Over our 16 day trip we traveled many miles via airplane, bus, boat, bike, and foot visiting five countries (if you count our short trip through Austria on the way to Germany). Along the way we each experienced many things. Laura Almeida ’06 and Teresa Abrahamsohn ‘85 (the blog writers) have tried to capture the experiences of the team. We thought that it would be great for you to hear directly from each member of the team in their own words what their favorite memory and/or thought was on the trip.
As we sat in the Frankfurt airport waiting for our flight to depart, we asked each member of the team to jot down her thoughts. Here they are in no particular order. Enjoy!
- I wish I could spend every morning the way I did on our last date in Portovenere. Mika, Ali Mullin, and I woke up early in the morning to walk to a 12th century church high up on the edge of a cliff. Our plans of swimming were almost cancelled because of the temperature so early in the morning, but when we came across the perfect cove behind the walls of the church we knew we had to. The water was surprisingly warm and we were sad to leave in order to get back to the hotel. It was a perfect way to end our time in the Cinque Terra region. – Kiersten Berg #14
- My favorite experience was catching the train through the Swiss Alps. The vast amount of untouched land was breathtaking. It was a different kind of beautiful that I’m used to, especially coming from Hawaii. In every city we visited, the architecture and culture possessed so much history that I could never experience in the states. This was truly an experience I will never forget, and I hope to relive it again the future. – Erika Lum #30
- My two favorite memories are cliff diving in Cinque Terre and listening to Massi’s many “speeches” on the bus. –Ali Mullin #9
- All things Italy. Loved the food, the people, the atmosphere, and the scenery! I could live without their soccer style though, and the refs J. The boat tour where we hopped from different villages of Cinque Terre was so fun and our hotel in Portovenere was AMAZING! Loved the memories that were made at that hotel… - Gloria Chun #12
- My favorite place was Cinque Terre, Italy. I loved the gorgeous villages and had so much fun cliff diving and swimming. Another favorite: Massi’ pregame speech, “No win, no bus.” - Jo Price #7
- Cinque Terre may just be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Great weather, beautiful water (perfect for swimming), and the cutest little seaside towns! The USA vs. Columbia game was also an awesome time. All of us decked out in red white and blue cheering like crazy AND we got to see Mia Hamm. Well done Europe, well done… - MC Barrett #1
- The day that stands out most in my memory is our first real day in Cinque Terre and that morning of free exploration. Experiencing an Italian coastal city on your own terms and immersing oneself in the local culture was more fantastic than one could imagine. Watching the harbor evolve from a pallet of pale pastels of a quiet town, to a colorful and vibrant bustling coastal city, the warm Italian waters, and a city steeped in history, it was a day that will not be forgotten. - Diana “Di” Ohrt #19
- There are too many unforgettable memories to choose from but one of my favorites was first arriving in Paris and being amazed by the beautiful architecture, the top of the Eiffel Tower, and the many crepes with nutella. The train we took through the Swiss Alps was also incredible, and I just enjoyed spending all this time with my teammates and exploring each new city together. - Amber Bledsoe #20
- One of my favorite memories was sitting on the dock at St. Moritz with my teammates, facing the lake with our feet in the water and the best food in my belly. Also, listening to Mia Hamm speak. - Louisa Pitney #10
- I remember running down the streets of Germany with a few other girls and noticing how different the architecture was in comparison to the other cities we had visited. I remember turning, running into a park and beginning to hear music, so eventually we followed it and found a huge fair. There were all sorts of small shops where people sold spices, sauces, corn on the cob, jewelry and weird, wooden objects. I loved how such a spectacular thing was so hidden inside the park and how many different and interesting people we saw walking around it. - Emily Wingrove #17
- One of my favorite memories from the trip was the bike tour of Munich. From Rob’s out of line comments to high-speed races against the other group, it was a pretty hilarious and fun way to see the city. The guys surfing on the river and the beer garden we stopped at were both really cool. Also interesting was watching Emily Wingrove struggle to steer her bike on city streets. - Eliza Marshall #8
- Cinque terra maintains the most vivid imagery in my memory of BWS Europe trip 2011. As I sat on the Mediterranean coastal rocks watching my teammates cliff dive, I finally registered we were on a trip of our lifetimes. Not only had we grown and experienced individually, but we have grown closer and experienced as a team- something that cannot be forgotten. - Alexa Ellis #3.
