Since it was just Valentines Day two days ago I think its fitting to write about my friends. Not only is it fitting because I don’t have a significant other but because I personally think Valentines Day isnt only about the love between you and your lover. I think it is about being loved and celebrating with others that make you feel loved. You may only think that I think this because I don’t have a lover, yes that’s probably true but until then I am sticking to this.

So my friends, let me tell you about my girls. I have ALWAYS wanted to be friends with basketball players. I never had the opportunity to befriend one of the basketball girls at Gonzaga but here I had no choice, but its the only choice I would ever want. Lol. I sound like a fan girl. But I just think basketball is so cool. I think its just the most swaggy sport ever and if I had the chance to be good at another sport other than golf I would choose basketball.

Okay so my friends Nyasha and Randy, aka Nee and Butta. I am so glad I get to experience this journey abroad with the both of them. They are so kind to me and mean to me when its necessary. Haha. I think that’s necessary in a real friendship, people who will tell you how it is when its needed is a real friend. On my end I definitely don’t do it enough because there isnt much to complain about or much to call them out on.

Nyasha has a particular and contagious laugh and I sometimes give her the side eye because I feel like it just comes out of nowhere. Im like girl what the heck are you laughing about? She is just so spontaneous and is down for whatever that is crazy. I love Nee because I know that I can go to her to help me with anything, because she went to Yale, duh, so you know shes smart as hell but because she is easy to get along with and shes always willing to give a hand with anything. Okay Ran Butta. She is definitely something different. I ALWAYS give her the side eye because she is crazy. I have learned a lot from Butta, especially about all things that has derived from Chicago like music and new dance moves that I will definitely bring out the next time Im on the dance floor. But other than that she is just great. She makes me want to be a better person, always calling me out on my judgments and when Im not being nice. Last but not least, don’t go shopping with Butta because she will make you buy that jacket you have been contemplating, but that’s just it, Randy helps you live in the now, if you want to do it, do it, because why not? Life is about living in the moment.

I’ll talk about the boys later because they deserve their own blog. But I love them all too.

So this Valentines Day was just like any other day. Yes we watched the steamy 50 Shades Darker but it was just like the day before. I got to spend the day with the ones that I have come to love and cherish. So go out and be with the ones that make you the happiest because happiness is contagious.

A time has finally come to ditch the sneakers and sweatpants and get all dressed up for the night. My life has become so busy lately with playing basketball, coaching basketball, and let’s not forget getting my masters. On a night when I have off, I usually like to just chill-out and relax. Motivation has been low to leave my bed on these colder February nights. Business Ball was right around the corner. It is a formal dance that is just for the business students at CIT. I generally love getting dressed up and going to things like this, but as I said motivation was low. However, sometimes all you need is a friend to send you a text that says “You are coming with me, NO EXCUSES!!” to remind you that there are so many exciting experiences you miss out on if you just stay in your room. The fear of missing out mixed with happiness that came along with someone wanting me to go with them was all the motivation I needed to get my butt out of bed and onto the dance floor.

One of the coolest part of this whole situation is that my friend who invited me is from France. She too is studying abroad, and she introduced me to all of her friends before going to the dance. I knew only her before we left, and by the end of the night I had met people from the Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, and France. We may not have been able to understand each other the whole time, but we danced and laughed together and had a great time. I am so grateful to have made such an amazing friend who has encouraged me to embrace every opportunity that comes my way, and has allowed me to become friends with people from all over the world.

Merci, Lena!!

Classes have been going well. In my Ethical Business module we had to think of ways that businesses can organize themselves to help make a positive difference in the world. We used examples like Ecosia search engine which donates 80% of its profits to plant tress in underdeveloped countries as well as Tomms shoes who gives a pair of shoes to a child in need with every pair of Tomms that is sold. It was great to see influential businesses using their power for good. It reminded me a lot of Sport Changes Life. I am proud to be part of an organization with such a business model that is designed to help others and promote a positive change in the world.

Hi all, I have a lot of different things to talk about in this blog post. Hope you all enjoy!

First, after waiting patiently all year for the infamous rainy Irish weather to come, I got the foreboding sense that it has indeed arrived. We've definitely been spoiled with a real mild fall and winter, with hardly any rain, but the past two weeks it has rained nearly every day. They always say in Ireland you can experience all four seasons in one day. That has definitely been the case lately! I go from being thrilled living out here because the sun is shining and the weather is way nicer than back home to then, a half hour later being frustrated that it is pouring rain, cold and dreary. I think I am just starting to not let it bother me anymore haha. To make matters worse, it's a good ten-minute walk to school/ gym and getting stuck in the torrential rain every day last week was not fun at all. You'd think I'd learn to bring an umbrella with me…nope! It can really put a damper on your day…

Also, over the past two weeks and for the next upcoming weeks Jack and I have a ton of coaching booked. It's good to see that teams or clubs throughout the area want us to come and run a training or practice session. It means the word is out that we are doing something beneficial. With that said, coaching and teaching kids out here is definitely making a positive impact. While that is great, I've learned that a more impactful way is for us to teach their coaches more about the game. Many of the coaches we run into out here have a very limited understanding of the game; a large majority only coach because their kid is on the team. So to teach them the proper way to do things will, in turn, hopefully, spread that knowledge to kids, all ages, throughout the area. We are limited in how big of a footprint we can leave, there are a ton of teams and clubs in the area so to spend a substantial amount of time with each would be impossible. Therefore, by giving coaches new drills and techniques, we can have a much larger range of influence. I think we have certainly passed on a lot of knowledge onto these kids and coaches, and hopefully, they take it and continue to build on it. What we give them is really the tip of the iceberg, so hopefully, Letterkenny has Victory Scholars next year to help further develop it. 

Next, it's early February now. A bittersweet time, football season comes to an end, but we are one step closer to Spring. Therefore, this past weekend was Super Bowl Sunday, back home it's nearly a holiday. However, out here in rural Letterkenny only a few people will watch it. It wouldn't be showed on TVs anywhere in town so Jack and I decided we had to come up with our own setup. Well that we did! We absolutely crushed it, to say the least. We went out and bought a ton of football food: burgers, hotdogs, fries, chicken, etc. Then, we borrowed our neighbor's big HD TV for the night and hooked it up to our laptop NFL Live stream. We stayed up for the whole game which ended around 4 am. It was a little weird not having a ton of people around watching the biggest game of the year but we definitely made the best of it. It was a great time. The only bad part was my first day of my internship was the next morning… 

I'll talk more about that in my next blog so stay tuned!

Moving to a new country for an entire year will force a person to learn a lot about themselves. The classic depiction of kids’ learning experiences abroad is often found on social media as a picture and a quote of something along the lines of “omg X country is amazing! The culture and people are so much better than home! I want to stay here forever!” or “throwback to when I was in X country! It changed my life! Take me back!” For all of those cliché posts about how much one country changed a young person’s life, I’m here to tell you my story and how my life has actually been changed by one learning experience in particular. It all starts with my love of food.

 

Anyone who knows me knows that I can eat like a horse. My mom always makes the joke that when I was baby, the only three things I did were nap, smile, and eat and that to this day I still only do those three things. While she hopefully doesn’t believe the latter part of that joke, the former is definitely true. It got the point where our neighbors back in Philadelphia used to complain when I came over their house because I would eat all of their food. To this day, I don’t feel bad about it for a second. A growing kid has to eat. Fast forward 23 years and I’m living in Ireland with the same eating habits, but this time there’s no option to eat a neighbor’s food… Rut roe (Scooby Doo voice).

 

In fairness to myself, I did cook a little bit in college but only the most basic meals. Even then, I only lived two hours from home which meant I’d be able to return home often enough and bring back food that would last a while. This year, that all changed. I was faced with the choice of either eating blandly cooked food for 10 months or learning how to become my own personal chef. I’m six months into accepting the challenge, and it’s going swimmingly. Besides a few mishaps here and there, I’ve been able to expand my cooking horizons by adding foods like baked beans, golden potatoes, and all types of vegetables into my dinners. For breakfast, I’ll touch up my eggs with a little avocado to along with pancakes/a bagel and granola with Greek yogurt. Lunches consist of turkey or tuna with avocado and chips. The key is to change it up every now and then but stick with the core courses, in case you wanted advice from a 23-year old self-proclaimed chef.

 

My new found hobby may do a little more damage to the old bank account but the feeling of a satisfied stomach is priceless.

Oh yeah, we know what time of the year it is, do you? That’s right, its Super Bowl weekend!!! Needless to say, we will be staying up to watch the game! We are having our own little party with some other Americans that are living here at Ulster. We even had a couple Germans come and watch the game as well. That should be interesting. But hopefully we are in store for a great game. My bet is on Atlanta. I’m tired if these Patriot “fans”! It’s time for the underdog to win here. But now to the actual game itself.  It’s a sad day… Atlanta blew the game in the second half. Everyone was so happy except for us Falcon supporters. At least the food was good, right? That’s a victory in itself. But I can’t complain, I’m a Bears fan. We don’t even know that the Super Bowl looks like.

This year has been an absolutely struggle for our national league team, between getting enough guys for games to competing at the high level necessary to be successful in this league. Wins have been hard to come by for our squad, which is exactly why this Saturday was so huge for us.

We returned home this week for a matchup with the extremely talented Sligo All-Star team, who was fresh off a tough loss in the National Cup last week. We had 9 guys for the game, which was a good start for our team. I am so proud of the way we battled, playing with composure and heart the entire game. We came out on top 85-79 after a long, hard 40 minutes. This was just what the team needed heading into the final weeks of the season.

This win wasn’t just huge for the team, it was crucial for myself individually. The last few games I had been struggling heavily, whether it was my poor shooting, battling through an ankle injury, or whatever the case, I have not been myself these last few games. However, Saturday was a bounce back game for myself as well. I was finally able to hit some shots, putting up 41 in this critical game for us, and that made the win feel that much better.

Battling through adversity is no new feeling to me, but for some reason this game was extremely uplifting for my confidence and self belief. And once again, it shows that rough spells happen to everyone, but through hard work and dedication, you can always bounce back, and come up big when you’re needed the most.

Next week we return home again for a matchup with the Dublin Lions, hopefully we can keep the streak going!!

Go ITC!!

This past week the IT Carlow men’s and women’s basketball had a home match with Galway. Supposedly this is a huge matchup in the south, year in and year out, most of the time battling for the division title in the College league. This year was no different, as Galway came to our place 3-0 in conference, taking on our IT Carlow team who was undefeated as well.

The hype around the game was tremendous, as well as the large group of fans and supporters that turned up for the game. Right from the jump, the intensity was unbelievable, as we battled back and forth for the entirety of the game. We went into halftime down 6 points on our home floor, in a very exciting half of basketball. Unfortunately we came up short in the end, but this was exactly what the team, as well as myself needed.

