European Homeless Cup

Ups and Downs

When you’re traveling or working or playing on a team for a sport, you have positive moments and negative ones. You learn things as you go and you figure out what works and what doesn’t. I realize, now, that an 84 day trip is an incredibly long time. Currently, I am 36 days into it. While that is more than a month, it is still less than half-way through. I’ve had a bunch of ups and downs, and I would like to share a few. I believe it is important to reflect on both the good and the bad in an adventure like this.

Landing in Spain [POSITIVE]

Lost like a three-year-old kid in the clothing section of the department store, Chris and I stumbled around the city of Madrid after getting off a shuttle from the airport. We had no map and we were just getting used to the clunky weight of our backpacks. With no phones, we had to find some sort of Wi-Fi in order to get our bearings. Problem was, everything was closed as it was only six in the morning. Luckily, we tried a nearby hotel. Inside, the clerk helped us get access to the internet and the bartender helped me adjust my Spanish. Thankful, we felt like we should order some drinks or something. I asked for a nice beer and Chris got water. We sat down, opened up our emails, and took a sigh of relief. We had made it. We were across the ocean. I sipped the beer. It tasted like the best drink in the freaking world.

Leaving Barcelona [NEGATIVE]

This was the most hectic travel situation you could imagine and it was our own doing. Chris and I went to a concert for Knife Party, a dubstep/electronic artist, on the day of our first Ryanair flight. Two problems with this. First, our flight was at 06:30. Second, Knife Party opened at 00:00. Nevertheless, we went for it. We left the show, dripping in sweat and with our ear drums thoroughly worn, at 03:30. We booked it back to the place we were staying, grabbed our backpacks, chugged some water, and ate a quick snack. Heading to the bus stop, a thirty minute walk from our residence, Chris and I began to argue. We were low on sleep, but even so, we had problems to work out. I wasn’t giving Chris the amount of trust I should have. Instead, I was attempting to do everything myself. This was wrong and, rightfully, Chris was pissed about it. I was upset because he was belittling the importance of making it to the airport on time. We yelled like two little girls over a stolen Barbie doll and each had a little tantrum at 04:30 on the Barcelona streets. Drunk passerbys, heading home from bars, gave us awkward glances as we stormed by with our huge backpacks, nagging at each other. Yet, we made the bus to the airport. We sat there and let out a sigh of relief and apologized for our antics. We helped each other reach our water bottles (cute, huh?) and put our bags down. We shook hands. God, we were tired. But, we had issues. We agreed to do our best to solve the problems we had with each other and take a strong step forward. I’m glad that Chris has my back and is here on this trip. He is a strong asset and it would be incredibly different without him. We may have our differences, but we are both very different people. It isn’t about being similar- it is about using our unique skills to be the best combination of travelers possible.

Note:

Shoot. I’m realizing that I have a TON of positives and negatives, and while I have an urge to keep jamming them out on this page, I don’t want to clog this post with them. I have other things to say below! However, I think it would be a good idea if I started all future posts with a positive and a negative. That gives me more time to share different things going on and put them in a collected light. I’ll continue with more positives and negatives on the next post.

Europe Together: A Homeless Cup

From June 24 to June 27, thirteen countries joined together in Munich, Germany for the first continental program between partners of the Homeless World Cup organization. The event was coordinated by the host country and team, Germany. They worked to place a street soccer pitch in the center of Munich at a wonderful plaza called Odeonsplatz.

They put on a flawless event. The only problems were the usual tussles between players, coaches, and referees, and that ended up being positive, anyway. It is important for the players to accept the calls the referee makes, even if it is a poor one, and move on and continue playing with a good attitude.

Chris and I did our best to assist with the tournament in all possible ways. It was an incredible sight to see and, in my own opinion, it overshadowed the monuments and churches in its location. It was a spectacle that was more than just a view; it had a purpose, too.

That purpose was to bring the homeless to the forefront and to help eradicate invisibility by showing the value in each individual represented. The European Homeless Cup was not only a tournament of sport- it was also a privilege for the players. Only those with a solid reputation in their home countries were selected to be members of their teams. This “good reputation” comes down to many factors: sportsmanship, willingness to improve (physically and mentally), and strength of character.

