The Wolverines Abroad: Player's Perspective, Stu Douglass
8/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 20, 2010
By Junior Guard Stu Douglass
It's eerie how much the outskirts of Amsterdam look like Indiana. Driving to Brussels all you see are corn fields everywhere, and cows. The only way you can tell it's not America is due to the lack of SUVs.
The real big difference that hit us first is when we stopped for food an hour and a half into our bus trip we had to point to the food we wanted to buy, which turns out isn't that bad. We had some pizza, chocolate covered Belgium waffles, donuts and fruit (of course). We obviously expected it to be different, but it is still weird at first.
The excitement is starting to build for me and for the team now that we are officially here. I say that as I look around on the bus to everyone sleeping, but I promise, we're excited to be here.
Before we left though, the idea of a seven-hour plane ride kind of killed any excitement, especially for Blake. I have never met a kid who hates flying more than Blake. It's almost unfair how easy it is to mess with him on a plane. Every time we are close to landing, and land is visible from the air, you can always see Blake staring out the windows as if to make sure the ground is still there.
The plane ride wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, especially considering I slept no more than five minutes the entire flight. I was too busy watching movies -- three in a row actually. I will probably regret it later. And for the record, Tracy Morgan is a lot funnier than he's given credit, and Bruce Willis has to find another role than being a cop.
Anyway, when we stepped off the plane the first sign for me that we were not home was police officers walking through the airport with semi-automatic rifles. I only see those playing "Call of Duty." The other sign was how much attention we drew. It's bad enough we are all wearing matching blue Michigan polo's that make us too noticeable, but it is another thing to constantly take pictures of the team in the airport doing absolutely nothing.
I'm sure everyone in Ann Arbor can't wait for the photos of us grabbing our luggage to get posted online (thank you Brian Townsend). I say that sarcastically, but there's a great chance my mom is actually waiting for those pictures to come up. I also can't tell which part of the trip my mom is most excited about for me, our games or our trip to the chocolate museum. She even told me how to pack the chocolate on the way home so it doesn't melt. I love you too mom.
I'm too tired to write anymore...so I am sure I will check in again later in the week.
