This year I have been blessed with the opportunity of meeting 22 other people that have changed my life. These people started off as strangers and then at some point that I couldn’t even pick out became family. We all came with the goal of getting our masters, the dream of playing basketball for another season, and the hope to make to a difference. Yet at the same time bringing our own personalities, different backgrounds and outlooks.

At first I was so nervous that they weren’t going to like me, or that we wouldn’t get along. In my experience when working with groups some people are closer than others, which is natural, but I have found this year that I have gotten to know each of my fellow scholars enough to know that they will be lifelong friends. I am grateful that I can look back and laugh at the initial nervousness that I had. Each one of them impacted me and so I wanted to send a shout out to each of them:

Thank you to the Dublin girls, Sarah, Jasmine, Jess and Kelsey for always welcoming me and for the infamous sleepovers we had throughout the year. Thank you to Dillion and Meg for all of your visits and for loving Cork almost as much as Tanner and I. T John and Gene, thank you for all of the laughs and showing me how messy you can actually be when eating a kebab. Emma, thank you for being like an older sister to me. Jack, thank you for consistently making me laugh. Belfast ladies, Nyasha, Randy, and Raychelle I wish we had seen each other more, but that being said, thank you for always sharing your smiles with me when we did get to hang out. Britt and Dalacy, thank you for all of your support and kind words throughout the year. Mike and JB, thank you for showing me what it is like to be fierce and still have fun on the court. Belfast guys, Pat, Will and Ryan, thank you for hysterical snap chats and sharing your great senses of humor with me. Ebony, thank you for the spontaneous visits and your strong hype game. Lastly, Tanner, thanks for being my partner in crime all year.

These are all just a few things that I want to thank you guys for, but let me tell you there is so much more. You all have impacted me and shaped me to be a better person. So to anyone who is reading this blog, I hope that you get to meet and know any of these 22 people, because they are truly awesome.

As we finish up this chapter of our life some of us are heading back home, to work, to become an “adult”…whatever that may be, some are staying back in the foreign place that became home. All 23 of us coming from different starting points, joining up on the path less travelled, and now separating out in to different directions; none the same. And though we all may be going our own ways, we will forever be connected by the laughs that we shared, the kebabs that were eaten, the balls that were bounced, the glasses that were cheers-ed, the matching polos that were worn, and most importantly the lives that were changed.

Lads, this is just the beginning. Good luck with everything that comes next, I have no doubt that we will all be GREAT!

Much Love your fellow Scholar Sister,

madison

The day has come. My last coaching session with the junior members of Holywood Golf Club. For those who didnt know about my coaching experience previous to this year, I didnt have any. I was going into this year half blind. I only say half blind because I would consider myself a decent golfer. My first day coaching at Holywood Golf Club was just as great as the last day. Below I am going to list some of my favorite memories from coaching the junior members over these past 9 months. 

1. Having my own designated girls only group (The picture goes out to my fav group to teach- my girls)
2. Being complimented everyday for my Californian accent
3. Getting to help develop a beginner golfer into a proficient golfer
4. Seeing smiley faces every Sunday, rain or shine 
5. Being known as the putting coach
6. Seeing all the kids join in and cheer on a fellow friend
7. Seeing the kids not only enjoy the golf portion but enjoying eachothers company
8. Monitoring the juniors early morning chocolate consumption
9. Saying no every Sunday to getting a free chocolate bar for completing a putting drill
10. Getting hugs & thank you’s from all my juniors. 

As we are nearing the end of our SCL journey, I can’t help but get sad about not being around my other American scholars anymore!!! They are such awesome people and I love them so. We are all so different but have a great time when we are together. I have gotten to know some people very well, and that has been so amazing. I’ve gone on trips with them, played ball against them, played ball with them, done community service with them, and have had many laughs with them. SCL really brings in some good people and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know them. I never felt too far away from home because of the 22 Americans scattered throughout this beautiful country with me. I’ve had so much fun with them and hope to stay in touch after this year in Ireland. It will be so interesting to see where everyone ends up, and what their future endeavors will be. But I can guarantee these people will be successful in some way or another.

Although I will be the only scholar staying here in Ireland until the completion of my coursework in August, I am also appreciative of my Irish friends—through basketball and through school. I’m excited to be able to travel more this summer, as well as spend more time with these people I have also grown so close with. Can’t wait xxx     

It’s been a while since my last blog and I’m coming out of the woodwork here with a jam-packed update. I won’t go into detail about every experience I’ve had since it would take about a week to write, but let’s just say it’s been a blast.

It all started in late March when I was flown home for a job interview by my future employer, Venture for America. The timing of the interview couldn’t have been more perfect since it gave me the opportunity to see my friends and family for the first time since August as well as recharge my batteries for the last push in Ireland. I spent a week at home and as soon as I returned to Ireland, I had my last basketball tournament of the year. We played in Dublin and even though we didn’t do as well as we hoped, the craic was great as I spent time with all the victory scholars who were there for the same tournament. It ran from Friday, April 7th – Sunday, April 9th and shortly there afterwards at 6:00am on Monday morning, myself, T John, and Tanner boarded a flight to Barcelona to begin our self-named retirement trip. We spent five days in Barcelona (Spain), three days in Seville (Spain), and four days in Faro (Portugal). You can checkout Tanner and T’s blogs for more detailed descriptions, but to put it simply, we had the trip of a lifetime and got some much needed sunshine.

