One Mother's Not So Subtle Wish...For Fila!

Mother's Day is only four days away, and this fact was the first thought that I had when I woke up this morning.

For almost a week, I have been hearing my guy friends receive those polite reminders from their mothers. While my girl friends have been working on landing Saturday and Sunday spa appointments for their mothers.

I fall somewhere in between those two groups on the spectrum. I can be the absentminded planner. So I woke up today in a slight panic.

I ran through the usual list of questions for gifting holidays. What does she like? What does she not have? What will she use? What can help make her life a little more enjoyable?

After deciding on a possible gift experience, I took a break and moved on to my social networking duties. I read a little Twitter, skimmed some emails and checked out what was new on Fila Toning's Facebook Page.

It was as if the sky opened up and a voice said, "Qiana, do you remember the last 25 conversations your Mama had with you about Fila? It always ends with a roundabout comment from her saying, "I wish I could have..."

I have to be frank, those Fila conversations always include me saying, "Mama, I would love for you to but your gym attendance record as a paid member..."

If my Mama and I lived in the same city, I know she would be gymtastic because I would go to spin classes with her (she loves spin)! She needs a gym partner, and with my sister in college, I know its easy for her to fill her schedule with everything but that trip across town.

So, I lightly scolded myself for being so harsh. I mean I train tirelessly, but I have those days where the hardest step is just getting off the couch and into the car.

Who am I to withhold a product that could be just the motivation that my Mama needs to get on a true fitness regiment? I couldn't help but reflect (and this is just between us) on how I have this new and interesting sense of..."You look so hot right now in this outfit." on the days that I am doing anything in my Fila Toning!

So with excitement, I ordered a Fila BTS capri for my Mama as one of her Mother's Day gifts. She is going to be shocked and excited! (Don't worry the surprise won't be spoiled on social media. She is off the grid!)

Feel free to join me in giving your mother a fitness boost this weekend with some Fila BTS. Susan and the customer service team helped me get my order squared away in no time flat!

Where’s Your Pants? Being Fila BTS

Have you ever heard someone talk about “being what you are” versus “telling what you are?” For a long time, I didn’t understand the difference.

A wise person was kind enough to provide me with an easy-to-understand example. She said, “A truly wealthy person does not have to run around talking about their fortune. However, you can pick “new” money out of any crowd. They yell their bank statement to anyone who will hear.”

A lesson like this was the last thing on my mind when I arrived at my training session on Friday. I was doing my usual routine of helping my trainer get balls and cones out of the car when he looked up, paused and said, “Nice pants, who makes those?”

Sidenote: I am real leery about incorporating new variables into my training sessions, but I was curious to see how a pair of Fila Toning Pants would hold up.)

In a nonchalant manner I responded, “Oh, the pants are from Fila’s Body Toning System line. They have a compression component to help the muscles work harder.”

My trainer continued to stare at them curiously, and so I said, “You wanna touch them?” He tugged on the pants at my knee, and replied, “These are some good pants.”

Our 90 minute session commenced without incident. The pants didn’t get caught under my cleats. The pants helped me quickly warm up my muscles, but I didn’t feel overheated in them. I jumped, ran and turned like normal. The material absorbed my sweat (and I sweat a lot), and prevented me from getting cold quickly and leaving that annoying puddle of water everywhere I sat. Most importantly, they were so comfortable that, even after my training session, I just didn’t want to take them off.

However once I arrived home to take a shower, I found myself debating the merits of wearing them the next day to training without washing vs. going back to an alternate pair of pants. It was like that feeling you get about your Ipod or Pinkberry or something.

Well, I thought to myself that my wardrobe is bigger than just these pants so I went with some tried and true sweat pants on the next day. I mean this was my life before April 18th, and I had been doing fine, right?

Time I saw my trainer he said, “Where’s your pants? Did you not like them?” His tone was that of a concerned parent.

His comment merely echoed what I had thought the whole way to training. I was annoyed by the looseness of my sweatpants, the spotted displays of perspiration and the way the material hit my thighs when they were wet. At least with my Fila pants, I knew the “junk was in my trunk” and “my thighs were on deck!” LOL

The best thing about these pants is they are so unassuming. (And, I hate for labels to scream. It’s not my cup of tea.) When I saw them, I said to myself, “These pants are well designed.” When I felt them, I thought, “Now, these feel pretty nice.” However, when I put them on and worked out in them…I probably unconsciously made them my new boyfriend—and it took a day away from them for me to realize this fact.

