Sessions are starting to get more technical, but still making us work. If we get sore or tight, which does happen, we resort to ice baths, but the hotel doesn't have a tub, it's all showers. To somewhat replace that, one of our trainers flushes out our legs by massage each evening, if we sign up, and his list is usually pretty long.

During the weekend a professional Italian team came and stayed at the hotel in preparation for its game the next day. FC Cesena trained that morning on our field so the team went out to watch. The match was against FC Roma on Sunday and tied 0-0. It was pretty cool to have a professional team, which plays on television, eat meals at the table next to us. Well for me it was.

Today we had our first game as a group against the women's Roma team. We won 4-1 which was good. I wasn't exactly nervous to play, more anxious to get on the field. I then found not only would I be starting, I would be starting for the opposing team! That's when the nerves kicked in. I was just in shock. The half went really well, made some good saves. The most difficult thing was trying to communicate with the players. None of them understood any English, and I don't know any Italian that is soccer related. It was hard and really frustrating. But if I had the option of doing it again, I would. It was so cool to experience. A couple of the girls here at camp play overseas now, and after today, I definitely think it is something I'll look into after university.

Tomorrow is the day I am looking forward to. We are going out to see Rome! I've been waiting to go out and see the city. My camera is empty and ready for lots of photos. The girls that have been here before say it's really beautiful. I think we are all ready to get out of this hotel, even if it is just for the day. We have to go later on in the afternoon because most of Italy shuts down for a three-hour lunch break every single day from noon-3 p.m. There's a cool little fact that I learned.

Ciao! J