Day one in New Zealand has finally come to a close! After over 30 hours of travel, little sleep, and lots of jet-lag, we didn't think we would be able to stay up throughout the day. With a 16-hour time difference, not only did we forget what day of the week it was, but Lucy Stillman '19 lost most of her 19th birthday. When the clock hit 12:00 a.m. on the east coast, we made sure to sing "Happy Birthday" from LAX.

Even in our half-awake state, our first day was still incredible. Flying into Aukland, we were able to catch a view of the sunrise over countless green, beautiful hilly islands. Arriving on a rainy day, which we later learned the locals refer to as 'liquid sunshine,' the city seemed to be covered in a beautiful hazy mist, but that still didn't stop us. We were able to explore Davenport and walk around to grab lunch after a quick hike overlooking the city and surrounding islands.

After refueling with caffeine and fish and chips we went to a local high school to get a practice in before our game tomorrow. It's so nice to all be playing together again! With some athletes abroad in the spring and others playing other sports, it's been eight months since we have all been on a field together. Stepping out on the field with our teammates made us realize how much we missed being together. After it started to sink in that the trip we had been planning and dreaming of since freshman year was finally here, our excitement of what's to come powered us through our sleep deprivation.

Looking forward to our first game and many adventures tomorrow! Cheers, as the Kiwis would say.