being at the net as a front row hitter, reminded me once again I forgot my puffer back in the states and that I need to get my ass into better shape. Overall, it was great way to end the week, and I felt content and satisfied with my performance over all. 

        The practices with my own team have steadily become more intense with more game like situations being put in place. I really enjoy playing with these girls, even if the speed of the game is not as fast as it is at UW. I find myself being more comfortable around them, and becoming more my loud bubbling self.  You can really feel the family like atmosphere on this team which I can relate to in my experience at UW. At the end of the day, that's what I enjoy most about being on a team like this.  You can have a winning record and a PAC 12 title (hey yo, go dawgs 💜💛🐶) but what I think is most important are the relationships built with the people you interact with.  Already I can tell, by the end of these next 8 months, It will be hard to leave all these great people.  But thinking ahead takes me away from the present which I try to live in every moment while I am here.  Today, I am excited to go to my first European futbol game with some of the NUC players. Tomorrow, I get to see my new and more permanent home for the rest of my time here. Everyday here still feels like a gift and I love every second of it. I miss everyone back home, but I am still grateful for this experience and look forward to sharing more adventures with you all. 

Good luck to all the teams back home starting their seasons. Go Irish 🍀 and Go Huskies!!

Till next time,

A sore American

PS this is my view from the train everyday to and from Neuchâtel 

Premier weekend!!

        As promised, I have much to share on my first fun filled weekend here in Switzerland. With another practice under my belt last Friday, I still am excited to see what this season lies ahead for me. But enough about volleyball for soon that will be the only thing to talk about once we really get into it. Saturday was dedicated solely to being a tourist I think I played that role quite suffiently with the 188 pictures I took.

    SATURDAY 

        My host for the day would be Magali who also lives in Neuchâtel. We start the drive from Couvet around noon and right away I'm already snapping pictures of the beautiful countryside. It was a sunny drive but the weather would not be stable for long. Halfway through, we could already see the lake that is one of the selling points for this small city.  Thirty minutes later, we arrive and are soon off to find some food.  My guide asks me what I want and I honestly have no idea, because I do not know what is typical to eat here. All I ever think of is chocolate which wouldn't be a bad life if I could just live off of that. I have always wanted to eat an authentic crêpe so we head to a nearby cafe that Magali frequented while a student there in the city. It is crowded but looks like a typical college cafe would. For my Eugenians, think Glenwood with one floor and fewer space to walk between tables and people. Magali tells me everything there is good, which doesn't help me decide because there's 1827483929392 things on the menu to choose from. If Hardy and I went to eat here, we would never be able to order. I finally decide on a crêpe with saucisson et fromage (sausage and cheese). I almost thought about ordering the special (chicken, onions, red peppers, and a sort of sweet and sour sauce) but I wasn't sure if I would handle anything too different. Turns out, that one turned out waaaay better than mine. I only got to try it because Magali ordered the special. Teaches me not to be so safe I guess. Still, what I had was good and like any true tourist young person with a smart phone, I took a picture of it. I also ordered a café bach which is a coffee that comes with cream, sugar, and a little chocolate dish filled with whipped cream to put in the coffee. Costs extra but you know, "when in Europe". I definitely plan on coming back soon to hopefully get the special and a sweet chocolate crêpe. C'est délicieux!

       With lunch covered, we began our long day of walking towards the main part of town.  The first sight to see is the garden and flea market right outside where we ate.  The plants and presentation of everything is gorgeous and has me reminiscing about Seattle and all the parks I enjoy to walk through. Though I have yet to see anything like this 

There was also a hippo and frog, but alas no giraffe.  A quick pit-stop to Magali's flat, we make our way to the la grand rue or the Main Street.  The area is particularly busy due to a world music festival. Bands that come from all over perform in various parts of the city for passerbys to enjoy. I heard everything from Spanish, Greek, to a Swiss-German orchestra that rapped and sang a German version of Kanye West's "Stronger". Only seven people were in this group but they were highly entertaining with good music and showmanship. At the end of the day we saw them again and they played Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" and "Crazy In Love" by everyone's queen.....Beyoncé. You know I sang every word to both of those songs and even got a 👍 thumbs up from the trumpet player when he saw my skills. (Pullup Orchestra if you feel inclined to google them) In between the music, we met up with another teammate who is one of my faithful translators on the team. Fabienne probaly has the best English accent so far so I sometimes forget she can speak French and Swiss-German (Fun Fact: Swiss-German is very different then Germany German but Swiss-French is the same as France French. Just a different accent between the latter two.)