It had been a while since I was part of a game of this intensity. For 40 minutes both teams battled, and left everything on the court. Both teams were extremely talented, and took turns executing and exchanging blows. It reminded me of college basketball back home, not a single weak link on the court, and every mistake was magnified. Like I mentioned we fell short in the end, but it was a pleasure to be part of this game.

Finishing 3-1 in conference play has landed us with the 2nd seed, and now we get a matchup with the powerhouse in the north division, Griffith College. This will be another intense matchup in a few weeks, and hopefully we can secure a spot in the finals with a win. But overall, our college team needed this test, and I am extremely pleased with the direction the team is heading in, and we will be a force to be reckoned with come Varsities in April!

This week was another relatively slow week in Carlow, mainly because of the break in national league games and practice. Aside from class and coaching, I had a ton of free time on my hands, so I decided to go check out the IT Carlow Hurling team.

I have become very close with a kid in my class named Kevin Kelly, who plays for the Carlow hurling team along with the Kilkenny team that played in the All-Ireland Final a few months back. I had been meaning to get out and see them play, but because of how their schedule worked out, there weren’t many home games on the schedule. But I finally got that opportunity on Wednesday. It was hard to get a sense of how the team was because of how humble Kev is, only hearing from Kojack and our Director of Sport how good they were. Kev also failed to mention that Kilkenny is practical a cult of fantastic hurlers, who are a huge deal in Ireland. So once again I had to find out from an outside source that he is actually one of the best hurlers in the country….

So I get out to the field to experience the game for the first time, and let me tell you it is nothing like anything back home. There are about 20 guys out on the field running around with these wooden sticks, NO PADS, and essentially beating the crap out of each other for this little baseball shaped ball. Thank God I had a few teammates with me to explain what was going on, because I was absolutely lost. Carlow absolutely dominated the game, and unfortunately Kev’s time was cut short due to a lingering hamstring injury, but it was still great to see him play.

The next day in class, Kev walks in and asks what I thought of the game, and I said there isn’t an amount of money in this world you could pay me to play that sport!!! But overall it was a great experience, and Carlow hurling gained a huge fan!! Best of luck to the guys net week!

Regular season games for the WIT college team have come to a bittersweet end this past week. We took down University of Limerick on Monday night and it was another great game to be a part of. The college games are a lot of fun to play and we all love Jim as our coach. We moved to 5-0 on the season, which puts us in the best position for Varsities the first weekend of April. Our next game is the Cup Semi-Final on the 22nd against DCU and fellow Victory Scholar, Sarah! It’s always nice to see another Victory Scholar and we usually get to eat together after the games. This will be one of our more challenging games and it’s always nice to have some friendly competition. The winner moves on to play in the final that takes place in Dublin in about two weeks. Last year, WIT won it all so we are striving to keep up the tradition. Regardless of the result on Wednesday, I am so grateful and lucky to have played with my lovely teammates. I just want to say thank you to them and to Jim for welcoming us in with open arms. Playing for WIT has been an honor and we hope to make them proud!

Yesterday (Saturday), my sister and her friend officially made it to Limerick. They landed bright and early, so we got an early jump to the day and onto the festivities of the week. I was able to show them all around the city of Limerick, as well as take them to the one and only, Limerick ‘Milk Market’, which is one my favorite places to be on a Saturday. At night, we decided to go to this restaurant called ‘The Locke Bar’ (if you are ever in Limerick, you must go there), which has some of the best wings you will ever taste, and great traditional live Irish music. This was a great way to break them into the culture and get them ready for the upcoming week.

 

Today, the girls got to experience me coach the 14 and under boy’s team, as well as play in a rivalry game vs the Limerick Lions. Although we came up short at the end of the game I coached, we were able to get a huge victory over the Lions, and give them their first loss of the season. This was one of the first games my sister has seen me play since college (In America), so I was very happy she was able to see me play, and for us to get the victory. I look forward to traveling and site-seeing with them one or two days this week, as they are very excited about going to different places.

 

Currently back home in America, there are some big birthdays that have recently occurred and are upcoming in the next few days. First off, yesterday my girlfriend Tara turned 23, so she is the first person I’m sending a shout-out too. Although, I have always been told, ‘’Nobody likes you like when your 23’’. The other person I likely to recognize is my amazing Grandmother who is turning 85 years old on Monday, and man I can truly say ‘’85 never looked so good’’. She has been one of the most special and influential people in my life, and continues to be today. I have been fortunate and blessed to have both of these great people visit me in Ireland, all great memories I won’t ever forget. So happy birthday to these two special people, they deserve to have the greatest of days.

 

This week will be an eventful, and fun-filled one that I look forward to sharing next week.

 

DB.

It has been a nice break having two weeks off, and getting to celebrate Neptune’s sweep in the Cup Finals. However, I have been craving a game ever since our last (which happened to be a WIN!!). There is nothing better than getting to play a game after a long time, especially when it is against another scholar. There are not many people I know here, and yes as my time goes on I have been fortunate enough to meet really great people, but it is always so much fun to see a friendly face at one of your matches. The scholars have become a part of my Irish family, and it is crazy to think that in less than a year I have gained 22 new family members. This is something I will forever be grateful for.

This weekend, I get to play against the lovely Sarah Fairbanks. Sarah and I bonded right from the start, and our love for donuts has sealed the deal on our life long friendship. Sarah is not only super sweet, but is also a beast on the court and so I knew that it was going to be a fun weekend. We did not only play against each other, but we tried to be adults…aka cook a meal that consisted of more than peanut butter and jelly. We also drank tea like the Irish do, and laughed our way around Cork. All of us scholars are engaging in this wonderful program, but are all in different locations experiencing different situations. It is so good catching up and getting advice from one another who is going through something similar as you. 

