St. John's University Athletics
Final Thoughts: Alanna Rutan
5/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
- St. John's Volleyball Travels To Vietnam
1. What were your initial thoughts when you heard the team would be traveling to Vietnam?
I was really excited for the opportunity to visit a country so different from my own and experience everything their culture had to offer.
2. Upon arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, what were your thoughts?
It was hot, really hot. Other than the initial shock from the heat, something that sparked everyone's interest was the roads. Mopeds are definitely the popular form of transportation in Vietnam. Not only was the sheer number of mopeds interesting, but none of the drivers seemed to be conscious of what we are used to as traffic laws. People drove on the wrong side of the road, didn't even pause at red lights and parked wherever they wanted. This made crossing the street seem like a life threatening event for us Americans used to crosswalks.
3. What was it like competing in the 2007 VTV Cup?
It was absolutely amazing to. Playing against teams from all over the world, we really got to see the differences in watching others play. The tournament had a very friendly environment, which made it easy for us to make friends with girls from the other teams. Also, having the games played on the television all across the nation of Vietnam, it made us celebrities for these past two weeks. People would stop us on the street and make a passing motion and say "Volleyball?" They wanted our autographs, take pictures with us and shake our hands.
4. What did you enjoy the most about your trip to Vietnam?
I enjoyed being thrown into a culture that was different from everything I am used to. We were forced to eat different kinds of food that we probably wouldn???t eat back home and we met people that have touched us with their kindness. If it had not been for the tournament, I don???t know if I would ever have had this opportunity and I am very grateful for the experience. I also really enjoyed our cruise on Ha Long Bay. After a long and very tiring nine days of volleyball, it was great to be able to relax, soak up the sun and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Ha Long bay.
5. What was your most memorable moment?
My most memorable moment was playing in the championship game against the national team of Vietnam. It was two hours that I will always remember. There were about 6,000 people in the stands, even though the official count only read 2,500. They filled every seat and were standing in any open space they could find. These people did more than just watch the game though, they had so much enthusiasm for every play and cheered after every point like it was match point, which had a great effect on the energy in the gym. It was so loud we could barely hear each other talk and although they were obviously not cheering for us, they still appreciated our good plays and showed us respect. The ceremony at the end was wonderful with the confetti, TV cameras and our silver medals. After all of that, even though we lost the match, people still came up to us and asked for autographs and to take pictures with us. Being a freshman and not having been asked for too many autographs before, this was especially cool for me. I will always remember the kindness, warmth and respect of the people of Vietnam and greatly appreciate the memories they have given me.
6. What are you looking forward to doing when you get back in the U.S.?
Oh, this is an easy question. Eating a hamburger, talking on my cell phone and playing my guitar.
