Split, Croatia – The Toledo men's tennis team said goodbye to the United States and hello to Europe this week. The team took some downtime during their layover in Germany to have lunch in the Römerberg, the heart of Frankfurt. Once the they arrived at their final destination, Split, Croatia, the Rockets toured the famous ruins of Diocletian's Palace.

In the paragraphs below, sophomore Juan Carranza and junior Stephen Miller reflect on their arrival overseas.
 
Sophomore Juan Carranza (Queretaro, Mexico): "The experience of coming to Europe was something I was looking forward for a long time. Sharing it with my teammates and coaches is something I will always be grateful for.
    The trip itself was very exhausting we flew eight hours had to change our time zone and stayed in Frankfurt for almost half a day but in the end it all paid off because Croatia surprised me so much, the beauty of the city and the sea is indescribable. Yesterday we practiced in the morning for two hours and we then went to the beach in Split, the sea was beautiful and it is close to downtown. Humongous cruise ships come from all over the world to this Croatian shore in the Adriatic Sea, I was amazed by it. After the beach we went to visit an ancient roman fortress inside the city, which catches the eyes of tourists by the beauty of its buildings and alleys designed.
    At the end of the end of the night we had one of the best dinners I have ever had in restaurant on top of a hill with the sea laying at our feet. Tennis brought us together as a team and to this trip so practicing in such an amazing spot is also satisfying, besides the surface of the court is red clay something that you can't find anywhere in the US.
    I practiced my whole life in it back in Mexico and now being able to play here in Europe is crazy, I love it. I can just say I am very thankful to Coach Al and the university for giving me so much opportunities and experiences that I will never forget."

Junior Stephen Miller (New Albany, OH): "Having this opportunity to travel the world doing what I love is a dream come true. I have never traveled outside of the US and always thought it was a distant possibility for this to happen. After the travel and we were finally able to get on the courts.
    So many things occurred for the first time to me. Traveling to Europe, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and playing on red clay. I've only seen this magnificent surface on TV, watching my favorite players, and now I'm playing on it. Once I was out there I learned very quickly how the game changes. Because the red clay slows the ball down significantly, points expand making it very strategic, like a constant chess game.
    I cannot explain the appreciation I have for the school to allow this dream to come true. And the hard work and dedication Coach Al put into organizing this trip."
 
For all the latest information and photos from the trip, follow @ToledoMTennis and #UTEuroTrip16 on Twitter and Toledo Rocket Men's Tennis on Facebook.