Busy busy busy (SEPT - NOV)
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Montana
19 November 2016 | Verenigde Staten, Costa Mesa
This year I celebrated Halloween. It fell on a Monday, but on the Saturday before Jenna, Taylor, Taylor and I went to Fernando’s house to carve pumpkins. It is a lot harder than it seems in the movies! At one point I was over it, but it was a very fun experience. After that Jenna, Taylor and Taylor and I went to a burger place and then to Jenna’s house. We watched the movie ‘Halloween’ which I had not seen before. On Monday, I didn’t go to my night-class but to Jenna’s grandma’s house instead. Cayla and I carpooled over there. Jenna’s grandma made pasole for a bunch of people, which a delicious Mexican dish. I think I had four portions. We walked around the neighborhood to look at how people decorated their houses. One house looked exactly for the set of the series ‘Stranger Things’. My favorite was a house which was covered in small green lights, including the garden and porch. However, only the pathway to the front door was dark. The garden was shielded with planks and warning tapes. Behind it were zombies, and the theme song of ‘The Walking Dead’ was playing. It was very cool, I just had to trick or treat at this house and walk my way past the zombies. One family had decorated their garden into a maze. There was a very long line. A lot of effort was put in it, very cool. Nobody would bother in the Netherlands. It wasn’t too scary of course, since halloween is manly for kids.
One of my coaches, Coach Mike, is the owner of Sports Training Center (STC). It is like softball heaven, with batting cages, a workout room, physical therapy, a store and more. On the first day of practice, Coach Mike inspected everyones glove and he told me I needed a new one. I started looking for one, but didn’t come around to it. A few weeks later he gave me one for free! It’s orange and black, and orange is our school colour. It is such a nice gesture and I was so happy. He also lets the team use the batting cages at STC for free if we come when it’s not busy. I go there most Fridays to give myself a break from my homework. Also, I bought a new bat at that store! The Xeno Plus 2017 (although I didn’t even know a Plus existed). Coach Mike ordered it for me and gave me a discount, which he gives all his players. He is such a nice guy and one of the best coaches in the country, although he’s scary at times during fielding practice ;). He has sent many players, including Coach Munch and Coach Jodie, to play for a Division 1 school with a scholarship.
Also, my pitching coach and I are rigorously trying for me to stop hitting my hip when I throw. Coach Rich has built me a small wall, so that my foot goes in the right dragging path which will clear my hip. At first, I would smack that wall and it would hurt my foot. Slowly but surely I got better and better, but at one point my foot tented to simply go over it. It created a crease that got bigger and bigger, so Coach Rich had to add dirt after every practice. It was quite genius and for the most part it helped.
The team had a weight workout to remember. First of all, it was raining and we were on the track field. I don’t understand why this particular workout couldn’t be postponed so we could go inside in the weight room. We did a relay race. Firstly, there was a sprint to a cone and back that everyone in the group had to do. Then the first person in the group had to do 20 push-ups and 20 burpies. Then this person had to carry two 35 pound weights and walk a full circle along the track field. This is called a farmer carry. When she was back at the start, she had to run another lap. Then it all started with the sprints again and the second person had to go through this. The push-ups made your arms hurt before the farmer carry. It also made your hands wet, which only made carrying the weights more difficult. Some girls in the team have never lifted weights before and usually grab 7.5 pounds when we work out, but today everyone had to do 70 pounds. I thought this was a bit unfair. Luckily it wasn’t raining as bad when it was my turn. I managed to not drop the weights until halfway the lap.
The team had a game/practice at UCLA. It is an honor to go there, since they have the record of most National Championships. Coach Jodie and Coach Munch used play for this school, so they were able to set it up. We practiced together and then we had a scrimmage. Carlie and I had no home runs against us, which is a pretty big deal! Carlie even struck someone out! We were allowed to see their fancy changing room and their clubhouse. In the clubhouse there was only one rule: “Don’t step on the UCLA!” which was printed in the carpet. After some motivational speeches we went to the campus to have a look around and eat. There was a massive hall of fame. It felt like every inch of the room was filled with athletic trophies, state rings etc. It was very impressive.
Lately I’ve been very busy in school. This is what my average day looks like:
Wake up early to study a little before practice;
Weight training and softball training;
Go home to shower and do homework;
Class, study at the library and then class again.
I’m busy all day, and I mostly blame it on my Math class. It is so ridiculously hard. I feel like every time I do something social (like two nights of halloween) I fall behind. Lately I’m having some breathing troubles during practice. I’m out of breath in just one or two sprints across the football field, but my body is not tired and I know I’m in shape. I went to the Health Center at school and they couldn’t figure out what it is. The doctor says it’s most probably because of stress. Well, I know I have a lot of that going on! The doctor wanted me to schedule an appointment with a counselor/therapist. I told her I would, but I walked right passed the front desk. I have a Math test next week, so I don’t have time for that! It’s pretty bad, but it’s just very inconvenient. I might go shortly after the test. I have an astronomy paper due and a math test next week, but the doctor said I wasn’t allowed to do homework a hour before I go to sleep. Therefore I’m writing this long postponed report.
This year I joined the honors program and the honor societies Phi Theta Kappa and Mu Alpha Theta. MAT is a math honor society, so now I am officially a nerd. To be honest I have not attended one of their meetings so far. I keep forgetting, since I don’t have school on Fridays when they meet. However, for PTK I occasionally do attend the meetings and activities. One of the activities I attended is called Help Your Harbor. It’s a beach clean-up, but it is actually way more fun than it sounds. This company lends us some kayaks, which allows you to travel to the bottom of a cliff or a small island to pick up trash. It was lots of fun. I also attended a book drive with PTK, for which we visited neighbors to pick up unwanted books. This is in corporation with Better World Books, which fights against illiteracy and it also gives PTK funding in return.
I have also just submitted my first college applications to UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Davis and UC Irvine. These are all public universities, but I would also like to apply for a private university. I might even think about applying to an Ivy League, Harvard is a strong maybe. A girl can dream.
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19 November 2016 - 08:53
Mama:
Hey Monti,
You are the tallest in every photo!
Thanks for the new blog and photos. I hadn't seen some of them before.
Have a nice Thanks Giving.
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley