Europe, Round 7

Yes, you heard it right, I am back! I arrived in Sweden last Tuesday and feeling right at home already. For the last 4 years that I have been living here in this beautiful country, I have always felt a pull towards Stockholm. Especially after my first visit. It was love at first sight and the visit was during winter. Thats when I knew I  really loved this city. I wanted to be here rain or shine, hot or cold, Stockholm is forever beautiful. There is always something going on, something to do or see. You could never be bored in this city. Plus the way of life in this country is unique and easy going. In other words I feel everyone should visit this city at least once in their lives.

This year I got a huge opportunity to live close to Stockholm. I signed with Sollentuna Volley, a small suburb just outside the city. The first thing I noticed about living here is how much nature there is. I am literally living on a rocky/grassy hill with woods and valleys surrounding me. Recently I have been taking walks in all directions to see what is around me. To the left is a camp ground that sits on a vast lake with scenic hiking trails that hug the lakes shoreline. To the right, there are residential houses, big open meadows and steep winding footpaths. Behind my building is a bridge that took me to another bunch of nice apartment buildings that sit on a gradually slopping rock face that leads into woods, looking down into a valley with a lake. I watched the sun go down sitting on a bench at a clearing, it was unreal. There is a bus stop about 2 minutes from my apartment that takes me either to a posh part of the area called Dandryds or to Sollentuna Center. The best part of all, I can get to the center of Stockholm in a little under 25 minutes!

Now, I didn't sign with this team just for the city access. It is a perk, but its not the only reason. I have always admired this teams defense and energy to keep the ball in play. I believe that will get us far in the league this year. All they have needed, is a few power hitters to put the ball away. I believe that is my role on this team, to help inspire the aggressive nature on court that I know is in all of them and to make points. This group of girls have been playing together for about 3 years and know one another pretty well. I feel they have grown together and become a strong force that has the ability to take on any team with the right mindset. I have no doubts that we can make this season one for the books. Its up to us and us only to make that happen. I am excited to see our team in action. (The picture above is of the mens team in the gym we play our matches in).

Some Swedish for you :)

Hej = Hey
Hej då (hey doe) = goodbye
Vi ses snart = See you soon