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Flora Wong- 代表马来西亚参加 “World Cup Youth Delegation"
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Flora Wong- 代表马来西亚参加 “World Cup Youth Delegation"
Travel log
10/6
It was our first day in the United States of America. All we did the whole day was watch World Cup matches on TV in the hotel lobby while we waited for the other participants to arrive.
11/6
Everyone got up really early for breakfast and a round of ice-breakers. I got to know the names of all the participants, programme staff and chaperones as well. We were introduced to Ray, our bus driver, before we headed for Washington D.C. where we were to stay for a week in Marymount University. That night, we were each presented with our own kit before our dinner of burger, fries and cookies.
12/6
We visited the White House where we met President Bush just before he left for Camp David. We went gear-shopping before heading for the Rayburn Building where we watched the USA-Ghana match in a congress room. Then, we attended a football clinic with Professional Women’s Soccer coaches in Germantown.
13/6 - 14/6
We toured the Jefferson Memorial before visiting the children from the Boys&Girls Club which is an after-school programme run by the local police department. We were special guests at a DC United training session and we got free tickets to a WNBA game that night. The next day, we went to Maryland University where we played with their teams. (who are national champs!) Later, we met Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Under Secretary Karen Hughes. A handful of us went for TV interviews for channels ABC, NBC and CNN. A nerve-wrecking experience. We had a scrimmage with a local team in the evening before a pizza party at Karen Hughes apartment.
15/6 -16/6
We watched England play Trinidad and Tobago at Kitty O’Shea’s Sports Bar before visiting a summer camp for kids called Headfirst. We had a 3 on 3 competition among ourselves. My team lost. After a plate of disgusting pasta salad to-go, we went shopping. The following day, we visited the Voice of America TV station and the Dept. of State office. We all had interviews with media from different countries. We went to the National Islamic Centre for our Muslim participants to have their Friday prayers before touring other famous memorials.
17/6
Return to New York. We watched a Major League Soccer match between the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy. We were recognized on the field during half-time.
18/6 - 19/6
We enjoyed one day of relaxation. A stroll in Central Park in the morning, a lazy afternoon at the YMCA and a night of shopping and a movie (Nacho Libre!). We had a special training session with the Red Bulls at Bryant Park the next morning. That evening we attended a reception party at the UN office where we could meet with ambassadors from our own countries.
20/6 - 21/6
Before our flight to Germany, we were guests on Good Morning, America. On the flight, a bunch of us couldn’t sleep and decided to berborak next to the lavatories. Our 4 star hotel in Nuremberg had no air-conditioning! It was such a hot day. We took a tour of a fort near our hotel.
22/6
The BIG day! After visiting players from he local Brecht High School, we met Bruce Arena and a couple of US players at the Hilton hotel. Then, we prepared to go to the match between USA and Ghana. We painted each other and donned blue, red and white clothes. The atmosphere in the stadium of 41000 fans, the constant beat of Ghanaian drums, the cheers and the Mexican waves. It was so amazing. The fan fest was a lot of fun too, with strange costumes and hats all about.
23/6
We traveled back to Frankfurt where we would stay a night before departing for our own countries. We went up the tallest building in Germany, a mere 50 floors (didn’t impress the Malaysians) before heading back to our hotel. Played another scrimmage against German locals, KSV Weckesheim. We had dinner at a Media Lounge before going souvenir shopping. That night, we had a candle-lit closing ceremony where we said our farewells, cried and hugged.
24/6 - 25/6
My flight was at 6 in the morning, the second group to leave. It was another long journey back home…
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