          We make our up more hills and stairs which I failed to mention.  EVERYWHERE I GO IN COUVET HAS STAIRS AND HILLS. I'm constantly sweating going to and from the gym and market. No bueno, c'est horrible.  Anywho, we walk up a steep hill and a billion stairs to see the local castle. Though it was really cool to see a castle up close, it's nothing like you see in fairy tales. It looks like an old stone building from the outside but really cool within the courtyard.

Entering the courtyard, I used my deductive Sherlock Holmes skills to see that people were really, really, really.....

SHORT, back in the Middle Ages. The church next to the castle is very beautiful as well and the view from atop those monumental stairs is incredible.  

When we arrived, my guides asked me if I had ever heard of pétanque? If I were any other American, I probably would have said pe-what? But thanks to my highly cultural time spent at Henry D. Sheldon High school I knew exactly what they were talking about. Unfortunately, I still somehow managed to walk right through someone's game and looked yet again like another oblivious tourist.

          After the castle, Fabbiene bid us adieu (look at all the languages I can speak), and we made our way to le lac du Neuchâtel. We were fortunate to have a rare moment of sun during this portion of the day and the water was incredibly clear and blue. Still too cloudy to see the Alps, but hopefully one of these days I'll get lucky.  Many pictures later, we strolled to what is called "Place Pury". In many towns the "place" is a center where you go to meet someone. We happened to be meeting a friend of the volleyball team and her daughter. Two years old and cute as a button, Sara speaks Spain Spanish because of her mother, understands Arabic because of her father, and French I think due to her daycare of some kind.  I swear, I feel so inadequate because I am not fluent in a second language. Americans really are missing out being monolingual and all.  Another fast round of rain showers sends us to a cafe to stay dry and meet my Portugese teammate Leticia. Already I am in need of a nap, but we carry on to see more music and I can't stand how cute it is to watch a two year old dance and clap to all the music. She especially liked the Greek group. 

     Towards the end of our day, we headed to eat a classic Swiss meal, cheese fondue. This is something I have been dying to try for years.  We take more stairs, but thankfully down, to where we were to seated.  If I'm being honest, it didn't smell great.  Think very strong cheese mixed with dog.  It's great you want to bring your pooch and all, but it doesn't make for a very romantic ambience.  With one waitress on staff on a busy night, we were there for quite some time but it was worth the wait. With some white wine to go with, I ate bread dipped in hot cheese till it came out of my ears. Very strong in flavor which had me eating smaller amounts then my companions but who can complain. When you get to just eat bread and cheese all the time, life is good.  Fair warning; I was told not to drink anything cold during or after having fondue. The cold will harden the cheese while in your stomach and make for some uncomfortable digesting for the rest of your evening. Wine is fine (haha rhymes) due to the alcohol being able to help the digestion of the cheese. Like I needed another excuse to drink more wine.  Hot tea is also common if you're not into delicious smushed, fermented, grape juice. By 9:30, we finally pay l'addition and begin to say our goodbyes. More goodbye kisses to the cheek, (3 total not 2) Magali and I make our way back to Couvet.  The clear sky and billions of stars is a good omen to the BBQ we are supposed to have with her family the next day.

