Arrival Newcastle upon Tyne

Tuesday, August 17, 2013

Adam checked the time on his watch. It was 10:00 PM.

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[Travelling sure is hard.] He sighed.

Together with Marcus,Adam had taken a morning Due to their well-organized paperwork, they faced no challenges going through customs. They then boarded an airport bus that transported them to the plane that would fly them to England through the night.

Adam turned his attention to the planes he could see flashing by through the window. Men and women in reflector jackets moved around them, towing loads of cargo or shouting instructions. A few airport vehicles, Adam could not identify, were parked beside the planes as well.

"Are the two of you nervous?" Mr. Christophe Benard , on his left, probed. On his back lay a gigantic backpack that shouldn't have been carried by a man his age. Adam had volunteered to help him with the luggage, but the old man had refuse

"Nope," Marcus, standing opposite them, replied. He was dressed in designer clothes and shoes that made him look like a rapper rather than a soccer player. His white timberland boots were especially eye-catching in the dimly lit bus.

"Well, just about once a year. My dad takes us on vacations every festive season. Last year we were in France. But this will be my first time in England." Marcus answered, smiling

Nonetheless, he was eager to reach England. There, he would finally begin his journey to become a soccer pro on the European scene. That was the single thing he had been dreaming about his whole past life, and now it was all finally coming true. It was the only thought that had kept him brave enough to endure the long journey.

"What about you, Adam?" Mr.Christophe Benard asked, turning towards him. "Are you nervous?"

"Well, I don't like planes," Adam replied honestly. "I just want the journey to end as quickly as possible."

"We'll get there. Don't worry." Mr.Christophe Benard patted his back.

They spent the rest of their short ride on the bus in silence before boarding the plane. At 10:30 PM, the plane took off. They were in the skies.

Adam was seated beside Marcus in a 2-seater on the row closest to the window.

"Welcome to England." Mr. Christophe Benard smiled at the four American boys as he got up from his seat. "How was the flight?" He asked.

"Comfortable" Adam replied.

"Exciting," Marcus laughed.

"That's great." Mr. Christophe Benard smiled. "We need to get you settled in by noon today. "Let's head to customs right away."

The two boys followed Christophe Benard out of the plane.

"It's very cold," Adam commented once they were out into the open air.

"Don't mind the weather," Mr.Christophe Benard consoled. "You'll soon get used to it." He led the way down the airstair of the plane.

"I hear that in winter, the temperatures may drop to a bare minimum of -4 Degrees Centigrade," Marcus commented, wrapping his scarf tightly around his neck.

"We won't have any soccer matches in such weather. Our seasons usually end by early December." Mr.Christophe Benard cut in as they continued hurrying across the tarmac of the airport.

It was 9 AM, Adam was assaulted by the chilly breeze cutting through his heavy jacket. He began shivering before he even reached the bottom of the airstair.

A Newcastle United F.c van collected them from the airport and transported them to the city. Newcastle itself was beautiful and charming, with neat roads and unique urban architecture. The streets were glorious in their inception. The sidewalks made of smooth grey stones, joined with such precision that the joins were almost invisible. The buildings were nothing short of historical, the bastions of the city's pride, stamping its status as one of the eco-cities on the planet. Adam noticed that there was no garbage or sewage on the streets as they traveled through the city. The city was very clean compared to New York city

After another twenty minutes, by Adams estimation, the Newcastle van pulled into the parking lot of the student village. Tall brown buildings, roughly six stories high, loomed around them.

"This is the largest student village in Newcastle upon Tyne City," Mr. Christophe Benard said after they exited the van with their luggage in tow. "Usually, this place is reserved for international students at the Newcastle University of Science and Technology." He continued.

"However, we've agreed with the university's office of international relations. They've allowed us to house our international students here as well. You'll be sharing a four-room apartment."

"Come on. I'll show you to your apartment." The old man smiled as he led the way out of the parking lot and into one of the buildings.

Marcus and Adam followed.

A minute later, they stood in a well-furnished apartment on the fourth floor of the building. In the living room, there were two huge fridges, a cooker, sinks, furniture, and other household appliances Adam didn't recognize. The room was well illuminated by the rays of the morning sun coming in through a huge window that overlooked the parking lot.

[This is utopia.] Adam concluded.

He couldn't help but compare the apartment with his house back in New York that had no access to both electricity and piped water.

"Choose one of the rooms on the right," Mr. Christophe Benard instructed.

"Choose one of the rooms on the right," Mr. Christophe Benard instructed. "Room 1 and 2 are already occupied by your housemates who are still away on holiday." He smiled.

Adam selected room number four whereas Marcus chose number three

"Okay then," Mr. Christophe Benard smiled. "Here are the keys to each of your rooms. You can unpack and rest today. I will be here to take you to meet your coaches tomorrow morning." He handed each of them an envelope with their names.

"There is food in the fridge if you wish to cook. Try not to move around unless you have to. But if you need to buy something urgently, head over to the supermarket just across the parking lot where we were. The money for the week is also in the envelope."

"Any questions before I leave?" He asked, looking at both Adam and Marcus inquisitively.

"Do we start training tomorrow?" Marcus inquired.

"The coaches will decide after your medical tomorrow," the scout replied.

"Adam, don't you have any questions?"

"Not at the moment," Adam replied, smiling. "We can talk tomorrow about everything else." The long journey had worn him out. He needed to rest and prepare for the meeting with the coaches. There was no need for him to worry about anything as long as he had food in the apartment. He was glad he had safely arrived in England and looked forward to beginning his soccer training.

"Okay. It's good that you're calm." Mr. Christophe Benard nodded. "Be ready by nine o'clock tomorrow morning. We'll head over to the academy then. But don't do anything you wouldn't if your parents were around." He warned.