Monday, August 17, 2009

Volleyball Madness....

Let me begin this blog entry by apologizing for my lack of entries. I’m working on it and one day I’m going to spend the whole day in the office uploading pictures since you all have been deprived and are super upset with me about that. Ok I know I’m terrible at remembering so I’m sorry!!!

 

But, randomly….I stopped by Amahoro (peace) Stadium on Tuesday because I was lost on the way to a Ministry of Education office to ask about financial aid for students (we’re working on a career counseling book….So I’m gathering resources). Anyways, after meeting a nice Ministry official who gave me a tour, I then met another guy who invited me to play volleyball with his club. With some mild trepidation, I said ok, but that I’m not good (I haven’t played competitively in over a year and am completely out of shape!) So, I should also mention that I am trying to get back into shape as well so I’ve been jogging in the mornings and ran 20 minutes in the morning (I know that’s entirely insignificant to you guys but I’m improving!) So, anyways, whatever.

 

 

Found the school gym and met some of the girls and started just bumping around.

And then I had that moment. That “Welcome to a country where you’re still learning the language and now you’ve volunteered yourself for an entirely tough practice in your third language” moment. As I write this now, I am still entirely sore and somehow my ribs hurt? (Probably due to the times that the coach would yell something and then the girls would drop down as would I a few seconds later… and do various sit ups or high jumps). Oh my gosh!

 

I ran laps for like 15 minutes, And then we ran sprints. And that was the warm up!? Oh dear lord. And we also did drills and what not (fine besides me being tired). But I have to learn how to get my timing down with actually spiking the ball b/c well I always played with boys in beach volleyball and so I’m not used to actually getting to swing. They were like “Murekatete, jump!” I just started laughing and was like, seriously how!?!?!?!?!? It was a 2 hour and 15 minute practice with no water. I’m totally not used to that!!

 

We ran suicides and played sprint games and also did a drill where I had to pass the ball over the net to the awaiting hands of someone else. Ermmmmm, seriously? I haven’t done anything athletic this entire time?! Then we also did a series of situps and awk push ups (where your butt is in the air but then you bend your arms…at this point I was way too tired to be able to do the real ones). Anyways, at the end we all had to add ab exercises to the circle. And I made everyone do yoga (downward dog to ashranga…talk about hilarious…oh dear lord!) Ha, but it was incredibly fun and I’m incredibly sore and exhausted and deserved to have lost about 3 pounds that day. So, that’s how I joined a club volleyball team (I only practice with them, not actually play games….I don’t think that I will have time with all I have to do in life. But anyways, c’est tout for now.

 

Au bientot.


Also---if someone wants to leave a comment, that'd be cool, b/c I have no idea if anyone actually reads any of these~