I would like to start out with an announcement: this past week I managed to eat just one chocolate bar. Baby steps, everyone.
So, on Thursday the schedule said we had practice at 8. It was 7, I was lying in bed watching Shrek (a classic) and I got a text from Mandy that said “where are you guys, we have practice at 7,” which I thought was a joke. I sent her a screenshot of the schedule that said practice was at 8 bc I may be foreign, but I can read a calendar thank you very much. And then my head coach called and I freaked the heck out. Our apartment is approximately a 5 min walk from the gym but we made it in about 2.5 and were only 10 mins late. We were frazzled the entire practice and my guilt was overwhelming. The team was really nice about it, but still, the memories of punishment workouts are not far back in my mind (shout out to Taylor Ungricht for simultaneously making me want to be her best friend and also terrifying me beyond belief). After practice, some of the team went out for food and beers and that helped us forget about being late and end the night on a good note.
Friday was a big day. Firstly, Mic’s bf, Gunnar, made his debut in Neuchatel. Secondly, we only had mid-day practice, so we were done at 1. Z and I went to the beach (still not tan), did laundry in the machine that apparently fixed itself, went grocery shopping, and then I made my (now famous) guacamole. Z had a great time getting ready - going back and forth between blow-drying her hair, tripping the breaker, and flipping it about 5 times before she gave up. We ate dinner at Mic’s apartment (guac was a hit, once again) and drank/danced/talked/played w Mandy’s cats before we left to go to a ‘warm up’ wine festival (there’s one in two weeks here) just outside of town. It was a great time - we drank some new European drinks and danced and pretended to sing along to French songs and walked around the town until we decided to go home. In the process of going home, I lost my phone. Clearly, I found it or I would have started off this blog very differently. All in all, a successful night.
Saturday was pretty calm for obvious reasons. Z and I deep cleaned the apartment and showed Nicole Edelman and Kaylin Squires around Neuchatel. They play for our rival club here in Switzerland and it was nice to talk about our experiences and share our struggles/laugh at ourselves. Their car is a standard though, so they win. According to Eddie, if you get a speeding ticket here you either pay a fine of 1,000 francs or go to jail for 2 weeks. She got pulled over for not having her lights on (which apparently are always supposed to be on), and found this out. So, once again, I will be avoiding driving.
Today was a long day. I literally did not stop sweating from noon until I got in the shower tonight. We had mid-day practice and my hands have started to come back to me. Idk what’s been going on, but for the past few days they forgot that they’re supposed to be good at this sport. After practice, I went to do laundry only to discover that our laundry card is out of money. Cool. So, I took the laundry to Mic’s, parked 100% illegally, took the cable car downtown, met a very nice Canadian woman on the way, picked up my greencard (I think it’s my greencard…), took the cable car back to Mic’s, waited on my laundry with a very impatient Brazilian woman who needed to wash her husbands chef uniform, took my clothes out early bc I was so uncomfortable, hauled my dripping wet clothes up the hill to my car, drove home, found legal parking, hauled my clothes up to my apartment, hung my clothes up, ate, went to the mall to try on the team shoes, and left for our scrimmage. The scrimmage didn’t go great (1-3), but I’m so happy any time we get to play real volley since we only have 7 players at practice rn.
Guys, I am starting to get good at cooking. Gra admitted that she thought I was going to starve without Inky, but yesterday I roasted an entire chicken and it’s GOOD. Like really good. For those who saw my Snapchat, I did not fry it. I had just taken it out of the oven and it was in a pan w a handle bc we don’t have any baking pans. @Inky @mymom @thehaters.
Random things:
On Monday night, we went to watch Gigi (our assistant coach) play in her adult league season opener. She was a libero when she played for NUC, but on Monday, Gigi was a middle. Slide hitting machine. Blocks all over the place. Almost fought the other team’s setter. Fantastic show.
Spätzli is not fish, it is pasta. We ate in on Sunday for team lunch and it was delicious. Shout out to Manon and Sègo for making it from scratch, shout out retracted for making me think we were going to eat rotten fish.
Stanford, please please PLEASE stop going to 5. I don’t think you understand how late I have to stay up to watch. Please. I already have really bad under eye circles. But congrats on winning. Morgan makes me cry tears of joy.
Z blew up an egg in the microwave. Once again, I thought of Inky. Throwback to Junior preseason when her eggs blew up and the yolk got in her eye and no one could help her bc we were all about to pee laughing.
I made a video. Of pics and vids from this summer. And it took me SO LONG, despite it being the most simple/basic thing ever. I’m trying to figure out how to put it on this website. Proving to be a challenge. Don't hold your breath.
