Home at Last

I got home last night after the most incredible experience of my life. It's going to be really hard to ever describe this past week to anyone who wasn't there. It was just so amazing--the competition itself, the location, the other teams, the arena, the fun. And of course the celebration, or as I now call it, Insania in Lithuania. 

Team USA took the gold, I won my fighting event, and I got a silver medal in both polydamas and polaismata. I'm slightly disappointed in the silvers, but only because I feel the gold was achievable. One of our oukis (person wielding the weapon) went down with a bum knee right at the start, so we couldn't be considered as completing our set. Italians took gold on that one. We had to do it again as an expo later, and it went off very well with a replacement ouki. 

I'm still kind of trying to assimilate the whole experience, and it's not that easy. I keep looking at the gold medal and trying to understand that I am the current reigning world champion in something. That is so fucking outrageous.

On Saturday night our team celebrated a bit. For those of you who know me, it may startle you a bit to know that I got completely tanked, like barfing the next day tanked. I figured a little celebrating was in order. I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life, and not just because of the extreme world championship vodka drinking. My teammates have become some of my very close friends, and we just had an outrageously fantastic night. That may or may not have lasted until the sun came up. Serious bonding, like forever, man.

Thanks to all for your support over the past while--it's been quite a journey and I appreciate you all.