Chris and I were lucky enough to stay with the Switzerland team during the time of the tournament. This was especially nice because we had previously worked with the Swiss program and we were familiar with the players. It was immersive, too. The first day we woke up with the team and traveled to the pitch from the hostel. I felt a little bit like an adoring fan, as I was wearing my Surprise Strassensport shirt with the Swiss logo ironed onto the front of it. I was proud to wear it, though, as I have a huge amount of respect for the Switzerland program, its players, and most of all, their coordinators and coach.

The tournament lasted two days, each day full of competition (09:00 – 19:00). There were no lulls in the program- as soon as a match was over; another match was started within two minutes time. As an outsider working with the program I strived to network and spread the word about the Homeless World Cup. Many people came by to watch- after all, it was in the middle of a very popular plaza- and I attempted to bring them up to speed on the rules of street soccer as well as the mindset and attitude of the Homeless World Cup as a nonprofit organization. Everyone was very polite, but I think this was because they were genuinely interested. They took time out of their day to stop walking and watch from the sidelines of the pitch. They seemed more than interested to learn about the program, the players, and what the Homeless World Cup was all about. I was able to talk with travelers from abroad visiting friends, business men staying in Munich for conferences, and curious locals wandering about their own city. Some of the observers even stopped to watch at the start of the day, and I didn’t see  them leave until the event was over. The pitch had that kind of magnetic pull to it.

I believe it is very important to recognize the strength of visibility in light of the problems affecting the homeless. It is especially critical to highlight the fact that they aren’t worthless. They aren’t bums. They are people, too. They are people with value and skill and the willingness to change for the better. The Homeless World Cup is all about this and it sends a powerful message. Soccer, or futbol here in Europe, is highly active. The rules are easy to pick up on and the fast-paced aspect that the street environment brings really snags a crowd’s attention. In a way, it is flashy. But, its ability to draw attention and genuine curiosity from a crowd is unmatched in my eyes.

After working with the European Homeless Cup I am a definite advocate for the program. I think that in a few years the Homeless World Cup will be very well known. It is a powerful program that, while it began many years ago, is starting to reach a turning point. It is growing larger and larger with more countries and more partners. These partners and countries are becoming more like individuals, each more organized as time goes on. Now, they can put together greater local tournaments. These local or regional or continental events garner even more attention from the public. If the Homeless World Cup becomes a household name, these events will be immensely popular. Currently, though, the organization is in the process of becoming that big name. And it’s getting there quickly.

I have so much to say on this, but I don’t want to leave out other aspects of my trip. This blog, I’m finding, only reaches the surface. It is especially important that I track my thoughts and feelings because after this trip I will be writing an evaluation and study of the Homeless World Cup as an overall program and nonprofit. I want to analyze how effective it is from an outside point of view. The good. The bad. Where to improve. All of it. At the moment, I am unbelievably positive and excited for this project. It has a meaning and a purpose and it is right in the center of what I am interested in.

About to leave Igls, Austria now! Talk to you later!

Ciao,

Sam

Rainy Day

Location Update

We’re in Munich! We arrived late last night to a hostel called “The Tent.” It has been raining all morning, but it finally stopped. Time to explore the city.

Items Lost of Discarded

Chris’s very nice (but bulky) poncho

My let’s Go: Europe travel book

A Nalgene water bottle

The cardboard Wilbur cutout L

What do People like in Budapest?

Answer: The Walking Dead

Minor Statistics [before Budapest]

Average daily walking distance: 6.5km (4 miles)

Estimate # of times public transportation* was used: 28

Locations where public transportation was used: Madrid (1), Barcelona (1), Basel (26)

# of times Ryanair was used: 3

# of times international trains were used: 2

# of times regional rails were used: 8

# of times inter-city buses were used: 5

*Public transport accounts for local buses, subways, and light rails. It does not account for regional rails or international trains

Sayonara: Saying Goodbye

Chris and I are traveling through places so quickly and meeting tons of new people along the way. We get only a glance of the entire picture. While we try to see as much of the city as possible, we always miss certain aspects that are said to be incredible. We didn’t make it to the Swiss Alps. We ran out of time and had to skip an amazing museum in Madrid. We just couldn’t find a way to slip into a kayak and paddle around the Baltic Sea.

Of course, we don’t expect to pull off the grand tour in every city we pass through. As we circumvent portions of the places we wished to see, I can’t help but think that I will visit these spots again, without a fat backpack, and take my hours and minutes slowly to really soak up what characterizes each country. For now, the amount of seconds between the handshake and goodbye-hug are too few. But, this trip isn’t a novel- it is a series of short vignettes. It is about exploring and adventuring and most importantly, leaving the lowest quantity of regrets in the tank.