I flew home from Portugal on Friday, April 21st and had two exams that following Monday and Tuesday. The craic didn’t stop there though since my best lads from growing up paid me a visit from Monday the 24th – Sunday the 30th. We did everything you could possibly want to do in that short of time like jump-off the board at Blackrock, taste Guinness, visit the Cliffs of Moher, taste some more Guinness, spend the weekend in Dublin and then try the Guinness there. The week couldn’t have gone better and I was glad I finally had the chance to show them around Ireland.

As soon as they left, I crammed for my second to last exam on Wednesday, May 3rd and then immediately hopped on a bus to the Dublin airport, where I joined T John and Jack for a trip to London and Edinburgh (or Edinboiiii as we somehow began pronouncing it). We also met up with fellow victory scholars Jess and Meg in London. Again, I could write a novel on this one trip but to give you the short and sweet, we saw the major attractions of both cities, ate a ton of good food, and washed them down with a few locally brewed pints.

I flew back to Ireland on Sunday, May 7th and have since taken my last exam and am beginning the process of completing my time here in Ireland. As today is May 14th, I only have three days left in this beautiful place. I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime and spent my last weeks over here with some fantastic people. I’ll write one last blog after this to commemorate my year, but what a past month and a half it’s been.

May. The month that I go home. Never thought I would be saying that so soon. It wasnt until after my last class of second semester was over that I realized everything was slowly beginning to end. It was a bitter sweet moment. How could everything be ending so fast? I was just in Amsterdam like a day ago eating the finest of foods. Now I was beginning to pack my room, getting ready to leave. So what now?

I am going to try to sum up my time here in as few words as possible, or at least in a few sentences because if you really want to know how I feel I suggest you apply for this program or just sit down with me over a cup of tea (my new found obsession). So this experience can never be duplicated, it has been a roller coaster of emotions and new experiences, and full of self exploration. I think the biggest thing that I will gain from this experience is the new love and passion I have found for life. There is so much to life than sport. Sport brings us together, yes, but it also shows the flaws in life. At least for me that is what I found. Yes, golf has given me so much that I cant hardly imagine my life with out it. But, also golf has shown me what I was missing. It has shown me that I love being surrounded with others, sharing my passions, and giving. Because of golf I have found my love, my true love. Being of service to others. This experience has given me the opprotunity to find out what makes me truly happy without all the other distractions I would have had if I was still home. I was able to self discover freely. 

But for now, I hope to be a teacher when I get home and create my own food blog because with food I am able to share my love and passion of giving to others. When others are happy I am happy. I’m gonna end it with this quote that describes how I am feeling right now. 

“I am learning to love the sound of my feet walk away from things that are not meant for me”

 

One thing I have definitely learned this year is to not worry about what everyone else is doing. And what I mean by this derives from an academic context. I have found that the more I talk to people about assignments, due dates, what people are working on and how far they are on something, the more anxious I get. I start doubting myself, worrying that I’m so behind or not doing something right…even if it isn’t true! How backwards is that?! Now don’t get me wrong—it’s important to have good peer pressure and embrace eustress (aka good stress), but it has to be to a healthy extent. What I forget to recognize is that I have been a great time manager pretty much all my life. Any eligible student-athlete has had to learn this! I’m so thankful for this discipline that was strengthened throughout my athletic career, because I see how much it has benefited me today and will benefit me for my future endeavors. For example, I almost chickened out on my trip to Rome this past Easter because I thought I’d miss too much schoolwork! It was one of the best trips of my life!!!! I’m so glad I went and have absolutely no regrets. And I thank Britt all the time for pushing me to go haha 🙂 And even better, I got all my work done on time and of good quality. So what do I keep worrying about?!   

I am a firm believer in balance. I actually think I work better when I have multiple things to do. So when I start doubting myself, I need to try and remember that having a lot to do is nothing new for me, and that everyone works differently! I think we all work at different paces and have different ways of doing things. So it doesn’t do me any good to constantly ask where other people are all the time, internally comparing myself to them. I think I’ve found I need to believe in myself more, and to share words of encouragement for these stressful times. It’s so easy to fall into the complaining game, or “who-has-the-most-work” game. I want to try and uplift people and ask how they are doing in general—not just with their schoolwork. I think that is really important. Because even though it feels like it sometimes, school is not life. It is important and good to do your best, but it is not life.

With that being said, is it graduation yet? Can’t wait to have this degree!!!!   

This past weekend I got a very exciting opportunity to coach in the All-Ireland Finals with the Limerick Celtics 16 and under boys team. The games were played down at the famous Parochial Hall in Cork, as teams competed to see who the best team of the age group was.

