Let's Play Some Basketball

Today we met at the office to sign paperwork and try on our warm-ups. I love new gear! After that, we took a 10-minute walk to the activity center. It was by far the most beautiful walk I have ever been on. Even as I was walking, I tried to think of a way to explain what I was seeing. The only thing I can compare it to is a scene from Beauty of the Beast where they are in the town. Lots of action, most people were walking, outdoor bistros and shops, little kids running, the sun was shining and it was making the colorful buildings look even brighter. We eventually got to the top of a hill where the activity center was, there were outdoor tennis courts and a track. It wasn’t like the normal tracks I was used to seeing in America. This one was very old and reminded me slightly of somewhere a gladiator would be found, the track was made of red dirt. We stretched and waited to meet one of the players and the head coach. When they got there Me, Brittany, and the other player were told to run 4 laps, 3 laps, 2 laps, then 1 lap. It was just jogging and we stretched in between. This was the perfect workout to loosen up because I hadn’t had a chance to run since I left America. After that, we walked to the lunch café and ate, then came back to the apartment to take a nap before basketball practice in the afternoon. By this time we had both roommates. Later that day we had our first practice. Our gym is currently under some construction, so we practiced at a different location. We took a short walk down the street and turned into a random door which led to a street and eventually what appeared to be a school. There were about 3 outdoor courts where children were practicing, and we went inside. The international basketballs look different than the American ones, but they pretty much feel the same. We did some shooting and then some 2 on 2, and finished with 3 on 3. It felt great to have a ball in my hands again finally. Everyone from the team hasn’t gotten here yet, so we only had 6 people at practice. After we left practice everyone headed to eat. It was fun being with a few of my teammates and getting to know them. When we walked into the restaurant there was a dance class going on for a girl getting married. It was nice to have some Romanian music and dancing to entertain us while we were waiting for our food. When we were done, we all walked to the taxi station and headed to the apartment. Today was the first day I really felt the team atmosphere, and I’m so excited to see what the rest of this season brings! ( I miss my puppy already!)