- Paris, Je T’aime! I must say, I may have fallen in love…with Paris that is. Although, the bronzed Italian men glistening with their sun-kissed skin in Cinque Terra posed some major competition, nothing beat the Greek Gods as they stood upright in all of their glory inside the Louvre museum. Being lost in the Louvre really ain’t that bad. Oh the memories, casually checking out the Mona Lisa…river rafting in the French Alps by day and swimming in the Mediterranean by night sure does beat the 9-5…It really is a hard life! – Katie Rushton # 27
- Choosing a favorite place among all the beautiful cities we visited on this trip, each with their unique personalities, is certainly is a difficult task. However, I have to say France, especially Paris, holds a special place in my heart. Portovenere in Italy was also quite a sight; I have never seen anything quite like it. As for my favorite moment on this trip, I really enjoyed Tollwood in Munich which was a carnival held at a walking distance from our hotel. I felt that I truly experienced the local culture: browsing variety of authentic shops, tasting local foods and listening to catchy songs from German bands playing on stage. – Sarah Hebert-Seropian #6
- My favorite place we traveled to was Portovenere. Before we left the city, a few of us woke up early to go swimming in a cove beneath a church from the 1200s. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I also enjoyed taking the ferry to various cities in Cinque Terre. –Mika Siegelman #16
- I loved Italy. Everything about Italy was beautiful, visiting the coastal towns, walking through the big cities, and even driving through the country sides. My favorite place on this trip was the boat ride in Cinque Terre to Riomaggiore. The coastal town of Riomaggiore made me feel like I was one of the locals. Going into the town “grocery” store and walking through the neighborhoods, it gave me the feel of integration I wanted. Although I loved Italy the most, my favorite memory was in Germany, during our stay in Munich. Going to one of the local festivals, Tollwoods, was a great way for me to immerse myself into the local culture. The music was awesome, just like the food. -Allie Kagawa #35
- Seeing Munich on a bike tour was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Our tour guide gave us an entertaining and honest tour of the whole city. Realizing that much of Munich had to be rebuilt while some areas were spared was a unique experience for me. We also familiarized ourselves with the best part of Germany—“prosting” with friends. - Mary Lesbirel #15
- This is a difficult question to answer. Each and every time the team loaded the bus to make our way to the next location the entire team would be brooding and declare that we all wished we could have stayed longer. This trip was just that good. I especially loved Cinque Terre, Italy… but that could just be due to the fact that we found an excellent cliff diving spot. Florence and Munich are also on my list of favorites. The beauty and the history of Europe is in and of itself something special; but I was lucky enough to have shared it with 19 of my best friends. -Rachael Pack #11
- Europe. It seems that every time I leave this wonderful continent I leave a piece of my heart behind. From its enchanting mountains, to its still blue waters, to its rich history, each country is unique and every city we visited was amazing. My fondest memory of this trip will be our visit to Cinque Terre, Italy. Something about the Mediterranean lifestyle is soothing and relaxing that can only be experienced and not explained. The boat cruise that allowed us to visit each of the medieval port cities, cliff jump, eat endless gelato, climb rocks, and compare each others’ sunburns were all small parts to a memorable day. Above anything else on this trip, I am thankful for having had the opportunity to end my Brown soccer career experiencing Europe with my teammates for the last time. As a graduated senior faced with the real world, I will always cherish the memories created during the Brown Women’s Soccer Europe Trip 2011. -Joyce Chun #21
- I could not have asked for a more exciting, enjoyable culmination to my four years at Brown. I am so happy and thankful to think back on our polite efforts to eat the mysterious sausage offered to us as a traditional dish in Lyon, our breakfasts on the hotel balcony overlooking the calm waters and pastel-colored buildings of Portovenere, the small parade of local townspeople and children dressed in costumes that welcomed us onto the field before our first match in Levanto…I’ll never forget our team’s bus-ride preparations for the US Women’s National Team World Cup Match on our final day—painting faces (including those of Elena and Massi, our beloved tour guide and bus driver), making braided headbands, using temporary tattoos…Our creativity, team spirit, patriotism, and good looks (of course) sure attracted the attention of other spectators. The aunt of US national team member and player of the game, Carli Lloyd, told us that she would hang pictures of our group in her kitchen! -Katie Gannett #32
- My favorite experience from the trip happened on our last day in Germany. We were watching USA vss Columia in the World Cup live when the coaching staff offered to buy the graduating seniors a beer each. For me, the drink represented the end of four years of hard work and unforgettable memories. IT was a delicious acknowledgement of our dedication and passion. I can’t think of a better way to part from Brown Women’s Soccer than watching a professional game, in Germany, while sharing a round with my fellow seniors. Thanks to the staff, and a special thanks to the team. I will miss you all deeply! FSU next season. – Gina Walker #34
- I really enjoyed going to the top of the Eiffel tower on our first day and seeing the spectacular view of Paris. Rach, Lex, Jojo, and I ran down the spiral staircases for more than half of the tower and loved watching the city spin around us. Every day was such an experience; I hope to go back to several of the cities we visited, especially Cinque Terre and St. Moritz. – Carly Ruiz #5
- My favorite memory of the trip was visiting Cinque Terre, Italy. Seeing the quaint town, eating the fresh fruit, and swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean was so special and very beautiful. Jumping off the 30 foot cliffs into the beautiful water with the locals was something so incredible and an experience I'll never forget. - Maddie Weiner #25
We think the players summed up the trip quite well. It was a wonderful trip for everyone and best of all it was a great bonding trip for the team and terrific way to prepare for the upcoming 2011 season. The blog might be over but you can continue to follow the team through www.brownbears.com, especially if you are not able to attend the games in person.
So long Europe! Au revoir, Arrivederci, Auf Wiedersehen!
Thanks for following us!
Ever True,
Teresa Abrahamsohn '85 and Laura Almeida '06
