January 23rd-29th: Truro-London-Philadelphia-Richmond

So a surprise to many, I am writing this from a bus that is traveling from Richmond, Virginia to Wilmington, North Carolina. Yes, I have made it back to the United States safe and sound, and thankfully I have an American passport or I may not have been able to enter in the current state the country is in.
My week began as usual in Truro. On Monday and Tuesday I went to the gym, and then trained at Truro College. It wasn’t until Tuesday afternoon that I confirmed my departure from the club to return to the USA to pursue opportunities here. It was obviously very disappointing to have to leave Truro, but for the interests of my young career, I think it will be for the best. Tuesday evening I said my goodbyes and then took an overnight bus up to London, where I arrived early morning. I walked from the bus station to Buckingham Palace to say hello to Queen Elizabeth and then I met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen in 8 years. She now is living in London, so it was great to see her for a few hours before I left. I headed to Heathrow Airport via the tube and checked in smoothly. 

I flew Air India from Heathrow to Newark, although we departed nearly 2hrs late, we weren’t too late arriving into Newark. Thanks to my US passport, as I walked through customs, I got a “welcome home” from the officer. Always makes me laugh! I then took the train from Newark to Philadelphia. At the station, I met a German man who was studying at University of Auckland back home in New Zealand, so we had a great conversation to pass time during the trip. I arrived into Philadelphia greeted by a big hug and a familiar face, my Aunt Anne. We headed home to drop my things off and then headed to dinner. It was lovely to be reunited with family and have nice conversation for dinner. After dinner, I re-organized my bags, as much of my stuff is stored at Anne’s from my time at University.

After a good sleep, I had a productive morning before I got on my next train to Richmond, Virginia. The ride wasn’t too bad and I was picked up from the station. When I knew that I was coming to Richmond, I reached out to friends who might know someone with a spare bed or couch, and the return was amazing. A wonderful family offered me to stay in a house that was vacant for the weekend as they were away. It was great to have my own space to relax in during the weekend, I just had to put up with two cats which wasn’t too bad. Friday morning I went for a morning run before I stocked up on groceries for the next few days before I relaxed until the afternoon.

The whole reason why returned was to pursue some opportunities with football here in the USA. The first one was an invite to a trial for the Richmond Kickers in the USL. As it goes in America, open tryouts, although being invited, can be up and down. There was obviously a stronger group of players that seemed to be seriously looked at, and thankfully I was in that group. Whether or not they liked me or not as a player was up to them. Over the course of the 3 days, there was a fair bit of football played, and I was pleased with my performance. In these situations, there is only so much you can do, and now it is in the hands of the Kickers staff. One surprise from the weekend was that of an old teammate of mine from back in NZ was there. James had gone to University in the States, however we had played together back in 2011 for Canterbury United when we won the National Youth League. It was good to catch up with him and play alongside him one again.

So it has been a hectic week for me, in pursuit of new opportunities and the week ahead will be an interesting one as well. For now it is back to training hard and catching up with my friend in Myrtle Beach!

January 16th – 22nd: Truro

This week started with a busy day in the kitchen, meal prepping for the next few days so that after trainings, I wouldn’t have to make food. I also whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, always go down a treat.

I was in my regular training routine which has been great, especially training with the local college has been beneficial for both parties. I get extra technical training in, in an environment where development is the focus, so thats been great. I managed to get my regular sessions in at the gym too, and down at the local park as well, so it was a busy and productive training week for sure. Feeling as fit as I can be without playing 90min, which is now the focus for me. And on Friday, I enjoyed my yoga class as usual.

Little story of the week with a bit of drama on Thursday night. To get to training I had to get the bus from the caravan park into Truro to be picked up to then head up to Saltash for training. Zane was injured, so I headed down by myself to the bus early to make sure I caught one, and I took the exact amount that I would pay £2. The bus comes and I get on and say, “train station please”, for the driver to punch it in and say “thats £3 please”. Never, in the 3 months that I have been here has it been £3, and I told him that, but he punched it back in and it came back up as £3, so I took back my money and frustratingly walked back to the caravan, grabbed an extra pound, and headed back down to catch the next bus. Of course just as I was walking out of the caravan park, another bus came by, and I tried to wave it down in the dark to no avail. Frustration grew! Finally another bus came and I said the same thing, “train station please”, and the bus driver said, “thats £2 please”. I just had to laugh, and in my head, I had just saved a pound.

Saturday was game day and we were up early and on the bus by 8.30am. The longer we drove towards the pick up point for the other lads, the more games were getting called off for frozen pitches. It wasn’t until we got to Exeter, that we got word that it had been postponed, so we turned around and pretty much did a 5hr round trip bus ride for fun on Saturday morning. We got home and I headed down to the local park to get a good one hour session in to make sure my body still did the work needed and expected of on a game day. 

Sunday was a great day. I woke up and headed out for my Sunday run. I had it in my head where I wanted to go, and I knew it was far, but I wanted to do it. So I ran to Perranporth and back. Approximately 16miles, 25.6km return. It was a massive long run, but I spent 5-7min on the beach in Perranporth, just breathing in the fresh salty air. Perranporth has become one of my favorite spots in Cornwall, and so its nice that it isn’t too far away. There were times on the way back where I began to feel it in my legs, but it wasn’t too bad. In the afternoon, Deba, Jonesy, Zane and Myself enjoyed a couple games of tennis, and then we enjoyed some fresh scones and tea at the caravan later in the evening.

Thank the weather this week for clear days and a couple lovely sunsets!

 

January 9th -15th: Truro

I was finally back in my full routine this week. With the body feeling fit and strong, it has been good to continue to build on all aspects of myself. I got to the gym 4 times throughout the week, whether it was for my workout and interval run, or my body weight work out or yoga, I was there often and got a lot of good work in. On Monday and Tuesday, I was finally able to link up with Truro College academy team to get an extra two field sessions in. These are great because a lot of it is technical work, and most footballers know that there is always room for improvement technically, so I always take benefit from those trainings. I also managed to get my footwork/speed work/ball work sessions in down at the local park. As I have been told often, that my speed could be improved, I continue to focus on that. Training those fast twitch muscles to get faster. It will all be beneficial in the long run!

On Wednesday, it was Zanes birthday. I managed to bake a couple banana chocolate chip cakes for the occasion, and Mark’s Godmother, who he has been staying with invited us over for dinner. It was a wonderful evening with great food and a lot of conversation. They live on a farm, and having been raised on a farm myself, we sure had lots to talk about.

 

And we were treated to another meal on Thursday, as the supporter, John, that was taking us up to training that evening invited us over for a late afternoon meal before we headed up to training. A great meal as always, especially having that homely feel. After the meal we had some time before we left for training, so Mark pulled out the cards and we continued our card games, which by now we have amassed over 100 games I’m sure! As we drove to training, the weather was coming in. We knew it was supposed to snow a little further up country, however we were getting sleet and hail on the way up. Training was no different, wind, hail, sleet and snow. Made for a joyous time on the turf!

 

On Saturday, because we didn’t have a game due to our first round loss to Forest Green in the FA Trophy, I set out to train for 90min to make sure I still got enough training in to keep fitness levels high and stay sharp. It was a good long session, covering all the needs, and certainly had me blowing by the end. Saturday night gave us a chance to se what the nightlife was like in Truro. It certainly wasn’t anything too special, and was fairly different to what I have previously experienced in the USA. It was nice to get out at least finally after a long hard slog of a few months. Sunday was still productive with cleaning the caravan and my room, and of course, I managed to get a Sunday run in!

Sorry, no photos from this week

 

January 2nd – 8th: Truro

This week was full of goodbyes unfortunately, but the memories over the last couple weeks have been very special and I was so glad to have my mum and sister over to visit what has become my new home here in Cornwall.