 

We ended up finished 2 and 2 for the weekend and coming in 7th, of all 16 and under teams around Ireland, a significant feat. What stood out to me the most of the weekend was not the fact that we won two games, but how we did so. We lost our first two games by a very small margin, as both games came down to the wire. For myself, it was very devastating, especially as competitive as I am. With how rough it was for me to lose both games, which we had every opportunity to win, I could only imagine how the players on the team felt and how they came up so short although putting in a great effort. That being said, it would have been easy for the boys to ‘pack it in’ and give a lackluster effort in the last game of the day (the third in total), and make excuses that they were tired or what-not. They did not do so. They played their hearts out and made more of an effort then I have seen all season on focusing on the little mistakes that cost us the first two games of the day. This was the same case the following day. It was a quick turnaround back to Cork, as everybody must have been in Limerick for about less then 10 hours before having to get back up and head down to Cork for the last game of the weekend. It was a tough turnaround for everybody, from players to parents. I totally understand, especially remembering AAU days and having to wake up after playing three games the previous day/night, which was not easy AT ALL!! Yet once again, these guys answered the bell. They put together a gritty performance to win the last game of the weekend and finish in 7th place in the ‘A’ division of the 16 and Under ‘All-Ireland’ championships.

 

The improvement in the intangibles category from this team is something that has made me proud to see. I have tried all year during skill sessions or certain practices or games that I attended to teach them the importance of having mental toughness, and focusing on the things in their control. They had the mental toughness and self-discipline to go out after two disheartening losses and play the basketball they have played all year, limiting their turnovers and mistakes, as well as keeping the energy at a consistently high level. They did not let missed shots or referee calls dictate the way they played and that is something that was even more important than the outcome of the games.

 

Overall, it was great to see improvement and even better to see the impact of teaching and helping young kids paying dividends.

 

DB.

This past weekend, the Victory Scholar ladies and myself got to play together! Let me just say it’s so much better playing WITH them as opposed to having to play AGAINST them like during the regular season! It was fun to play and see them again, even after none of us had picked up a ball since the Varsity tournament two weeks prior… We were a little rusty for sure, since we lost to the Irish Under 18s National team for our first game. We don’t want to talk about it… we were actually annoyed with ourselves…getting whooped by girls 5 or 6 years younger than us. No way!!!! They are very talented though, to their credit. And our team had never practiced or really played together ever (in our defense). Three of the U18s I actually played and coached with this past season, so I guess I was happy they were doing so well but still annoyed that they beat us haha. 

We got them the next day though in a rematch, so that redeemed us old ladies a little bit. Like Varsities, it was feeling a little bit like AAU all over again, so that part was really fun. It was laid-back but still competitive and we went 2-1 for the weekend.

One thing we all can’t wrap our heads around is that the program will be over in a month!!! It’s so crazy to think about. This year has gone so fast but has been very filled with memories and experiences. Since I’ll be remaining in Ireland for the summer, I’ll definitely miss having my fellow Americans around, but I sure hope to keep in touch with them once this is over. SCL really brought in some good people and they have been so awesome to get to know. They all have huge hearts. We are all so different, coming from different states, situations, and schools, but we all share our love of sports, which has been a really cool thing to be a part of. The world is so open to us after this, and that is something I really feel empowered, blessed, and grateful with.

Till next time xxxx  

The time has finally come, the highly anticipated arrival of my favorite people in the whole world: the Wards. We haven’t been reunited since Christmas, and lets be real…that is WAY too long. I practically knocked them all over when they came through the terminal gates. The best part of being with family, is that it does not take long for all of your laughs and inside jokes to start coming out.

It was so cool that I got to share my journey of the past year with them, to share my mom and brothers first international experience, and to share my dad’s blast from the past trip.

577. started our journey off by playing Ed Sheeran’s new album in the Audi that we rented, driving to the center of Dublin. First, stop at a traditional Irish pub to order Guinness’s, cider and Irish stew. We then made our way through stopping at every possible donut shop, the most beautiful garden filled with tulips, and my favorite part: catching up on each other’s lives.

We then started north, stopping in Gormanston to catch out where my dad had coached summers ago, and the amazing “secret bush” formation that is straight out of the Lord of the Rings. Staying in the same movie genre we did a Game of Thrones tour that was led by an extra from the show. No, we did not get to see John Snow in person, but I got to walk on the “Kings Road”…so I consider myself pretty much as extra too J

The Carrick-A-Rede read Bridge got the best of us, and the Giants Causeway was even more spectacular that we could have imagined. Moving our way down through Galway (a day after Ed shot his music video), we got to walk through the busy streets, and it honestly made me wish I was a Galway Girl. Our second to last stop was is Limerick to meet up with my dad’s old teammates from when he played here in the 1980’s. It was so amazing to see them chat like no time has passed, and I hope that one day I can bring my family to meet my Brunell family!

Last but not least: Cork, my favorite place of course!! It was so awesome to show them around the Cork streets, and take them to the English Market. They got to visit CIT, and of course kissed the Blarney stone.

Needless to say I sent them home exhausted, but knowing that I would see them in a month kept us from crying too much…there were still some tears! I couldn’t have asked for a better trip with my family, and I can’t to bring them back and one day bring my family!!

 

Picking up right where I left off… so that flight at 6 A.M. was heading to Barcelona… I'm not sure what Gene, Tanner, and I were thinking when we planned that thing. Since it was so early and Sunday night of Varsities, we had to pull an all-nighter and leave for the airport just before 4 A.M. 

