Abby Cole - USA Volleyball CNT China Tour Blog
7/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
July 10, 2015
Tiffany Morales (left) and Abby Cole
University of Michigan junior middle blocker Abby Cole traveled to China in June with the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team on its tour of China. The team played six matches against different Chinese club teams and various Chinese National Teams. Cole talks about the food in China, a familiar face on the journey, and her trip to the Great Wall.
The two weeks I got to spend in China were absolutely incredible. It was my first time leaving the States, and my eyes were opened even more than I had imagined they would be. Being able to go to another country and represent our own was incredible! Not only that but being able to travel internationally with one of my teammates (libero Tiffany Morales) from Michigan made everything even more fun and exciting. Unfortunately, my experience was a little different than Tiffany's. A few days before the trip, I got MRI results back saying that I had developed a stress fracture in my right leg. so I was unable to play while overseas. At first, it was hard news for me to swallow because I was so excited for the opportunity, but I decided that there was still a lot I could learn. I knew that I would still find a way to become better during my two weeks in China. I am beyond grateful that the USA CNT program took me along on the trip for the experiences of both another culture and international volleyball.
My teammates were one of the best parts of this trip. It was fun getting to know girls from colleges all over the country -- especially the girls I play against in the Big Ten! Our group became very close over a short period of time and that definitely showed on the court. Not only were my teammates great, but my coaches were wonderful as well. We had one special man traveling around with us the whole tour; his name is Sandy Vong. Sandy was the first women's volleyball coach at the University of Michigan and still comes to almost every practice and match of ours. He was born in China and lived there until he was about 19 (when he came over to attend U-M), so he knew the areas we traveled through very well (Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing).
Our team played very well, and it was fun watching the style of play that the Chinese teams used. The teams that we played were gritty and had impeccable ball control, which was frustrating for our offense. I became interested in the "language barrier" and made sure to pay close attention throughout the trip to see how it would affect our interactions with other teams. Before and after the matches, we would shake hands under the net with the other players. We would say, "good luck," and they would say something back in Chinese (hopefully "good luck" as well!). As soon as the whistle was blown, we were able to connect through our sport. It didn't matter who spoke what language, because we were all familiar with the game volleyball. That was a really cool takeaway: the language barrier was ineffective when it came to volleyball.
Even though our tour was heavily focused on volleyball, we went on some very fun excursions. A few of the other girls on our team are very into photography, along with me. It is definitely one of my favorite hobbies! I would say over the course of the two weeks I shot around 1,000-plus photos. I really emphasize "capturing the moment" but with that many photos, I think I may be capturing a few too many! My absolute favorite part of the trip was the Great Wall of China. It was INCREDIBLE! Tiffany brought a Michigan flag from home and we were able to snap a few cool shots while up there. The only downside to the Great Wall was all of the walking. Normally this would be no issue, but being in a boot made matters a little bit tougher. Regardless, seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World was very exciting, and something I can definitely check off my bucket list. Instead of walking up (a LOT of steep stairs), we took a gondola up the side of the mountain, and the view was incredible. On the way down, we rode single toboggans down a winding metal track. It was a little intimidating at first, but 100 percent worth the experience and a lot of fun! Along with the Great Wall, we visited the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
Something funny that I keep telling is that I ate more McDonald's during the two weeks I spent in China than I did last year in the United States. The food we ate in China was authentic (to say the least). To be completely honest, I went into the trip being quite naïve about China's food. For whatever reason, I had expected the food to be like P.F. Chang's. Well, let me tell you, it was not. I ate a lot of fried rice, chicken, vegetables, noodles and watermelon (random, I know). At each of our meals, we would sit around a circular table. The servers always brought out far too much food, leaving us feeling guilty about all of the leftovers. The table spun around so that each person was able to try something without reaching all the way across or asking for things to be passed. At a banquet we attended, we were told that it would be a rather formal dinner, with some of the best foods the country had to offer. Placed in front of me was the scariest fish I have ever seen, mouth wide-open, sharp teeth, and bulging eyeballs. Safe to say, I didn't look forward to too many meals after that one.
While there are obviously big things different in China, there are a lot of little things we picked up on, too. There is no such thing as "lines," such as if you're waiting in line for an elevator, some food, or the hotel desk. I would be with a group of teammates outside of the elevator and as soon as it would come down and doors would open, people from way behind would barge through us and fill it up before we could get on. In their culture, this isn't rude at all. In America, however, we would view it as incredibly rude.
Another highlight of the trip was going to the Silk Market in Beijing. This is a five-story building with three basements full of American knockoff items. I didn't think much going into it, but bargaining was actually very fun. You go into one of the shops and immediately you have workers grabbing your arms and tugging you around, trying to get you to buy their goods. When you see something you like, you ask for their price. They would give you an outrageously high price, and you give them an outrageously low one. You barter back and fourth, and if they don't go low enough for your liking, you just walk out and go in the next shop. Shortly after, they come running after you and give you the price that you want. Now that I'm back in the U.S., it's kind of a bummer that what it says on the price tag is what you'll pay; no saying "no" to store owners here!
The worst part of the trip was the travel. For a 6-5 girl a 14-hour plane ride with no legroom is no fun. Coming back to the States, the time readjustment was a little rough as well. I would wake up at 4 a.m. for the first few days being home. Yikes!
Overall, traveling to China was an incredible experience, and I am thankful I had the opportunity to see another part of the world and make lasting relationships while there. Going on this tour makes me want to travel to many, many more places. I wonder where I'll go next!
Wherever you go, Go Blue!
