Sept. 3, 2007

It's the beginning of my second week in China and we are settling into a routine. Trips to Starbucks, watching DVDs, winning Scrabble games, and especially following NIU Soccer take up my free time.

On Friday I woke up at 5 a.m. to receive the good news of the Huskies' 1-0 victory over IUPUI. Sunday I got up even earlier, at 3 a.m. and was able to see that we tied Iowa 0-0. My roommate, Carli Lloyd, finds humor in my stress and excitement about happenings on the other side of the world. She doesn't understand that home and NIU are where my heart is!

Daily practices and high intensity training in extreme humidity diminish my energy for the rest of the day. I am told it happens a lot to the "over thirties"!

Traveling to and from training, even with a police escort, takes a long time. Traffic and driving are wild experiences! A representative from the U.S. Embassy spoke to us about safety and security in Shanghai and mentioned that while the crime rate is low, the death rate from traffic accidents is very high. CAUTION is the word when walking around the city, since some cars refuse to stop even when the "walk" crossing signal flashes.

We are over the jet lag, but the challenge this month for some of us is maintaining our weight. The food textures and flavors may cause a loss of appetite. The food is good - just different. For an athlete even a loss of five pounds makes a difference in one's ability to battle on the field with endurance. One has to make a conscious effort to maintain the correct calorie load for the day!

Sunday was fascinating! The streets were crowded with shoppers going to the many markets. Pearls seem to be quite popular here. In our hotel a mini-circus performance was taking place. One girl flipped another performer and caught her with her legs. It was a remarkable feat!

All is going well! We look forward to game-day, as it quickly approaches. Let's get this show on the road, and GO U.S.A.!!

Past Blog Entries
August 29