gooooo Canucks!

This morning was no different from any other morning: we woke up, put on our smurf outfits, and headed to UBC. Canada played Japan today…and they lost. I was even heartbroken for them, because I feel like I’ve been temporarily adopted into their family! That loss means that USA will play Japan for the GOLD medal. YAYUHHHH!!!!!!! Gooooo USA!

With their only being one game per shift now, things really aren’t bad at all at the arena. Of course there are always those few things that don’t go exactly as planned, but I’ve had a lot more time to actually watch games rather than manage them. It’s been niceeee!

The Royal Canadian Mint was at the game today passing out the newest Canadian quarter: SLEDGE HOCKEY! It was so cool! All you had to do was take an old quarter and swap it out for the new one. It was super neat…and I’m never going to spend it! It’ll be one of my favorite reminders of the trip when I get back to good ole’ South Carolina!

Right after I got my quarter exchanged (p.s. thank you Skye for spotting me the quarter since I didn’t have one), four guys ran out into the concourse wearing nothing but boxers and beads around their necks. To say I was freaked out is an extreme understatement. I have one phrase to you concerning this occurrence: crack kills. But boys will be boys I suppose!

At the end of the work day, Vanoc gave all the volunteers the opportunity to skate in REAL sleds with REAL sticks and REAL pucks on REAL ice. SO EXCITING!!!! It really was SO much fun! Everyone got to spend five minutes on the ice in one, and our group was first in line! I only fell once and that was only because I reached out to get a puck and toppled over. I was pretty darn proud of myself! Julia, Nicole, and I raced from one end of the rink to the other and…I won! All I have to say about that is, “Have you seen my beach ball? It’s about this big and it rolled over that way.”

After that, we all made our way back to the hostel. Then it was time for me to get changed and ready for the CANUCKS game! Since the game was at 7 o’clock, John, Nicole, Bry, Chris, and I left the hostel around 5ish, grabbed some dinner from The Pita Pit to eat on the way, and made it to the arena around 6:30. Our first stop: merchandise! It was the touristiest thing to do, so of course we had to take advantage of it! We all got shirts to wear and I got…A VANCOUVER CANUCKS PUCK HAT!!!!!!! Hands down the BEST purchase of the ENTIRE trip! And the best part about it was that I had been talking about buying one for DAYS now, and when I went into the store to look for them, guess how many they had left. ONE! Yep, that’s right…it was most definitely made just for me!

The Canucks WON (YAY!!!!!) and we made a pit stop at the casino right next to it before walking back to the hostel. Kerri, Christine, and Skye met us there too! This was my first time in a real casino (I say real because the one on the cruise ship for my senior trip was NOTHING like this) and it was so neato! I didn’t spend a single penny while I was there, but it was so interesting to watch people. One man dropped $600 in about five minutes and lost ALL of it within that time frame. Outrageous. There was a sign posted several times throughout the building that he obviously didn’t read: “Know your limit. Stay within it.” Better luck next time, bucko!

We all hung out at the bar area and made a few friends there after everyone was done spending a little cash. I will forever remember our bartender, JP, as the guy who took my shot virginity. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I had my very first shot! It was super tasty, and the best part about it was that it was on the house! YAY! Kerri and Christine about had a conniption when I said that I would take one. It was hilarious! Oh, how I love my friends and their ability to get excited over the silliest things! : )

I can’t remember the last time I stayed out late, especially not on this trip, but tonight we didn’t get in until right around 1 o’clock. The funniest part about it was that we were all about to go to sleep while we were sitting at the bar. Around midnight Kerri said, “I’m about to put my head down on the table and look like ya’lls alcoholic friend,” but then they played “Carolina Girls” just for us so we got our second wind! We finally left about 30 minutes later, and trekked our exhausted bodies back to the hostel.

Now here I lay in my led, thinking about how I have to get up in five hours. I don’t see how people go out every night. Heck, I couldn’t even last and I wasn’t even drinking! Fact: I am not a party all-nighter from South Carolina, regardless of what the song says. Actually, I’m the opposite. And proud of it, too!

Goodnight YAAAAAA’LL! That’s how everyone says it here when they’re trying to mock us. Cracks me up!

p.s. Quote of the day from the lovely Nicole Barber: “Everyone should take chances in life, not on life.” Genius. Pure Genius.