Unfortunately, on the court it was a rough weekend for Brunell and DCU ended up beating us. Losing of course stunk, but what was cool is that after the game I was no longer just a competitor but was back to being her friend. Basketball is more than just a sport, but is a way to bring people together. It builds life-long friendships through people who may have never crossed paths without it. I truly believe that everyone you meet in life comes into your life for a reason; to help you become a better you.

So a shout out to basketball and the Sport Changes Life program for allowing me to extend my family by 22.

Hi, everyone! 

Picking up where I left off on my last blog. I landed in Dublin and headed back up to Letterkenny without any problems. It was definitely a long day of traveling. I think I am going to need to take it easy for a couple days! Moreover, I feel like I need to burn off all the Czech cuisine I devoured over the weekend haha!

Anyway, I was going over my thoughts and it was a kind of cool feeling that came across me. That feeling occurred when I got back to Ireland, it sort of felt like I was home. I am so comfortable with how everything is here that it feels like a second home to me, which is so cool because now I feel like I can return to Ireland whenever I want. Maybe it's next year or maybe it's 10 years from now, regardless I still think I would have this homelike feeling anytime I visit.

Furthermore, finally this week we are back to a normal school schedule. Since I am currently tired, physically and mentally from the trip, when writing this blog I began to think about the past couple weeks. From the time when I returned to Ireland from Christmas break, my sleep pattern has definitely been largely inconsistent. I am someone that likes to have some sort of structure when it comes to my sleep cycle. I find a huge difference in my energy levels between when I get into a normal cycle vs. when it fluctuates. I’m not sure if it’s a mental thing or not lol. Anyways, I had jet lag for a week I think, then I was staying up late watching NBA/NFL games because I had no early morning class, then I went to Prague, and as a result, I have been sleeping in because I really had no morning commitments. I really didn't like the routine, I felt so unproductive. So finally with school starting back up, it will force me to get to sleep at a good hour and wake up early! I'm just trying to prepare myself for the working world! As long as I get up early I feel like I'll have a productive day!

Next, I have always found the beginning of a new semester to be a little stressful and daunting. When teachers hand out the syllabus and you see all the assignments that are due by the end of the term I cringe.  I must say that it is only time I feel stressed throughout the year. Once I get rolling it is smooth sailing for me! Therefore, I just got to get through the next week. Hopefully, the assignments won’t look too rough so I can enjoy the rest of my time here to the best of my abilities!

One last thing I wanted to mention. I have never listened to podcasts before, but Jack recommended that they were good to listen to so I recently gave it a shot. I must say I love them; they are perfect for people when traveling. I like to throw a couple on whenever I am on the road going somewhere. You learn a lot and it makes the time pass quickly. I strongly recommend them! That’s my self-improvement tip for you right there!

This blog was a bit of a blend of everything… I hope you liked it. 

Stay tuned!

              Each coaching session I am a part of here in Ireland I try my best to put myself in the shoes of those I am coaching. This is not a tall task as I once stood in the place of many of the youngsters I am around today. That place may not have been in Ireland and may have been in a more developed program but at one point in my life I too was a 12, 13, 14 year old kid with basketball dreams as big as my mind would allow. While trying to see things from the perspective of my players is an attempt to better understand those I coach, it is also an opportunity for me to reflect on my own personal journey. When I see these kids working on certain moves or the mechanics of their shot or even talking about their upcoming secondary school exams, it provides me with a realization of how far I have come as a basketball player and person. It feels like just yesterday I was in their shoes, worrying about my next high school game or whose house we were going to hang out at after school. With the blink of an eye it feels like 10 years has passed. This is when I am reminded of a very important quote:

 

“The days are long but the years are short.”

 

              At first thought it seems like the last decade of my life has sped by, but when I look back on everything I have done over that span, both good and bad, I realize that those years were anything but short. We as a people often are so caught up in our daily lives and short term goals that when we take a step back and look at our surroundings, years have gone by seemingly unnoticed. Time as a concept is infinite, but when applied to the individual it is very much finite. We all only have so many days, years and months in this world, but I truly believe that a person’s life is not defined by the amount of years lived but rather the amount of life within those years. We try a plethora of ways to apply a bit of predictably within our lives, but our lives, by nature, are unpredictable. Regardless of how much you plan and schedule your life, unexpected occurrences will always happen. So instead of constantly working towards some future status, being so focused on the next task ahead that when you look up from it you are 20, 30, 40 years older than you were, take the time to reflect on the life you are living. Not knowing how much sand is left in the hourglass of your life should be all the motivation we need to pack as much value and experience into each day we are blessed to live. This does not mean that you have to go parachute out of a plane or bungee jump tomorrow to get the most out of the day, it simply means that whatever your day is filled with, take the time to appreciate  and reflect upon it, because you never know when it may be your last.  

Being in Galway for the past 5 ½ months has allowed me to experience a new way of living. Coming from the Philadelphia area, I’m used to living near a big city with millions of people. While this has its benefits, there are also certain aspects of life you don’t get to appreciate. For instance, at home, I have to drive if I want to go somewhere. In Galway, the farthest travel I could possibly have would be a 10-minute bike ride to the other side of town. At home, a night out means going into the city and picking one particular spot since everything is so spread out. In Galway, it’s a short walk to the center of town and all of the spots are within minutes of each other. At home, taking a break from the city means driving at least 45 minutes to the suburbs. In Galway, to get out of the “city” it’s only a short bike ride before you hit the countryside where you can enjoy the mountainous view. It’s been a nice change of pace.

 

Along with the small town feel comes the close-knit community. It seems like every time I walk around town, I run into someone I know and they’re always wanting to stop and chat. Comparing this to the rat-race lifestyle you find in the northeast part of the states, it’s been refreshing. Everything moves much slower here and you’re afforded the time to appreciate the little things. My hope is that when I head back to the states in May, I take the small town way of life from Galway and infuse it in my daily life at home.

 

There’s something to be said about promoting a close-knit community and giving people the time of day. Experiencing that is one of the many reasons I’ve treasured my time over here.

Let me first congratulate my DCU Mercy under 20s team for winning the National Cup a few weekends ago (our 18s also won!)! They were so awesome. I keep telling everyone that they made my job pretty easy—they are a very talented group, are good kids, and are very unselfish players. Those are some true blessings to have as a coach.

This past weekend was super fun. I had coaching on Saturday morning like I always do, and rode my bike there and back (yay me). I’m really trying to execute these New Year’s resolutions! I then packed my things to catch a bus down to Cork later that evening to visit fellow scholar Maddi (Mad-Dog) Ward. My team also played her team the next day, so we decided to make a little weekend trip out of it. It was so nice to catch up with her and share some laughs. My team played great on Sunday and we went home to Dublin with a win 🙂 

To watch the SuperBowl (yes, people care about it here, surprisingly!), I met up with some classmates in town for a little bit, then hung out with fellow scholar Kelsey later on. It was so nice to be celebrating something so American and have the Irish so into it as well. I (regretably) did not watch the second half and overtime, but by that time it was about 3 am Irish time. I definitely missed being at a typical American SuperBowl party though! I missed the wings, chips and dip, baked goods, wings, any and every snack food, comfy seating, big TVs, and the commercials! The commercials didn’t play here since the game was being streamed by a different network!!!! So sad, right?!?! It’s okay, I’ll get over it 🙂 

Good times and good company.    

My house decided to throw a Super Bowl Sunday party. We invited everyone we knew to come over. We only had one rule… must bring a food dish to the party. I went the easy route and brought chicken tenders to the party (They went quickly). With the time difference the party didn’t start until almost midnight.

 

In total, we had close to 35 people come to the party. It was a good craic. I was only one of three people who was rooting for the Patriots. I’m a fan of Tom Brady and wanted to continue to see him do well. I was very quiet most of the game and had a lot of trash talk thrown at me…

 

But, I had the last laugh to end the day. Most of the party left before the 4th quarter started because it was really late (2AM). I stayed up with a couple of friends and we watched until the end. I’m glad I was able to witness the greatest comeback in Super Bowl History. I decided instead of talking trash to everyone who doubted my decision to support the Patriots I kept it quiet. I just simply shared that I wasn’t worried and I knew Tom Brady wouldn’t let me down. Another plus was that it was great to watch American TV commercials again. You don’t realize it until you’re gone but it’s the little things that you miss the most.

It’s a Thursday afternoon when my phone rings. Who could it be???

None other than our Irish mum, Jillian! Surprised to be receiving a call from her at that time, I answered the phone to see what this was all about.

“Heya are ye at your dorm?,” she asked.

“Hey Jillian! Yes I am,” I replied back.

She then proceeded to ask that I come downstairs because she has something for both me and DaLacy.

Excited, I threw on my raincoat, because you never know when a torrential downpour may occur, and ran down the stairs of the dorms to her car.

At first glance, I could see her laughing at me for wearing my raincoat. When I approached her window, she yelled “Happy America Day!” and shoved a whole bunch of goodies (as pictured) into my arms. I couldn’t help but have the biggest kid smile on my face and thanked her so much for the splendid surprise. I asked her how we got so lucky for these sweets and she went on to tell me the story (haha oh how the Irish love stories). She was in Tesco (a common grocery store) and she noticed a new aisle full of “American” goods. So she grabbed a few things to make us feel a little bit closer to home. How thoughtful was that! We are very lucky out here in Waterford to have so many people surrounding us that go above and beyond to make sure we are happy and cared for. Thank you so much Jillian. It’s things like this that create the sweetest memories.

Kelsey and I started our new group of Sunday morning coaching sessions this week. These sessions are set aside for any girls in the weekly school programs who hope to have more experience and training. Since it is a smaller group of people, we were able to give more one-on-one skill advice, which was nice! One of the players told us that one of the school classes did not receive the flyers from their principal for the sessions. She felt so bad for the class that she and her mom have committed to visit every class to make sure their parents receive the flyer so the kids don't miss out! It is so rewarding to know that the kids have so much fun and value the time they have playing basketball with their peers!

So in a little less than a week from today, I will have some visitors from home coming to Limerick. My sister, Megan, and her friend Alyssa are coming to visit next week and are flying into Ireland on Saturday morning. I am really looking forward to this, as the last few weeks have been busy, hectic, and a little stressful. It will be great to spend some time with people from home and to show them a little bit about how I have been living for the past few months.

 

There are a lot of things happening next week as well in terms of basketball, and coaching; which will give the girls a chance to see a bunch of games and get a little insight into Irish basketball. Aside from the basketball, I know the girls will be interested in traveling a lot and seeing different parts of the country, which is a must considering the great things the country has to offer. I have encouraged them to see as much as they can in the 8 days they will be here, as who knows if they will ever get the opportunity to come back.

