Paris

4 hotels later, here I am, in the hotel Ambassadeur.... without transport, in northeast paris hahahahahha...

Training went well today, tomorrow I'll have a really short training and ill go see the eifel tower or maybe the louvre.

Love,

Eileen

Hello All :) Goodbye to Stayki

As I'm sitting here pondering my giant mess of clothes and things that I need to pack up for Paris, the uncertainty of whether I will be picked up from the airport, and whether Sasha will have accreditation, and whether I'll have a place to train before the tournament once I get there, I just have to remember... to forget it all for now (except for the packing), and instead reminisce on my experience here in Belarus.

Last night I went out for a beer with some Canadian and Belarus friends, and we had a good time just hanging out and talking. Tonight evidently we're going to try and put together costumes since its halloween.

The camp has been a total whirlwind, and to be quite honest, much more stressful than I imagined. The straight truth is that I have been fencing quite horribly the whole time and getting very anxious and stressed about it. But as the last day came to a close, I know that that whole time I've really been pushing myself to try and start each new day positively, I've been trying to push through my issues on the strip and with my coach (due to said stressful behavior), and in the end I think I came out the other side realizing that as an athlete in these kinds of situations, all you can do is stay strong, stay faithful in your true abilities, and continue moving forward. I know that if I walk into worlds with the correct mindset and having taken care of my body, I can beat anyone in the world. In this fact I am ABSOLUTELY positive, and season by season my results have shown that I CAN and I'm FIERCE and INTELLIGENT. If my mind believes it enough, the body will follow... ten years of training is not to scoff at.

In terms of Belarus as a Country, honestly I've had a very good experience with the people here and the city, and the sport village. The only thing I consistently could complain about is the food, but thats just one small thing, and honestly, I didn't have to eat as much of it as I did. Beautiful city, nice people, my russian came in handy, great weather, a supportive coach, and my own room.

What more to ask for?

Now its on to Paris in the morning, and I'm excited to be there. World championships in Paris is going to be an incredible experience, no matter what the result. Our flight leaves Minsk at 11 am tomorrow, arriving in Paris at 430. I have a room, a bed, and although the cab will cost 50 euro to get there if the organizers don't show (aka Panama didn't send forms), at least I know how to get there. I have my accreditation, room, food, friends and ibuprofin... All I'll need to think about is to be positive and prepare for the competition.

Unfortunately I now realize after 3 tries this internet won't let me upload my pictures to my blog but I'll keep trying later!!

Last days at Stayki

Well, its dad's birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! This is a very exciting day because it's the day of my favorite and best dad in the whole world... and I'd like to say that I love him VERY MUCH, and that he really is one of my biggest and best fans and supporters in my life-- and I definitely would not be here in Stayki or a this point or level of fencing without him being there for me all this time!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Me and Sasha at the mess hall in Stayki. Just for a Stayki update.

Hey

No time to talk because I had to pay for the camp and deal with laundry and lack of running water issues... otherwise, things are going well!

E

HEy

Just a short little note to let everyone know that things are going fine, and are pretty much the same every day. Maybe I'll drop you guys a line this afternoon to tell you about my typical day here at Stayki.

Ciao!

Eileen

The Giants

While the Canadians have arrived and I've started my day off with a lesson and a soccer game with all the belarussian and canadian boys (that means- I never get passed to...next time basketball with the girls), I've found it funny to continuously have to find out my important sports news about 12 hours after it's happened.

Watching highlights and reading recaps has been now a part of my slightly lonely afternoons (aka, TV only in Russian even if its a mexican soap opera, and no one online to talk to, canadians napping.) Although I'm far away, its been really exciting to watch the Giants' journey towards the world series (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I'm not sure exactly if we make it when the world series will take place, but I definitely hope its while I'm in Panama so I can watch the Giants in it with other excited baseball fans. I really believe we'll pull it out! The Panda's back! People are (literally) stepping up to the plate that we didn't expect, and we have heart!

In other news, this afternoon I'm planning on getting a (leg relaxation?) massage with a machine somewhere, and will also pay for my stay.

In other silly news, the government has decided to take the Olympic Committee off the public registry and not recognize them because of the duality of the organization. We'll see where this goes... (Please God let me at least have a hotel in Paris)

I've decided to not even go into the money thing with Panama before I actually get there to duke it out in person.

In other other news, it was freezing last night and it snowed this morning.

Love,

Eileen

Well, I've arrived at Stayki! I'm still hoping my water gets hot but the food is good and I'm going to go to training for a lesson at 3!

More news when I have it.

Helloooooooo From Belarus!

Sasha at 4 years hahaha


These entries may be short until I get to the sport camp sight (Stayki), but wanted to let everyone know that things are going well in belarus-- I'm just staying in the apt of the son of Romankov (a famous fencer) while he is away in Germany. Here I can't get inernet on my computer so I have to borrow Olga's (the wife.) when I want to get connected.

Had my first two practices today that went well although I'm exauhsted not from training but rather by the time change.

When I get to Stayki I'll be able to write longer! Love You All!!

Eileen

Panamá tocumen- on my way to Miami WITH my fencing bag!

Panamá

Hey All!!!!

Here I am, in Panamá, finally able to sit down with some internet. I'm right now in the restaurant of my hotel for the night, Hotel Riande, which is only about 2 seconds from the airport. What luck, because my flight leaves at 7 am tomorrow!! A part of the rest of the group also leaves tomorrow in the afternoon, but they have a direct flight-- and we land at the same time! :P

Today I mostly ran around town doing various errands for the trip with my 3 teammates, Jaime, Osel, and Arturo. It was a fun time, we had this ongoing singalong happening in the car. I got interviewed a few times and got the flag presented to me by PANDEPORTES.