So with that being said—I want to see what else my “BTS” boyfriend can do, and I am excited about the possibilities.

As for those people who get their hands on a pair of these pants, I want to say “Congratulations in advance and feel free to chat with me about your adventures in them!

My LA Gifts: Fila Selection & West Hollywood Massage

Last week, I was reading through a series of tweets. The second tweet that caught my eye was one from Fila Toning mentioning that they were looking for new faces for their 2011 campaign.

In less than 48 hours, I had thrown my hat in the ring for consideration. What would be the result of taking a spur-of-the-moment risk?

I was hopeful, but I was also prepared to add it to my list of “actions taken towards my goal.” I have learned in my soccer adventures that sometimes I take actions to create something or participate in an experience, but those things will help me in a different way and at a later date than I had originally planned.
Well, this time my action resulted in me being awarded a selection as a new face of Fila Toning!

The day after receiving this amazing news, I was back on schedule-training and on the books for a much needed massage appointment.

I know what you must be thinking. The massage was a treat to celebrate my latest accomplishment, right? Not exactly, my celebration came in the form of a slice of 7up cake! The massages that I get are not a treat by any means.

My trip to Massage Company West Hollywood was a painfully rejuvenating experience at the hands of Arthur. Arthur was my middle aged, Armenian masseuse, and his deep tissue treatment was so serious that he had to lightly scold me occasionally. Never have I ever been told by a masseuse that I am being rebellious in following directions. I guess there is always a first time.

My appointments are traditionally pretty quiet, but Arthur and I had a lively conversation. He worked my lower body and talked about his days of playing soccer in his native country, as I tried to hold off jumping off the table. Thirty minutes was enough for me to let Arthur rub the knots out of my muscles and to learn that Glendale was the home of the 3rd largest Armenian population in the world.
A great deep tissue treatment, a little soccer conversation and some cultural learning is enough for me to carve out at least 30 minutes for a weekly check-in. Stay tuned for more from my time at MCWH. In the meantime, learn more about the upcoming remembrance of the Armenian genocide on April 24th.

Ikea, Carolina Cup & Paschal's: A Cornbread Taste Test

When I was a little girl, one of the things that I remember the most was my grandmama’s ritual of making cornbread. She made it from scratch with the cornmeal, eggs, oil and milk in same square pan.

The cornbread wasn’t sweet, but it was just good. Sometimes if my grandmama wanted to pull a fast one on everybody, she would put raisins in the mix to give it a little sweetness or add corn and jalapeños to give it some Mexican flair.

Well just before I left to LA, I guess I had a nice and unexpected Southern sendoff by way of cornbread.

On Thursday, Saturday and Monday, cornbread showed up on my menu. A furniture store, a horse race and an airport restaurant served me up their interpretation, and you may be surprised to learn the result.

IKEA: Did you know this Swedish furniture retailer serves up 49¢ squares of cornbread? Up until several weeks ago, I did not know. However, on Thursday nights the cafeteria at their Atlantic Station location in Atlanta, GA is packed with people eating the $1.99 Roasted Chicken Special. One quarter of chicken with mashed potatoes and the optional gravy are included in the special of the day. For an additional 49¢, I had a piece of some cornbread that was a perfectly soft rendition of our favorite Jiffy cornbread. It’s worth a try, and at such low price, you can get a second square!

CAROLINA CUP (VONNIE HOLLIDAY TENT): On Saturday, I joined scores of people as guests of Vonnie & Eboni Holliday at the 2011 Carolina Cup in Camden, South Carolina. It was a day of 70 degree sun, great people watching, interesting conversation and entertaining horse races. Underneath the Holliday corporate tent, there was a smorgasbord of southern favorites, including none other than…cornbread! The cornbread was so good that I believe I made a noise of approval as one of my tablemates, David Thornton from the Tennessee Titans, looked on…haha It was a winner!

PASCHAL’S (HARTSFIELD TERMINAL A): Since I was heading to a place that I feel is deficient in Southern cuisine, why not get a sendoff from a place that I heard was a “soul food institution” in Atlanta. The line at the Paschal’s Terminal A location was long line, and I was excited to know that it would be worth the wait. Well, the excitement of a $16 meal which included baked chicken, black eyed peas, string beans, cornbread, sweet potato pie and sweet tea quickly subsided; and in the end, my cornbread rolls were hardly touched. Where’s a This Is It or Busy Bee when you need it? It hurts my heart to do it, but Paschal's cornbread was thumbs down.

