Post-Lao

So the tournament is officially over. I had high expectations and unfortunately they came short, but looking at the big picture I think it was a great start. 

As many may or may not know, the womens national team has been inactive for the last few years. The preparation for this tournament began in January; however a lot happened until that point. Teammates got injured and some got sick. The foreigners didn't come til les than a month before with three never even playing for the team. And some players had to take care of their daily life first I.e. Jobs so they couldn't participate. All those factors affected us though we still put a great fight and shocked many teams and their coaches. On top of that are disputes of whether the AFF purposely gave us the game tape of myanmar after the first goal they scored (which was conveniently offsides) and then enriching tape short for Malaysia (where their goal was also offsides). Those goals were game changers. Lastly, a handball in the box was not called. Though, I had a coach tell me once that of u are good enuf u make ur own luck. U never want to blame the refs. I think it is just frustrating that we could have even done better. Though with minimal support and our personal lives to attend to (most are still in school or have jobs) we did pretty darn good. We learned a lot from this tournament which will only help us in the future. And the most important part we grew as team and as a family. I am in awe of how close a team could be coming from different areas, backgrounds, ages. It is web more fulfilling to be on a team with people u love to be around and have fun with. There is much work to be done but all of it is tangiable. I cannot wait to see this team improve more and more. I think many will be surprised :)
Love,
Cookie

SA-BY-DEE LAO! (Hello Laos!)

We are finally here! This is IT!!!! I have been preparing for the last few weeks now with these girls.  They have been training since the beginning of this year!  Now here we are here at the ASEAN Football Federation Tournament that we have all been training for.

A little info on the tournament:
The tournament is being held in the Laos capital, Vientiane.  The teams are broken into two groups.
Group A:  Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Laos
Group B:  Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines

Our schedule:
Monday- Myanmar
Wednesday- Thailand
Friday- Malaysia

Sunday- Semifinals
N. Tuesday- Finals

All are teams are beatable but our competition is definitely Myanmar and Thailand.  Though, we have heard Malaysia has lots of new players as well as Myanmar.  Myanmar also has a new coach form Japan.  And this and that team have been preparing for this and that long.  In my eyes this is anyones tournament.  We have already been a favorite for last in our group.  I think that is the best position we could be in.  Everyone underestimating us.  Perfect.  Thailand will struggle to be stay on top.  They have everything riding on them.  We, on the other hand, have all the opportunity.  I told my teammates today, "Nothing to lose, and everything to WIN!"  We have a chance to make history here! It's gonna come down who wants it the most.  Who going to battle!?  Who will rise to the occasion? We are a young team and we should use that to our advantage.  We have energy and spirit.  No need for nerves!  We don't have all the pressure.  I know we can do this we just have to believe in ourselves and each other.  At the end of it all, I know all of us will grow from this.  I already have.  Never have I been so close to a team in such a little period of time too!  I have known these girls for a month and they already feel like sisters to me.  So many teams before had all this drama!  This team is so different! We have so much fun! And everyones like me for me.  No one telling me who to be.  Im just myself!  Such a good vibe!  Everyone wants the best for each other.  I love it!

Anyway, we do have a chance and a good one!  We will take it one game at a time!!

GO MALDITAS!!!

<3,
Cooke

jeepneys, typhoons, banyos, and perms

 so i finally had a day of commuting!!! i have been blessed with having a driver take me everywhere around town, but when i visited with my cousins i was at their mercy! lol. it was actually fun and very interesting.  we took a jeepney, a bus, and a van all in one day! i am glad i was with all them, because they actually knew what they were doing.  it's pretty crazy how it works around here. i would be so lost!. basically the jeepneys run a certain route and its 8 pesos to get on and sometimes u pay more if you end of going really far. i still don't get how u know which one to get on. u sort of ask around and look at where the jeepney says its going (usually painted on the actually jeepney-picture pending!).  after we hopped on the jeepney we ran to get a bus, and I have no idea how we knew that was the right one, but i guess it was easier since we were going to Mall of Asia which is a popular spot.  on the way home we took a van and it wasn't as quick as going to the mall because we literally waited til a normally 12 passenger van had 16 passengers. we sat in this van for over an hour to fill up!!! so u definitely have to have patience and tons of time to spare if you are commuting. and even when you have a driver there is a lot of traffic so u still need to factor that into ur day.  errands that take a morning in the states, could take two days here.  it's okay though since i don't have school or a job to worry about; just soccer :). also, to alleviate traffic, everyday there is restrictions on who can be on the rode depending on the last digit of ur license plate. for example, say on tuesdays, 5's and 6's can't be on the road, so if ur car ends in a 5 or 6 u either have to commute or use another car.  i thought that was pretty interesting. manila is a lot different than the last time i was here! thank goodness for skyway ( the main toll road that we end up using everyday!) tho the tolls are high! but thats my experience with the transportation so far. i will probably experience the tricycles soon when i visit my cousins in the province!

 so there has also been two typhoons here. they actually weren't that bad. the first one was worse. it was really just windy and rainy and that put a damper on our training.  the fields are always wet and so they never really recover.  its sooooo muddy and it is hard to even enjoy playing when the fields are so bad.  though u learn to adjust to it.  chipping the ball over the mud puddle or having to dribble around it.  it makes u think and adjust so i guess ill give it that. but ill take turf any day :) anyway the picture above it a pic of a billboard. u kno its gonna be bad weather when they roll them up.  its pretty neat that they just roll up their billboards for the storm, tho when u ride on the skyway manila looks dead and dismal.  i def like the billboards up and on that note i like "what's in" here. i feel less pressure to be a certain image, maybe because Iin reality I'm closer to the image in the philippines.  i think its weird tho how everyone wants to be white! all these creams and products to make u whiter! and all the girls on the billboards are mostly filipinas! they are healthy looking and not frail. they have dark hair and are just naturally pretty.  i just like the overall vibe here!

haha i had to take a picture of this!!! these banyo (comfort room) signs are everywhere! the rice hat man and the female wearing the traditional dress in the philippines i.e. the one with puffy sleeves :) haha really i just think this sign is cute, fun, and unique. the little quirks that i love in asian culture ^^

and finally i got a perm!!! it was a long process!! as i never get my hair done and i had to sit still for a longgg timeee (not my tired eyes lol) so goodbye super straight asian hair! i want some curls and volume! i like it! i don't get to wear my hair curly enough! so yay!!!

well! thats it for nowww! its been hard to blog just because I've been so tired!! but i love this!! i literally just play soccer and go to the gym everyday.  when we have time we walk around the malls.  we get home service manis/pedis, waxes, and massages!! i feel so blessed to have this adventure! i could get used to this!! i kno for sure that i will be back here more often! I'm so happy here! :)