SUNDAY

       I admit, this morning was quite difficult to wake up from. From walking all day, lots of food, and always focusing on trying to understand the different languages around me, I was quite exhausted.  Can't complain though because it all has been a blast so far. Alex and I walked down our steep hill to Magali's family house which currently includes Joelle and her family as well as their parents. I walk into a beautiful jardin (garden) to see their father cooking on what they consider their grill. It's more of an old stone structure with a rotisserie pit.  He is incredibly nice and welcoming to their home which is now to be expected with this great group of people.  The young girls of Joelle are excited but shy to see the new Ameican player and take a little while to warm up to me. But they don't call me the child whisperer for nothing. Even in broken French I can charm any kid I come across. There are once again numerous cheeses and some meats for appetizers and a large shot glass of what?  If you said wine you'd be correct.  So what do you eat at a Swiss BBQ? Pork that has been roasted on a stick for hours and gratin.  By far, the gratin has been my favorite thing I have eaten while here.  Their mother made it and I was shameless as I took a much larger second helping of it.  This dish includes risotto on the bottom and vegetables laid on top then baked till perfection. Heaven in a pan I swear.  With more wine from one of the sponsors who also owns a winery, we ate till we were full but hungry enough to eat multiple desserts. Glace, chocolat, et gâteau à la crème (ice cream, chocolate, and cream cake basically) were on the menu and I ate all of it.  The last one is a typical Swiss dish that looks like a cream-custard pie that tastes like apple pie. I can't help but compare everything I see, eat, hear etc to what I know back home. During the dessert, I had a very hard time keeping my eyes open. After numerous large yawns, it was time for another coffee. I love how normal it is to drink a coffee at 3 in the afternoon here. After food, we lounged inside le salon (living room) until it was time to go. Not before of course the oldest girl had me attempt to read her French books to her. I was very grateful on how patient and polite she was as I most likely mangled and butchered her beautiful language.  She would me pronounce anything I looked to her in desperation trying to say.  After a weekend like this, I am quite tired but really happy to have all these people making my experience so much fun.

Santé! (Cheers!)

The pooped American

Wandering in translation

      Yesterday evening marked my first pro practice. What a weird thing to be able to say I must admit. I met a few of my teammates I will be playing with as well as some junior players who practice with the team until the actual season begins. Everyone is friendly and those who can, step right up and talk to me in English and help translate for others.  We start with 30 minutes of a circuit like workout and even though my coach explains everything in French, my extensive experience with various workouts over the years makes it quite easy to follow.  Even with low weights and a short amount of time at each station, my leisure summer break has definitely caught up with me. Or we can say I still have jet lag. That sounds better anyway.  I was also not too bright in forgetting any sort of water bottle...rookie mistake.  But soon we jump right into what I traveled 5,125 miles for, volleyball! Setters were sent to the other court while hitters and defenders worked on digging a hit from one of us, rolling, digging again then hitting off of a tossed ball. To all my GMS people, I can feel you cringing at the word "roll". I for one haven't done a roll since I went to volleyball camp in middle school.  All I could hear in my head was Jim's voice saying "bellies not butts". I am definitely not in Kansas anymore.

        Even with the change in style, I had a blast touching a ball again.  I was expecting to struggle with the  international ball more than I did.  Still not great but I wasn't sent home so that's good.  After defense we were able to pass and serve some and before I knew it practice was over!  What I am happiest to report is that all the girls seem to have welcomed me wholeheartedly and I even surprised them with the limited French I do know. C'est fantastique!  And in true fashion, one of my teammates played with UW alum Kelcey Dunaway which means I am turning into my mother. Only we can travel around the world and meet people with little degree of separation. I am excited for tonight because we get to do some actual playing instead of just drills. Overall a positive experience to kick off my training here.

      Today began early to go with my coach and teammate to help her with some paperwork at her nation's embassy. Unfortunately, that fell through so instead she agreed to cook us a traditional Portuguese meal for lunch called "alheira". Alex my coach forewarned me I in no way needed to eat it if I did not like it so already I was a little alarmed. Trying new foods is still a work in progress for me.  To begin, Leticia (I am probably spelling her name wrong) began peeling potatoes and boil them up. Potatoes are good, I love starch! 

The main aspect of the dish is what might scare someone away.  What looks like to be a sort of sausage, this dish's meat is cow that has been blended with bread. As she was explaining what was in it, she said "vaca" and "pain".  When I could say what it meant without translation, I was pretty pleased with my self. Fun fact: she knows French, Portugese, and English. Listening to her conversation with my Brazillian coach, I can hear a blend of all three during our conversation. Lots of smiling and nodding by me and with each occasional word I understand, I mimic like a toddler who's learned a new word.  She cooks the meat in a skillet and soon lunch is served.  After numerous warnings again that it is a little different, I finally take the plunge.  With my first bite, I tried to keep a poker face and an open mind. I can honestly say that it wasn't bad at all! It reminded me of eating slow cooked beef or brisket. Smoky flavor that had a less chewy texture because of the bread.  Definitely different but I was able to eat more than one bite which was fun. 

