Let's give this blogging thing a try...

Follow me on Twitter: @abrooks22
Photo credit: framba.de

Hey Y'all,

Two weeks ago I ventured back over the Atlantic to begin my preseason training with FC Bayern München for the 2013-2014 Frauen-Bundesliga Season...After a great seven weeks break which was spent in Canada, Hawaii, Chapel Hill, and my good  ole' hometown, New Hope, Pennsylvania, it was time to say the tearful goodbyes and reluctantly board the plane back to Germany where I will be until mid-December...I know, a long time, right?! But as my mom keeps reminding me, playing over here is my job, and it is pretty unprecedented to have a job that allows for seven weeks paid vacation time in your first year of employment...I think it is finally starting to sink in that playing soccer is my "job" and that I need to embrace the unique opportunity I have to be playing professionally for one of the greatest clubs in the world, in one of the richest "football" cultures in the world! Missing and being so far away from family and friends is an obvious downside of my job, but I have a feeling I will look back at my time with Bayern and be able to say that it was a once in a lifetime experience which helped me grow as a person and player...

So I've already been in Germany for five months, why am I starting to blog now? Well, as I think most know, I left UNC a semester early with nine credits to graduate. I took one online class this past spring and am currently enrolled in two summer online classes. Thus, I've been a bit busy typing assignments for those classes...but, get excited because as of this next Thursday, July 25, 2013, I will officially be a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill!!! As sad as it is that I will be an official Tarheel Alum, I am pretty dang proud that I was able to leave school early, be in classes while having a full-time job, and essentially teach myself these past six months so that I could say I still graduated in four years time (I wouldn't want my older brother's to beat me in something!)

With that being said, I realized with my formal education days behind me, I would need to find something to occupy my spare time in between eating, training, eating, napping, training, eating, and sleeping...especially since none of my favorite TV shows run during the summer...and since I enjoy writing, I decided to give blogging a shot...I have written pieces for soccer websites but never been consistent about it and considering my degree is in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications, I figured this would be a good way to better update my family, friends, and fans on what exactly I'm doing over here in Munich...it's not quite all schnitzel and soccer

To begin with, I'm just going to run through some facts/favorites that may or not be known about me...I would say I'm a pretty straight forward person and creature of habit, but I do have a few quirks...

Age: 22 (*Interesting fact: My mom and I share the same birthday- January 23- but a "few" years apart)

Nickname: The Ber or simply Ber (originated in high school at Pennington, has caught on with a majority of college teammates, friends, and family)

Favorite color: Orange and "Carolina" Blue (*notice there is no such thing as "Duke" blue or "State" Red)

Favorite TV Shows: Scandal, Revenge, Criminal Minds

I have two tattoos (with plans to get more...sorry mom)... "you'll never walk alone" in cursive on the outside of my right foot. No, I am not a Liverpool fan, just love the quote in memory of my dad and Charlotte Moran who passed away in 2009, as well as a reminder of my family and friends who are always supporting me on my journey... Also have a Carolina blue number 22 in block numbers on my left hip...22 has always been my family's number, I re-retired it at UNC, and the 2012 NCAA National Championship was the program's 22nd overall #deucedeuceforlife

I enjoy collecting quotes...I attempt to write down ones that inspire or resonate with me in my quote book that my good friend and role model, Yael Averbuch, gave me as a present for my high school graduation...I'm sure I will be posting some of my favorites on this blog...get excited!

I am a relatively superstitious person...I used to be much more superstitious to a point that was borderline unreasonable but have since realized it's much more about preparation and routine than "luck"...some superstitions that remain are...1) Anytime I set an alarm or timer on microwave, etc., it has to be one of the following i.e. 7:02, 7:12, 7:22, 7:33, or 7:44...I cannot simply wake up at 7:45... for some reason I have slight OCD with numbers and it isn't even an even or odd type of obsession 2) I have worn the same pair of shinguards since I was 14 3) I can't go a day without talking to my mom...ok not sure if that's a superstition or me just being "mommy's little girl"...big thanks to Facetime for making it possible to communicate face-to-face with my family and friends on the other side of the world!

Goals in life: Where to start?! Short term goals are to have a successful season with FC Bayern München and finish top of the table as well as be invited to another US Women's National Team training camp in the fall. Long term goals are to make the 2015 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic rosters and play professionally as long as my body allows me to and my heart is in it. Super long term goals are to open a one-of-a-kind soccer academy with fellow Tarheels Maria Lubrano and Yael Averbuch in the Chapel Hill/Raleigh/Durham area and/or start a foundation...sounds like I might have to go back to school for an MBA, but hopefully I have plenty more years to spend kicking a ball before I have to hang up my boots and put my formal education to use!

I think that's a good amount of information for my first entry... I have a busy weekend with training later tonight and futsal tomorrow so perhaps this time spent blogging would have been better spent  writing my final book report...but if you know me at all, you know that procrastination is my friend as I tend to perform better under pressure...

Ciao und bis später (Bye and Until Later),

Ber

P.S. Here's a preview of the 2013 Brooks Family Christmas card...featuring the newly wed Aaron and Kara Brooks..it was a joyous occasion on June 15, 2013 at Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii, but I also now realize I am the only single 'Brooks'...German boys holla atcha girl!