Departure at last!

The time has finally come to begin this journey, and it has already been quite the adventure just to get to this point. Thursday the 20th, I received an evacuation notice for my home in Discovery Ridge. We were among the first group of people to be displaced by the so called "flood 2013" I was very fortunate to have packed all my belongings for the Europe trip that morning, so I loaded it all into the car, then rushed to assist my neighbours in sandbagging their basement from waist deep water that was rising fast. Water is fascinating, it is so immensely powerful and a truly unstoppable force, and the City of Calgary rapidly learned of its destructive capabilities. While I ended up staying at a friends Aunt's house that night, my family made the mistake of staying at the Eau Claire Sheraton, only to be evacuated from there the following morning. 

Friday was my High School Graduation for which I was the Valedictorian. Having rushed out of my evacuated house, I had thought to grab my suit and gown, but had forgot dress shoes, so there I was in flip-flops and a suit. I was lucky to be able to rely on the kindness of strangers and my friend's Uncle was able to lend me a pair. The city was in a state of emergency, and the flooding was unlike anything we had ever seen. The entire downtown was shutdown, and it seemed every major bridge in the city was underwater. Needless to say, getting anywhere was a nightmare, but I was pleased to see a nearly full graduating class eagerly walk the stage. I believe my Valedictory address went well, and it was vey well received, even my awful puns! 

Saturday, it appears as if the flood has begun to recede, but the city is devastated. The entire downtown core has been shut down, evacuated, and flooded, along with 25 community evacuations. The city estimates that over 175000 people have been displaced, and yet only 2500 are using emergency shelters, what a great testament to the open hearts and resilient attitudes of Calgarians. One of the tremendous positives of this disaster is how well the city, the emergency responders, and the people of Calgary have acted. They have ensured the safety of all of us, and worked tirelessly to save our city. We were allowed to return to our house today as it remained high and dry, but there are many who aren't so lucky, like the Calgary Saddledome.  

I have made it to the airport, and that is what matters! The final preparations are in place for the two tournaments and it is hard to believe that they are so close now! Tomorrow night in Madrid, I will be participating in the opening ceremonies of the Madrid Sur Cup, and have picked up a Canadian flag and will be representing our nation proudly. I was gifted numerous pins and coins from the Alberta Soccer Association and the Calgary District Referees Association, so I will most definitely be showcasing these two fantastic groups. Our Madrid Assignments will be given at the meeting and I will be sure to pass them on along with pictures of the opening ceremonies, I can't wait!

As for the IBer Cup, it seems as if all is set to go and is ready to begin, my final assignments are the same as what I posted earlier, except for two of the games on the Tuesday and I am now an Assistant Referee during a match with Athletico Madrid, wow. I have begun to connect with various referees at the tournaments through social networking, and have been getting to know the Quebec contingent as well as many of the internationals. One of the fun events that is in the works is a referees tournament to take place June 30th. We will play 6v6 and against other teams of referees while the match is reffed by our assessors. As our Quebecers are in Porto until the Evening, I offered my services as a free agent and was signed to a team comprised of 3 Frenchmen, 2 Italians, a Swede, a Brit, and me. While 4 of the 8 of us turned out to be goal keepers, I think we will compete for the title and be a force to reckon with. We will play teams such as the Scandinavians, the Polish, and a few teams from multiple countries. You know the tournament is coming up when the newspapers have an entire page on the tournament! I cannot wait!

I will be updating the blog as much as possible over the next two weeks, and will be including lots and lots of pictures! Stay tuned.