Qiana Goes Glam for TEDxGreenville

I think the last time we talked I was in New York. Well, let's consider these next few entries a brief longform commercial. I haven't gotten around to London or Lisbon yet!

However, I just presented at the ultra amazing, ultra cool TEDxGreenville. So let me give you a brief sneak peek of what I was up to the morning of my presentation.

For a grand occasion such as this, I didn't want to feel or look ordinary. So, I enlisted the help of Katie Cotton, a LA trained makeup artist who happens to now do her craft in Greenville (such a small world). We both love Toi Thai in LA so what could be better?!!



P.S. Thanks to my mama for filming...and thanks to Ian Curcio for the image above. You should check out his TEDxGreenville mural of attendees here.

First Class Tech on My Travel: Fedex Kinkos NYC

I have to say that technology makes it so easy to live a glamorous soccer adventure with entrepreneurial endeavors. Here’s a quick example for you.

While my Amtrak trained sped past the snow covered hills, I was able to make the final changes to a newly designed business card, handle a few important business calls, research the closest Fedex location to The Mave Hotel and coordinate my print job with a sales clerk at that specific location.

As you can see technology was working with me to make sure I was prepped and ready for my 9:00 a.m. arrival at the British Airways Face of Opportunity Conference.

My brisk walk up to the Fedex location was a little too fierce for me on the afternoon that I arrived to New York so I opted to pick-up the completed print job the following morning. I definitely took my chances being that the news was predicting more bad weather for the city.

I had faith that the weather would cooperate, and it was something that I had to keep reminding myself of as I stood outside of a closed Kinko’s at 7:20 a.m. It was 96 minutes before I was scheduled to be on a different side of the city, in something other than jeans, snowboots, a sweatshirt and a pea coat.

My 20 minute wait finally ended when a guy appeared out of nowhere to open the door, and retrieve my box of cards. Victory! I quickly and carefully tipped my way through the ice slush back to the Mave to hop in my incubator of a room (insert Lady Gaga cocoon here) to emerge as an excited, entrepreneurial soccer maven heading to a world of opportunity at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers!

MTV quite often serves as my background music, and this was no exception. I was alternating between the bathroom, my laptop and a really good blueberry muffin from the lobby as I got ready in record time.

My check-out was fast, and a front desk clerk was kind enough to brave the rain to flag down a cab for me. My new umbrella refused to live up to its bargain price. The clasp would catch so the shade kept trying to collapse on my hair…what was a girl to do?
The arrival of a taxi, with a nonfunctional trunk compartment, quickly caught my attention. I tip toed through the drizzle to the backseat, helping the hotel clerk pull my bag onto the seat beside me.

Cab Driver: Where would you like to go?
Me: I am going to the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Sir. Do you think we can get there pretty quickly?
Cab Driver: I am not sure in this weather, but I will try. What time do you have to be there?
Me: I have to be there by 9:00 a.m., about 25 minutes from now. By the way, how are you doing today?
Cab Driver: Where are you from?
And this is where my cab ride gets interesting. Check in for the next entry. Let’s just say that it wasn’t the Cash Cab, but it was very, very close!

Meet The Mave

Some people have a space issue when they check into a NYC hotel room. Personally, space is the least of my concerns. I have stayed in some interesting places, and so I set my standards according to the location. The Mave provided me with clean, crisp and modern accommodations in a space the equivalent of a shoebox. It was tiny, but the shower was fairly sizeable considering remaining area. Here’s the video as I promised!

Beating the Snow Via Amtrak: ATL to NYC

There is nothing that happens by chance in our universe. Everything unfolds according to higher laws - everything is regulated by divine order..

For the record, I do actually believe the above statements. Do I live every moment adhering to that belief? Of course not, it’s so simple that it gives me quite a challenge.

My journey to Europe began on January 31st, and it was by no means the day that I had planned to leave Atlanta.

According to “my” schedule, I was going to breeze into the Big Apple’s JFK airport on February 1st. However, a never-ending wave of ice, sleet and whatever else caused air travel to go into a tailspin. So…I took train. It was 17hrs of Sprint MIFI mixed with the occasional nap and working to-do list.

By the time my train pulled into Penn Station, I had to move on to my next task, getting a heavy, large luggage bag through the icy, bustling streets. However, I didn’t foresee that my exercise protocol was just beginning as I had to carry this bag up and down flights of stairs at two subway stations.

Looking a little war torn, I happily resurfaced on Madison Avenue in Gramercy Park/Flatiron, only to realize that I was sweating in 32 degree weather.

Did I mention that I didn’t have any snow delays or trip cancellations? All the travel hoops aside, the mysterious, divine hand got me in town to actually enjoy a Twix in a very comfortable bed at The Mave Hotel..

Can't wait to show the video…

Pop Quiz from the Professor: The Michael Eric Dyson Show

Although I don't think that I will be ever to fully calculate the value of my Face-of-Opportunity Contest win with British Airways, I can say that it has been a calling card form promoting my mission of making soccer more commonplace in the United States.

At the top of the year, I notified the executive producer of The Michael Eric Dyson Show about my national award win. This email set into motion a whirlwind of events that landed me in the Georgia Public Broadcasting studio on the Friday of that week speaking with none other than Dr. Michael Eric Dyson.

In case you don't know Dr. Dyson's background. Let me give you a brief synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is an American academic, author, radio host and ordained baptist minister. Currently, he is a professor of sociology at Georgetown University. His previous academic posts include DePaul University, Chicago Theological Seminary, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania. You can commonly catch him as a commentator on National Public Radio, CNN, and Real Time with Bill Maher. Most importantly, he is considered one of the great thinkers of our current time.

It was an understatement to say that I was beyond excited to serve as a guest on his show. It's moments like that I have to say make all the hard work worth it. When I think about all of the research, writing and press release promotion, the time I spent, to get those 10 precious minutes to talk with a man who I consider a mentor, makes it all worth it! Here is the link to the January 18th show. My segment is around the 30 minute mark. Enjoy!


http://dysonshow.org/?p=3824

Scoring Goals In 2010, Tackling New Opportunities in 2011

Happy 2011! We are 13 days into the start of an amazing year, and I hope that you are taking all those small actions and steps that can have you right where you want to be.

I keep what you call a reminder, tracking, accomplishment list that documents all of the actions that I take each year to help me capture the goals that I have set for myself. There have been times when I felt as if things were stagnant, and I realized that this is a great way to put things in perspective. Sometimes we can be hard on ourselves in our quest to pursue our dreams and passions, so I encourage you to write your own accomplishment list. I track everything from new risks taken, such as sending out press releases to new media outlets, to accepting invitations to meet with new business associates in the soccer community. All of the little things add up! You'll be amazed much like I was at the end of last year. I had to admit that I had taken so many small actions to get a big leap on my soccer journey.

With that being said, I know I have been in my soccer lab and not blogging on this site for 7-8 months. In this time, I have been blessed to produce my first documentary, Perfecting the Footvolley. Also, I won the British Airways Face-of-Opportunity Contest. It was a national program that will allow Eat Soccer to offer "bucket list" soccer adventures for adults at some of the top clubs in the world.

There are quite a few things in the works for 2011, which definitely include more international playing. I was getting a little antsy to say the least on this front, but I am trusting that all of the 'foundational' work that I have been doing, will allow me to walk into the bigger role within the global soccer community that I am destined to occupy. More playing opportunities can be created, and my journey is allowing these things to happen-not just for me but other players who will one day be able to use some of my experiences for their own blueprints.

P.S. I am uploading full excerpts of my electronic report, Soccer In Translation on the Eat Soccer blog. If you know of an athlete, coach, business person or backpacker that needs to learn how to stymie the effects of culture shock, send them on over!

If you have a question about how you can use some of my gsl lessons to assist you in following your dreams, send me a message. If you are a business or individual and you want to talk about a collaborative partnership for any of Eat Soccer's upcoming online, mobile or inflight programming, you can do the same!

Adventures In Covering the World Cup 2010

This summer's World Cup 2010 in South Africa was chock full of interesting twists and turns. Some were sad, such as the unexpected passing of Nelson Mandela's great granddaughte. Others were in line with a typical TMZ newsflash, like Paris Hilton's marijuana incident. Heartbreak on the field for Ghana and mutiny off the field for France. No one can say that this global competition lacked in drama.

I was under the impression that the buzz of activity would remain solely within the confines of the host nation. However, I guess a bit of it decided to come my way.

I received a unique opportunity to cover the American team for a radio sports program. This was my first foray into serving as a correspondent of sorts.

On the first scheduled date to go on the air, the station tower was struck by lightning. It was a no go, and so as national players took the field to begin play, my dreams of giving my World Cup comments over the air would have to be put on hold.

The next week, I was determined to let my voice be heard. Another invitation to weigh in on the US Men's National team was accepted. However, I couldn't be present at the station for the interview.

My solution at the time was to simply call in from my cellphone while riding shotgun in a car. Unaware that I broke two cardinal rules in radio interviews (using a cellphone and being in transition), I patiently waited for my time to shine.

The radio hosts brought me on the air, and everything was going fine until the car that I was traveling in was pulled over at an out-of-the-blue police check point. Let's just say it made for two crazy minutes in my radio career...

Fortunately, the hosts were great sports about it, and the following week I gave my World Cup insights in studio, minus the lightning/police barracades!

To Stay or Not To Stay: Hollywood Beach Hotel

I come across many people who express their desire to have an extended stay at the beach or to journey to far flung places in the world. The number one obstacle to making their desire a reality is money.

I will be the first to admit. Travel and housing expenses can wipe out a budget depending on your destination and length of stay.

Well, I want to propose one way to reduce your housing expenses. Explore the option of staying in a hostel.

Like some of my readers, I had watched backpackers wander into interesting looking buildings with colorful signs that read “hostel”, but I had my own assumptions as to what these places entailed. Other readers do not have any idea about hostels whatsoever.

A hostel is a low cost, accommodation where travelers reside in “dorm style” rooms. Most of these rooms contain bunk beds and can hold up to 8-10 people, depending on the size of the room. The dorm rooms are can be single gender or mixed gender. Typically, mixed gender rooms are lower cost. In addition to the dorm style rooms, there are some private room options available at rates that are similar to that of a motel. Prices for the multi-bed options can range from $12-23.

Sounds like a steal, right? Well, I love the price too. However, I always wondered if the tradeoff of cleanliness, privacy, safety and who –knows-whatever-else was worth it.

So, how about a little experiment?

I had been doing a little research prior to my journey to Hollywood, Florida and located The Hollywood Beach Hotel. The owners have a number of traditional hotel properties on South Beach, and this Hollywood edition looked to be a really cool looking place. HBH has private rooms, family suites AND dorm style rooms on the site.

I took a visit last night, and I decided to take the plunge.

Although I had read rave reviews about the place online, I still had the slight, unsubstantiated fear that one of my dorm mates would try and harm me in the middle of the night. The self-concocted, horrific storyline fell flat. My three dorm mates are quiet, polite and European.

My sole disappointment thus far is that I can’t fully sit up straight while sitting on my bed. My head keeps hitting the base of the top bunk.

And…the most interesting encounter was with a guy who proudly announced to me (and everyone in the living room) that he was from East Point (near Atlanta) and that he The Hollywood Beach Hotel so much that he had been living there for 30 days. To learn more about HBH and all the freebies that they provide its lodgers, check out their web site.

Not For Tourists: Roadside Burgers

The people I meet probably know more about me than those of you reading this blog entry. I think it’s because everything is so new (aka Me) and there’s an ongoing question and answer conversation.

For example, did you know that I do not eat eggs or cheese (except for on pizza), I don’t drink milk, but I love ice cream? If you don’t, my trainer does.

This evening we were continuing a discussion about me not eating beef or pork and comparing the costs of hot dogs and hamburgers in our respective countries. In the middle of our conversation, my trainer told me that under no circumstances does he eat a hamburger from a street vendor. (Now when a local tells you they don’t do something, this is when you need to put on your thinking cap and get a pen to take notes.)
It seems that those roadside hamburgers are more than likely not beef. Let’s try donkey or horse meat. Sounds tasty, right?

The Snack Xchange: Taste Like Jiffy

My snack arsenal is pretty serious. I bring a couple of boxes fruit snacks, trail mix, a snickers or two. Some of the snacks are for me. The rest of the snacks are to give away to my trainer(s) and other athletes. Well, the snacks go both ways. The other day at training they were passing out cake slices (bollo) by Bimbo. Bimbo is probably the equivalent of Little Debbie as far as the snack game goes.

This was my first time trying it, and it was good. My chunk definitely gave me a dose of energy. Check it out!

What Could Have Been Had The King of Pop Went South….

Every time I travel outside of the U.S., it amazes me just how big our cultural footprint is on the rest of the world. Many of my conversations with natives include questions about American movies, politics (if something really good is going on) and music.