Therefore, we went out with everyone and celebrated the end of the basketball season. Then, caught a cab a 3:45 A.M. to the airport. We arrived at the airport fine and went through security real quick so we had over an hour till they started boarding our plane. Of course, we were going to find the best couch or chair in the airport and try to shut our eyes for a little. Well, all three of us ended up falling asleep by our gate. Thankfully, we woke up just in time to board the flight! Imagine if we got that far and missed the flight haha! Anyway, we boarded and arrived in Barcelona, our first stop of our spring break trip. The first day was surprising very productive for the lack of sleep. The remaining four days in Barcelona was unbelievable. It is definitely one of my favorite cities. We rented bikes and saw all the popular tourist attractions, we hit the beach, ate tapas and drank sangria. It really doesn't get much better than that! 

Our next destination was Seville in southern Spain. I must say thank God Tanner knew some Spanish or else we would have been in serious trouble. It turned out our Airbnb was 15 minutes outside the city centre, no one spoke English like zero! Even in the heart of Seville not that many people spoke English so we relied heavily on Tanner's spotty Spanish skills. One of the coolest things about our time in Seville was that it was on Easter Sunday. It turns out Easter weekend in Seville is a massive holiday for them. The city was packed, parades were going on everywhere, and the bullfighting season kicked off. I wish we got to actually watch a bullfight but the tickets were too expensive, maybe next time. Overall, it was an awesome time to see all the weekend festivities that took place. They definitely have some interesting ways of celebrating the holiday so it was really cool to be there to experience it! 

Next, after the weekend in Seville, we went to Faro, Portugal. We chose Faro as our last stop because we all wanted a warm spot where we could just relax and catch some sun before we went back to much cooler/cloudier Ireland. And that it was! We pretty much soaked up the sun on the beach for a couple days, jumped in the ocean, rented bikes, and just had a blast. The warm weather was much needed after being in Ireland for quite some time. I am a person that prefers warm sunny weather any day of the week so it was a great escape. Overall, it was one of the best trips ever….I think Tanner and Gene would agree. We made it back safely with no problems after that rough start, thankfully!

Visiting these different places definitely gives me the travel bug. I wish I had time to travel a little more, but anything is better than nothing! I look forward to seeing a couple more countries before I head home! 

Until next time!

Prayers welcome for this last month or so of college!!! Yikes it’s a lot! I have about a combined 9,000 words due next week and then my HUGEEE Next Generation Management portfolio due at the end of May (don’t even ask me how many words that’s gotta be). Anybody up for a writing job? Haha just kidding. No plagiarism here folks… Anyway, I’m pretty much going to be a typing machine for the next month. And then I’m back in Ireland in June to complete my practicum over the summer which I’m pretty excited for 🙂

I know it’s not over yet, but this past year has really gone so fast. I’ve met so many incredible people, seen so many wonderful places, and have learned so much. To think I was hesitant about doing SCL back in May of 2016 is so crazy to think about now! I’m so unbelievably grateful I did this and was given the opportunity. I think I’ll be even more grateful after I finish this master’s in August 🙂 Now, friends of mine are applying for the program and I feel good knowing I can help answer their questions and ease their anxieties. I want them to have this experience that I have had, because I know how valuable it is. You get immersed in another culture, gain a more worldly knowledge, become more independent and self-sufficient, meet a diverse group of people, and get to know yourself even more. An experience like this isn’t for everyone, but I sure can tell you you must make the most of it. There are plenty of challenges being in a foreign country, but learning and growing from them is so enriching. This goes with pretty much anything in life—having the right attitude and getting the most out of a situation is the best thing one can do sometimes. Be grateful. Be outgoing. Because it will be so rewarding.

A revisit to my Irish vocab/culture tidbits…

-The Irish say “like” or “so” and the end of every sentence. Example: “That was so frustrating like.” “Will you come with me so?”

-Their favorite sandwich is a chicken filet roll… and they pronounce the “T” in filet. 

-”Yer man” means “that guy.” Example: “Yer man from lecture read the notes off the slides.” 

-Peanut butter is apparently a veryyyy American thing! Just learned this one recently. No PB&Js out here. Such a shame… 

-Butter and mayo are used TO THE MAX out here. 

As I have gotten older I have noticed what an adventurous eater I have become and this past year I have become even more adventurous. And before I go any further I want to let you know what I mean when I say adventurous. I don’t mean I am out seeking the craziest foods out there; though I wouldn’t turn down an outrageous meal either. But, what I mean when I say adventurous I mean that when I am picking out where I want to travel next I usually base it off the food. I will research as much time as I have in advance to see where are the go to spots, where are the locals going, and where aren’t they going. I have become obsessed to say the least. My passion for finding the tastiest of meals doesn’t even have to result in a trip to that country or city. Just usually results in me drooling over the computer screen wondering and finding ways how I am going to taste that decadent whatever it is.

You know what is better than the taste of whatever I am trying? It’s the story behind the food. It’s the place, the culture, the people, and the environment. That’s what gets me every time. Yes. I do think flavor, texture, and the aesthetics are going to be at the forefront but after that it’s the story behind the food. You can find out a lot about a culture behind the food. Its all different every where I go and that’s what I love so much about food and discovering new food.

Since I have talked so much about food and adventure I’ll let you know my favorite places that I have gone based solely off the food, but remember that what makes the food even better is the people.

