October 31st, 2015 | Uncategorized
Have you ever been so nervous that you were calm? Well that’s how I felt when I left Waterford on Thursday morning for Zamora, Spain. I had decided to take advantage of my free weekend and travel to Spain to visit one of my best friends from college who is playing professionally there. But anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely terrible with directions and basically with everything that has to do with public transport, hence why I was so incredibly nervous.
For instance, even though I went to school in Brooklyn, New York for the past four years, I was never able to fully master how to use the subway system. For my senior night last year, about 20 of my family members came to watch me suit up on my home court at St. Francis College one last time. After the game, I decided to take them to Times Square since some of them had never even been to New York City before. Unfortunately, there was work being done on the subway line that I normally take; I managed to get us there but then couldn’t figure out which line to take home. We ended up getting off at a random stop and walking the Brooklyn Bridge home in the freezing cold through the slush and snow. My family has never let me live it down since!
With my track record, I’m still a little shocked that I actually made it to Zamora on my own. I had to take two buses to Dublin airport, where I caught my flight to Madrid. Then I had to take a shuttle bus from the airport to a car rental place where I rented a car and drove three hours through Spain to get to Zamora. And I only had one or two near death experiences on the way! I found out that you’re always supposed to yield for buses (oops). I’m not quite sure how but I ended up at an automated toll booth asking me to insert some card I didn’t have, so I had to call someone on the intercom and explain to them in very poor Spanish that I wanted to pay my toll but didn’t know how. Then when I finally got to Zamora I only got honked at once for improperly using one of the more confusing roundabouts I have come across.
Let’s just say I thought it was very fitting that the first English song I found on the radio about halfway through my drive was Living on a Prayer.
Needless to say, I was extremely relieved when I parked the car in Zamora. I could have kissed the ground I was walking on. I’d made it.
Victory Scholar: Katie Fox
Present University: Waterford IT
US League: NEC
Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats
Alma Mater: St. Francis College
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland
