Roller Coasters

Worlds has been amazing, as I'm sure it always is and always will be.
We ended up drawing to Cuba last week when we played them. We were pretty disappointed as we'd wanted a win but had to just take it in our stride. The funny thing is that, Italy and Hungary (the other 2 teams in our pool) also drew. So for the first time in Worlds history, we had 2 draws in a pool. So that made for interesting games everone just trying to score as much as we could so we'd go through to the top 12 at least. For Italy and Hungary they were fighting it out for 1st place in our pool to go straight through to the top 8. We lost 17-7 to Hungary, which, although sounds bad and granted, is bad, shows a big improvement of NZ since the beginning of our program a few years ago when we lost 18-1 at the Olympic Qualifiers in 2004. We even scored the first goal and were even after the 1st quarter (gotta claim all we can). So anyways, we also lost by 12 goals to Italy. But the thing is, because this never happened before, no one really knew who should go through as number 1 in our pool - first they said it would be determined by their results with number 3 (us) - so Italy would have gone through, or with their overall goal difference - which would make Hungary go through because they beat Cuba by like 15 goals. They ended up deciding on over all goal difference and it was the strangest sight to see pool side. NZ was happy because we were in the top 12, and Italy, who had just won by 12 goals, were crying and yelling at eachother and kicking signs over, they even smashed a window on the bus. Needless to say it was an emotional night.
So yesterday we played Greece and for the first time I think we were pretty disappointed with our game. We just didn't play the way we have been playing, with the same heart or sight. We went down 6-0 in the first half, and clawed our way back in the 2nd half to bring the final score to 9-5. One good thing though, was for the first time this tournament I wasn't on 2 in the first quarter so got to play a lot of the game, and I didn't even get majored. So I was happy about that anyway.
In other events, I have been watching a bit of diving, There was a kid here who goes to UH diving for sweden so we watched him as much as we could. He's one cool cat. I have so much admiration for divers, they must need so so so much patience to get to even competition level let alone international level. There is something quite fascinating about bodies flying and twisting and turning through the air I must say. And we also got to watch the groups final of the synchronised swimming so that was awesome! they were like throwing people through the air and climbing over eachother and the russians even got a tower of 2 people high out of the water - and in synchro you're not allowed to touch the bottom so they were holding them up doing egg beater. Amazing.
Tomorrow we play Brasil to decide whether we play off for 9th or 11th. I hope we win, Brasil is one of those teams that never gives up and is really emotional and passionate so even though I definitely think we're a better team, we will really have to work hard for it.
It's crazy that we've nearly been here for 2 whole weeks and we'll only play 6 games, but it's so fun. I thought before we came that this might be my last worlds but now I really want another one...getting a bit far ahead of myself I think. It's a wee way away.

In other exciting news! One of my bestest friends Coralee just got engaged last weekend to the most amazing boy who adores her. I'm so happy for them, and they are getting married over my winter holidays, and ALSO one of my other most closest childhood friends Michelle is getting married on my birthday! I'm so excited, it's going to be the best xmas, new years and bday ever!

autumn in the southern hemisphere

So we just got to melbourne for world champs the other day after coming 3rd in the southern cross cup we had in NZ. I think overall the tournament was a big success and thouroughly enjoyable, for myself anyway! PS I have the cutest niece in the whole world.

I don't know if it's good or bad but more and more I'm just enjoying water polo as this incredible way to bring people together. In NZ last week we had people who had grown up in the soviet union, people who had endured civil war, people who eat pasta for breakfast lunch and dinner, people who I always make fun of like americans and brits, and then us, all together in lil' ol NZ playing a sport that we love. The reality is that really in the end everyone just wants to win but in my brain I think it's such an incredible privelage and so cool to be friends with and play against people from all over the world, from incredible backgrounds and histories. and i just think thats cool

We got to show Meik around a wee bit, so cool, I think she really enjoyed it. So I was really happy about that, we just went to newmarket and had tea. and do you know what I love about Meike? OK so she was on a budget right, and we were in the middle of the shopping district, and Meike spends the last of her money on a bag of tea. Granny's garden fruit tea to be precise. That is was I love about Miek. While the rest of her team went to NZ's poor version of an outlet mall, and Meike bought tea. anyways, then I showed her my old uni, which brought on a big wave of nostalgia eating hummus in albert park and just not going to class. and then we went to Em and Kelly's house so she could see it and they're on the way to Piha. Piha was good. It was an

awesome raw NZ day with wind that blew your hair off and the break going all the way out past the point. I was like, now you get what I mean when I say in NZ the break goes out like 100m from shore.

I was also lucky enough to catch up a little with some good friends while I was back so I'm still on a high from that.

And now here we are at world champs, tomorrow we have our first game against Cuba. They were our nearly last game last time. So it will be a good game and hopefully we'll come out on top!

There is so much going on in Melbourne at the mo, and there was so much going on in Auckland too, there was Pasifika festival, the Auckland Festival and a bunch of sweet concerts and stuff. It just hasn't stopped once coming to Melbourne. As I'm writing this the grand prix is going on right across the road, so that's loud. And also the Melbourne wine and food festival is on right now too. It's crazy! So much to do!

home!

I'm home!

Only for like 2 weeks, and we have so many games and trainings I don't know if I'll even get to catch up with anyone but wow, I have to say that I think I am possibly the most blessed person in the whole world with my friends and family. Both at home and away. I'm just really blown away right now thinking about it. People are so amazing.

Polo is good ish, we had a couple of really bad games (UH) last weekend, 10 games in 11 days. Killer. and then we had like 3 days at in HI then I came back home to NZ! Then we've just been scrimmaging against Great Britain and touching up on a few of our moves and stuff. It's so good to play with everyone again, and it's so cool to see how much everyone has grown as players, we have 2 girls in Italy and one in France and one in LA and then the HI girls and the Hartwick girls and it's just so awesome to come together again. Everyone is so cool and has improved so much and it's just really awesome.

Tomorrow we have our first official game against Great Britain and then the Southern Cross tournament starts on Thursday. It's so cool there are so many teams here, in the women there's the Netherlands and Germany and Great Britain, and in the Men there are Serbia (#1 in the world at the mo), Italy, Russia, USA and Canada. And we're getting a lot of media coverage and stuff so it'll be really good for water polo in NZ. It's a really exciting thing to be a part of.

It's so nice to be here, it's still summer, the sky is blue and the sun is still setting late and I just really love the feeling in the air at this time of the year...

woop woop!