Recap and Final Thoughts

So when I began this blog after first getting to Lubeck I had no idea what to expect or how my excursion/adventure to Europe would play out. I've been home about two weeks now and at this point being back here in Salem is weird to me as well. I have to pay bills, find a job, and NO FOOTBALL :(. So to say the least my life has completely changed in the blink of an eye.  But in my time away I learned a lot, saw even more, and got to have a true once in the lifetime experience.

First off I'd like to thank the people who made this opportunity possible once again. A huge token of gratitude and appreciation to Timothy Speckman and the Lubeck Seals organization. It was such a great experience to become part of the Seals family. The team and the guys are amazing and you have a good thing going there. I wish you nothing but the best in growing the club and continuing to win on the field. I'm so glad to have been invited over and get to ball out with some good friends in Jose Green and Tim Speckman, as well as, make some awesome new friends I hope to see in the future. Second, thanks to Matt Benjamin at Northwestern Mutual and Coach Scott Dufault and the South Salem Football Program. You guys were awesome in allowing me to pursue this amazing opportunity in Germany by essentially providing me with a 2-month leave of absence from work, without that this never would of been possible. Finally, thank you to my family and friends for being immensely supportive of me going to Germany and encouraging me every step of the way. This was such a quick change and an immensely scary one for me at the time. And especially huge thanks to Lilly Cox, my amazing girlfriend. I know the time away was hard on us and our relationship but we made it work and I'm glad to be back at home with you!

Highlights:

1) My top highlight would definitely have to be visiting Italy for a long weekend. It was amazing to see a place that before I could probably only dream of. Pisa, Lucca, Tirrenia are all beautiful. I know when ppl think of Italy it's always Rome or Milan or Venice, but Tuscany in Northern Italy is nothing to scoff at. The countryside is gorgeous and there is still so much to see and enjoy. I'd love to go back some day and explore even more.

2) Playing ball with an awesome group of guys. It was almost like being back in high school where it's so fun cuz you're just playing with all your best friends and loving all the memories you make together. Playing with so many guys who are just out there for the love of the game and who just like hanging out together was refreshing and reminded me that competition and winning aren't always the only things or the most important things. The guys on the Seals were just so full of energy and life that it made me proud to go out there and put it on the line with them. Thanks fellas!

3) Experiencing a different culture, ideals, etc.  This was probably the most difficult part for me to come to terms with initially. Being away from all the comforts of home had me questioning my choice at times and also really tested my strength as a person. But I learned a lot about Germany and the people. I got to see life through a totally different lens. In many ways it's made me appreciate America and my life that much more, while in other ways I see some of the weak points of our culture and things we could do to improve. It's been really cool to build that insight.

Low Points:

1) Simply being away from home. That was tough for me even for just two months. I felt really out of the loop with friends, family, and just life. And then coming home I realize I really am and it's been an adjustment so far.

2) The 9 hour time difference made it damn near impossible to keep up with people and talk to them even when there was time cuz it was night during the day back home and vice versa. So I rarely could get the latest scoop and keep up with family and friends even when I tried to.

3) The few prejudice moments I dealt with. Those few times really upset me and opened my eyes to how much hate and ignorance exists worldwide. It really opened my eyes and made me think about the social injustices people face everywhere. It was mind-blowing to me.

To sum it all up...

I have to say I had an amazing overall experience. The good definitely outweighed the bad and it was awesome to get to back on the field and compete. I loved being in Europe and getting to travel a bit. I'd love to maybe do it again and get to see/do even more. I would encourage any of my friends who play football and are looking for an avenue to continue to compete at a high level to consider Germany. It's basically a free vacation paid for and you don't have much responsibility besides going out and doing your thing on the field. Being on that team with those guys was truly special and I hate we were unable to finish our season with just one more win and help the Seals move in the second division of the GFL. But it gives them the opportunity to strive for even more and continue to grow as a club and build on the talent the team has. I hope for the best for the Seals and I'm sure they'll get to the GFL 2 soon and do awesome and be very competitive.

