From Christmas in Sweden to Training in Florida: Goodbyes and New Beginnings - Week 18

Oh boy, what a week! My final days at home have wrapped up, and now I’ve made it to Florida. Well, I say "finally," but truth be told, I already miss home and wish I could’ve stayed just one more week.

Monday was a pretty normal day, with some final preparations for Christmas Eve—our main Christmas celebration in Sweden. Then, Christmas itself arrived, and it was everything I hoped for. I got to spend it with my family and my beloved Ellen as the honored guest. It was so nice to celebrate Christmas together. I gave some gifts, received a few great ones, and once again, as tradition demands, I watched Donald Duck. Some might find it odd, but that’s just how we do things up in the north!

Unfortunately, this lovely week had to come to an end. Early Friday morning, my journey back to America began. The first leg was smooth sailing—just a short stop in Helsinki before boarding the long flight to Dallas, Texas. That was a little over 11 hours, and while it wasn’t the easiest flight, I managed. After some waiting and rechecking my baggage, I finally boarded my last flight to Orlando, Florida.

Yes, I know my school is in West Virginia, but this week is a special treat—a training camp in Florida before classes start again. However, things didn’t go as planned. When I landed in Orlando and went to baggage claim, I waited... and waited... and still, no bag. After searching around, I discovered that American Airlines had lost my bag because the tag ripped off during the recheck process. I filed a claim, and later they called to say they’d found it. The bag should be arriving next Tuesday, so for now, I’m surviving without clean clothes—definitely more than a slight inconvenience, but what can you do?

Since I arrived a day earlier than the rest of the team, I stayed overnight at a hotel with another teammate. That night, I had almost 10 uninterrupted hours of sleep, which was much needed after being on the move for 26 hours straight. The next morning, we picked up a few swimmers, then drove three hours to the hotel and pool where we’d spend the rest of the training camp. After unloading the van, our coach headed back to the airport to pick up the rest of the team.

On Sunday, we kicked off training with two practices. They went alright, but I struggled a bit during the second one due to a major headache. I think it might be from jet lag, but I’m not entirely sure.

This week has been a whirlwind, but I’m grateful for the experiences so far. I already miss home and my family, but here’s to a new semester, fresh adventures, and making the most of it all. Go Cardinals!