Top 5 Things I Will Miss About Spain #1

After what seems like forever, I finally decided to finish posting my Top 5 Things I will miss from Spain. Trust me there were few. Of course the shopping was amazing and the food and culture; but what would I have done without my Girls. My American Chicas that is. Living in a foreign country can be a lonely time, especially being a pro volleyball player. Imagine traveling to another country far far away from your loved ones and friends, or just simple familiarity. You barely speak the language. Your stomach is not getting used to the different food served. Your teammates and coaches don't really understand your culture and you are struggling with theirs. It can be very cold. Fortunately, I have been on teams with other Americans or English speaking people. So it has not been bad. But I feel it is always good to be able to unwind and just chill with someone who will not think different of you. Don't believe me? Ask my friend Shonda, who spent 7 months in Spain with not one American.

I am in no way saying that one should reject meeting other people and learning more about their way of life. All I am saying is that its good to just scream hey to another Yankee you see across the pond. So my top thing I will miss about Spain are the relationships and fun times I made and spent with my American friends: Lindsay, Tina, Kerri, Stefani, Nay & Ashley.

Lindsay, my roommate was a God send. She is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met and definitely a great cook. The only reason why I didn't starve was because she feed me the most delicious food. Not to mention she is a baller on the court. One of the only non-black girls that can out jump me. On the court we could communicate to each other and she really helped me out with my Spanish. Most of the time we realized we both were thinking the same thing about our team. It was along the lines of, "this is crazy." LOL Through it all I believe we got each other through a very rough season. I want to believe she was reserved, but I found out one night in a certain spot on the beach with a certain apparatus, that she was not. Oh the good times of no heat, no Internet, no money, and Spanish class with the greatest British women ever. Great Times Jimmy!

Lindsay & I geeked up!

Tina Martin, a lefty from Wisconsin and pretty much the heart of the Benidorm team. This girl never gives up on any ball no matter how impossible it might be to recover. Too bad her team didn't have that same attitude, but hey, that is just my opinion. Off the court Tina is so sweet and a great listener. I don't know how many times I had to go to her and bare my soul to her because volleyball was driving me insane. Oh yeah... she also had an amazing bed that I wanted to steal! So much better then my twin sized mattresses. She was always down for a good time, whether it was going to the "Moroccan ghetto" to buy cheap boxes of wine to make Sangria, or shopping downtown Benidorm or trying to hook it up with Tomas :D. She also has a good ear for music that I can agree on all the time.

Tina & I at Beachcomber

We all need that resident party girl friend. You know, the one that is always down to stay at the club just a little bit longer. And that usually turns out to be hours later. Kerri is that girl, God bless her. Oh and if you needed something to wear. Raid her closet. I dunno how she got all those clothes there or back home to the US, but I did enjoy wearing them. On the court she is a feisty middle and team leader always there to give her team an emotional boost if needed. Even though Kerri left early and we missed her dearly, she was never forgotten. I especially remember the day we decided to go to the beach on the worst day possible and it rained cats and dogs. Best Time Ever!

Kerri & I on my homeless day at the beach

When I found out another American player would be joining our team, I was a little confused and angered. Only because it meant one of the foreign players would have to sit out each game and I just knew it would be me. Well it wasn't, but when Nay joined our team I said to myself, "Oh lawd, they then sent a Saints fan." Being a avid, bleed blue Colts enthusiast, I just knew this was not fate, but evil working. LOL Unfortunately I had to watch my beloved Colts lose to her Saints in the Super Bowl in front of like 15 members of her family. Talk about crushed! Its all good, because the combo of Nay, Lindsay and I was an undeniable force in Finestrat. Well at least we liked to think it was. Everyone on the team had formed their cliques and alliances and now we were one. I'd like to say, Nay brought a certain amount of flavor to the crew. Not to mention she said things out loud that Lindsay and I would never say.

Nay & I at the club

Ashley Woods or you may know her as Rosetta Stone joined the group late, but still was down for the fun, chaotic and dance crazed nights in British Square. Also a lefty out UMiami, she really came and helped Benidorm out a lot. Helped them stay in the league actually. The perfect addition to our fierce crew, she fit right in and even got us some champagne and VIP treatment at the club. Not to mention she had my back when it was time to stomp some little girls down who didn't know their place.

Woods, Lindsay, Tina & I before heading out

In the end, we bonded like only Americans in a foreign place could.... over Sangria, Kebab & Moroccans (lol). I know one thing is true... this season in Spain would not have been bearable at all with out a lil taste of home to chill out and relax with. Thanks Girls!