Also I'm just amazed at all the history in Europe and how surrounded I felt by the past. I think we should do more restoration here in America and look to retain the stories of our history as we continue to grow, leaving a legacy and a story for future generations. It was so much fun to see those stories first hand each day and continue to learn more about the city of Lubeck and the nation of Germany. This blog has been great and I hope all who've read it have truly enjoyed hearing about my experience and keeping up with me.

Berlin = $57, No Internet for 4 days = :( , Last week in Germany = truly Priceless

So....they say you never realize how good something is until it's gone, well so true. I knew I loved the internet, absolutely depend on it in so many fashions but I had no idea how much it meant to me before our internet randomly shut off Monday night just as the Texans and Jets were set to play on Monday Night Football last week. It wasn't so much that I missed the game (even though I didn't find out the score until Friday -_-)...what truly killed myself and Jose was the inability to do really ANYTHING with no internet. Seeing as how we're in another country our lifeline to home, friends and family, and really entertainment came crashing down in an instant. Luckily the day was saved and on Saturday we were back online for the most part.

But the highlight in the last week has to be my trip to Berlin yesterday, capped off by attending the German Bowl featuring the Keil Hurricanes vs (Blank City cuz I can't spell or say it lol) Unicorns (yes their mascot was the freaking unicorns, even had a unicorn mascot running around haha). Berlin was amazing and we had a local, who'd grown up in the city as our personal tour guide. We got first hand info and stories about what Berlin was like before and after the wall was built seperating East from West Berlin. We learned how families were literally torn apart and recieved Gabby's personal anecdotes on how her life changed with the raising of the wall. Today the city is like most of Europe, walking history. There's so much to see and do, and it really made me smile to see how much of the history pertaining to the Berlin Wall and that time in Germany's history is really dare I say embraced for my generation to learn from and picture through monuments, pictures, and video. The German Bowl, despite the unicorns, was absolutely amazing. An offense first game that went down to the wire with the unicorns pulling out a victory with a field goal at the 30 second mark of the fourth quarter. The atmosphere of the almost 12,000 fans was electric and truly worthy of the big stage. In a country where soccer rules, football was king for a night and it really warmed my heart to be able to be there and see the infancy of the sport I love be so treasured here.

With just 3 more full days left here I'm getting nostalgic about my short time here and all I've seen and done. I must say Germany is a very interesting place. Once I'm home I'll definitely have to take some time and sit back and really reflect on what I've done here and how truly special it is. I must first thank the Seals organization, Tim Speckman, and all my teammates and now friends for allowing me to come here to play some ball and really have great time. It's been a blast. The people I've met have touched me forever and I can't wait to see how this club continues to grow. As my teammates say HOOOOOYAAAAAAA!!!!

Bitter end to a sweet season

Sour...

That's the taste left in my mouth after a tough loss to finish the season against the Bielefeld bulldogs. It always sucks to lose and for me it's even more disheartening because I just hate to lose so much. We came into the game short-handed, without many of our top players due to injury and other reasons but we fought. From end to end as a team we really brought it and never gave in. For that I'm proud of my teammates because they showed so much heart, will, and effort leaving it all on the field. Unfortunately we just couldn't get it done on that day.

But I think as an organization the Seals can learn from this game. Looking across the field at the Bulldogs we can see exactly where we want to get to. We came into the game with barely enough men suited up to play and lined up against a team 3 to 4 players deep at every position leaving us clearly out manned. Furthermore their stadium was filled with fans and supporters and a clear system that has been developed to provide the team and the organization to grow and thrive.  That's what the Seals club is striving for and has the opportunity to achieve with continued hard work from the players and supporting staff.  Also what that loss provides is motivation. As I said to a few guys after the game you never wanna walk off the field feeling that way again. You never want to give it all and come up short. So you work harder, you study your plays more, and you do whatever it takes so in 2013 the Seals end the season on a high note.

Sweet...

 Despite the loss, I was happy and actually even had fun playing last night. Even though I'm sore and absolutely gassed from my effort, it was good to just get to play ball again. These guys, like I've said so many times, have been like family to me over here and really have made me feel welcome and as comfortable as possible over here. I couldn't be more thankful for the friends I've made and experiences I've had over here. It's been so much fun. I wish so bad I could've gotten the win for each and every one of my teammates. Going forward I think another year in GFL III will be good for the club and allow them to build the infrastructure just a bit more to be able to continue to compete at a high level.

