Day 1: Departure Day!

Today is finally the day. After months of anticipation Springfield College men's soccer team is finally departing for England. We will also be getting the added bonus of a pitstop in Iceland (A nice stamp for the passport!).

The team simply could not be more excited. The chance to not only go abroad, but to visit what is commonly known as the home of football (soccer) is simply a life-changing opportunity. We will be making stops up and down the country including London, Liverpool, and Manchester. We will also be seeing six Champions League teams such as reigning Premier league champions Manchester City, world-renowned Manchester United, and foreign team such as Schalke and Valencia. 

A couple of travel tips to be aware of... they may speak English in England but it is very different to what is spoken over on this side of the Atlantic. The guys have been practicing their English phrases such as "cheers mate" to say thanks and realizing that chips are french fries and crisps are chips. I sense this will lead to some amusing moments over the next 10 days!

However for the team the trip will be about so much more. Spending time together, experiencing brand-new things, and learning about another culture. I can safely say from my time in England as an undergraduate student, that the guys will learn so much from this. Also, they should be ready to drink copious amounts of tea every day ;)

We are extremely grateful to both our Athletic Department for allowing us this opportunity , and also to XL Tours for setting the whole tour up.

England....are you ready for us? We are definitely ready for you.