This thought of goodbyes makes me contemplate lost friends and those that are drifting away. It comes across as an emotional maelstrom and I can’t say I am an expert at handling and working out my emotions. Sure, I pride myself on how I can logically and rationally process information. But when it comes to feelings, I’m out in a forest, no compass, and I can only hope to push, push, and push in the right direction. In the end, I am disappointed by my own reception to my sentiments and how I respond to them.  I find that the balance between emotional and logical evaluation is a mastery few have obtained. Those that have this balance are recipients of a trophy or reward associated with the professional control of yin and yang.

My best friend lives in Arizona. At the moment, our lives are progressing in alternate directions. We struggle to say goodbye. No matter how many times we utter the word or phrase and no matter how many different ways we say it, we find ourselves talking and laughing again in the next few weeks or months. We’ve shared a hell of a lot and we know each other too well to just disappear, and in the end I believe this is what always pulls us back. I’ve processed the situation multitudes of times with logic and emotion, but it is a battle on a mental front that never sees a winner. I find it funny that the pathways we can’t imagine meshing together continue to intertwine. Sometimes, I wonder if goodbye is the correct choice.

Instead of mourning over a complete goodbye, I would rather say “See you later.” I think this is better. Just like with the cities we pass though, I don’t want to close off the people I meet (especially those I know best) for good. I want to see them again and give them a wonderful hug. I want to hear all about how they’ve changed and listen to every new detail in their lives.

But then again, maybe the loss (or breaking of) that connection is why goodbyes are so hard?

Jack: Making Friends

The first hostel that Chris and I stayed at in Stockholm was called 2Kronor. We made it there a little after 17:00, checked in, and fell into the nice comfortable catch of the bunk beds in the dorm room. It was a wonderful change from the previous night, which I spent awkwardly sleeping against the side of a chain-link fence in a park.

Shortly after we settled, a guy who had been staying at the hostel for a few days already walked in. Around the same height as me, wavy blond/brown hair, good shape, wearing a blue jacket. We shook hands and said our hellos. His name was Jack. He was 22 and had just graduated from a school near Orlando, Florida, but his hometown was just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I have to say, it was great to see an American, especially a friendly one.

We grabbed dinner at a restaurant that was approximately thirty feet from our hostel- they had a special where you could get a burger, fries, and a beer for under 90 SEK. Our other dorm mate, a scientific, tall and skinny blond dude from Estonia, joined us too. His name was Ott (pronounced: Oh-ight). I felt a little bad for Ott though, as he couldn’t keep up with our conversation. We talked about a bunch of American things (like Jimmy  Kimmel and the NBA Playoffs) and while I did my best to fill Ott in on what he didn’t understand, I could tell he was out of place. After dinner, he hung out with us a short while longer before heading back to the hostel to retire.

Jack, Chris, and I went on to explore the city and we ended up at this new microbrewery, Brew Dog. I have a coaster from the place, it’s pretty sweet.

We sat next to a pair of Sweden guys who were big on skiing and laughing. Ultra-friendly and welcoming, they immediately began conversing and joking around with us. One looked incredibly similar to Gerard Butler (even his hand motions and the way he leaned his elbow on the table).

Anyway, we eventually glanced at the menu. It was an in-your-face kind of thing, with sentences challenging your manhood, saying that you wouldn’t dare drink specific kinds of beers because they would be “too tough for you.” The place was a little expensive, though, so Jack, Chris, and I opted to each buy a single drink before heading out.

We read the menu as if it was a textbook and finally selected our beverages. We found these brews that were insanely high proof (34% and 42%) but really small quantity (5 centiliters). One was called the Tactical Nuclear Penguin and to be honest, I can’t recall the other one’s name. It was something feisty and related to a bird like a crow or falcon, I think. We drank the brews, as slow as you could for that volume, and all made quirky faces at the strength and flavor of the liquid. The Swedish Gerard Butler ordered a burger, which looked immensely tasty, but we left before he could remark on how delicious it was.

For the rest of the night, we hung out with Jack. It was a good change of pace for the two of us and he had his own wild stories to contrast ours. Jack is heading home soon, but before that he is doing one last tour the Netherlands. Best of luck in the future, and safe travels to the man from Boston.

Peace!

Sam