Then we came back, got me checked into my hotel by the airport, and now I'm just planning on getting a good night's sleep before i run off to San Juan tomorrow!!! My bag didn't make its connection last night, so I'm gonna have to show up even earlier to try and track it down, as it contains most of my clothing, shoes, and my toiletries!!!!

As usual, had a great time with my teammates. At least the boys, who are super silly and fun.

Love,

Eileen

Lamezia

Hello all,

I've arrived in Lamezia, after a very very long day of travel. Here are some of my silly travel pictures I took. I fence pools tomorrow at 12:30 pm Lamezia time, and I'm lucky, some pools start at 10:30. So! Get to sleep in a little bit tomorrow and get to pools :) I'll let you all know how it goes.

Eileen

Side Note:

All the women here have very long, beautiful, and expensive-looking fur coats and hats. and handwarmers. I'm trying not to think about all the animals that were sacrificed for the sake of russian fashion. :-P I want to know how much I'd have to drop for one of their mink coats.

Saludos from Moscow

Hello All,

I'm hanging out at the hotel in Moscow. I wanted to go to the red square today, but I have to take a 2 pm bus to the venue so I can go get my weapons check and it take 40-50 minutes by metro to get there. SOOO, I'll have to see if I can go another time, which I hope I can!!! I also have to find SOMEONE with a screwdriver so I can fix my bodychords before/at the venue. The positive: I get to watch some awesome mens saber today while I'm at the venue fixing said body chords :)

I went to give the belarussians the shoes Sasha sent for them today while they got on the bus, and ended up running into them on the elevator! They seem nice but were kind of concentrating so I didn't have much of a conversation. I've been in a Russian Olympic TV coma since I've been here but have somehow managed to miss the opening ceremonies. I hope they were awesome!! Mostly I've been watching dubbed russian television and the repeating CNN feed. I know I'll need to get out sometime today so I don't go crazy inside, and maybe I'll take a walk around all the depressing soviet-era apartment buildings that surround this place and take some funky pics!

Now I am officially 11 hours off of California standard time ;) and I'm feeling more disconnected than usual. As for you guys, you will be more connected that usual! You can follow the tournament live here, if you click on 'ONLINE':

http://moscowsabre.ru/index_eng.shtml

Eileen

Hey from Charles du Gaulle

On my way to Moscow...!! Sitting next to the Uzbek Judo team and finally eating a croissant!

besos,

Eileen

More happenings

my sad lunch

My first international coaching victory -- Iceland 45- Japan 44

Inkibert (sp?) is a wolf killer-- or maybe fox killer? Anyways its real fur

My corny MySpace pose

my fridge/H&M bag

Well, Christian Bauer decided to take the entire Chinese team to Paris early so he could go to the eye doctor... leaving me to practice yesterday with Daria/Iceland/Singapore/french juniors from the Orleans club. Daria left today with Singapore so now I'm fencing with the French kids and Iceland, which actually probably isn't too bad for the last couple days.

I've been mostly just practicing and hanging out with my roommates the icelanders the last couple of days and we have taken some pictures. I have developed an interesting money-saving food system which has worked every year so far in Orleans and I feel like I may have perfected (except that now that its snowing, some of my salad froze.) Tobba and the two Iceland juniors started to call my breakfasts (cereal and milk I purchase eaten out of a cheap bowl) "sad breakfasts" and today I had a "sad lunch" of a supermarket bread (tasty!! its france!), hummus, ham serano, and swiss cheese, with a mandarin. Pretty tasty and much more economical! The Singapore girls were discovering pretty snowflakes yesterday on the way back from practice as well, which is what a lot of the pictures show.

Nona's BDay and other related happenings

Nona's Bday with Singapore and Russia (+Panama)

Orleans Final 8

Finalists Driven in Limosine Escorted by Blues Brothers Refs

6,000 seats BOUGHT for the final by Orleanaise...1,000 turned away

At The Venue w/ my beautiful flag!

mmm mussels

Hey! Just ended the team competition today-- the US won 45-44 against france in a heartstopper which ALMOST rivaled the individual final madness. I got a little bit of sparring in with the singapore, iceland, and japanese girls today as well before/after the competition. Evidently the Chinese will be staying here in Orleans until Wednesday, when they leave for Moscow, just like the Singapore girls. Decisions, decisions... to go to Paris for better fencing or to stay here?

Tonight was Nona's birthday, and we celebrated first with Iceland and then with Russia. I finally uploaded some of my pics from the final and the last few days to share with you guys.

Eileen

Orleans

Hello all!!!

I've been completely horrible about updating my blog on this trip so far, and I apologize. I haven't had a converter for my computer plug and therefore have not been online often enough to think about saying something on here. I'm still at the hotel right now because yesterday I went 3-3 in pools, and lost the Kozlova from Ukraine to make the 64. Extremely, extremely frustrating... I'm going to do my best to stay positive, and work on my fencing through this week at practice so I can make a comeback in Moscow. There's been a lot of changes in my training, fencing, etc in the last 5 months and I think I'm still figuring out how to make things work and get the best out of my current situation. I definitely think its possible, I just have to keep tweaking and adjusting, get some high level bouting, and continue believing in myself! I'm lucky to have so many supportive friends and family and coaches right now and I know it must work out!

I'll be fencing with, it sounds like, mostly the chinese team this week. That will probably actually be very good for me as they move like machines and will force me to do the same. I noticed my footwork was not incredibly sharp yesterday.

SO, in summary, MOVING FORWARD, and will try to enjoy the crazy Orleans final tonight (last year 5,000 spectators paid to come and watch.)

Eileen