My Journey....

Before I left high school my coach sat me down and told me that I was about to have an opportunity to go on a journey that not many people get to go on. She said that basketball was going to take me to foreign places and allow me to travel and to see the world. She made a point to make sure that I enjoy each place that I encounter on this journey and appreciate each moment that I experience in basketball and in life. It might have taken me five years to grasp that concept but now I finally understand what she meant.

As I envisioned what things I would endure in my future, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would travel all the way to Turkey. Of course France, Spain, and even Israel sound more attractive than Turkey so when my agent presented the option for me to play basketball in a small city near the Mediterranean Sea, you could only imagine the thoughts in my head. What will I eat? Do they speak English? What will I wear? How can I sneak my mommy in a suitcase so I won't have to be alone? I guess those are the typical first time overseas alone thoughts. I didn't know what to expect... so I went in expecting the worse! However, upon arrival, I was shocked to see that Turkey is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! The weather here in Mersin is excellent and reminds me of the weather in Santa Monica by the beach. The people are friendly although many of them stare at me when I walk down the street, but I don't mind because they probably don't see many African-American women. Almost no one speaks English here, and that at times can be frustrating. My coach doesn't even speak English! A couple of my teammates speak both Turkish and English so they interpret what the coach says (it reminds me of that scene in Love and Basketball when Monica is overseas and asks, “what did the coach say,” and the interpreter says "to pass you the ball").

As far as the food goes, I am a picky eater but my goal was to get out of my comfort zone and make the most of my experience even if it meant trying new things. I actually like the food here. I eat lots and lots of green olives, bread with honey and butter on it, chicken, and lamb. Once in a while I might branch out and try exotic foods that my teammates suggest. My favorite foods over here are fresh squeezed orange juice and a dessert that they make with waffles, chocolate, and strawberries… Yummy! After every meal it is a Turkish custom to drink cay. It’s a hot tea that is excellent! I have fallen in love with it! Every once in a while when I have a U.S. withdrawal I walk 5 blocks to a Burger King and eat a whopper jr. Can you believe that there is a Burger King in Turkey?

Playing Basketball over here has been a good learning experience for me. I have been playing well. I had 22 points and four assists in my last game which wasn't that bad. The game over here is a lot more physical than it is in the WNBA. Also for some reason it seems that we are allowed an extra half-step without dribbling here in Turkey. For example, what would be considered traveling in the U.S. is probably not traveling here, but considered "a good move". The great thing about playing here in Turkey is that every game I am playing against someone that I know from the WNBA. I have even gotten to play against my Mystics teammates Laurie Koehn and Nikki Teasley. It’s always great to see a familiar face especially when you are a million miles away from home all alone.

Although I have only been here for 30 days I have enjoyed my experience so far. Of course all my days haven't been that great. I had one experience that wasn't too pleasant. We were at our home gym and I had to use the restroom but here in Turkey, most of the toilets aren't really toilets. They have these things called "squatters". Basically it’s just a hole in the ground that you have to squat in, to use the restroom. I was terrified to use it because I didn't know what I was doing, but thankfully all went well. From now on I make sure I use the restroom before I come to the gym everyday so I don't have to endure the dreadful "squatter".

In all, my first experience overseas so far has been pleasant. Although I miss my mom and family, I had to focus to come over here to fulfill a mission of improving my game so that I will be able to contribute to our run for a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics this summer. All the meanwhile I am enjoying my journey and making sure I get the most of my experience and time in Mersin Turkey. 30 days down.... 40 days to go!!!

Nikki Blue