 

The one thing that I have been able to take so far with having people come visit so far, is to truly enjoy the experience with them and make every day count. Making great memories and having great experiences to talk about in the future is something that is often taken for granted. Memories are something that last a lifetime, and being able to make them with people you really care about is invaluable.

 

I look forward to keeping you updated on when the girls arrive and how we decide to kick off next weekend!

 

DB

 

Hi, guys!

I hope you all are enjoying the blogs I have put up so far! I apologize this is a long one, but a good one I promise!

As I mentioned in the last blog, I decided to take a "wee" trip to Prague to see my old teammate from the University of the Sciences, Garret, play professional basketball. As I write this I am sitting at the airport in Prague to head back to Dublin.

To recap the trip, I'll start at the very beginning. First, I want to mention that being in Letterkenny makes it a little bit of an obstacle to get to the Dublin Airport. It is a three-hour bus ride. Also, I must admit that I don't like cutting it close when it comes to travel. I always get anxiety that I will miss the flight or something. So I like to leave a little room in case something happens. Anyway, being so far away plus my travel anxiety required me to get up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the 5:00 a.m. bus to the airport. Luckily, everything started smooth. I got to the airport with plenty of time, actually way too early looking back. Then, I boarded and landed in Prague with no problems. The scenery was definitely strange when I was landing. I was so used to the green landscape and mild weather in Ireland, but when the flight landed there it was white snow everywhere and it was freezing! I knew it was going to be cold, but man not like that!

Furthermore, I caught the shuttle from the airport to the train station. This is where it started to get a little sketchy for me, or so I thought. I didn’t know a single word of the Czech language, not even how to say hello haha! (In hindsight I should have done a little research on that) Also, I have obviously never been there so I was very unfamiliar with the territory. So I had to get from Prague to a small town called Kolin, where my buddy lives and plays, which is situated 35 minutes outside Prague by train. I was trying to figure out how to read the train schedule, I finally found the next train stopping in Kolin and got a ticket. The only thing is I didn't realize it was fast approaching, I only had a couple minutes to find the platform it was on. I ran through the station and found the platform just in time. I got on. Disaster averted. Once on the train, I began getting a nervous feeling, thinking what the heck would happen if I got on the wrong train haha! I wasn't seeing the name Kolin show up on the upcoming stops. However, it all worked out, a HUGE sigh of relief came across when I saw Kolin station outside! I met my buddy outside the station. I definitely felt a big weight being lifted off my shoulders once I met up with him.

The next couple days in Kolin were great. I got to see one of his practices; we went out to eat a bunch of times and just really had a good time.

On the second day, I decided to take a train down to Prague to explore more of the city while he had practice. It was fantastic. The sun was shining and I was able to walk around and hit all the main attractions the city had to offer. I was really blown away at how beautiful Prague was, it is definitely one of the nicest cities I have ever been to. After having some delicious Trdelnik and hitting the Charles Bridge, the astronomical clock tower, Prague Castle, and St. Vitus Cathedral, I capped it off with a nice cup of hot chocolate in a little café overlooking the entire city. Since I was by myself a lot of thoughts were going through my head. I just kept thinking about how lucky I am to be here. All that hard work on the court and in the classroom has taken me places I never thought I would go!

In addition, I got to catch one of Garret’s games. It too was awesome. I definitely miss playing with him, but it was great to see him doing well and still playing at a really high level.

After the game, we went back down to Prague and stayed in the city for a couple more nights. Overall, it was a blast, we definitely have some great stories for a while!

Lastly, aside from being great fun, it was a great learning experience going to a different country on my own, it definitely taught me a lot! I look forward to doing it again!

In addition, I got to catch one of Garret’s games. It too was awesome. I definitely miss playing with that guy! It was great to see him doing well and still playing at a really high level.

After the game, we went down to Prague and stayed in the city for a couple more nights. Overall, it was a blast, we definitely have some got great stories for a while! I hope to get back if I can!

Lastly, aside from being great fun, it was a great learning experience going to a different country on my own, it definitely taught me a lot!

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FOMO

noun informal

anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.

 

FOMO, the hardest part about living in another country. So far, I've missed my very best friend’s wedding, my little brother’s 6th birthday, Thanksgiving, my cousin’s going away party, and a ton of other events in my friend’s and family’s lives. Obviously, I'm here for the greater good and everyone understands that but that doesn't make it any easier. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a very emotional person. I always struggle with feeling guilty for not being there when my little brother gets a new belt in karate or my little sister’s college graduation. My coping mechanism has become hour long FaceTime videos and abstaining from social media on said days. I imagine how hard it must’ve been for my undergrad teammates who were from Sweden, New Zealand, and Serbia. Some of them didn't go home for years at a time because of basketball obligations.

That being said, I'd like to take this moment to acknowledge how much I've grown as a person. First off, I'm surviving without my parents (which still surprises me). I cook everyday. Which may not seem like a big deal but if you knew me before August 2016 then you’d know I can survive months on pop tarts, Gatorade, and hot pockets. I even grocery shop and take out the trash (kinda). I knew this time would come but I didn't think it’d be so soon. I'm only 22 years old, haha.

Fortunately, I got to spend a little over 2 weeks at home (New Jersey) with my family for the holidays. All I can say is.. WOW. It’s so easy to take for granted family and the comfort of a good home. I'm very close with my family but I did not expect to miss them so much. Being home was so refreshing. On the plane, I made a list of all the things I wanted to do, the people I had to see, and the foods I wanted to eat. In reality, I didn't even do anything exciting. The majority of the time I sat on the couch and just watched everyone go about their lives and that was enough for me. I missed the smells, the food, and the atmosphere. I kept looking at my calendar wishing that time would slow down so I could just stay a little longer. 