Florence, Italy

            – Gelato was out of this world and I definitely had the best gelato there

            – Fresh hand made Panini’s. Oh my gosh. You wont regret it.

I could go on and on about the rest of the food but the list would be too long.

Rome, Italy

            -You haven’t had real pasta or carbanora for that matter until you have had a fresh bowel of noodles from Rome.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

            -Stroopwaffles. Nothing more to say about those. You just have to try a fresh handmade one for yourself

            – Dutch Apple Pie. Yes they are the creators of the best kind of pie out there. My taste buds were immersed in the best apple pie ever made from Winkel Café. Go there. You wont regret it

            -Frites. They are the masters of fries.

London, UK

            -Okay when I travelled there I didn’t go on a foodie rampage because I couldn’t afford it at the moment but through vigourous research on what they have to offer, they have a lot to offer

Barcelona, Spain

            -Tacos. Yes I did have them and I am a snob when it comes to proper tacos and they outdid my favorite tacos from back home. The fried pork skin at the top of my carnitas taco put it at the top for must haves.

As a ending note, here is a quote that stuck something with me and its from one of my favorite sites:

“Eating with friends and trying exotic food around the world is one of life’s pleasures, and we deserve to indulge in it.”

 

Every species has developed forms of communication to relay important messages. At this point in time Infoplease estimates that there are about 6,500 spoken languages in the world today. Some of those languages are spoken across seas while others are reserved to small groups numbering under one thousand. Over human history many languages have been born, evolved, and become extinct. Some languages only exist in written form while others are carried through primarily by spoken word. Words, be them written, spoken, or signed, are the main mode of communication that humans employ to relay their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and much more.

So what happens when there is no common language between two parties yet they are in a context in which communication is necessary? I have been teaching basketball at a local primary school for the past four months to girls ranging from age 8-12. I love watching these girls take a liking to basketball and am ecstatic that the girls are being encouraged to play sport. One girl I coach told me how awesome she thought it was that girls are being told they can play sport now and that sport is no longer limited to just boys. The girls seem so confident in their ability to develop athletically and are empowered by their experiences playing basketball. 

A few months ago, a new girl came to the school. In order to protect her anonymity I will not say her name or where she is from but she recently immigrated to Northern Ireland from a non-english speaking country that is also very culturally different. When I arrived to coach on this particular week, the girls introduced me to her and told me she was from (the other country) but I did not realize that this meant she did not speak hardly any English. It wasn’t until halfway through the session when she was pointing to the bench, sullen look on her face, that I realized she had no idea a word I was saying. I asked her what was wrong and why she wanted to sit out and she responded “Look”. I stupidly kept trying to speak English to her while she pointed and said “Look!” Finally I realized she wanted to sit out and watch because she did not understand what we were doing. In this moment I wanted to slap myself. All the telling moments that she was confused came rushing back in my memory and I felt awful for trying to talk to her in English as if she understood me the whole time. I can only imagine the frustration she felt being spoken to quickly in a language that she did not understand by a person she had only just met, teaching her a sport she had likely never played before. While the other girls were shooting the shots in the drill we were doing I grabbed a ball and placed it in her hands, pointed to the hoop and tried to demonstrate what she was to try and do. A few minutes later she got a shot in and the joy on her face as she looked at me and pointed to the hoop was simply priceless.

The next week when I came back for coaching, I was aware that she would be there and that she did not speak English. Although I could still not speak a word of her language, I was prepared to be especially attentive to to help her understand what was going on and make sure she was having fun. But I was not prepared for the way she would invest in making sure I was having fun. When she walked in today she came up to me and hugged me saying “Basketball?” When I replied yes she began to laugh and giggle. I could tell she was bursting with excitement and that in itself made me smile from ear to ear. Whenever I asked for everyone’s attention she was the first to be quiet and look at me. Every time we were cleaning up or gathering balls, she came up to me and asked “help?” then she smiled and grabbed the ball bag to collect the balls from the other girls. Though we cannot really speak to each other we communicate through smiles, laughs, high fives, pointing, demonstrating, and of course hugs. On this day, we had another moment where something went wrong and she was trying to explain to me what happened but could only say a few words and point and I felt so terrible because I could not gather what she was trying to tell me but I could see the frustration written across her face. It broke my heart because I wanted so badly to be able to understand and help her. I can only imagine the daily frustration she deals with in a place where no one speaks her language and where she has very little understanding of theirs but I hope that the unspoken language we have and her participating in basketball can bring some joy and confidence to her new life here and I am so grateful to her for the joy our friendship has already brought to my life. At the end of the session today she gathered all the balls with enthusiasm and brought the bag to me, I looked down at her smiling and said “Thank you, (name)” she looked right back at me, hugged me and said “you’re welcome”. But I wasn’t just thanking her for gathering those balls, I was thanking her for introducing a new language to me, one that cannot be spoken or understood through words; but instead, through interaction, one of kindness and generosity, of attentiveness and excitement. It is the purest language we have as humans – it is universal and it is the most beautiful thing in the world. 