Now gotta prepare to go home...

Packing, Packing, Packing ugh my least favorite part of moving or vacationing or anything. It sucks :(. Also gotta wash a ton of laundry and cleaning to get ready to leave in 10 days. So excited to be headed back. But gonna have to get back to the grind of working and real life lol, it's been really chill not having to work or have any real responsibility.

Making changes

I decided yesterday to try to make a concerted effort to be a more positive-minded person, anyone that knows me knows I'm the epitome of pessimistic and often times it frustrates the people who care about me but there's always been a method to my madness. However, we all have to grow and change sometimes (I guess :/).  In light of this I think I just want to soak as much in as I can here in my final 2 weeks in Europe.

Last Night...

So Jose, Marvin, and I went to a party our teammate CB was throwing. Today is a national holiday marking the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.  But more importantly the holiday is a day off from work and school for everyone so as the Germans say "we make party" hahaha. It was good to get out of the house and hang out with good friends and even make some new ones. Aside from an almost physical run in with an overly drunk guy, I can't complain about the night at all. I tried this homemade mix of some strawberry juice, vodka, and spices that I must say was the most intriguing alcohol mixture I've ever tasted. Also I was provided with new inspiration for drinking games as my German teammates introduced me to the idea of utilizing a children's game with an adult twist, with the loser having to take a shot after each round (it's pure genious). Can you say drunk twister or battleship or something (I'm still working out the details lol). But YAY for Germany's reunification and good times with some really cool ppl haha :).

Went Exploring Today...

In light of seeking to really relish my experience and time I have left here, I took a 2-3hr walk through Lubeck looking to discover more of the city for myself. I took the time to walk along the canal and through two parks and take a bunch of pics of the scenery and architecture that is so varied from what I see on a daily basis back home. Taking some time to myself just listening to music and taking in new parts of Lubeck was not only relaxing, but therapeutic as I reflected on just how blessed I am to be here. This is such an amazing opportunity and I can't believe just how things fell into place for me to end up playing football here in Germany. Also my walk allowed me to experience the bi-polar nature of the weather here as I dealt with rain, gray skies, and the sun rotating throughout my short excursion. Gotta love that German weather lol

Preparing for this last game...

Now I'm looking ahead to Saturday and the last game of the season for the Seals. We suffered a tough lost to Rostock and now its time to make our next opponent pay in my eyes. I know as a team we are banged up and will be short handed, but we gotta just bring our best effort and leave it all on the field. I'm excited for the opportunity for one more practice and one more game with my Seals family. These men are amazing and I'm hoping I can bring home a win this time. Go SEALS HOOYAH!!!

Rough Loss...

Can't believe we lost that one: 

Tonight experienced my first loss as a member of the Lubeck Seals. It was a tough 13-9 nail-biter against the Rostock Griffins in what was a huge game for the Seals club.  I must say our guys fought hard and left it all on the field, which is all you can ask for of your teammates. We just made so many critical mistakes and that really came back to haunt us in the end. However, I have to give credit where credit is due, Rostock played well and they were very physical for four quarters. It was definitely my kinda game with lots of big hits, trash talking, and even some blood shed haha. Overall, I'm of course very disappointed cuz I really wanted this win. And not even for myself or my own competitive nature, I wanted this one for these guys who have come to be my little family over here. They have been so open and welcoming and I just wanted this win to help these guys achieve their goal of progressing this club to the next division of GFL football. It honestly hurt me to my soul to watch Rostock celebrate on our home field after their close victory. You never wanna watch a team celebrate but on your own field always makes it that much worse.

I feel like in many sense I let these guys down. I didn't have my best game and just couldn't get it going when we needed it most. For that I am sorry because it wasn't for lack of trying or will, just wasn't my night for whatever reason :/.

On a more positive...

I did something right before the game that I haven't done in what seems like forever. I said a true prayer to God just before the game. It felt like such a relief of tension and stress that I'm sure had been pent up inside me for years now. And I was able to let my own emotional guard down and really embrace how blessed I am to have this opportunity to be here in Germany just playing ball with my boys really. Can't wait to see what else is in store for me...

