Sprinting Forward Slowly: New Experiences & Challenges in USA - Week 4

And just like that, it's Saturday night again. Week 4 is officially over, meaning I’ve now been here for a full month. It’s been a fun week, and I’m finally settling in and getting more time in the pool. Things are starting to feel like home.

This week marked the beginning of personalized training, which was exciting. I’ve been able to focus more on sprint training, which felt great. Even though I am not swimming up to par with the speeds I usally do. I also feel like the swim team is getting closer; people’s true personalities are coming out, and we’re getting to know each other better, which is a huge plus.

One highlight was attending a volleyball match. The dress code was to wear our sports gear, but as swimmers, that was a bit tricky. So we showed up in towels, no shirts, and swim goggles—it definitely turned some heads!

I also got invited to a teammate’s family chili fest. It was an awesome time! We ate chili, played games, and I even got to try American football for the first time. A huge thank you to my teammate’s aunt and family for hosting us and being so welcoming. The chili was delicious, and the whole experience made me feel very welcomed.

Overall, it’s been a pretty chill week, but between the personalized training and fun events, it’s been a good one.