I am competing in the 12th annual VTV9 Binh Dien Cup hosted in Tam Ky, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam with a team put together by my agency, Bring It Promotions. We are the first team to represent the United States in volleyball in Vietnam!
Today, Rachel and I woke up and took a walk to find our lifeblood: coffee. Everywhere we went, we were greeted by with smiles and warm “hellos”. The Vietnamese people are truly some of the kindest and most welcoming people. In the afternoon, we had our second practice. As we start to connect on the court, its exciting to see how we will measure up. Somehow this practice was even sweatier than the first. But thank God, no dress fittings after.
A pool recovery session helped heal our tired bodies and we met up for the tournament’s opening dinner. Sitting with the other teams and sponsors, we looked onto a stage where the tournament coordinators, head honchos, and sponsors were presented. We received our finalized Ao Dais, lanterns to light in Hoi An, and adorable stuffed water buffalos. While we ate, we were treated to elaborate performances featuring glittering costumes and impressive vocals. As a team, we decided it was time to embrace the karaoke culture and performed a heartfelt rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High”. Jordan and Maggie absolutely killed the leads while the rest of us belted it out and danced our support from the background.
So far, it’s been a complete whirlwind in the best way. From volleyball, to trying new foods, to meeting some incredible people, it’s going to be a trip to remember. Its my first trip to Asia and I’m constantly in awe at the things around me! My favorite moments have been seeing and playing with Jordan for the first time in years, trying all types of new foods (especially passion fruit and Vietnamese coffee!), and introducing ourselves at the opening dinner via song and dance. Next up is a couple more training sessions, opening ceremonies, and our first match. Our pool includes Almaty (Kazakhstan), Jiangsu (China), and Ngan hang cong thuong (Vietnam). Here we go!
