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RHIAN'S SOCCER JOURNALS:

ANOTHER DAY OFF 9th March 2008

It was a very good feeling to have an extra day off today. I am not absolutely sure, but I have the feeling this was arranged because of the strong Greek Orthodox presence here, In their beliefs, Sundays are still very much respected as days off work and labour. Mind you, there was also a pretty big holiday today in Cyprus, as well as Greece: The day before Lent begins, and so it was their last day of eating meat before cleansing themselves tomorrow - their version of Mardi Gras. I think the celebration will be a little subdued here, as there are too many tourists, but I have the feeling that there will be some late nights had in the big cities.

Today went as most National Team days tend to go: Breakfast, then walk and stretch; meeting, and then lunch; training, then dinner; and then finally, another meeting. Setting the timetable out like this makes the routine sound rather boring. Maybe it is, but this is how our days go and most of us enjoy them like this. The routine is important so that we can concentrate on the soccer.

Sometimes though, it is the little things in our routine that make them memorable. For example, today, Even decided to show us how to do a backwards roll ending in a handstand. I am sure why, but it was pretty darn amazing to watch him. I think a few people on the team gave the move a go, but Even was definitely the best at it. I think he must have been practising!!! Another fantastic moment in the day that broke routine was when training went a little longer than expected and our bus driver tried to abandon us at the practice field. We were half an hour late and I guess he had somewhere else he had to be. Anyway, this little scene ended with Les, our manager, standing in front of the bus with his arms out preventing it from advancing. He wasn't carrying any groceries, but this was his own little Tiananmen Square. What a guy! And we were grateful.