This is definitely something as a kid, I would refuse to even look at.  Now it's almost a "don't think just do attitude" which has payed off immensely.

     Today is the last day of practice before the weekend so hopefully I have much more to write about by Sunday. Just wanted to say thanks for all the positive feedback about the blog so far. It feels weird putting myself out there this way but I guess it's another thing I get to check off my bucket list. 

Ciao!

Gabriella

Settled in!

        I have officially been overseas for a full 24 hours now. I left Eugene at 2am, flew out from Portland by 6am, was in D.C for my layover at 2pm eastern time but didn't take off until 7pm or so with heavy rain. When I landed in Geneva 8:30am local time here, I was due for a coffee or a nap.  The layover was delayed over an hour, we had the worst turbulence I have ever sat through which doesn't help my fear of flying, and sat in front of a child who proceeded to kick my seat all flight long.  You can imagine I was more than happy to land in Geneva.  While in a heavy downpour, a bus picked me up from the plane and drove us passengers to the main terminal where we stood in line to have our passports looked at.  I think the official had fun messing with me because all I could say was "bonjour" as he kept asking the same question over and over until I finally comprehended the question "Vous allez?" Any other time I may have understood that as "Where are you going here in Switzerland?" but all I heard was "French French French French haha you silly American you can't understand me." All with a smile no less but you can only guess as to what shade of red my face turned into.

        Thankfully the rest of my day ran much smoother. I feared that with my current luck, my bags would be lost too but I was proved wrong. Looking for a woman with a volleyball, I found my ride quite easily.  Magali, who is the sister of the president of my club, greeted me with the common greeting of kisses to the cheek and chocolate. I liked her immediately.  I soon found out she also would be my teammate and setter which means we need to become good friends. Friends set their friends right?  The drive to Couvet is about an hour and a half from Geneva which meant lots of time to find things to talk about. The scenery here is extremely reminiscent of the northwest, especially Oregon. Green trees everywhere, rolling hills and lots of rain! After sitting in 100 degree weather (or 40 Celsius), I am loving the need for a jacket.  Due to Couvet's small size, we soon turned off the main highway and took the backroads.  The views here are beautiful, and on a sunny clear day I am told you can see the Alps.  We drive through small villages and they remind me of the buildings I saw last year with the UW team in Itay, Slovenia, and Austria.  The homes are built with stone and have cute weathered shutters.  A sign that says Nuchatel means we are getting close. If Eugene is anything like Couvet, Nuchatel has Portland as its equivalent but only 30 minutes away.  With some windy turns up a mountain that remind me of the drive over Badger mountain to Florence, we make our way into Couvet, pop. 3,000. 

          Before heading to my temporary home, we stopped by a pharmacy where I had to take a photo for my train ticket passport.  In a small town, certain shops have more than one use.  Just across the street we head to Magali's sister's flat where I meet Joelle the president and her very sweet family.  Her three children are lively and have been so cute they made "welcome to Couvet" cards for me.  If you know me, I am already smitten.  All the adults are kind enough to speak English and translate when needed, but the young girls I don't think understand that I can't understand them. The oldest daughter at 4 years old, first acts shy and doesn't want to talk to me but observe this new person in her home.  By the end of my visit, she is speaking a mile a minute (kilometer a minute doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely) in French and asking when I will visit again and that I can stay with her.  Next to the scenery, that was also a nice and familiar sentiment.

           By the afternoon, we headed to where I will temporarily be staying until my permanent home is ready and met my coach Alex.  The first hurdle in that ordeal was carrying my backpack, full duffle bag, and two suitcases up a flight of stairs that rival the ones between Hec Ed and campus.  Mentally chastising myself for forgetting my inhaler, I was able to with labored breaths introduce myself.  I learned Alex is from Brazil and is an incredibly gracious host which makes my transition here that much easier.  The rest of my day consists of unpacking, some food and a long ass nap before I went to bed again for the night.  In between comas, I was able to catch up with the world and browse the internet for a long while.  It seems that the best times to catch up with everyone back home are early mornings and late evenings.  Already, Hardy and I seem to miss each other by an hour every time we find some wifi to sit and send an email.  Should be an interesting experience figuring out this whole time difference thing.  Happy three years gingy!