Leaving Berlin with a somewhat bad taste in our mouths to how they treat those who do not live in Berlin, we hopped the train to Amsterdam. On this train we would have our perception of German people shattered by a very sweet older German woman who detailed her whole life to us along this 6 hour train trip. She discussed her time avoiding the Nazis in Germany, hiding out in Poland and running from shelter to shelter among the Russian battlefields all while under the age of 10. She told us about her first interactions with Americans and how thankful she was to them because they gave her and her family copious amounts of food and protection. It was then that I realized that my perception of Berlin and its people might have been off base. In a previous blog "Ambassadors" I discussed the concept of every meeting you have could potentially be the first time someone has met someone of your ethnicity, nationality, religion, etc. While the vibe I got from the streets of Berlin was cold and guarded, the first at length conversation that we had with someone from Germany could not have been more warm and genuine. It's funny how perceptions are formed and changed and I would say that it's always a good idea to have a fluid idea of people because if you want to you can form a concrete opinion and then just search for ways to support that opinion. In fact that is a large part of the issues we are seeing around the world, people forming an opinion on a small bit of information than closing off their mind. If my time in Berlin taught me anything, it is to keep an open mind and do not form concrete opinions without a large sample size.

As for the people of Holland, immediately I could tell they were open and accepting. I was fortunate enough to live with two people from the Netherlands this year in Ireland who are great people, so I was coming in with positive notions of the Dutch. Our previous accommodation throughout the trip had been more about saving money than being comfortable, our reason behind this was that we wanted to splurge a bit on a place in Amsterdam. Our Airbnb was on the top floor of an apartment building with a modern design (including a suspended fireplace) and a loft. This gorgeous space had a view overlooking the city and could have not been a better place to spend a few days at the end of a logistical nightmare of a trip. I had spent some time in Venice earlier in the year and fell in love with the floating city and its beautiful canals. To my surprise Amsterdam too was filled with many canals and beautiful waterways but had a bit more of an infrastructure set up for a bustling city.

After soaking in all we could of the city for a few days, we decided to venture out of the cities and into the famed tulip fields. Something unbeknownst to me before the trip was that the Netherlands is known for its Easter time tulips. Not being quite the green thumb that one might expect I was definitely a bit apprehensive when we were talking about spending an afternoon exploring fields of flowers. However to my surprise these fields were an breathtaking arrangement of colors just as diverse as those who were visiting them. After we got our fill of flowers we headed back into the city and met up with Ziggy's cousins who had been living in the city for a few years. Thy took us to their favorite Indonesian food spot, which if you have not experienced Indonesian food I would highly recommend it. This time it was Ziggy's turn to have his worlds collide, we spent two hours asking and answering one another's questions while enjoying a wide variety of Indonesian delicacies. After dinner we would take their recommendation and check out a few local bars no clubs before calling it a night one last time in this beautiful city. I awoke the next morning, said my goodbyes and thank yous to my friends who had taken time off work and spent a lot of money to come visit me(but mostly Europe) and went to the airport. Upon arriving in Dublin, exhausted but content, I felt like I gained a valuable understanding of the world around me. Which when it really boils down to it, is the most valuable part about this year abroad. So for now it's time to close down my year in Ireland, but maybe I'll sneak one more trip in before I head back to the states. Just not to Berlin.

I will keep this blog short, as was my time in Berlin. For this trip around Europe Ziggy, Chris and Myself decided on three cities that would all have a very different from the last. In Barcelona the people are vibrant and boisterous, which makes a lot of sense for a country that has a large tourism culture within their economy. In Germany, that Barcelona vibe of interaction and warmth could not have been less apparent. Germany as a country is known for its strong, industrial based economy and hyper efficiency. The people, at least in my opinion, seem to reflect these staples of German culture. I would not say that the people we encountered in Berlin were in anyway rude, but there was definitely a palpable sense of guarded individuality. A feeling of "I will leave you to your business and you should leave me to mine",  which I respect. The streets were noticeably empty during working hours which was a juxtaposition of the Barcelona streets which always seemed to be flooded with life (if you know anything about the economies of the EU than the reason behind this is self explanatory.).

While the cold guarded vibe of Berlin is not what I prefer it was a great 2 days seeing all the history that the city of Berlin holds. Having Chris alongside me, someone who is very well educated on the history and governments of Europe, we spent two days bouncing from landmark to landmark all while trying to not disrupt the way of life around us. When traveling, especially around all the various cultures and countries of Europe, people I discuss my travels with always expect me to have these glowing stories of how much I loved everywhere I visited. With Berlin I can say that 2 days was plenty of time to familiarize myself with the city and the fact that I don't think I would like to spend an extended period of time there, at least not as a traveling outsider.

After our 48+ hour excursion around the city, we would happily move on to a country which is more known for its foreigner friendly vibes, The Netherlands. Our mode of transport this time would be a train (and after construction stopped us), 3 buses and a few trams to get to Amsterdam. More on my time amongst the Dutch in the next blog.

The first stop on my Eurotrip was Spain, more specifically Barcelona. While I had planned this trip out with my two friends from Wesleyan, Chris and Ziggy, to my luck Victory Scholars Gene, Tanner, and T John would also be in Barcelona at the same time. This gave me a great opportunity to mesh the different worlds of my life. As we grow older we all have many different worlds and spaces that we operate in. Starting with primary school going up to high school, college, sports, work, etc. It is very healthy to keep these worlds separate, but every now and again you see them collide, and sometimes it's beautiful, other times…not so much. Fortunately for me, this trip to Barcelona would prove more toward the beautiful end of the spectrum. From the moment they met my friends from Wes and my fellow Victory Scholars got along like old friends, which makes sense considering I consider all of them close friends and if they get along with me, they most likely would get along with one another.

