This past weekend we traveled 3 hours east to another small town to play against Orpo. This team is different then any other team in the league for one specific reason, their uniform is fashioned after field hockey uniforms. In other words, they wear spandex skirts instead of spandex shorts. Interesting choice they made, however towards the end of the match I started to think they looked good, but one of my teammates snapped me out of it. The gym was like ours, grand stands to one side and the court to the other. There was quite a crowd there as well. I was told after the match that our team hadn't won in their gym since 2006! I felt pretty honored and super stoked to have played in and witnessed the win. Personally, I played better this match and seem to be progressing as we go along. I am now hitting and defending on the right side, a position I played in college my senior year. I hadn't played right side back row defense however, so that was a new and somewhat tough experience for me these last two matches. I think that this position is a good fit for me on this team. I am a good passer so I am a little bummed I wont be in the passing rotation but I feel like a smarter hitter from the right so it sort of all works out. After the win, we piled into the bus at which point our coach got on the microphone and announced that we had a great game so we deserve some ciders and beers, just as long as we are able to walk off the bus unattended at the end of the trip. I grabbed two Cider drinks because I have never had them before, so why not. I ended up liking them a lot, it was like drinking sparkling fruit juice. A bunch of us were dropped off in a city called Jyvasckula, the closest city to the town I live in, Pihitipudas (still not sure on the spelling, nor do I think I ever will be). Some of my teammates live in the city and go to the University during the week. I stayed with the setter and one of the libero's. They had a great two bedroom apartment close to the center and to the lake. Their place had a huge balcony perfect for parties during the summer and winter maybe, a big living room, two decent sized bedrooms, a cute kitchen with windows facing the lake, and a big bathroom with...wait for it...a three person sauna. We got ready and went out as quickly as possible since we got to their place at around 10pm. We road bikes to the center, locked them up and decided on a cozy little bar to start, we also met up with the girls two friends who were really fun to talk to, their english was really good. After that we went to a club called the Giggling Marlin which was packed with some people in costume and a lot of people just there to dance. Apparently there was a famous Finnish DJ there. He was spinning techno records so we went to another one of the three rooms. One room was 90s music and the other was Finland music. We took a little time in all rooms and stopped in the 90s music room the longest and had a 3 song dance off with some Finnish guys dressed like fisherman. We ended up getting home around 4am, I was almost falling asleep at the last club we were at, I was so incredibly tired from the game and the two beers I had went straight to my legs and my brain. I could have fallen asleep next to the subwoofer, but the girls realized that I wasn't a dancing machine anymore and decided it was time to head out, thank god! Stopped at McDonald's for a chicken sandwich and fries (first time in like 5 or 6 years) then road our bikes back to the apartment. I think I was asleep by 6am. What a night, almost forgot how the europeans party, literally until dawn.
The next morning two of my teammates and I woke up late, went in their sauna for a bit and then headed out to the center for some shopping. Luckily there were a bunch of stores open, it being Sunday we weren't expecting this. The city had many shops that I recognized which was comforting. I went home that night with another teammate who was driving back to the town were we lived. We talked the entire time about our lives and got to bond a little bit more. She tricked me twice though, I thought she was driving on the wrong side of the road but she was actually just using the passing lane which I forgot was there some of the time. Freaked me out but once I realized we weren't playing chicken we had a laugh and I relaxed. Got home and realized it was halloween and I was doing nothing at all that night, for the 3rd year in a row....bummer. Luckily my friends in Austria were getting ready to go out and celebrate halloween American style. None of them had costumes so they borrowed dresses and skirts from some girls they knew and went to a party dressed like chicks. I skype called with them and watched as they accessorized and twirled their skirts in front of me. It was a hilarious site, being that they were all over 6'5 and in tight fitting t-shirts, dresses, and long hair wigs. Was nice to see some people living it up USA style on halloween in Europe. Today we had regeneration program we did in the weight room that took about 45 minutes. Woke my body up for a little while but I was still pretty tired from Saturday. We have a match next weekend near Santa Clauses supposed home town. I was told that we will definitely see reindeer, but Santa Clause? I don't know, we will see if he comes out to show his face. Until then, good night.
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