The highlight of my time home (besides being surrounded by good people) was the food. Everyday I made it my business to eat something I couldn't get while in Ireland. In retrospect, I can't believe I lasted so long without Cheesecake Factory and Chipotle but I certainly made up for the lost time while stateside. I wish I could've spent more time with my friends and family but unfortunately everyone’s lives didn't stop just because I was home. I'm grateful for my parents who did all they could to make sure I could be home for the holidays. Counting down the days until I see them again!

It’s A Small World After All

Grovetown, Georgia is where I am from. Unless you went to school in or around there, are from a military family, or already know someone who is from there, chances are it’s not a place that you’ve been to or heard of. Because of this, I just tell people I am from Augusta, which is the bigger city next door, so they have a better idea of where I come from. For people who haven’t even been to the United States, or aren’t familiar with Georgia, I have to tell them I live a couple hours from Atlanta to give them a good idea. Anyway, I said all that to say this….

There was a new club opening up not too far from where I stay here in Ireland so myself, a couple of my teammates, my coach, and Jason all went to help them run the first session. There were a lot of kids there so we all had a part in making sure the night went successful. After a few drills and some pictures, we stood around for a little bit talking to each other. Jason, who is a huge name in the basketball world in Ireland, asked me where I was from. I said oh I’m from Georgia (It’s easier than explaining what I just explained in the first paragraph). He said oh really what part? I said Augusta at first but then I said well, I am really from Grovetown but nobody knows where that is. He said “oh no kidding! I went to school at Augusta State!” I was in disbelief. Not only did he know exactly where I was from, but he went to school there himself.

We ended up talking about the team he played for, and turns out my mom was finishing her teaching degree at the same time he was playing there. I was in my sophomore year of high school, and the team he was a part of ended up making it to the championship game that year. I even asked my friend if he knew who Jason was and he said he remembered. There is also a girl who currently plays for the high school I went to (where my mom is now an assistant coach) whose dad is the coach at Augusta State so her father coached him and she remembered him as well. I always knew the world was a small place and people were connected in a number of different ways. My father was in the military and my sister’s best friend from Germany ended up moving around the corner from us In Georgia, but this completely blew my mind. Sport really does make the world seem even smaller, and it’s amazing how often you see how you and someone else are connected because of it. It never ceases to amaze me.

Three Days of Camp. A Lifetime of Impact

Sometimes people dread camp because it’s a string of long days with a LOT of kids running around yelling and jumping all over each other. While these three days were definitely filled with a lot of kids running around and jumping on each other, it wasn’t a three days that I dreaded by any means.

Coming back from Christmas break, my coach decided he was going to put on a camp for kids aged 7-16. It was going on from 10-3 over the course of three days and the expectation was that there was going to be a good amount of kids there. The children were still out of school and their parents had work. There also weren’t any other camps going on at the time, so the opportunity to get a large group together was perfect. The first day of camp started off with a bang. We got upwards of 40 kids there. They were a little shy at first, but as the day and week went on they started to open up as they got to know us better.

The first day was filled with a lot of stations, of which I had rebounding. I taught them how to get opposite when the shot went up and also taught them a little about boxing out. Rebounding isn’t the most luxurious thing to teach, but I’ve learned that if you make them laugh, you can get them to do almost anything you ask. The second day was a bit less station focused, but we mixed in mobility games to promote competition and exercise. The third day was mostly a continuation of the 3 on 3 tournament they started on day two. Also by the third day the campers were completely comfortable. They were making up songs and telling us jokes and it seemed as though they were really enjoying themselves.

I enjoy working camp because it gives you a chance to work with and impact a large number of children at one time. The smiles on their faces, being recognized around town, their excitement for the game, and their parents having a safe place to drop them off made the long days well worth it.

Lord Mayor of Belfast

Today I was sitting and thinking about how far I have come on this journey. I have grown as a person in so many ways and have added many dimensions to myself. One of my fondest memories though, is when I met the Lord Mayor of Belfast when I first got to Ireland. Now most people would remember having tea and having him talk to us about our opportunity, but the thing that stuck with me the most is when I got to take a picture with him. Not only did I get a photo by myself, but he also told me he liked my hair. I was on a high from that for the rest of the week!

Give it Everything You’ve Got

Pushing yourself mentally through something is often times more difficult than the physical pain that may come with completing a task. Your body will only go as far as your mind tells it to. The journey I have been on lately has been one of a mental challenge because it’s new territory. In college I didn’t play that many minutes. For whatever reason I just was not in the main rotation for most of my college career. Coming to Ireland has tested me on the court in a different way because I am now someone my team depends on for a lot of things. My defense has to be on point, my offense has to be together, and I have to find a way to encourage my teammates at the same time. I have never had to do that at a high level before.

One thing that has helped me through my latest challenge though is mentally preparing myself for things. I have to talk to myself and know that the body will do whatever the mind tells it to. For example, playing the whole game takes a toll on both your body and mind. In order to be prepared for that, I have had to train my body and mind differently than in the past. Before coming here I would never run more than a mile on the treadmill, but now, with the help of my teammates, I have been able to run for longer periods of time. Doing so required me telling myself that I am able to do so. It takes talking to yourself and pushing yourself past limits that have been set in the past. Is it easy? Absolutely not. But when people learn to coach themselves to a new level it adds value to life and for me, the game of basketball.

