Preseason in Moldova

So preseason training was set to begin and I was very nervous because I did not know what to expect in terms of how hard it would be. However, a few days before the start of preseason training I picked up an intestinal virus. This was a huge setback because I had been training for many months prior to coming to Cyprus and I did not want anything to get in the way of training. Nevertheless, I was extremely ill for about a week and a half which made me miss the first few days of training. Luckily, we have about 2 months for preseason so missing a couple days was not a big deal. Once I was fully healthy, I began training with the team and got to work.
After a couple of days of training, I was no longer nervous because I saw the training was not so bad after all. The coaches have more time to get the team to full fitness so getting in game shape is more of a gradual process. Obviously coming to a new team, I knew it would be difficult at first because I did not know the players well and the drills in training were new to me. However, soccer is soccer no matter where you are so I knew I could fit right in once we got playing.
After a few weeks of training in Cyprus, we were set to leave for Moldova for 12 days in order to do more preseason training and play some scrimmages. The preseason trip would allow for the team to get closer and allow for better training environment because in Cyprus it is very hot during the summer. In Moldova, we stayed at the grounds of FC Sheriff, which is a team that competes in the Moldovan 1st division. Their facilities were the best soccer specific facilities I have ever seen. They had an Olympic size pool, a full-size indoor turf field, indoor futsal arena, 8 outside grass training fields, 2 sauna's, cafeteria with full staff, masseuse and 2 stadiums. They also had dormitories which we stayed in that are for the players in the FC Sheriff system.
The schedule in Moldova went something like this; we would get up at 8 and eat breakfast, then training from 10-12, lunch at 1, relax/massage/therapy 2-5, training at 6-8, dinner 8:30, and then curfew at 11. After about 6 days of this schedule, the coach gave us the morning off and allowed our curfew to be until 4 am. The coach and president stressed that we should act like adults when we are out and that anyone who comes back after the allotted curfew would be fined and punished. So we all went out together downtown and enjoyed some team bonding. After a night of fun it was back to training and we continued our normal schedule for the rest of the trip. We were scheduled to have another free night to go out on the town, but one of our teammates decided to miss curfew so we were all punished. We ended up playing 3 friendlies in Moldova in which we went 1-1-1. I played in all the friendlies and started the 3rd one. I think the trip was a definite success for me because I got to know the players a lot better and now I felt like part of the "family". I also got more accustomed to the level of play, and the tactics the team uses.
Now we were on our way back to Cyprus and even though the preseason training was done in Moldova, we still had a lot more time before our first real game. Our first cup game is Sept. 8th with the 2nd leg on Sept. 15th. The season begins Sept. 23rd so we still have many more training sessions along with a couple of friendlies.