Ya so the first week was a tough one, but I had faith that things would
work out how i wanted...and if not then i could always find a way out
of it. I am so glad that it worked out like it did though! For the first week,
I got put with a girl that went to college at UTA and Rice for college and she
helped me a lot and was very welcoming and understanding of all my
concerns and needs :) I know now that i am safe and in a good place!

The girls are truely good girls with good hearts...and also fun to be with!
The coach cares about the team a lot and puts our health and safety first....
if we dont want to take another jump that day..then we just tell him..i dont
think i should jump anymore and he just says ok and respects our
judgement. I like that, not because I want to cut back, but because he
trust us! He is always pushing for improvement and discipline, but he
really is not a yeller at all which i like! He seems to approaches things at
the right time.

I am learning more spanish everyday! I think i would make you proud! I
definitely know the volleyball terms :) It took me a while to figure out
why he kept saying "apollo" but i now know that it means to cover!!! haha

My apartment is probably a little bigger than my bama one....its
actually a four bedroom apartment with only 3 of us so thats
nice...one bathroom but we usually shower at the gym so that is not a
problem. Good sized kitchen, and a small den with a couple couches and
a small tv. My room has a full size bed which is nice! not that soft
but hey....i like the size!

My roommates are Lule and Mielta (not sure
how to spell them) but I really like these two girls they are definitely in
my top 3 favorite on the team....the 3rd being olaya (girl that went
to UTA and Rice) so i like it! Lule is the one that loves to speak in
english and is good...just comes out slow! and Mielta is the one that knows
nothing but uses "ation" talk to get her point across, meaning that
she thinks if you add "ation" to the end of any spanish word, then it
becomes english! haha i love it! :)

The gym is pretty close...i could walk or run there easily but Valal has a
car and she takes us there and back. It is safe here....it is a small town with
lots of older people and kids....not many kids our age...but the people are
nice and pretty much keep to themselves.

I have lots of free time during the day...so I have had lots of time
to think and really get into the word since the Bible is the only book
that I have with me...so i have really enjoyed that! Im trying to read
the whole new testament all the way through...im in John right now :)

I know that I am growing a lot through this experience and
meeting lots of really nice people! I know that it is scary at times because
it is different and takes time to adjust but those things will only make me
stronger! We only have 7 more games....it will be over before we realize
it! :) I want to enjoy the time that i have here! :)

ok so i sign today!! :) I start in my first game this saturday! 

you can keep up with my team on this website:

http://www.rfevb.com/home/cnac/super2/super2.asp

my team name is     Ribeira Sacra

its been i little overwhelming trying to get settled in here...but i have already learned a lot more spanish!! I love the girls and coach...they are helping me a lot! So ya...having fun! i will keep better updates once i get internet in my apt. which i move into on Monday! :) 

Ciao!!

Ahh!! Im going to SPAIN!!

JA means YA in Dutch...thought id clear that up :)

ok im in Croatia now! :) is much nicer weather too...our hotel is across the street from the beach so makes me wish it was summer time already! 

but....lets see we went left prague on a charter bus to Vienna, Austria...and that was probably the craziest/worst bus ride ever! Apparently a few people had a problem with the food the night before we left! Ya i don't want to go into too much detail...and honestly you probably would not believe some of it! But....we had to stop 5 or 6 times on a trip that was only supposed to take 3 hours! ok sorry i have to tell you! So after the first stop....we were told to go to the bathroom before we left, so we all went. Not 20 mins after we left...someone told them that we needed to stop because she had to go again....well they told her to hold it! ok..well she could not hold it any longer and went in a cup which doesnt sound bad....but she went #2!!! Ja! well we quickly stopped after that.... there were a few girls that had the same problem, so anytime they needed to go...they stopped! Ya...so sorry for the detail that i said i was not going to give you!

But when we finally got to Vienna it was great!! I really liked it there! Very nice area....lots of shopping!! So good thing we were only there for 3 hours...enough time to get some sushi though :) It was a really cool place...had a wine cellar look. After a quick walk around..we loaded the bus...praying for a better trip :) 

When we got to Slovenia...I was one of 3 girls that they wanted to stay with an American girls apartment that played for a local club. So that was pretty cool...because we got to see what we might get if we played somewhere over here. It was actually a lot bigger than i was expecting....but the shower was a little wired (you had to slide the mirror and reach in there to turn on the bath) so ya. 

We played her club the next day...so that was fun! They were not that good...they were missing 3 or their starters. I actually played some middle that game! ha! it was fun....I got some blocks..and just ran 1s...almost hit a girl in the face but she got a had up i think :) 

So ya...we are in Hotel Pula waiting to eat dinner and then head out to our match at 8pm! Even though we play every night...im still anxious to play everytime...its always so different and fun! :) so I am going to go get my things ready...

PS...i like the reading your comments!