Hungary for Frisbee

Balaton Lake, in Fonyód, Hungary, where the water is only one waist deep as far as you can see. 

I had the exceptional privilege this past weekend to attend an international beach Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Fonyód, Hungary. There were about 20 teams hailing from Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria--and a total of three Americans playing with some of these teams. Cheers and conversations heard in four different languages with English as the common language in between, hence I was able to communicate to all (who spoke English...). I had never played on ultimate on the beach (it was actually just a sand court for a volleyball), nor have I been to an international tournament, nor have I ever had horse goulash, but altogether each new experience added another dimple in my smile.

I am starting to get the hang of being the confused American. I don't know if I stand out in a crowd or if I just have a stamp on my forehead because I most certainly look a little European, but as soon as I open my mouth it is obvious that I am a foreigner. This is also not such a bad thing. I have only received the kindest offers and respect as well as an interview with the local Hungarian news channel at the tournament. I thought if they knew I was an American, I would automatically be hated, and then I would just say that I was actually Canadian to ease the tension. I suppose it is not what I thought, and that some Europeans actually like Americans, or at least they don't care, or maybe it isn't even about your nationality, but how you portray yourself. Its amazing how far you can go in this world by just communicating with a smile. :-)

Ok, back to talking about the tournament. One thing that I wish that I did not have to witness or that the event ever occurred was a terrible injury. A Croatian team member was going up for the disc in the end zone, and on his way down, his left foot caught a clump of sand, torquing his leg upon impact, where normally an ACL would be torn, but instead with a sonic bone-crushing sound, his femur snapped. A single cry of pain was heard throughout the whole tournament and everyone stood still, and saw an abnormally and disgustingly disfigured leg attached to the man's body. Too afraid to move towards the incident, people covered their eyes wishing to erase the image from their memory. Dani, one of our team members, bravely ran towards the man, hoping to figure out how to help since he is a physical therapist. Unfortunately, there was no doctor on sight at the tournament and the man had to sit in the sand, calmly in shock, for twenty minutes until an ambulance arrived. Our next game was canceled because it was on the field of which the man was sitting on, but no one really wanted to be very physical for a little while after witnessing such an event, just thinking about getting hurt gave everyone the chills. Later on in the evening, I heard from one of the fellow Croatian teammates that the man will be in the hospital for one week, but that he is doing okay, just sad to not play frisbee for the rest of the summer.

On a happier and lighter note, we won two of our games, played seven total, but its not about the winning, its about how much fun we all had and playing experience we gained. For a team that just formed nine months ago, Disc Fiction will be an unstoppable team in the near future :)

Chillin in our dorm room in an old Hungarian high school, where all the teams stayed in at the tournament

Disc Fiction ready for a pull