As opportunities come, most of them come with a change in environment. Now going from a place where you have been settled and comfortable to a brand new place can be a daunting task for anyone, anywhere. Often times, opportunities take you to a new place with no one you know, or where nothing seems familiar, but the unknown side of an opportunity is what should add to the excitement of it. Embrace the unknown, knowing that this new environment will soon become friendly and familiar to whatever you may be doing. Adapt to change with patience and trust, and then make the environment your own.
Luckily for me, my transition to a new environment was made much easier by the lads on the team and also the lads at The Rex, our house in Miramar. Along with a great staff and professional organization, I have been welcomed into Wellington with open arms and made to feel appreciated. This welcome has allowed me to solely focus on the task at hand and not worry about any external factors that can often inhibit peoples ability to fully immerse themselves in a new environment
What a feeling it is to be back in New Zealand though. There is just something about the freshness of the air, the song of the birds, and the blue of the ocean that just cannot be beaten anywhere in the world. In the days that I have been here, I have experienced the various weather patterns Wellington has to offer, its wild wind, but also its stunning summer weather. Lets hope there is more warm summer days than blustery wet days in the coming months.
As the week came to an end, a long awaited reunion 1o months later with my Mother happened. We had a great weekend exploring Wellington, the Waterfront, Oriental Bay, Mt Victoria, some of the great restaurants, and of course she got to watch me play football again. It was our first official game of the 2017/18 ISPS Handa Premiership, and was also the ASB Charity Cup match. Our preparation all week was very tactical and the lads embraced it all, showing that on the park on Sunday with a great 3-1 win over Auckland City. We thoroughly enjoyed taking down Auckland, who have been the most dominant team in Oceania in the last 10 years.