This morning I began my packing and organizing on what I would take back to the states and what I would leave here for when I returned. It wasn’t too much of a process, and ill finish it all off tomorrow.

With keeping the trend of seeing friends from NZ in my travels, High school friend Alice Gray was up in Plymouth from Falmouth today to do a bit of shopping. I endured a 45min walk into town because I didn’t understand the bus system and didn’t want to get stuck in somewhere I didn’t know. I was able to wander around a little bit and see a few sights before we met up for a bit of ice cream and a catch up in the Olympic Fanzone. We also managed to catch Kiwi Lisa Carrington race to bronze in here K1 500m race on the big screen. It was lovely to catch up as we figure out that the last time we had seen each other was 2013. She is doing well and enjoying some travels before she begins her first full time job as a nurse in Christchurch! I then made the 45min journey home, as I felt blister begin to form on my feet, but I made it home. 

We headed off to training eventually. This was my first real session with the team so it was nerving but exciting. After a good solid warm up, they split the players up. Those who played on Tuesday night went off with the manager and played soccer tennis, and then the 5 others and two goal keepers went off and did a lot of hard work. We would play 2v2 plus a floater and have the goalkeepers in the smaller goals. It was a run around and frustrating because it wasn’t game realistic and the situation wasn’t defined as any specific in a game. 2v2 in a game usually occurs in a breakaway situation, where as here we are on a small pitch trying to play. I did what I could and when we did the running I put in the extra effort to prove my fitness. We eventually finished with a 6v6 game which was better to play in because it was a little more realistic having more numbers on the field. I was fairly satisfied with the session, but just a little frustrated because if we only have one session a week with the team, I have to make the most of every minute of that session to prove my ability to gain a starting spot on the team. I will just have to worry about that when I return from getting my visa, and Ill continue to work hard while I am away. If there is one thing I can be better than everyone on the team, its my fitness and attitude and I will continue to use that to my advantage until I get given my chance.

We headed for home and Carly had prepared a lovely dinner for us to have. Always good to have food ready upon return from night training sessions. Reminds me of my days in Nelson getting home at 8.30pm and dinner being ready 🙂