After pleasantries were exchanged we sat down for dinner at this lovely restaurant tucked away in a quiet neighborhood of Barcelona. As we decided on what to get off the robust menu, I peered over at the table next to us who had a dish that required you to cook the raw slices of meat right on the hot skillet on the table. I casually leaned back and inquired about the enticing meal. To my surprise all members of the table  were American and plenty willing to explain their meal and life in Barcelona. After their inquiries of what brought all of us to Barcelona we would come to discover that the one couple had been living in Barcelona for a few years now after living all over the world. We continued to exchange conversation detailing our lives both back in the states and abroad and completed the meal with a picture with our new friends and an exchange of contact information.

 That interaction is just a microcosm of what I have discovered to be one of the purest joys in life. We all are so wrapped up in the hustle of our lives, the rapidly changing technological landscape and materialistic aspirations that we often forget about the value of human interaction. The age we live in is one of optimizing and automating all human interaction and placing it online. Instead of sharing stories of our lives over a cup of coffee we rather share a post on Facebook. Instead of striking up conversation with a stranger we find attractive, we swipe right on tinder or double tap on instagram to let someone know how we feel. We as a people have developed so many impersonal ways to have human interaction, we have developed fail safes and protections on having awkward conversation or possibly a negative experience. My question is, what is so bad about falling on your face? I've noticed that so many people of of my generation(including myself) have become so afraid of rejection and not getting the result that they desire that they refuse to leave their comfortable shell. I have developed into the person I am today for a plethora of reasons but if there was one specific trend that I could pinpoint as the most influential trend to my personal growth, it would be the consistency of failure. I may not be the most successful person, but I will say that I would not be anywhere near where I am now without embracing failure, embracing disappointment. Basketball provides a real time example of embracing failure to become successful. The greatest players in history all have gone through a period of struggle and failure, the great ones come back ready for more. It is harder to see the tangible results of embracing failure in everyday life but once you become comfortable falling on your face, being rejected, accepting your emotions for what they are, the sooner you will become comfortable in your skin and more willing to keep pushing through whatever period of struggle you find yourself in.

After dinner wrapped up we parted ways and would go on to enjoy Barcelona for the next few days. Unfortunately my friend's passport was stolen on day two, but in what can only be called an Easter miracle, the Canadian embassy was able to produce a replacement passport in less than 24 hours and only delayed our trip by about 2 days. We used these two days to explore more of what I can comfortably call the most beautiful city walking city I've ever been to. After one more night of hanging with the other scholars they departed for another Spanish city and we took off (2 days free we had planned to) for Berlin. More to come on this.

Across the board all scholars finished up their National League and Super League seasons over the past few weeks. For some this was the end of all basketball for the year, but for most of us we would have one final hurrah in the form of the Basketball Ireland Varsities College tournament. This is a collection of the best university basketball teams from division 1 and 2 playing in a weekend tournament hosted by Trinity College Dublin.

Due to the large gathering of teams this tournament serves as more than a basketball exhibition but rather a social gathering of most scholars and the Irish basketball community. Similar to our gathering at Thanksgiving it was great to see everyone again and to be able to catch up with the latest news. When you live in a foreign country, even one that shares a lot of the same values and customs as where you grew up, it is always nice to spend sometime with other Americans. T John and I were bestowed with the responsibility of running the SCL snapchat for the weekend. This gave us a great reason to try and pop around to as many games as possible and catch up with all the scholars. It is strange how despite living in separate cities and not seeing one another very often, whenever the scholars are gathered together feels like we never left that first week in Belfast. There is something to be said about how important shared experience and struggle are to understanding someone else's world. Despite not being with one another all year, the fact that we are all having some what similar experiences in terms of living a year in Ireland as an outsider allows us all to connect on a deep level.

The tournament itself did not go as we planned from a basketball perspective. After going 2-1 in pool play we missed advancing to the semifinals due to a point differential tie breaker. However this being my last game (probably ever, at least competitively), I had to make it one to remember. Despite starting the game down 18-3 and down 13 late in the 4th quarter, we found ourselves down 3 with 8.8 seconds to go. In a timeout we drew up a play to have me inbound to T John and then have him hand the ball back to me for a game tying 3 pointer. After we broke the huddle we took our spots, I hit T with an inbound pass, he shovel passed it back to me while falling down and I took a running three from about 8 feet behind the three point line. So basically I threw up a prayer and it happened to find the bottom of the net just as time expired. (Basketball Ireland captured the play: here.) We would go on to win in overtime and I would get to retire my basketball shoes with my final made basket being a Hail Mary running three, which if you know anything about my career, is a very appropriate ending.

However the tournament would continue the following day with the finals wrapping up in mid afternoon. Those who stuck around for the Sunday night would get one more night to share each other's company before we all would depart for Easter break. For me that break would entail bouncing around Europe with two of my closest friends from college. Check out my next blog for more on the madness that is traveling around Europe with your friends. All in all Varsities was a cathartic weekend, it allowed us to meet up and catch up with one another again, for some (like myself) it was our farewell tour to Irish basketball, and for all involved it was a time to recap and reminisce about the season that is now behind us. A bittersweet moment of remembrance and celebration, in the form of late nights and long games, a weekend I won't soon forget.