         

   Today started out easy as I slept in till 10 and decided to explore the area. With Alex as my tour guide I have been able to get a coffee and croissant, a little grocery shopping then hurry back home as a sudden downpour fell on us. Just like home.  Now with all my free time, I sit on my phone and do anything I can think of to pass the time until all you people wake today.  Tonight is my first practice and all I can say is I hope they don't send me back home after watching my attempt to play volleyball with the international ball.

That is all for now. Till next time here's a shot of my view from one end of the village you can see the other.

Gabbi 

It begins

Sitting on a plane really sets in the reality that I am off to live in a foreign country for 8 straight months. Away from incredible family. Away from where I have called home and dedicated my literal blood, sweat and tears for four years. Away from the teammates I call sisters who have gotten me through my best and worst moments.  Away from my love and incredibly supportive boyfriend who is my rock.  Away from everything I feel comfortable with. I sit here with a rather large knot in my stomach that is from so many emotions all at once I can't eat. I was rather surprised that when my mother hugged me while crying, I didn't break down. Not when my dad squeezed me tight. I even kept it together saying goodbye for the third time to the person I hate going one day without to another bout of long distance knowing this will definitely be the hardest one yet. I was still numb to the idea I wouldn't be back in Seattle. Even when I see pictures of my team mates all dressed up for the pre-season dinner, I still haven't fully comprehended I won't wear the purple and gold this fall and make another run in the tournament. Hugs, kisses, high fives; and still no tears. Only then when I stepped foot towards the security line and away from my family did everything hit me all at once. It literally took everything I had to not break down and run back to my loved ones.
Sitting in my seat, I question whether I made the right choice. Is this crazy? Is it worth the time spent away from everything?  I'm the biggest homebody you'll ever meet so this decision to me seems completely out of character. I knew this would happen but I didn't realize how uncomfortable it would feel once I got here. I feel homesick already and I'm not even past Oregon yet. Typing these words, I'm using every fiber in my being to not cry next to the woman who hasn't glanced my way since she sat next to me. College was exciting for me because I had some sort of expectation of what I would be going through. My job as a student-athlete was comfortable and familiar to me for 8 years. I may still be playing volleyball, but it's no longer an option to drive down I-5 whenever I need a little home. It's managing time zones and praying I have wi-if when I need a familiar smile and reassuring words.

Sitting here now I have already failed and started crying again. Thankful for this window seat and ability to pretend to enjoy the view.  Everyone has asked me if I am excited for this opportunity. Of course I am. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I have to take and am extremely grateful for. I just have get past all of these initial fears, doubts, insecurities, and worries that I have built up in my imagination. Those who know me will only smile knowingly at my panic because it's my process before I finally can let myself believe that everything will be fine.  I'm going to have an incredible experience and cannot wait to share it with all of you.  I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go through the effort to document my time overseas, but I didn't know what else to do with my jumbled thoughts so here I am spilling my guts for all to see.
Sitting here with my headphones and endless country playlist I reflect on the past summer, the past four years at UW, and all the wonderful people in my life who have gotten me to this point.  One huge lesson I have learned is nothing great comes easy. Washington volleyball was the hardest time in my life.  But it was the most rewarding and life fulfilling experience I have had yet.  I know with this knot in my stomach I am making the right decision because it doesn't feel easy.  It's gonna take work and a lot of deep breaths, but it's a challenge I can't wait to attack.  (Volleyball joke yay!) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love, support and encouragement from you all to take this next step. I look forward to all of my new adventures and proving to myself that these types of chances reap unlimited rewards.
Brace yourselves because if I write this much without even leaving the country yet, who knows what else I'll have to gab about. (Haha get it?) Bad name puns.

From 30,00 feet above you with love,

Gabbi