I cannot tell you how many crazy American songs that I hear in stores, on public transportation, and in people’s homes. (I don’t think I have ever gone to someone’s residence without them showcasing their knowledge of American music via playlist! For the record, many of the songs can be caught on one of those throwback VH-1 countdowns..)

So it only makes since that Michael Jackson show up somewhere, right? Well, I guess but in Colombia this dude is in such random places. On my very first bus ride to training, I see a wall tag that read, “Michael Jackson Lives.” I made a mental note and thought to myself, “It’s good to see the respect is here in Barranquilla.”

Last week, my trainer and I took my laundry on a tour of the city. (I will explain in another post.) As we were riding the bus, I hear some notes and told my trainer, “I think this is Michael Jackson.” My trainer was a little unsure; but as soon as the beat played, it was confirmed that someone did a Spanish cover of I Just Can’t Stop Loving You. Now, I had to start laughing because this is the second time the Pop King has appeared, and I am a believer in the 3 incident rule.

What could possibly be next? A t-shirt? An album? A painting?

Well, a week later I received my answer. At my trainer’s birthday party, my trainer was the DJ/Selecta/Turntable Master (via computer). About halfway into the evening, We Are the World begins blasting through the subwoofer on the patio. I wasn’t expecting it, but maybe MJ wasn’t either. What if he would’ve headed south to Colombia for a little R&R? I still might be watching him live on the concert channel in Barranquilla….

Wrong Taxi, Wrong Street: Qiana's Encounter with Colombian Police

This evening I attended a small birthday celebration for my trainer in Barranquilla, Professor Alzate. Everything was great, and I had a fabulous time.

However, there was a small, but jarring twist to my evening. Ronald, a fellow athlete, was charged with the task of making sure that I arrived to my temporary residence safely. He, along with my trainer, flagged a taxi and negotiated the fare.

We had to have gone maybe 3 side streets when two Colombian Policeman stop the car. It is around probably midnight or so at the time (I think). They are waving their flashlights in the car and asking the driver questions. Before I know it, we are asked to get out of the car. One policeman is asking me questions on one side of the car, while his partner is questioning my escort.

Now, the Spanish is coming fast from the policeman and slow from me. I was instructed to step away from the car, open my bag and answer whether or not I had drugs. I was processing everything as fast as I could, but it was obvious the Policeman wasn't understanding why I was giving short answers and not pleading my case.

Ronald was doing all he could to explain as fast as he could why in the world I was looking like a panic stricken, non-Spanish speaking American on a side street in the middle of a nontourist neightborhood in Barranquilla.

For the first 3 minutes, I started to get a really sick feeling to my stomach. You know you hear about those stories of shady police, being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the stigma (unfortunately) of being an American.

Ronald could sense I wasn't looking too well, and he told me to stay calm. I, too inserted a mental note of looking at peace because those guilty of transporting drugs panic, right?

Taxis passed down the dark street and there were a few passersby, as Ronald and I watched the two cops talk on their radios, check under the hood of the car and continually ask questions of our driver.

Finally, the police agreed to Ronald's plea to let us go so that he could make sure that I arrived to my aparthotel. I was happy that whatever the ongoing situation with the taxi driver didn't automatically include the passengers.

We were told to get back in our original taxi. One of the policemen hopped in the front seat...and that's where the video picks up. Here's the remainder of my trip after my encounter with the Colombian Police. Getting a lift to a main street. Ronald negotiating with another driver, and then recounting our hold up. Of course, I follow up with my English synopsis.

Walking on Coals: The Sand of Puerto Colombia

My first day of training was pretty uneventful. I did wake up in the middle of the night to realize that I had a small puncture in my left foot. I guess my adrenaline from all of the day’s events finally reached a normal level at 3:00 a.m…

It wasn’t anything that a little antibiotic ointment couldn’t begin working on. Well, the second day of training I figured couldn’t be that much different. I had devised a way to provide slight relief to my feet when they couldn’t tolerate the temperature of the sand. It’s a little sand shuffle that I do that turns over the top sand to reveal a slightly cooler layer underneath! LOL

Well, at 8:30 a.m. on the training grounds of Puerto Colombia, there was no shade and just a straight outpouring of bright sunshine from the heavens. It was very picturesque until I took off my shoes and socks. My professor and his footvolley partner were moving around like it was a normal day. I tried to play it off, but about 40 minutes into training I thought I was walking on hot coals. My quick 5 minute rest request intensified as I walked over to get my shoes and socks because the sand had just been heating up the whole 40 minutes. Hotter Sand! Fear, Shock and Fast tipping. I couldn’t get my socks and shoes on fast enough. Even the warmth of my shoes paled in comparison. Needless to say, I trained the remainder of the session in socks. It made a world of difference, but the Colombian sand and I will have to make peace with one another—it’s an inevitable reality.

