I recently traveled to Sitges, Spain, a beautiful coastal city half an hour from Barcelona. I was there to participate in the TOVO experience, a soccer training program with the ultimate goal of improving their players and making them think differently about the sport. We would be staying at a small hostel where we would also have our meals for the week. I was eager to see what our accommodations would be like. 

After we were dropped off, we retrieved our suitcases and bags from the compartments of the coach bus and started the short walk toward the Hostel. The nighttime scenery of the city was beautiful. The architecture was unique, and the cool breeze from the ocean was refreshing. We rolled our suitcases through the bumpy cobble streets, and upon arrival at the hostel, we were greeted by Monica, our “house mom” for the next week. She kindly greeted us and welcomed us inside.

As we first looked around, we noticed the entrance's small size, the cozy living room, and the well-kept dining room. We were assigned rooms and instructed to take our belongings into them and settle in. Upon entering my room, I noticed that each of us roommates, (me and 2 others) had our own dressers and twin-sized beds. I had the expectation that I would be crammed into a bunk bed, so I was pleasantly surprised. We also explored the balcony, which was only accessible through our room. This was a huge bonus for us since it meant we could relax out on our private balcony, rather than sit in the room during free time. We also took note of the number of windows we had and opened them up to let the breeze compensate for the lack of Air Conditioning. 

After sorting through my suitcase and storing my belongings in the dresser, we were informed that the first meal of the trip was ready. Toel, our chef for the week, proudly presented us with his steak and fries, possibly as a warm-welcome meal for us Americans. The tender, flavorful, medium-rare steak, and soft, well-seasoned potato wedges relieved our empty bodies after a full day of airports and flights. Everyone enjoyed it to the fullest, no plate had any leftover crumbs.

After dinner, my roommate and I were eager to get some rest, so naturally, one by one we prepared for bed. When my turn came to use the bathroom I was surprised once again. The walls and floor were this type of brown cement or brick that felt very luxurious. The fixtures were fancy, and the bathroom itself was spotless. The shower head produced a great volume of water that I had not previously experienced. It felt like a true shower, and not just a hose-down. I had never felt so clean or refreshed after using a bathroom in my life.

The warm shower provided me with a level of relaxation that would allow me to fall asleep right away. This would have happened if it weren't for my main complaint—the bed. Beds are a major factor in any living experience and can influence how much you enjoy your stay somewhere. The extra-firm mattress paired with the low-quality IKEA blanket made for a sleeping experience that was fine, but not up to par with what I'm used to. I still ended up falling asleep quickly, however, just from pure exhaustion after training all day. If I weren't exceptionally tired, I don’t believe I would have fallen asleep easily.

I awoke to my roommate's alarm. He had set it an hour early, and now all 3 of us were awake at 5:30, tired, but unable to go back to sleep because of lack of comfort. As I stood to use the bathroom, I noticed that my legs had not been restored at all. They were still very sore, which is usually not the case in the morning. I also noticed a small ache in my back, possibly I had just slept in a weird position, but it could also be the fault of the bed.

Throughout the week of intense training, learning, and pushing limits, one thing stayed consistent: the hostel. It was always a great joy to return to the hostel after training, and that never changed. Lunch, snack, and dinner were always at the same time, so we found ourselves getting excited when a meal was coming up. Toel seemed to never cook a bad meal, which contributed to our excitement. He prepared many variations of pasta, salad, chicken, beef, pork, ribs, rice, etc. and I enjoyed every meal, and it was much healthier than my regular diet. 

Overall, I had a great stay in Sitges, at the TOVO hostel. Staying in a nice hostel added lots of enjoyment to the trip since I always knew that after the hard work, we would be able to relax and recover comfortably. I got used to the bed after the second night, and it didn’t end up being as big of an issue as I had initially thought. Besides that, I have no major complaints, which I think is pretty good for sharing a house with 15-20 people for a week.