I was lucky enough to spend my Easter Break traveling around Spain and Portugal with fellow scholars T-John, Gene, and Jack.  We visited Barcelona, Seville, Faro, and Sagres over a two week period.  It was an unbelievable trip and is exactly what I needed to relax and recharge the batteries for the final couple weeks of exams and projects.  We got to experience an entirely different culture and met some incredible people along the way.  We indulged ourselves in the local cuisine and got to see all the incredible sights that these cities had to offer.  It would take a novel to describe all the cool things we got to experience on this trip, so I thought it would be best to give a list of 20 things I learned along the way to help give some insight into our travel adventures, and hopefully provides some advice about traveling this area. 

1.  The Sagres Cliffs are a breathtaking sight that is a must-visit for all travel bucket lists.
2. Barcelona and Seville provide completely different holiday experiences, Barcelona is a tourist destination that is full of life and energy, while Seville provides more of a cultural experience that is just as exciting, but gives more of an insight into Spanish Culture. 
3. Just about nobody in Seville speaks English, but most people in Barcelona will speak some sort of English.
4. T-John speaks no Spanish.
5. Neither does Gene, even though he thinks he does and claims to be 8% Spanish.
6. People in Portugal don’t speak Spanish, only Portuguese.
7. Faro, Portugal is a very rundown town, but has some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen. 
8. Faro is a great destination for a relaxing beach getaway.  There is not much of a night life in Faro, and our visit there mainly consisted of enjoying the incredible beaches and trying all the great local cuisine.
9. Renting bikes in every city was the best decision we made, because it allowed us to see tons of sights in a day and scope out all the best places we wanted to visit during our journey.
10. AirBnB is the way to go when staying abroad, and we got very lucky with great hosts and great rooms.
11. Food is fantastically cheap in Spain and Portugal and you always get a good bang for your buck.
12. The quality of a restaurant’s Sangria directly reflects the quality of their food.
13. When in doubt, ask the locals about best places to eat, and if needed, rely on charades like Gene did.
14. Faro beaches are a major destination for kite-boarders because of the gusting winds, shallow shore break, and connecting inlets.
15. To best enjoy the beaches in Barcelona you have to go away from the main crowded beaches.  The main, central beaches are filled with people who are constantly bombarding you with products to buy, and it gets extremely annoying.
16. Seville is the host of the biggest Easter celebration in all of Europe.
17. Easter weekend is also the opening weekend for bull-fighting in Seville.
18. Best place to eat in Barcelona:  Either Itapas for all you can eat Tapas, or the restaurant Teruel.
19. Best place to eat in Seville: Everywhere has great food in Seville.
20. Best place to eat in Faro:  WAX Restaurant for the best bacon, cheddar burger you’ll ever enjoy. 

To end my fantastic Easter break I got the opportunity to play with the other Sport Changes Life ladies in three matches against the Irish 18U and 20U teams. All season we have been playing and beating up on each other, so it is the first time that we can officially cheer for each other without being scolded by our teammates;) I have been fortunate enough to play almost all of the scholars (in either league or school), and all bring so much to the court. We are all such different players and personalities, but that is what made it so much fun to play with them all. We may all be different but one thing that we all do have is passion for the game of basketball. This passion is one of the reasons that we are all here, and it was the foundation for the great time we had on the court with each other. 

We finished the weekend going 2-1, and were all pleased with the results. The Irish women’s team did a very good job, and it is so cool for me to be able to say that I have played against the Irish national teams. My parents and brother were also still here visiting and were able to watch all three games. They have not able to come during the regular season, so this was really awesome opportunity for them to see what Irish basketball is all about. The weekend can be summed up as a another once in a lifetime opportunity that I am extremely grateful for. 

This past week has been “one of those weeks” to say the least. With the last week of classes approaching quickly, the avalanche of work is upon me. One of the hardest adjustments academically has been the timeline of assignments here in Ireland. Back home, we would have an assessment every four weeks for each class, never really ending up on the same day. However, in Ireland, there seems to only be one or two major assignments per subject, and they always seem to land on the same deadline. That deadline mentioned above, was this week. After countless days, nights, and early mornings, I have handed in my last assignment for the term. After about 200 pages of assignments, 45 minutes in presentations, and a worn out keyboard on my laptop, I have successfully made it through the week.

Now with that being said, it also didn’t help that the first week of the March madness tournament fell on these days as well. Back in college this was a national holiday for my friends and I, we would set up 4 big screen TVs in our common room, and essentially not move for 72 hours, making sure we caught every single minute of the tournament. With the time difference here in Ireland, the West Coast games weren’t starting till around 3-4 in the morning. I’m sure you’re thinking oh man there is no way he could stay up and watch these games, wrong, my addiction to college basketball forced me to stay awake. And I soon fell into a pattern of doing schoolwork all day, just so I could stay up and watch March madness all night.

With basketball and classes wrapping up within the next few weeks, I look forward to catching up on some sleep, as well as getting back into a normal routine to finish out the year.