New Meat: Mosquitoes Go Hard Once Again

You would think that by now I would have the whole battle against mosquitoes under control. It appears that I am no better armed than I was the last time. Instead of waiting for the first bite, I was proactive and just sprayed at every opportunity. Before training, I spray. After my shower, I spray. Before I go to bed, I spray.

I know it may seem a bit strange to spray before I go to bed, but you know once mosquitoes are on to you—they wage a war at all hours, especially at night.

Well, nothing has worked. I have been attacked. They didn’t even spare my neck (and this is a first—a low blow I might add). I am up for suggestions from South American natives or those individuals who have successfully resided relatively bite free in this area of the world.

It’s not a cute sight when combined with some training blemishes. The legs are looking like a construction zone, but I know this is only temporary. I just need a little help on how to get over the hump.

Search & Seizure: 3 Staple Items In My Travel Bag

I boarded my flight in Miami with a slight concern. Every international flight I’ve been on requires you to fill out that immigration entry form. It asks the usual information-who, when, where and why are you showing up. Well, I did not know the answer to one of those questions. What is the address where you will be staying?
I had to be quite frank. I ran through the list of options. I could…1. Fake it and put a hotel that I had read about on the internet ( my memory is selectively impeccable in this regard). 2. Leave the space blank. Pray to Jesus for His white light to get those armed, Colombian guards to show me some favor. or 3. Write in a hybrid of 1 and 2—la casa de mi amigo (the home of my friend).

I tried to see if I could take a cue from my seat partner. The entire flight I thought this guy was Colombian and knew exactly what was going on. Come to find out, he asked me in plain English how to complete the form since he was Puerto Rico American, from New York, a new transplant to Phoenix and on his 1st trip to Colombia. He put his US address in the blank—not a good look…

Well, I left the address blank and concluded that God could only shine his face on me for not falsifying this document.

Outside of this blank space on my form, I have to confide my impending encounter with Colombian immigration brought feelings of slight trepidation. I am an upstanding traveler. Don’t get me wrong. However, immigration officials can make the process short or long. If they want to personally be in your business (which does happen), there is nothing stopping them.

Well, the Colombian official didn’t give me that much grief until he eyed the address box. There seemed to be a few trick questions. Why are you here? To visit a friend. Are you here for work? No. I am here to visit a friend. Where are you staying? In the home of my friend. What is the address? I don’t know, but I have a phone number.

The phone number was the lifesaver…and I was passed along to another guard who asked me the same question. Only 10 feet stood between me and freedom—and fortunately, he let me take that walk.

In previous instances, immigration officials have engaged in a search and seizure that would make onlookers think that I was really a suspicious character.

Do you want to know what they usually see? Here’s 3 things that you will always find in my travel back if you do a search and seizure.

1. Satin Pillowcase: Some people wear head wraps. I sleep on a gold satin pillowcase. Cotton pillow cases wreak havoc on your hair. You know I have to protect the curls!
2. Business Magazine: Depending on the length of the trip, I will have at least one. This time I have two-Fast Company and Inc. I am almost finished with both…
3. Fruit Snacks: I can’t transport fruit, but I need a snack that takes up minimal space, differs from my trail mix and crackers. Fruit snacks are a logical choice. Also, they are a great peace offering to pass along to new friends!

P.S. I forgot to pack my pillowcase on this trip...not a good look

Gringa Vs. Local: Walking A Fine Line

I know you want to travel everywhere with me in Barranquilla. However, I can’t make any promises on the images that you are gonna get.

I really try my best to blend in with the crowd when I travel. I do this for a couple of reasons. I train and travel in areas that are not frequented by tourists. Why call undue attention to myself?

I will admit that here are some obvious things that I do or wear that make me stand out like a sore thumb. (I will discuss those challenges in later entries) However, I try to keep those to a minimum.

Fortunately, I will not be short on commentary on the city with some of the hottest sand that my feet have encountered. Stay tuned to learn more about my latest South American adventure.