It has been a busy week, catching up with friends, training, and sorting out my visa. The time has flown by and it is like I never left really. Many familiar faces around, which makes it comfortable to return to. It certainly has been nice to catch up with many friends and see how their summers went.

I have also been fortunate enough for my old strength and conditioning coach, Megan, to have the willingness to put me on a program and train me while I am here. I trained every day, with 3 sessions in the gym, and four sessions with running and sprinting. Adapting to the heat has certainly been a challenge but it just adds an element to it all. I have managed to get ball work in when I can, however I am still unsure whether I am allowed to train with the team. Hopefully I will get confirmation tomorrow whether I can or cannot train with them so that I can sort out a plan for the next two weeks.

And the whole reason why I returned was to apply for my visa. I applied online on Sunday, had my appointment on Thursday, and sent the package away soon after my appointment, with it arriving into New York by Friday morning. Hopefully it is processed fairly quickly and it is returned to me soon so that I can get moving with my career and start playing over there. Registration and signing a contract is all dependent on the clearance of the visa and me being present, so the sooner I receive it, the sooner I should be able to start playing. We shall see as the week goes on.

Being back in Hamden has allowed me to do some familiar things, climbing the Sleeping Giant, eating a familiar restaurants, and also watch both the QU Men’s and Women’s soccer teams. It is different not being a part of the team anymore, and I don’t have the
emotional connection anymore, yet I will still support them and hope for the best of them, but my time is up with them. Hopefully I will get to catch a few more games while I am here. I have also managed to rest up pool side during many of the afternoons after my hard work is done in the morning.