Endurance is key both on and off the court, and I am proud to say that the lessons I learn on one end of the ball have been transferable to the other end. Basketball, or sport in general, is that activity that can teach you a lot if you let it. You learn how to perform under pressure, encourage others, let someone else take the lead, take the lead yourself, and take instruction from someone else. Today in the game one of the youngest people on the team made a suggestion that led us to a couple of easy baskets. That’s just one example. I could have said that she was young and didn’t know what she was talking about, but instead, I have learned that good ideas can come from all over the place and often from places we least expect.

RIP

Today my uncle passed away. He was a man who stood six feet and six inches tall. He was the jack of all trades, and he was, and still is, loved by many. I met him once when I was little at a family reunion and I remember it like it was yesterday. After many years went by, he was always there in some way or another. From sending me text messages to ask about my college recruiting to commenting on my Facebook pictures to let me know how pretty I was or how proud he was. Even though he was miles and miles away, he always made sure people felt his presence.

Being in Ireland and chasing a dream or a vision or anything for that matter has caused a lot of people to miss a lot of significant events in their lives. I won’t be able to go with my dad to his brother’s funeral in a week’s time to show my respect. I won’t be able to thank my cousins for sharing such an amazing man with the rest of us, and I won’t be able to see the rest of my family and think back on all the good times we were able to share with him whether they be for just a little while or for long stretches of time.

I can sit and think about all the things I am missing out on, or I can do what I did today and reflect back on all the good things there is to think about. I can be like my uncle in so many ways. One of his greatest accomplishments was making the all decade team for his college team. I can take that spirit with me and channel it into my own games and play like the next day isn’t promised, because it isn’t. I can reach out to people whether it be through text message or Facebook or any other form of communication because you never know how your comment, post, or message might impact them. My uncle showed me that no matter how much or how often you talk to someone, you can always do a little something here and there to make on impact on them. I appreciate him for that because he always made his presence known.

One thing that connected us was basketball. It’s that universal language, and it was one of the things that got him in the door with me. It gave us something to talk about, and for that I am grateful.

There’s nothing we can do to bring back people who have gone on to be with the Lord, but we can take the good things they have taught us and apply them to our own lives. Thank you Uncle Lanky for teaching me lessons I didn’t even know you were teaching me. They are probably lessons you didn’t even know you were teaching yourself, but it’s stuck with me. I will tell my family I love them even more often than I do now. When I am thinking of someone I will send that text message, and I will continue to put others before myself.

You never know when your time will come to an end, so like my uncle Lawrence “Lanky” Wells Jr., I will make the best of the time I do have and ensure I continue to leave a lasting impact. Life is so short, but your spirit and how you make someone feel will live on forever. RIP Uncle Lanky.

My first week in Galway has been filled with a lot of rain, a lot of asking for directions, and a lot of walking around. My first Saturday here I had the opportunity to work with the Titan Academy and teach the young people there skill work. My sessions were filled with all different skills levels, focus, and attention to detail, and if it’s one thing I learned that day, it was how to balance many ranges of skill in one session. Sue, the woman who was helping me through my first training session, started things off so that I could get comfortable, but before I knew it, I was leading ball handling drills and running my own stations. The most memorable moment of the day is when I was putting some of the boys through defense and one on one drills. It was a little slow at first, but the more I got comfortable with them the more comfortable they got with me. By the end of the workout we were doing a one on one drill and I was yelling box out every other second. The parents and other helpers on the sideline were laughing at the intensity of the drill, and the boys were eager to box out so that they could get on offense. I was relieved to see such a positive reaction from the session I was running. Once the session was over, one of the other ladies helping out smiled at me and said she had a good time watching the workout and seeing how we interacted with each other while I was yelling box out. I think I speak for everyone when I say it was a great experience, and I look forward to seeing the skills we worked on carry over into the following weeks.

They’re interested in me too

Approaching winter break we all get really excited to be able to escape reality for a little while. People are gearing up to go on breaks, coaching slows down, everyone wants to invite you for lunch and coffee, and exams are quickly approaching just to name a few. On Fridays I coach a group of remarkable women who are refugees. They live in a house together with their children and other people in the similar situations. There are people who work with them to help them find jobs and places to live. I love working with them because they are so fun and resilient. They love to laugh and just come to basketball to get away for an hour every week.

Just like the rest of us, they took a break from basketball for winter break a couple of weeks before Christmas. As a thank you and a sendoff, they invited myself and the other coach, Cullen, for tea, coffee and scones. One of the women who helps transport them offered me a ride to the coffee shop and along the way I realized that they are just as interested in us and our journeys as we are in theirs. I think that when people meet you they are interested in where you’re from and what you have going on, but for fear of offending you they don’t really want to ask. Today was different though.

During the car ride the questions began to flow. She first asked me how I made it over to Ireland and then from that it seemed as if I could not answer her curiosities quick enough. During the course of the ride she apologized multiple times for her many questions, but it was actually refreshing have someone ask all these questions about me. She wanted to know about school, my family, more about basketball, how I ended up in Ireland, and what life was like before I came here. Although we are all similar in more ways than we think, being from different places adds a different dimension to the conversation. Basketball is what brought us together, but the experiences we bring to the table are what keeps things interesting.

Needless to say, we spent a good bit of time at the coffee shop talking to the refugee women and for a while we were just a group of people sharing a cup of tea and having a great time. You never know how your experiences will influence someone’s life and you never know what you might have in common with them until you engage in the conversation. We are all more alike than we are different, and that conversation I had with her impacted us both in ways we will remember forever.