27-6 Løvskal, 9-13 Overlund F

First off, let me apologize for the space in between my updates. Between school, handball, and the fact that everything now takes me 3 times longer to do it (keep reading!), I have not had much time to update.

2 weeks ago, Amber Turner and I were lucky enough to get to go visit a good friend of ours in Århus, Julia Taylor. I shared a room with JT this summer during our training camp in Colorado Springs, and it was great to see another familiar, English speaking face! JT is training seriously for handball at the (try and sound this out) Idrætshøjskolen in Århus. October 1-3 was the schools "Family & Friends Weekend," so Amber & I gladly made the trip to act as JT's family, spending Saturday night with her in her dorm room. We met lots of people from all over the world, including members of Men's National Teams from Iceland, Great Britain, Estonia, and Kenya as well as handball and soccer players from Denmark, Norway, Ghana, Germany, Luxembourg, and Brazil. All the people were incredibly friendly towards the "American Girls," so we felt plenty at home.
  JT met us at the train station in Århus, and we did a little shopping and looking around before heading back to the school. We always seem to make interesting friends in Dowtown Århus...


Amber Turner & I



Julia Taylor



Myself with Ben 10

After our night with Julia, Amber and I had to get a move on Sunday morning to get back to Bjerringbro to meet for our game against Løvskal. We made it, and went on to a 27-6 route of Løvskal. This was not a completely positive occasion, however, because after a slightly more than 'controversial' 2-minute suspension awarded to me for fixing my shirt, and missing not 1, but 2 embarassing free shots, I twisted my knee awkwardly in the final minute of the game. This resulted in my first trip to a European Hospital! (NOTE: I was given pain medication, got X-rays, and received a brace & crutches in under 3 hours-my quickest roundtrip in the ER, EVER-Woo Danish Health Care!) I'm out of handball, wearing a brace that makes my left leg look bionic, and on crutches for 2 weeks (1 down, 1 to go!) until they will re-assess. This, sadly, does mean my trip to North Carolina for the Pan American team try-out and Tar Heel Invitational tournament will be only as a spectator..

  This last weekend, however, has been fully positive! (Not saying that I didn't have fun in Århus with JT and Amber! I love you both!) My host Mother, Helle, Stine, and I ventured into Viborg on Saturday to do a little shopping, and visit the biggest store I have EVER seen. This Wal-Mart meets Costco meets JC Penny's type store was probably the size of 2 or 3 American Football fields-HUGE! I got some socks (Europe has given me a new obsession) and a new release movie for the equivalent of 8.00 USD.

  After our shopping excursion, we made it back to Bjerringbro to watch my team play Overlund F, again, this time for real. Sadly, this game did not go as expected. We started out slowly, unable to find a rhythm in offense or defense, and found ourselves too far behind to catch up. It was not a good game for anyone, and in the end Overlund F came away with the win, 9-13. It was a bummer watching my team struggle on our home court and not be able to play, but in 7 days, you best better believe I will be out there again! On a happier note, our team was able to reschedule this game for a Saturday so Chanel Turner, who cannot play Sundays due to religious reasons, was able to play! : )
 
  Tomorrow, Gaby Rapp, Jennie Bergsma, and I will hop on our plane to North Carolina! We're all very excited to go back to the States for just a few days.

  Also, if you are following this blog on it's original server-blogger.com- and not the USATH site, please take a few minutes to sign up as a follower! I'd really appreciate it, as I know I'm writing for more than 6 people, and I'd like to know who my audience is. Towards the top of the page, on the left hand side, under the title, you're given the option to sign up with your Google account. If you do not have a google account, click 'sign in' and then 'create a new google account' Thanks Guys! : )