EM Buildup

Last night, after practice I swung up to Hatlerdorf to meet up with Niki's friend, Nina, who she met while playing soccer in Imst. Nina is working in Dornbirn as a Sports Marketing trainee and was excited that someone she knew was coming to VorArlberg (for Tirolers like Nina, VorArlberg can be a very remote and lonely place).

We watched the second half of the Austria vs. Netherlands (Holland) soccer match. Typically, Austria should be blown out in the game but when I got to Nina's they were already up 3-1 (The Dutch had just scored to bring them within 2). All of Austria was getting pretty excited, I could hear people on the bus riding up on the phones talking about it. However, as the night went on, the Dutch proved to be simply too much and tied the game up in the 83rd minute, and then took the lead only three minutes later. It was heartbreaking to see an underdog on the verge of a historic win, watch it slip slowly away.

Either way, meeting up with Nina was a great thing; I've got a local that I know & trust living only 15 minutes away (by bus) which is always a Godsend when you are living half a world away from home.

Tonight is our final practice before our season opener in Carinthian. We had a page spread in the local paper yesterday, I'll try & attach it above.

Oh yeah, GO COUGS!!!!