For me, I can't eat healthy 100 percent of the year. There's obviously those little times where you have to eat something that's not great for you, but you just need comfort food.
I grew up with very strong family support. My grandparents raised me, and my uncle sort of played that father-figure role in my life.
I couldn't really tell if it was a different childhood because I was used to it, it was kind of normal to me. The only time I remember it felt a bit odd was when I went to other people's houses and they were calling people 'dad.' I wouldn't get that. But my uncle, who also lived with me, was a father figure.
Every manager has different opinions and all you can do as a player is try to fight and get your spot back, or at least earn your manager's trust back to try and get your spot back. There's no use sulking about it, you just get on with it and try to raise your game to get back to the level you need to be when you were starting.
I think positionally I've improved. One vs. one I feel more comfortable. I knew that was going to come - obviously that's the kind of thing that comes with experience.
I try not to snack, but my family, we're all big snackers. So I try to keep healthy snacks around, like Nutri-Grain bars, pistachios, that sort of thing. But you're always going to cheat a little bit.
The reason I joined Newcastle was because I could see we could do great things.
Even when my grandparents compliment me, I don't like when they do that.
My grandfather, my grandmother especially, I have a whole family of activists, they've always told me to stand up for what I believe in.
I feel like I've improved immensely in terms of my defending, not only in one-versus-ones but also with my positioning.
Everybody tells me they don't know how I have so much energy, and I think people feed off that, which is great.
Obviously you have to take it the right way, keep your head down, be humble. But I think if you're in an environment where you're challenging yourself, you're only going to improve. So that's honestly what I tried to do when I went to Europe.
I like Daniel Alves, I have him as my inspiration.
If I had grown earlier, maybe I would have stuck with football. Maybe. But I was just too small. I was quick, I could outrun people, but if anyone ever got a hand on me, I was done.
I'm fine with just a simple life.
When I was younger if I was in someone else's shoes, if you saw a professional athlete you'd want to go up and introduce yourself and ask a couple questions, so I definitely know where they're coming from.
First and foremost my obligation is on the defensive side. But obviously there are times when I need to go and attack, too.
I think I have kind of have the same mind-set that Kanye West has. He just likes to do his thing.
You're going to have highs and lows, but it's how you get through the lows.
Klinsmann should be remembered as a great coach; I don't think a lot of people see it, but as players, we really appreciate what he did for America soccer. He opened American soccer up. He gave it a lot more variety of players. You see German-Americans and Mexican-Americans, and you see the guys that were born in America.
