Happy Monday

Happy Monday! Wanted to share this video with you that has been making its way around the internet world lately. Apparently not everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time...

Fingers crossed that when I arrive in Asia they still let me use my hands, because I don't think I can do this.

Atlanta Soccerfest

This past Sunday a couple friends and I went down to Atlanta Soccerfest to watch the USAvsPortugal game at Brookhaven Park. It was absolute blast! They set up two large screens and around 20,000 people showed up to watch the game. Now let me tell you there is nothing like watching a game with a lively and enthusiastic crowd. I've been watching all the other games from my couch usually by myself but I don't know if I can go back to that especially after Sunday. I am in a desperate search to find friends who aren't working on Thursday to go watch the game with me. 

In addition to the USA game the park played both of the earlier games as well as had lots of booths and soccer games going on. My friends and I arrived around lunch time so we began our day by checking out all the local food trucks. I went with Mac the Cheese who catered my sister's wedding earlier this year.

And then stopped at the ice cream stand and bought a Frozen Chocolate Banana for dessert. I used to make and eat these as a kid but haven't had one in years. Just as good as I remember!

Once we finished our lunches we walked around to all the booths and played a couple of games. Then after a while my friend set up her ENO and we chilled out for while, kicking around a soccer ball, checking scores of the earlier games, and people watching until it was time for the USA game.

As I mentioned earlier I had a great time at Atlanta Soccerfest and I think every game should be watched this way! Watching the USAvsGermany game tomorrow from my couch just won't be the same. Fingers crossed though that the USA will win. If the team wins or ties Germany tomorrow they will progress. Though we are still the underdog we do have an advantage. The USMNT's (United States men's national team) coach used to play and coach the German team. So hopefully his insider information will give us a one up on the Germans! 

I BELIEVE! 

One Month Away

I leave for Colorado in one month! ONE MONTH!! We (and by we I mean all my Laos teammates as well as teachers moving to other Asian countries) will be doing teacher training for two weeks before we leave for Cambodia to finish out our certification. Then after about another two weeks in Cambodia is when my team and I will finally go to Laos! Although there are still about two months until I will be in Luang Prabang, my journey to Asia is officially beginning. And to say I am excited would be the understatement of the year!

Photo Credit: New York Times

Atlanta Silverbacks

It's been soccer mania around here lately, but i'm not complaining. If i'm not watching the World Cup, i'm talking about it or checking scores on my phone. Last Saturday I attended my first Atlanta Silverbacks game which was awesome. Atlanta is also working towards getting an MLS team in 2017 which fingers crossed that it will all workout! Then this weekend a couple friends and I are going to Soccerfest in Atlanta.They will be showing all the games that day including the next USA (Did you watch their win against Ghana?!?!) game on a big screen in the park and will have soccer activities all day long.

Spain plays Chile today.. I still can't even talk about what happened during their last game, but it will be okay. The past is in the past and i'm hoping today we will see the Spanish team dominate. Also, here are a few pictures from the Atlanta Silverbacks vs Real Salt Lake game. They we're all taken before or after the game, the actual game was to intense that I didn't even think about taking pictures. Atlanta won by the way 2-1

Spain, Soccer, and The Lucky Jersey

Call me un-American but I've never really understood the appeal about football. It's not that I hate or don't like football considering in high school most of my Friday nights were spent watching games and in college I attended my fair share of tailgates. But for me football games have always been more about the social aspect. It was the spending times with friends that I enjoyed more so than actually watching the game. 

Soccer on the other hand, that is my sport. After moving to Tennessee I took up soccer and played for ten years. I certainly was never an all star player but I just loved the sport. I miss playing so much and though there are adult leagues, I unfortunately just don't have the time to join. And I mean I really don't have the time because I move to Laos in just a short little while and the season doesn't start until after I move. (But I guess I can't complain because well i'm moving to LAOS!!)

Thankfully I have the World Cup to satisfy my need for more soccer in my life. The World Cup kicks off tomorrow with Brazil vs. Croatia and though you can definitely bet that I will be watching (and not cheering for Brazil, I don't have anything personally against them, I just don't want them to win.. again..) the match I've been waiting for is on Friday, Spain vs. The Netherlands. You can also bet that I will be watching every second Spain is on that field, hopefully cheering and yelling La Furia Roja through another victory. And just in case I will also be wearing my lucky jersey, a knockoff Andres Iniesta jersey I bought at a tourist shop. 

I wore the jersey every time I went out to watch the Euro 2012 Championship, and I didn't wash the jersey once while I was there. No, not because I am superstitious or gross but a friend had told me her horror story about how her jersey got washed and the red stained all her other clothes, so I waited until I was back home and could wash the jersey by itself. Despite the fact that the jersey REEKED (I sealed it up in its own bag when I traveled home) it led Spain to victory. Okay maybe it was the team's awesome soccer skills but they never lost a game while I was wearing that jersey, so it must have some luck in it. 

I hope you will be watching the World Cup along with me even if you aren't a huge soccer fan. I feel like big sporting events like this are always fun whether you are really into the sport or not. And if you aren't a big soccer fan and aren't sure who to cheer for (pick spain *cough cough*) here is a little BuzzFeed quiz to help you figure it out. Also, follow me on Twitter to get my full World Cup commentary! 

¡VIVA ESPAÑA!

Happy Monday

Today I found out what city I will be living in once I move to Laos! I have been waiting to find out for what feels like FOREVER & now I finally know. So without further ado I will be moving Luang Prabang and I will be teaching at a university there. It might sound cheesy but my heart is so full of joy right now. I am so happy, blessed, and content with life.