Skip to main content

Saigon Women's Football

#nextchaptervietnam
This weekend marked the end of my first women's football league in Saigon. 
My team - Thunder - finished off the season with a 3-2 win to secure 3rd place. 
Our 'sister' team - Storm - won their final game to put them on top of the table. 
It was wonderful to be able to celebrate both teams success during the closing ceremony. 

Thunder
Storm

There were awards, beers in some hands, music blasting, with lots of singing, clapping and dancing of course. 
I stood there in awe of everything happening around me. 
The more I spend time here in Vietnam, the more I realize that the people really enjoy their celebrations, which is so fun to witness!
A glimpse of the closing ceremony

During the 'party', many awards were handed out. 
Indeed there were medals for the top 3 teams, but there were also several team and individual awards. 
I was very honored to be presented with the league's MVP award. 
People, both on and off the field, were very complimentary of my game-play throughout the season and I could not be more grateful for their on-going support.
League's MVP
One of my best goals this season

To finish off the night, a group of us decided to head out for some food and drinks. 
It's always a pleasure sitting, chatting and getting to know the ladies.
Celebrations continued
It's no secret that I was a bit skeptical about playing soccer (football) upon my arrival here in Vietnam, however I can honestly say that things have turned out to be...well...pretty fun! 
The ladies I have been playing with over the last few months have been so welcoming, positive, supportive and enthousiastic. 
I've truly enjoyed playing with them, getting to know them and learning from them. 
They've made it -a bit more- worth the long 45 minutes motorbike rides to and from the pitch every week.

Some of my teamates after a league game
Mt, Hai, Ba - Thunder! 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Living Outside The Box

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I believe I’m on the path I’m meant to be." As we get older, it’s easy to get trapped in society’s idea of what life "should" look like. By the time we hit 40, there’s a well-defined picture of success: owning a home, starting a family, climbing the career ladder. But as I approach this milestone, I’m choosing to remind myself that true happiness isn’t found in checking off someone else’s list. It’s found in stepping outside the box, embracing the unexpected, and allowing life to unfold in its own unique way. Sure, my path hasn’t always been conventional, and I’ve often found myself comparing my journey to others, wondering why I’m not where they are. But when I take a step back and reflect, I see how much I’ve gained by stepping off the well-worn road. Life may not have gone according to plan, but I’m proud of the unexpected milestones I’ve reached along the way. I’ve traveled to over 40 countries, lived in three (ye...

Mirror, Mirror

  “I could try to be just like you, but I wanna be like me - the girl in the mirror.” Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and thought “YIKES!”? Of course you have! We all have! We can all get a little self-critical from time to time, can’t we? I’ll be honest, I don’t often love seeing pictures of myself, especially those really close up, like selfies. Every image seems to amplify my insecurities and highlight “ flaws ” that I wish would disappear. I’m a pretty simple girl—no make-up, no heels, just me as I am, and I find that the world often holds up a different standard of beauty for females, one that's heavily curated and polished. My negative thoughts can weigh heavily at times, and social media ( with all its’ filters ) only magnifies those feelings of self-doubt. Over the last year, I’ve taken a number of selfies or mirror pictures. Some were taken to capture moments during my solo trips, some were taken to track physical changes influenced by diet, training and r...

Fly Away

  “Until you spread your wings, you’ll never know how far you can fly.” For as long as I can remember, there has been a relentless pull within me; a desire to fly away, to explore beyond the boundaries of familiarity, and to immerse myself in the cultural richness of our world. It all started over 15 years ago with a pivotal moment: my first international trip to the Dominican Republic for humanitarian purposes. Little did I know then that this remarkable trip ( *along with teaching in a challenging multicultural school ) would set the stage for a life defined by adventure, discovery, and personal growth. Since that transformative experience, my life has been a whirlwind of movement and exploration. I've been blessed with the opportunity to experience living and working abroad, both in the UAE and in Vietnam, and along the way, I've had the privilege to traverse more than 40 countries, each offering its own unique blend of culture, history, landscape and perspective. Looking ...