The week began in Bristol where we explored the city a little more before dropping Michelle off at the train station for her to head home, and Mum and I got on the road back to Truro. Tuesday was the day where I really got back into my routine where I went to the gym in the morning, and we had team training in the evening. However during the day Mum, Zane and Myself headed over to Perranporth for lunch and a lovely beach walk with great winter weather. The sun was shining and the beach was just wonderful. Always a great escape to breath in fresh salty air and be by the ocean.

On Wednesday, Mum and I headed north to Plymouth. We found a nice place for lunch, before Rory and Carly met us for a chat and then showed us around a little bit. Rory was the one who brought me to England and got me the opportunity to play for Truro, so it was nice that Mum was able to thank him in person for what he has done for my career. It was the first time I had seen him since he was let go of his duties for Truro, and he seemed to be doing well which is great. Mum and I spent the afternoon exploring Plymouth, walking the Barbican, visiting The Hoe, and seeing the Mayflower Steps. It was a successful day, as well with the weather holding off. We were back in Truro in time to meet up with Ron and his wife who have taken care of me during my time here, and for the week were taking care of Mum. We headed to an award wining pub for a true English pub meal, which was lovely.

Thursday morning I was back in the gym early getting my training and workout done before Mum and I got in the car and headed a little south to the coast. Our first stop was Porthtowan and it was another stunning coastline. The diversity in the coastlines that we have seen in the last couple weeks has been amazing and this was no different. We walked on a cliff above the ocean and the views were spectacular, although a grey day. After a couple hours we were back in the little town to have lunch and figure out our next moved. Porthreath wasn’t too far away, so we headed there. It was a little disappointing to say the least as it looked to be a bit of an old run down port town that is no longer as active as it once was. That evening we had team training again. Training had been good this week and I felt like I was training well. Hopefully it pays off on Saturday.

On Friday, Mum joined me for my yoga class which was great. The class was busier than usual, must be New Years resolutions!! That afternoon, Mum and I headed into Truro to do some errands and a little bit of shopping. We then went for a walk along Boscawen park and around the estuary that comes up into Truro. It was nice and there are all sorts of exercise machine along the path to get an extra work out it. Great idea that!

Saturday was game day. The weather was misty and drizzling in the morning, but Mum and I still got out just to get away and clear the head a bit. We went back to Perranporth and wandered on the beach a little before we headed back so I could prepare for the game. Unfortunately, my training had not paid off and I was still on the bench, which was disappointing. The game turned out to be a positive result finally, winning 3-2. As always, just very difficult to watch from the sidelines and not even get on to contribute. This coming week will be a very important one for me! Mum and I went out for dinner that evening as our last hurrah before she headed home in the morning. It was just nice to spend some time with her and take my mind away from the difficulties that football is presenting me with at the moment.

And then it was goodbye. A very sad and teary eyed goodbye as she drove off to Newquay Airport. The last few weeks were just what I needed at this time, and Christmas with family is always more special. I was able to get out and explore Cornwall, Swansea, and more of England, which makes my experience here even more memorable. As I grow older, the time spent with loved ones becomes more and more cherished, especially as my life continues half a world away, and I just never know when the next time I will see them again will be. A very special few weeks for me for sure. To clear the mind a little bit and reflect on the time, I headed out for my Sunday run. This week it turned out to be 19km…I didn’t plan to run that far, but it just happened and the body felt fine. And now I will be ready for next week as it will be a crucial one for me.

Photo by M. Panzer 

 

 

December 26th – January 1st: Happy New Year

My week didn’t start the way I personally would have liked. Monday was game day and I was dropped to the bench. It was a little bit of a surprise to me, but the manager is now desperate for results so he was changing things up to see if that would help. It was more disappointing for me because Mum and Michelle had travelled from New Zealand not just to be with me for Christmas, but also watch me play for my new team. Throughout the game, there were times it was likely I might come on as a sub early after injuries, however I did not come on at all. It was tough to watch from the sidelines, especially as we lost 2-1. Moving on to better fortunes in 2017 hopefully.

Thankfully, I was able to put my disappointment to the side and spend the week with my family and I could focus on enjoying my time with them. Although, that did not mean that my training was forgotten. I was still able to do some sort of training each day to keep the body ticking over and ready for the game on the weekend. We did have a team training on Thursday. It was a good hard session that we needed and hopefully it will lead to better outcomes on New Years Day.

During the week Mum, Michelle and myself were able to explore Cornwall. We spent Tuesday in and around Falmouth, spending time at Pendennis Point,  Gyllys beach, and wandering the streets and waterfront. Michelle and I also managed a 13km run along the coastal track to Maenporth and back. On Wednesday, we headed south west. We arrived in St. Ives early and explored the town and the port a little bit, before we headed out along the South West Coast path. It was a great walk along some pretty amazing coastline. The weather was clear blue skies with the sun shining, so it was a perfect day for a nice walk. After a couple hours, we returned to St. Ives for lunch and then carried on South to St. Michaels Mount. As the tide was in, we couldn’t walk out to it, so we sat on the beach and just looked out for awhile as the sun was slowly coming down. We jumped back in the car and headed for The Lizard, the most south-westerly p
oint of the British mainland. Once again, we walked along the coast path before finding a nice spot to watch an incredible sunset out across the ocean. The colors were amazing and the 360 view was very cool. As we walked back to the car, thousands of birds were flying around from paddock to trees and back to the paddock. There must have been some sort of seeds in the trees that they all wanted a taste of and we just watched massive flocks of birds dipping and diving and pooping their way to the tree. Was quite incredible the sheer number of birds. This was an eventful end to our wonderful day of exploration and travel.

Thursday morning was the morning we had team training and once I was home and nourished and showered, Mum and Michelle picked me up and we headed North East this time. We went through St Austell on our way to Charlestown for a nice lunch. After lunch we wandered down to the waterfront before getting in the car and heading to the Eden Project. The Eden Project is an educational charity which is built on a massive old clay quarry. It is home to two massive domes that house a Mediterranean biome and a Rain Forest biome. Outside, there is a wide array of gardens and plants all lining the area of the complex. We were there as the evening set and we got to witness the light and music show in the Mediterranean biome. It was incredible watching beams of light spread across the biome and bounce of trees and plants. A great experience, and with a little more time spent there, it could be a very educational one too.

On Friday we packed up the car and headed north from Flushing to Failand, just outside of Bristol. Just outside of Exeter we stopped at Darts Farm for lunch before continuing north. It was a lovely Air Bnb that was an out house to a massive farm house out on a nice farm. Very secluded which was nice. Saturday we split up as Michelle visited friends in Bath, and Mum and I travelled across to Swansea, Wales, to do some exploring there. We took a long walk from Mumbles, past Langland beach and onto Caswell Bay before heading back to Mumbles for lunch by the water. The scenery and cliff walk was pretty spectacular with just such a rugged coastline that was just different to anything we had really seen in our travels. And just watching the ocean crash into the rocks was intriguing with many different ocean patterns. After lunch, Mum and I got back in the car and carried on around the coastline to another spot recommended to me by a friend. It turned out to be the highlight of the day as we walked through some farm land onto sand dunes and then above on the hills. It was called Three Cliffs, and it was a lovely spot with great beach views. It didn’t take longer than 90min to get back to Bristol in time to meet Michelle for our New Years eve meal. And then we were home and in bed early. Not the most exciting New Years eve.

Sunday dawned a gloomy, cold, wet, and windy day, just for game day. A fairly relaxing morning before driving from Failand to Weston-Super-Mare. Personally it was disappointing again being on the bench and difficult to contribute to the team which is struggling. We started brightly but just didn’t stay focused for the 90min and it cost us, losing 4-2. The personal challenge continues as I look to win my spot back and continue to work hard and persevere, but also there is a challenge for the team to get back on the horse and get back to our successful ways. All in good time. Thankfully I have had the support of Mum and Michelle in the past couple weeks, which has really helped the challenging situation and refreshed me to kick on in the next couple months.