Last few days...and some updates

Yesterday:

Finally got back into the hospital and got an MRI scheduled on my shoulder. The last few weeks dealing with it have literally been a pain. Hoping it's nothing serious, but it's starting to affect my sleeping so who knows :/.

On a positive note, we once again got to interact with local youth yesterday. Marvin, Jose, and I helped out teaching local students some simple football skills such as throwing, catching, and tackling. It was fun to see them try to figure out how to move and catch at the same time. Also some the guys we worked with seemed really enthusiastic and showed some interest in coming out for our youth teams, which would be a real addition to the club. What had to be the best part was after we'd finished working w/ them, the kids treated us like mini-celebrities :). Especially Marvin, he was a real hit with the kids as they clambered around him to take pictures and talk to him. But Jose and I even got a little love, it was just cool to interact with them and continue to put the Seals club out there in the community. I feel that's gonna be the quickest way to build the program and start to create awareness of the two teams participating here in Lubeck.


This weekend...

The team has a huge opportunity to continue to advance the program and keep pace with what has been an awesome season. I'm so excited to get back on the field and compete against the Griffins from Rostock. After watching them on film and seeing them in person this past Saturday, I must say it will be a tough fight for our club but I believe we definitely have the tools to get a win against these guys. It's a good chance for us to once again show what we've worked so hard for and look to get a big win that would allow us to move up to 2nd division for next season. We just have to stay focused and be ready for the challenge, but I think most importantly we as a team just have to approach it like any other game and go out compete, execute, and get a win. GO SEALS!!!

Good News:

I've mentioned the last few posts my apprehension about what will happen once I'm back home in terms of employment and other issues. Well on the job front I've sent out several applications with my resume and so far I've had two opportunities come about. I'm excited as one is doing something I love working with kids and the lady I've been in contact with said she is very excited to interview me once I'm back. So here's hoping this opportunity pans out! I must say I'm so blessed and the prayers of myself and others continue to be heard. Now I just gotta go out and make these opportunities a reality.

Who's afraid of the black man...

Nobody?

Apparently this is children's game here in Europe (Germany/Austria?). So here's the story...

Marvin, Jose, and I are driving on our way to a local school where we are teaching kids the fundamentals of flag football to build the relationship between the Seals football club and local youth. We were discussing drills or games we could have the kids do today during the hour or so we have with them. We talk about different versions of tag using the flags vs just taggin the individual or playing some type of capture the flag type game w/ the football being the "flag". Then Marvin explains to us a tag like game, similar to something I've played w/ a twist. It's call "Who's afraid of the black man". What makes it hilarious is that Marvin is a black guy from Austria and apparently growing up he often played this and would be the sole individual picked as the "tagger" since he was the fastest growing up.  The basic rules of the game are as such:

1. The game begins w/ a single tagger ("the black man" or Marvin, an actual black man in this case lol)
2. The sole tagger tags others who then also become taggers or "black men"
3. The initial single tagger states: "who's afraid of the black man". The group responds: "Nobody" . The tagger then says: "What will you do if he chases you". And the group shouts: "run". And the game of tag begins.

Now this sounds somewhat horrible, but we all died laughing at the cheer irony that A) Marvin often was the initial tagger at his school and B) that this game was allowed to be played at all w/ a name and back/forth responses like that. Ahh good times w/ my roommates

Updates...

Practiced for the first time in a week after hurting my shoulder in our last game. It felt pretty good to run around and catch some balls, also I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't hurt as much as I expected the next day. Still as a precaution probably gettin an MRI soon since it's a shoulder I had a prior injury to. Keepin' my fingers crossed on this one!

Also gettin pumped for this relegation game against Rostock soon, gonna be awesome to see how are team stacks up against these guys. Always excited for a challenge and the chance to compete. As we said at Willamette: "anybody, anytime, anywhere". So LET'S GO!!!

4 more weeks right now til I'm home and I can't wait for that first late night food run hahaha (craving some Jack in the crack or some Taco Bell lol :P). But really will just be great to get to some of the comforts of home. But now starting to think about what I'm gonna do once I'm back, and also whether this Seals team or another club will be interested in having me back next year? I'd love the opportunity and would definitely have to consider it if the offer came up. Let's see what happens!